2010 video game
2010 video game
Call of Duty: Black Ops is a 2010 first-person shooter game developed by Treyarch and published0️⃣ by Activision. It was released worldwide in November 2010 for Microsoft Windows, the PlayStation 3, Wii, and Xbox 360, with0️⃣ a separate version for Nintendo DS developed by n-Space. Aspyr later ported the game to OS X in September 2012.0️⃣ It is the seventh title in the Call of Duty series and the sequel to Call of Duty: World at0️⃣ War.
Set in the 1960s during the Cold War, the game's single-player campaign follows CIA operative Alex Mason as he attempts0️⃣ to recall specific memories in order to locate a numbers station set to instruct Soviet sleeper agents to deploy chemical0️⃣ weapons across the United States. Locations featured in the game include Cuba, the Soviet Union, the United States, South Vietnam,0️⃣ China, Canada, and Laos. The multiplayer component of Black Ops features multiple objective-based game modes that are playable on 140️⃣ different maps included with the game. Improvements to loadout options and killstreak rewards are made. A form of virtual currency,0️⃣ COD Points, allows players to purchase weapons and customization options for their in-game character, as well as attachments and customization0️⃣ options for their weapon.
Development for the game began in 2009. Whereas Treyarch worked on both World at War and the0️⃣ tie-in video game for the James Bond film Quantum of Solace simultaneously, they focused specifically on Black Ops during this0️⃣ development cycle. Different teams within Treyarch focused on a certain game mode. Black Ops runs an enhanced version of the0️⃣ IW 3.0 engine used in World at War. The improvements made allowed for bigger campaign levels to be made as0️⃣ well as enhanced lighting. Music was composed by Sean Murray, with licensed music by the Rolling Stones, Creedence Clearwater Revival,0️⃣ and Eminem appearing in the game. Avenged Sevenfold also recorded an original song for the game as well. The marketing0️⃣ of the game began in April 2010.
The game received generally positive reviews from critics with praise for its story, voice-acting,0️⃣ darker tone and multiplayer modes, although some criticized it for its linear gameplay and technical issues. Among other awards and0️⃣ nominations, Call of Duty: Black Ops was nominated Game of the Year by numerous media outlets and award shows, including0️⃣ the Interactive Achievement Awards, British Academy Games Awards, and Spike Video Game Awards. Within 24 hours of going on sale,0️⃣ the game had sold more than 5.6 million copies, breaking the record set by its predecessor Modern Warfare 2 by0️⃣ some 2.3 million copies. The game had sold over 25 million copies worldwide, making it, at the time, the best0️⃣ selling game of all time in the United States,[4][5] and it remains one of the best-selling games of all time.0️⃣ A sequel, Call of Duty: Black Ops II, was released in 2012. Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, set0️⃣ between Black Ops and Black Ops II, was released in November 2024.[6][7]
Gameplay [ edit ]
Black Ops is a first-person shooter,0️⃣ retaining the same gameplay mechanics as previous Call of Duty titles. The player assumes the role of a foot soldier0️⃣ who can wield various firearms (only two of which can be carried at once), throw grenades and other explosives, and0️⃣ use other equipment as weapons. A player close enough to an enemy can kill with one knife blow. A character0️⃣ can take three stances: standing, crouching, or prone. Each affects the rate of movement, accuracy, and stealth. The player can0️⃣ drop to the prone stance from the standing stance while running (colloquially known as "dolphin diving"), and can momentarily sprint0️⃣ before stopping.
The screen glows red to indicate damage to a player's health, which regenerates over time. When the character is0️⃣ within the blast radius of a live grenade, an on-screen marker indicates where it is in relation to the player,0️⃣ helping the player to move away or to throw it back. Among the weapons new to the series in Black0️⃣ Ops are crossbows with bolts and explosive ammunition, Dragon's Breath rounds and ballistic knives.
