-GAMES- Call of Duty: Black Ops

Call of Duty is one of the most well-known First-Person-Shooter games, it is also known of being sold for over a million copies worldwide. If you've played Call of Duty, you know why this game rocks, but if you haven't played it yet, I'm forcing you to play it.

Call of Duty: Black Ops, an FPS, was developed by Treyarch and published by Activision for the PC, Xbox 360, PS3, and Wii. It also has a DS version which was developed by N-Space. Call of Duty: Black Ops is the third series of the game developed by Treyarch, just like Call of Duty: World at War.

Due to the sales, it breaks the record of its predecessor, Modern Warfare 2. Activision reported it has earned $1 billion in sales and on August 3, 2011, it had been confirmed to sell over 25 million copies worldwide.

Call of Duty: Black Ops is like any other FPS where you use guns; your primary weapons (AK-47, M16, DRAGUNOV), secondary weapons (Pistols and Launchers), and grenades. Oh, and yes, we can still use a knife. The player also has stances, like standing, crouch, and prone. Like other FPS games, you have your team which help you decrease the number of enemies. When the screen glows red, it means you're in low health, wherein other players do is to crouch or hide to regenerate your health back. When the enemies throw a grenade at you, it will show a grenade icon, and can be thrown back or you can just run away. There are new weapons in the game. They are the crossbows with bolts and explosives, Dragon Breath rounds and the ballistic knife.

The game also has a campaign which is the story of the game. It show the objectives of the game to move forward and checkpoints which lead the way. Each mission you can see troops which accompanied you throughout the mission, also you can use a helicopter which you're partner moves while you shoot enemies. The game also its best feature, Multiplayer. The online multiplayer mode have missions like Team Deathmatch which see who have the most kills on the team and Capture the Flag, which players take other flags and put it on their base. Additionally, there is Free For All which players don't have teams. Furthermore, the game has over 14 different maps. It has Combat Training which players fight AI alone or with friends. The game also have a split-screen for the multiplayer. For the first time you can record your clips from online games. Steam is an exclusive platform for the PC, and it is protected by Valve Anti-Cheat. The Wii version of the game includes voice chat which you can talk with other players online.

Online Multiplayer mode is cool.

The game is set during the Cold War. Missions take place in various locations in the world, such as the Ural Mountains, Russia, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Hong Kong, Laos, Vietnam, and the Artic Circle. The player controls an SAD/SOG operative, Alex Mason, who is strapped on a chair in an interrogation room. Most of the missions played are flashbacks of Mason. Black Ops features several historical figures like John F. Kennedy, Robert McNamara, and Fidel Castro.

The graphics of the game are more realistic. The soundtrack is good too; it features 'Sympathy for the Devil' by The Rolling Stones, which is played during a gameplay sequence and also in the credits. Eminem's 'Won't Back Down' featuting Pink is used for the credits as well.

Are you coming or what?

For me Call of Duty: Black Ops is the real deal. Though the story is very short, the gameplay makes up for it. For me, this the best FPS. You might feel dizzy sometimes, but you'll get along. Playing online may give a bit of a challenge. Also there are zombies here. Call of Duty fans have played this game, why not you try it too? You'll love this game. THIS. IS. THE. BEST. GAME.

OVERALL RATING: 10/10

-musicgamer

*edited by Red Hood 02/26/12