Call of Duty: Black Ops - Cold War

Pros

• Fantastic graphics that make everything from the weapons, backgrounds and characters look realistic.
• More realistic story and fighting that is gritty and powerful.
• Many different modes so that you can keep enjoying the game.

Cons

• If you liked the science fiction elements of other Call of Duty games, then you may not like the added realism here.
• The SBMM system needs to be more balanced.

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is a first-person shooter game with single-player and multiplayer campaigns. This is a direct sequel to the popular Call of Duty: Black Ops game and offers many unique features that tie in with other Call of Duty titles.

Historical Background

While no one would say that Call of Duty is historically accurate, this title does add an aura of realism by using real historical details. The game is set in 1981 during the Cold War. You are tasked with hunting down a spy known as Perseus. There is some truth to this as the CIA was hunting a spy with this same name who was thought to have infiltrated the US government.

There is also some Call of Duty history here as you get to speak and work with characters from the previous Black Ops title. This makes it a treat for those who want some realism along with long-time fans of the Call of Duty franchise.

Character Creation

One of Black Ops Cold War's strongest aspects is its character creation. You are able to choose between male, female or classified characters who are non-binary. Not only is this a more inclusive game for all gamers, but there are many ways to customize your characters. You will also gain new skins and items throughout the game to make your character look even better.

Realistic Fighting

Those who played the other Black Ops titles, along with Call of Duty in general, are aware of how the game uses science fiction elements. While some gamers like this, others have wanted the games to return to more grounded fighting and shooting. If you are getting tired of power armors and androids, then you'll enjoy has Black Ops Cold War has gritty and realistic action.

At the same time, if you enjoyed the science fiction elements, then this game might not be for you. It's much more grounded than other Call of Duty games and you won't get any weapons or equipment outside of what was truly available for the military in 1981.

Single-Player Campaign

Most Call of Duty games have a single-player campaign and Black Ops Cold War is no exception. The campaign lasts around seven to nine hours for most players. They improve the replay value by giving you many choices throughout the campaign along with multiple endings. Not only that, but there are many achievements and items to unlock through the campaign, so you can go through it several times and have a different experience each time.

Skill Matching Multiplayer

Almost every Call of Duty gamer swiftly goes to the multiplayer matches because this allows you to test your skills against other players. Black Ops Cold War uses a new Skills-Based Matchmaking system, or SBMM. While the SBMM system is supposed to ensure that all the rounds are fair, many players have found fault with the algorithm.

This system is supposed to pool together players of similar skill levels to work as a team or to battle each other, depending on the game mode. The problem is that there seems to be major differences in each player's true skill. Some players are finding it far too easy since they are paired with people who are below them, while casual players are finding that they are going against professionals.

This will hopefully balance out as the game learns more about each player, but it makes the online multiplayer less fun and balanced than it should be.

Pros

• Fantastic graphics that make everything from the weapons, backgrounds and characters look realistic.
• More realistic story and fighting that is gritty and powerful.
• Many different modes so that you can keep enjoying the game.

Cons

• If you liked the science fiction elements of other Call of Duty games, then you may not like the added realism here.
• The SBMM system needs to be more balanced.