A screenshot of Alex Mason firing a0️⃣ SPAS-12 Dragon's Breath round
The player assumes the role of various characters during the single-player campaign, changing perspectives throughout the story.0️⃣ The playable characters are covert operatives conducting black operations behind enemy lines. Each mission features a series of objectives that0️⃣ are displayed on the heads-up display, which marks the direction and distance towards and from such objectives as it has0️⃣ been in the earlier versions. The player is accompanied by friendly troops throughout the game. Although primarily a first-person shooter,0️⃣ certain levels feature sequences where the player pilots a Hind helicopter and guides friendly troops from a SR-71 Blackbird reconnaissance0️⃣ aircraft.[8][9][10] In addition, the campaign features several scripted cinematic moments.
Multiplayer [ edit ]
Players can customize their weaponry in the game,0️⃣ as seen with this customized FAMAS.
The online multiplayer mode of Black Ops usually revolves around two teams on a specific0️⃣ mission. For example, in Team Deathmatch the team with the most kills wins, while in Capture the Flag, players take0️⃣ the other team's flags and return it to their base. Additionally, there is Free For All in which players are0️⃣ not separated into teams. Not including Downloadable maps, there are 14 different maps.
Black Ops retains the experience points and unlockable0️⃣ reward system that has been kept since Call of Duty 4. The multiplayer focuses on socialization and customization. "Create-a-Class 2.0"0️⃣ allows enhanced personalization with appearance items as well as upgradable perks;[9] weapons are extensively customizable with writing, emblems, attachments, and0️⃣ camouflage painting. Even reticles can be modified.
There is more than one style for an attachment, which allows for a lot0️⃣ more personalized weaponry; for example, the player can choose between a red dot sight or a reflex sight, both of0️⃣ which share many of the same traits, although the red dot fills up less of the screen (something desired by0️⃣ many players). Character models depend on the first tier perk instead of the weapon's type. Furthermore, face paints can be0️⃣ unlocked.[11] New custom killstreak rewards include explosive R/C cars, guided missiles, and controllable attack helicopters.[12]
A currency system has been implemented0️⃣ allowing players to buy weapons, accessories, and clothes. Players can gamble with their "COD Points" in a free-for-all based playlist0️⃣ called "Wager Match", which is composed of four game modes.[13] Time-limited objectives known as "Contracts" can be purchased to gain0️⃣ more currency and experience points.[11] The progression system is not featured in the local split-screen multiplayer. In the local split-screen0️⃣ play, all character customization options are already unlocked. Players can no longer define game rules such as win conditions.
Players can0️⃣ play alone or with friends against AI opponents in "Combat Training" with a separate progression system.[14] Online split-screen is re-introduced0️⃣ on Xbox 360 and PS3. The guest account can rank up but is reset after each sign out. Only on0️⃣ Xbox 360, a second Gold Xbox Live account can be used to keep the second player's progression.[15] Aside from the0️⃣ Combat Training mode, Xbox users can also have up to four players in split-screen mode play against AI opponents even0️⃣ without having an Xbox Live account. This is done by configuring the Local Split Screen settings and setting the number0️⃣ of enemies to a value greater than zero.[16]
For the first time in the series, clips from online gameplay can be0️⃣ recorded. Some specific features that have been removed from the PC version of Infinity Ward's Modern Warfare 2 return, such0️⃣ as lean,[17] mod tools, the developer console,[18] and dedicated servers.[19] Dedicated servers are exclusively provided by Game Servers.[20] Steam is0️⃣ the exclusive platform for Black Ops on PC, and the game is protected by Valve Anti-Cheat.[21]
The Wii version of the0️⃣ game includes in-game voice chat. This is the first Call of Duty title to include the voice chat feature for0️⃣ the Wii. Nintendo and PDP have partnered to release the first headset to be used with the Wii known as0️⃣ PDP's Headbanger Headset.[22]
Zombies [ edit ]
A zombie co-op mode, titled "Zombies", can be played with four players online or as0️⃣ a two-player split screen co-op mode. Originally featured in World at War, it was revamped to be included in Black0️⃣ Ops and future titles.[23]
In this mode, one to four players fight an unlimited number of waves of zombies, beginning with0️⃣ an M1911 pistol. Players earn points for killing zombies or repairing boarded-up windows, which are used to expand areas of0️⃣ the map, access stronger weapons, or upgrade existing weapons. Zombies routinely break the windows to enter and attack the players;0️⃣ if a player is attacked enough times, they fall and will need to be "revived" by another player in a0️⃣ certain time, or will respawn in the next round with their weapon progress reverted if they are not revived. The0️⃣ game ends when all players are damaged enough to fall. The base game features three maps, "Five", "Kino Der Toten",0️⃣ and the unlockable "Dead Ops Arcade".
