(guns firing)
- [Miranda] Hello, Call of Duty fans.
This year we're trying something new.
Because Black Ops 4's modes are so different,
we're reviewing them separately,
followed by our overall review and score.
This part covers multiplayer.
Call of Duty Black Ops 4 is a very good first-person shooter
with new tools that encourage creativity
and play styles, but doesn't demand it.
Black Ops 4 has issues with its new mode Control
and with certain map designs.
With all of its changes to specialist
and its new Heist mode, Black Ops 4 makes for a good entry
in Call of Duty's long multiplayer history.
Though, unexciting launch maps may leave it
in the shadows of its great battle royale sibling, Blackout.
- [Player] Free kill.
- [Male Voice] We're winning this.
- [Player] Establish new AV above.
- [Miranda] Black Ops 4's arsenal plays exactly
as I expected it to as a longtime Call of Duty player.
Shooting is crisp, which is important
for taking out the goofy players that bounce around corners.
I'll take jump shots over drop shots any day.
That's all par for the course,
but the addition of active healing is, by far,
the most universal strategic element in Black Ops 4,
and it's a welcome change from the series staple
of automatic health regeneration.
In the hundred plus games I've played,
I've found that automatic weapons with a high rate of fire
are popular, as always, but at this point,
all of Black Ops 4's weapon classes are viable,
with no major unbalanced stand-outs.
In fact, some of the best high-level weapons,
like the Cordite and Swordfish,
are available in the pre-set classes,
giving lower level players a chance to try out
great weapons early on.
(heavy metal music)
Unlike hero shooters, where team composition
is incredibly important, Black Ops 4's specialists
are an extension of your load-out, not the definition of it.
That provides lone wolves like me the freedom
to choose the specialist that gives me
the biggest advantage on each mode or map.
However, if you want to play as a team,
some specialist kits work together beautifully.
I love that these multiplayer characters
were designed with all kinds of players in mind.
I found that specialists generally feel well-balanced,
excluding Ajax's 9-Bang that's available
far too often for as useful as it is.
There are ways to use some enemy equipment
to your advantage though, the engineer perk
allows players to see enemy score streaks and equipment.
Which can help inform teams which point to target next.
The new Heist mode is a great addition
to Black Ops 4 multiplayer.
It's similar to Battlefield Hardline's heist or Payday
and serves as fun palate cleanser between classic modes.
I especially enjoyed experimenting with high level weapons
I had yet to unlock in a unique environment.
I was mostly disappointed with Control though,
the other multiplayer mode introduced in Black Ops 4.
The capture mode can offer intense matches on mid-sized maps
like Jungle and Seaside, but Control also brought me
the closest I've ever been to rage-quitting
because it's frustratingly easy
to get pinned down in your spawn area
if you're up against a hyper aggressive bunch.
Many of the main spawn points on new maps
are in open terrain, making it easy
for the opposing team to pick off
newly spawned enemies over and over again.
I experienced this most in modes featured
in the captured mosh pit, but the fact that my teams
were pinned down like this multiple times
in Black Ops 4 first week is discouraging.
Some of the new, narrow, three-lane maps
like Icebreaker and Morocco also just feel stale
if you're playing them for a few times.
I'm glad that there are some new maps
that are generally fun to play though,
like Gridlock, Militia and Hacienda.
Win or lose the multiplayer progression system
always encouraged me to keep playing with frequent rewards.
Operator mods are a great incentive
to keep playing, and to master weapons too.
These new attachments unlock after
you reach certain weapons max level,
and make them more powerful in some unique way.
Level progression also feels fair in Black Ops 4
and there's plenty of stuff to unlock and try out
on the road for staging.
Black Ops 4's multiplayer let's players be more tactical
without sacrificing the excitement of engagements.
The reworked health system and specialists offer great
mostly balanced tools, that allow
for more creative play styles and cater
to strategic teams and lone wolves alike.
Just about every weapon class in Black Ops 4's arsenal
feels like a viable option too.
Though automatic weapons remain the most popular.
As good as these changes are Black Ops 4 is held back
by a few of it's more narrow maps
that feel stale after just a few playthroughs.
Even worse are the unfortunate design choices
around spawn areas that allow aggressive enemies
to pick off players just as they're coming up.
Despite these flaws Black Ops 4 keeps pulling me back in
to unlock cool operator mods for my favorite weapons
and experiment with load-outs in fun new heist mode.
For more on Call of Duty: Black Ops 4
be sure to check out our Zombies review
and our Blackout review.
And for everything else keep it on IGN.
(rock music)