Review: Call of Duty: Black Ops

Few games draw as much hype and anticipation as Activision Blizzard, Inc.'s ATVI Call of Duty. The reason is simple: whether you want to play with others online or battle solo in a single-player campaign, this franchise has consistently delivered on the promise of high-adrenaline entertainment. Call of Duty: Black Ops is no different. While it doesn't break new ground or introduce any innovative features that'll change the genre for years to come, Black Ops is every bit as addictive and as exciting as its predecessors. This is especially apparent while engaged in the multiplayer battles. Team Deathmatch is one of the most popular modes, and it's easy to see why: when it comes to brutal assaults, painful traps and unexpected headshots, nothing else can compare. There is something truly satisfying about watching a group of enemies attack and attempt to kill your allies, only to be surprised when you come out from hiding and effectively neutralize the threat. But those are elements that could potentially exist within any great FPS. Black Ops stands apart because, when all of the intense action goes down, the game feels like a battlefield. Black Ops is beautifully and realistically ruthless. Soldiers seamlessly move throughout the environment; their animations are slick and natural, and the polygon models never look like they are out of place. This might sound minor, but it impacts the gameplay more than you'd expect. For instance, when a careless player attempted to perform a sneak attack by hiding inside of a small building, he completely missed the fact that the tip of his oversized gun was sticking out of the open door. This graphic didn't look cheesy, fake, or glitchy. His gun wasn't visible because it was sticking out of a wall (a glitch all too common in action games, even today). It was visible because the player had failed to hide properly. Thus, his presence was instantly known. Though I'm far from a Call of Duty expert, his mistake allowed me to quickly rush through the door and take out the enemy before he could even react. In any given multiplayer battle, Black Ops is overflowing with these kinds of moments. Whether you're hunting an enemy who has no idea you're there, attacking alongside expert teammates who as skilled at dodging attacks as they are performing headshots, or gunning for a revenge kill by throwing a grenade before taking your last breath, Black Ops offers some of the finest first-person shooting you'll experience this year. Rating: 8.6