"Kino Der Toten" takes place in an abandoned Group 935 facility located within a theater0️⃣ in Berlin during 1963. The playable characters in this map return from the World at War Zombies mode: Edward Richtofen,0️⃣ a mad German scientist, Takeo Masaki, an officer of the Imperial Japanese Army, Nikolai Belinski, a Red Army soldier, and0️⃣ Tank Dempsey, a Marine from the United States.
"Five" takes place in The Pentagon during a chain of events that differ0️⃣ from the storyline of the campaign mode. The playable characters, John F. Kennedy, Richard Nixon, Robert McNamara, and Fidel Castro[24][25]0️⃣ are interrupted from negotiations by an outbreak of zombies.
Dead Ops Arcade is an unlockable game mode that the player can0️⃣ unlock by typing "DOA" within the data terminal of the main menu.[26] Once unlocked, the player is transferred to play0️⃣ a retro arcade version of the main zombie's game mode. New elements like extra lives, unique mini maps, and zombie0️⃣ bosses are present within the game mode. Dead Ops Arcade includes co-op playthrough through either Xbox Live or split screen0️⃣ of up to 4 players.[27]
The game also includes four downloadable content packs. One of the DLCs is "First Strike" which0️⃣ includes the zombie map "Ascension". This map takes place in a Soviet space center with new perks such as PHD0️⃣ Flopper and Stamin-Up that enhance player abilities. New features were added, like the Gersch Device and lunar landers. The Gersch0️⃣ Device sucks in zombies when used, and lunar landers allow the player with possession to access the portal between different0️⃣ areas of the map.
The second DLC is "Escalation" which includes the zombie map "Call of the Dead". On this map,0️⃣ players are in a snowy, foggy landscape. This map stands out for its celebrity guest appearance and the wonder weapons,0️⃣ Scavenger and Vr-11. The Scavenger is a sniper that creates explosive damage, and the Vr-11 turns zombies into humans. The0️⃣ map ultimately serves as a homage to the works of George A. Romero which had already been drawn from as0️⃣ inspiration for the mode. Romero features in cutscenes and is the primary antagonist of the map. The in-game incarnation of0️⃣ Romero has fostered a reputation of infamy, as many players expressed their annoyance at the challenging boss.
The third DLC is0️⃣ "Annihilation" which includes the zombie map "Shangri-La". This map is in the Himalayan jungles, based around an ancient temple. “Shangri-La”0️⃣ has deadly traps such as swinging spike traps and mudslides. The wonder weapon is the 31-79 JGb215 (known in the0️⃣ game files as "Shrink ray" and affectionately called the "Baby maker" by fans") which is used to shrink zombies down0️⃣ to a small size, allowing them to be killed when a player walks into them.
