(dramatic war music)
- [Miranda] Hello, Call of Duty fans.
This year we're trying something new.
Because Call of Duty: Black Ops 4's modes are so different,
we're reviewing them separately,
followed by our overall review and score.
This part covers the entirety of Black Ops 4,
be sure to check out the individual reviews next.
- We're winning this. - Establish new AV above.
- [Miranda] Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 flung the series
into a thrust-jumping, wall running future.
With Black Ops 4, we see this long-running series
land in far more interesting terrain,
even without a campaign.
This year, Treyarch is leaning
into robust multiplayer modes.
Its excellent battle royale addition, Blackout,
acts as a nice homage to everything in the Black Ops series.
Combined with smart innovations
to both Zombies and multiplayer,
Black Ops 4 is a strong entry in the series.
However, persisting technical issues and a number
of already stale multiplayer maps hold Black Ops 4 back
from being an even greater package.
- [Man] I'm takin' that attack from plenty.
Our style's contesting bravo, we'll oblige.
- [Miranda] Though there are significant changes
to each mode's formula, the biggest change
is Black Ops 4's lack of a classic campaign.
This is certainly disappointing for some, but, for me,
Black Ops 4 gets along just fine without it.
With three solid maps and new modes,
Zombies has a meaty launch.
Plus, Blackout and multiplayer
have that attractive gameplay loop that keep me drawn in.
The multiplayer does get some narrative direction
from the Specialist HQ, which serves
as a good training ground for each
of the multiplayer characters.
Their introductory missions are laced with story cutscenes.
The story Specialist HQ tells is a little hard to follow,
as there's no specific order for the Specialists,
but it's neat nonetheless.
Zombies also includes two storylines,
though those are definitely harder to follow
than a normal campaign because the story of each map
is hidden behind Easter egg challenges.
Black Ops 4 unfortunately has a laundry list
of technical and balance issues infecting each of its modes.
However, Treyarch has been great
about staying on top of those issues,
continuously updating their blog with information
on what they're actively looking at and fixing.
This communication is important for a multiplayer game
with a high life expectancy, especially at launch.
I look forward to seeing how user feedback
for equipment like the 9-Bang, general bugs in Zombies,
and erratic spawn issues in multiplayer
change Black Ops 4 in the future.
(gunshots boom)
This year, IGN split its Black Ops 4 review
to better evaluate each mode.
Our scores were determined independently,
and the final score for Call of Duty: Black Ops 4
is a reflection of my overall opinion of the game,
not an average of all three.
We've provided the other three individual scores
for your reference.
- [Woman] Ooh, maybe mix it with a little whiskey next time.
- [Dan] Black Ops 4's Zombies is a showcase
from a confident team, there's a lot of content here,
and it's slick, well-paced, and rewarding
whether you're running it for the first time
or the hundredth, with the 10 year anniversary
of Call of Duty Zombies looming, there's never been
a better time to grab some friends, chug an elixir,
and see how long you can survive.
- [Man] The enemy's CUAV established above.
(gunshots boom)
- [Miranda] Black Ops 4's multiplayer
lets 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 playstyles 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 its 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 in
to unlock cool Operator Mods for my favorite weapons
and experiment with loadouts in the fun new Heist mode.
(dramatic war music)
- [James] In lieu of significant innovation,
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4's Blackout instead presents
a remarkably polished and intuitive take
on the basic battle royale formula.
Everything from the creative perks and equipment
to the familiar Call of Duty locations works remarkably well
in the dynamic battle royale space,
and some elements like the arcade shooting
are even enhanced as a result of it.
The plethora of technical issues ranging from simple fixes
to more involved workarounds on PC are concerning,
but ultimately didn't stop me or my friends
from playing and having a great time.
I thoroughly look forward to playing Blackout
in the months to come, and hope
that Call of Duty's annualized release cadence
doesn't interfere with the frequency and longevity
of post-launch support that I expect from the genre.
(intense music)
- [Miranda] Each aspect of Black Ops 4
introduces some great new ideas that continue
to evolve the series.
In multiplayer, active healing gives players more control
and paired with Specialists, it makes
for a great tactical experience.
The new heist mode is a wonderful palate cleanser, too.
Zombies thrives from having more than just two launch maps.
The beginner mode is a fantastic way to ease in
to the tense action, while Rush
keeps the maps feeling fresh.
Blackout is the most exciting of the three, though.
Instead of bringing some crazy twist to battle royale,
Treyarch smartly uses the format
to combine past Black Ops offerings into a fun, hectic mode
that entices us to jump in over and over again.
Black Ops 4's rough edges do hold it back
from an even better execution of its best moments,
but when you're not experiencing those technical issues,
any of Black Ops 4's three modes make
for an enjoyable shooter experience
that feel distinct and personalized.
For an even more in-depth look
at Black Ops 4's individual modes, be sure
to check out our Zombies, Blackout, and Multiplayer reviews.
And for everything else, keep it on IGN.
(grenades boom) (gunshots boom)
(upbeat rock music)