Game reviews / Call of Duty: Black Ops
Call of Duty: Black Ops
2010 · Windows · macOS · PlayStation 3 · Xbox 360 · Wii · Nintendo DS · First-person shooter · Action · Tactical shooter
4 scored sources · 3 countries contributing scores
Review consensus
Call of Duty: Black Ops earned a strong worldwide critical reception for combining a tense Cold War conspiracy campaign with polished gunplay, varied cinematic missions, robust multiplayer, and the highly replayable Zombies mode. Reviewers especially praised its atmosphere, narrative ambition, wager matches, Combat Training, and wealth of content. Common reservations included a short campaign, familiar corridor-shooter structure, uneven scripting, technical problems—particularly on PC—and multiplayer balance or launch performance issues. It is best suited to players who enjoy cinematic military shooters, competitive online progression, and cooperative horde modes, especially fans of Modern Warfare 2, World at War, and Left 4 Dead.
Limited geographic coverage. Treat this score as an early indication.
Last researched: 2026-09-09
Pros
- Atmospheric Cold War and Vietnam campaign with memorable set pieces
- Deep, content-rich multiplayer with wager matches and Combat Training
- Highly replayable four-player Zombies mode
- Strong presentation, varied locations, and ambitious storytelling
Cons
- Campaign is short and often relies on familiar linear shooter conventions
- PC multiplayer suffered serious launch performance and connectivity problems
- Some scripting, checkpointing, AI, and vehicle sequences are awkward
- Certain modes and firefights can feel repetitive or unevenly balanced
Review sources
8 sources found across 3 countries. This is not exhaustive worldwide coverage.
- GameSpot · United States · 90/100
- PC Gamer · United Kingdom · 64/100
- GamesRadar+ · United Kingdom
- Destructoid · United States · 60/100
- Destructoid · United States · 100/100
- Jeuxvideo.com · France · 90/100
- Jeuxvideo.com · France
- Jeuxvideo.com · France