The fourth DLC is "Rezurrection" which,0️⃣ unlike the other DLC packs, is Zombies only. It includes the new zombies experience "Moon" and four remastered zombie maps0️⃣ from the previous Treyarch game World at War. On “Moon”, gameplay takes place primarily on a Nazi facility on Earth's0️⃣ moon. The moon's low-gravity surface allows players to jump higher and cover larger distances quicker. The Wave Gun is this0️⃣ map's signature weapon, which, when shot at a zombie, will release a laser that makes the zombie have a zero-gravity0️⃣ effect and explode mid-air.[28][29] This DLC pack added the new Perk-a-Cola "Mule-kick" to "Moon" as well as all previous maps.0️⃣ The Perk allows players to carry 3 weapons at once.
Plot [ edit ]
Campaign [ edit ]
Characters and setting [ edit0️⃣ ]
From left to right: Alex Mason, Jason Hudson, and Robert McNamara
Black Ops takes place between 1961 and 1968 during both0️⃣ the Cold War and the Vietnam War, 16 years to 23 years after the events of World at War. It0️⃣ portrays a secret history of black operations carried out behind enemy lines by the CIA. Missions take place in various0️⃣ countries around the globe, including Cuba, the Soviet Union, the United States, South Vietnam, China, Canada, and Laos. The single-player0️⃣ campaign revolves around the CIA's attempts to stop Soviet sleeper agents embedded in the US, to be activated via broadcasts0️⃣ from a numbers station, from deploying an experimental nerve agent and chemical weapon known as "Nova 6".
The player controls the0️⃣ protagonist, CIA SAD/SOG operative and former Marine Force Recon Captain Alex Mason (Sam Worthington). Other characters are occasionally playable, such0️⃣ as CIA paramilitary operations officer Jason Hudson (Ed Harris). Mason is often joined by fellow operatives Force Recon Master Sergeant0️⃣ Frank Woods (James C. Burns) and Navy UDT Chief Joseph Bowman (Ice Cube), while Hudson works with Grigori Weaver (Gene0️⃣ Farber), a Russian-American field operative. Viktor Reznov (Gary Oldman), a character of the Soviet campaign in World at War, returns0️⃣ along with protagonist Dimitri Petrenko (Boris Kievsky), now no longer silent or faceless. Oldman also voices Daniel Clarke, an English0️⃣ scientist assisting in the development of Project Nova. Opposing the CIA are the leaders of Project Nova: Soviet Army Major0️⃣ General Nikita Dragovich (Eamon Hunt), Colonel Lev Kravchenko (Andrew Divoff), and ex-Nazi scientist Friedrich Steiner (Mark Bramhall). Black Ops also0️⃣ features several historical figures; during the story, Mason meets Fidel Castro, Robert McNamara, and John F. Kennedy.
Story [ edit ]
In0️⃣ April 1961, Mason, Woods, and Bowman participate in Operation 40 to assassinate Fidel Castro and assist the CIA-sponsored Cuban exiles0️⃣ during the Bay of Pigs Invasion. Mason kills Castro's body double and stays behind, allowing Woods and Bowman to flee0️⃣ in an extraction plane. He is captured by the real Castro, who gifts him to a Soviet Army Major General0️⃣ named Nikita Dragovich. Imprisoned in a brutal gulag known as Vorkuta, Mason befriends a former Red Army soldier named Viktor0️⃣ Reznov, who gives him the identities of their enemies: Dragovich, Colonel Lev Kravchenko, and ex-Nazi scientist Friedrich Steiner. In October0️⃣ 1945, Reznov, Dimitri Petrenko, and their platoon were sent to extract Steiner, who wished to defect, from a secret Nazi0️⃣ base on Baffin Island. Upon being rescued, Steiner provided the Soviets with the location of a disabled cargo ship carrying0️⃣ the weapon he had originally developed for Adolf Hitler. However, Reznov and his men were betrayed by Dragovich, who wished0️⃣ to see the effects of the gas first-hand; Reznov was forced to watch Petrenko die horrifically, only being spared himself0️⃣ when British Commandos, interested in also acquiring Nova 6, attacked. Reznov detonated the V-2 rockets onboard the ship during his0️⃣ escape, destroying it and Nova 6, only to be captured by the Soviets and imprisoned in Vorkuta. The Soviets later0️⃣ recreated Nova 6 using British scientist Daniel Clarke.
In October 1963, Mason and Reznov spark an uprising to flee the prison;0️⃣ Reznov stays behind to facilitate Mason's escape. Upon his return to the US, President John F. Kennedy authorizes a mission0️⃣ to assassinate Dragovich; Mason is plagued by anxiety and murderous visions during his meeting with the President. Mason, Woods, Bowman,0️⃣ and Weaver are dispatched to the Baikonur Cosmodrome to disrupt the Soviet space program and eliminate members of "Ascension", a0️⃣ Soviet program giving sanctuary to Nazi scientists. The team destroys the Soyuz spacecraft, while Dragovich is seemingly killed in a0️⃣ car explosion.
In January 1968, Mason's team is sent to Vietnam as part of MACV-SOG. After defending Khe Sanh from a0️⃣ North Vietnamese assault, they recover a dossier on Dragovich from a Russian defector being held by the North Vietnamese Army0️⃣ in Huế during the Tet Offensive; the defector is revealed to be Reznov. When Dragovich resurfaces, the team penetrates Laos0️⃣ to recover a Nova 6 shipment from a downed Soviet plane, but are captured by Viet Cong and Spetsnaz forces0️⃣ at the crash site. Bowman is later executed during a forced game of Russian roulette, but Woods and Mason escape,0️⃣ hijacking a Mi-24 Hind and crippling a part of the Ho Chi Minh Trail before rescuing Reznov from Kravchenko's base.0️⃣ They confront Kravchenko, but he primes grenades strapped to his body, forcing Woods to push himself and Kravchenko out of0️⃣ a window; Mason presumes the two dead.
Hudson and Weaver interrogate Clarke in Kowloon Walled City, with Clarke revealing the location0️⃣ of a facility in Mount Yamantau before being killed by Dragovich's men. Hudson and Weaver infiltrate and destroy the facility0️⃣ before receiving a transmission from Steiner requesting to meet at Rebirth Island, as he suspects Dragovich will kill him in0️⃣ order to cover up Nova 6. Mason, now going rogue, travels there with Reznov to assassinate Steiner, succeeding just as0️⃣ Hudson and Weaver arrive. It is revealed that although Mason supposedly witnessed Reznov executing Steiner, Hudson and Weaver saw Mason0️⃣ carrying out the act alone while calling himself Reznov. With Steiner dead, Mason is now the only individual left who0️⃣ knows the location of the numbers station, prompting Hudson and Weaver to interrogate him.
Hudson explains that Dragovich has sleeper cells0️⃣ stationed within each American state capital, which, when ordered by the broadcast of a series of numbers from his station,0️⃣ will release Nova 6 and pave the way for a Soviet invasion. In response, the US, now at DEFCON 2,0️⃣ is preparing a pre-emptive nuclear strike on the Soviets. Hudson reveals that Mason was brainwashed by Dragovich at Vorkuta to0️⃣ serve as a sleeper agent and assassinate Kennedy. Reznov died during the breakout, and the Soviet defector was killed; Mason's0️⃣ visions of Reznov are an illusion caused by the brainwashing. Prior to his death, Reznov reprogrammed Mason to kill Dragovich,0️⃣ Kravchenko, and Steiner to complete his own revenge. Mason finally remembers the location of Dragovich's broadcast station is a Russian0️⃣ ship named the Rusalka in the Gulf of Mexico. An assault on the ship is carried out the next day,0️⃣ with the US Navy called in to destroy it. Mason and Hudson confront Dragovich in the underwater submarine base protecting0️⃣ the ship, with Mason killing Dragovich before the two escape.
Footage of President Kennedy before his assassination on November 22, 1963,0️⃣ is shown, revealing Mason was among onlookers who watched him arrive at Dallas Love Field, suggesting Mason may have carried0️⃣ out his initial programming.
Zombies [ edit ]
Characters and settings [ edit ]
The Zombies story takes place over various eras of0️⃣ time, mostly during the final year of World War II and the 1960s. The story mainly follows four soldiers: "Tank"0️⃣ Dempsey (Steve Blum) of the United States Marine Corps, Nikolai Belinski (Fred Tatasciore) of the Red Army, Takeo Masaki (Tom0️⃣ Kane) of the Imperial Japanese Army, and Doctor Edward Richtofen (Nolan North) of the Wehrmacht. Other characters include Doctor Ludvig0️⃣ Maxis (Fred Tatasciore) and his daughter Samantha (Julie Nathanson). The map "Five" features historical figures: John F. Kennedy (Jim Meskimen),0️⃣ Robert McNamara (Robert Picardo), Richard Nixon (Dave Mallow), and Fidel Castro (Marlon Correa). "Call of the Dead" features the appearance0️⃣ of celebrities: Sarah Michelle Gellar, Robert Englund, Danny Trejo, Michael Rooker, all playing themselves and George A. Romero.
Story [ edit0️⃣ ]
During World War II, Doctor Ludvig Maxis formed Group 935, a group of scientists intended to improve the human condition.0️⃣ Lacking funds, they soon turned to creating superweapons to aid the Nazis. Their discovery of Element 115 from a meteorite0️⃣ in Japan led to zombies' creation. Maxis and his assistant, Dr. Edward Richtofen, also work on other projects, leading to0️⃣ the creation of teleportation devices and 115-powered weapons. Attempting to use himself as a test subject, Richtofen accidentally teleports to0️⃣ a catacomb within the Moon, where he comes into contact with a mysterious pyramid device that causes him to hear0️⃣ ghostly voices, slowly taking away his sanity. He is later teleported to an exotic jungle known as Shangri-La, where he0️⃣ spends three weeks studying the Vril energy force. Upon returning to Germany, Richtofen secretly forms a plan to kill Maxis0️⃣ and gathers many members of Group 935 to build a Moon base known as Griffin Station. While maintaining his cover0️⃣ with Maxis and the rest of Group 935, Richtofen manages to capture three soldiers: Tank Dempsey, Nikolai Belinski, and Takeo0️⃣ Masaki; he begins to experiment with Element 115, causing memory loss for all three soldiers.
Maxis continues his work on other0️⃣ experiments, attempting to use his daughter's dog, Fluffy, as a test subject for his own teleportation device. However, the experiment0️⃣ fails, and Fluffy is transformed into an undead Hellhound. Richtofen takes the opportunity and traps Maxis and his daughter Samantha0️⃣ inside the teleporter with Fluffy, believing they will die. Richtofen escapes as Der Riese is overrun by zombies with his0️⃣ three captured soldiers and arrives at the Rising Sun research facility in Japan, where Element 115 was first discovered. After0️⃣ gathering a sample of 115 at the site and recovering a weapon known as the Wunderwaffe DG-2, they return to0️⃣ the Der Riese factory in Germany. In an attempt to escape the zombie horde, the group accidentally overloads a teleporter0️⃣ with the DG-2, sending them forward in time. They arrive at an abandoned Nazi theater in the 1960s, where Richtofen0️⃣ discovers several recordings left behind by Dr. Maxis. Samantha, having survived and managing to control the zombies, continues raising the0️⃣ undead to hunt down Richtofen.
In 1963, the United States government manages to grab hold of several of Group 935's inventions,0️⃣ keeping them hidden in the Pentagon. Zombies breach the Pentagon, trapping John F. Kennedy, Richard Nixon, Robert McNamara, and Fidel0️⃣ Castro inside and forcing them to fight their way out. Meanwhile, Richtofen's crew arrives at a Soviet Cosmodrome site, where0️⃣ Richtofen intends to travel to Group 935's Moon base, Griffin Station.
The crew is contacted by Gersh, a member of the0️⃣ Ascension Group who requests to be freed from Samantha's grip. After freeing Gersh, the four of them are teleported further0️⃣ in time and arrive at a Siberian lighthouse sometime in 2011, once used by Richtofen as a secret lab. However,0️⃣ they are trapped within a locked room and forced to rely on four movie actors: Sarah Michelle Gellar, Danny Trejo,0️⃣ Robert Englund, and Michael Rooker, who are filming a zombie movie on-site along with director George A. Romero, who had0️⃣ been infected as well. Richtofen requests the four celebrities to find a golden rod, a Vril generator device, which he0️⃣ then uses to fix the teleporter.
He transports himself and the other three soldiers back to Shangri-La, leaving the celebrities behind0️⃣ to continue fighting Romero and the horde. At Shangri-La, the group discovers two explorers, Gary and Brock, who died trapped0️⃣ within a time loop while trying to discover the secrets of the mythical Agartha realm. The group saves the explorers'0️⃣ lives by traveling back and forth in time, altering the environments of the temple in the process. They discover an0️⃣ altar within the temple with Richtofen's name written on it and a piece of a meteorite containing Element 115. However,0️⃣ the explorers remain stuck in the never-ending loop.
With the Vril generator and the meteorite piece, Richtofen believes he can control0️⃣ the zombies and returns to Griffin Station. Here, they attempt to activate the MPD, a machine that controls the Aether0️⃣ energy, which opens to reveal Samantha inside; instead of dying by Richtofen's trap, Samantha is teleported to the moon while0️⃣ Maxis is sent somewhere else. Samantha accidentally triggered the MPD and was trapped within the device, but this also allowed0️⃣ her to enter the Aether realm. Maxis, who was retrieved by Group 935 scientists, apologized to his daughter and committed0️⃣ suicide in front of her, prompting her to assume control of the zombies and seek vengeance on Richtofen. Richtofen fuses0️⃣ the golden rod and the meteorite piece and, using it to switch souls with Samantha, takes over as the new0️⃣ zombie controller. This causes his former allies to feel betrayed, and they ally themselves with Samantha (who now resides in0️⃣ Richtofen's body). Maxis is revealed to have become a sentient artificial intelligence living within the systems of Griffin Station, and0️⃣ he guides his daughter and the three soldiers to launch three missiles at the Earth. This severs Richtofen's link with0️⃣ the Aether, but the launch results in the catastrophic destruction of the Earth while still leaving Richtofen in control of0️⃣ the undead.
Development [ edit ]
In May 2009, publisher Activision was rumored to be looking for licensing regarding Vietnam War-era music0️⃣ which led to speculation that Call of Duty 7 would be set in Vietnam.[30] In May 2009, Treyarch employee David0️⃣ Kim revealed on his LinkedIn profile that he would work as a senior animator on Call of Duty 7.[31] In0️⃣ November 2009, only a few days before Modern Warfare 2's release, Activision officially announced a new Call of Duty title0️⃣ for 2010 through their third quarter financial call.[32] In February 2010, a casting call for Call of Duty 7 led0️⃣ to speculation that the game would be taking place during the Cold War era with some battles taking place in0️⃣ South Vietnam.[33] On April 30, 2010, Black Ops was officially announced.[34]
The game runs on an enhanced World at War engine0️⃣ (which itself was improved from Call of Duty 4's) at 60 frames per second across all platforms, excluding the Wii.[35]0️⃣ It features a streaming texture technology (also seen in Modern Warfare 2), making bigger levels possible such as "Payback" where0️⃣ the player controls a helicopter. Lighting effects have been improved as well.[36] Call of Duty: Black Ops supports 3-D imaging0️⃣ rendered by the engine itself.[37] This feature is available on the PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 versions.[38]
For Black Ops,0️⃣ Treyarch focused only on this game unlike past practice. However, it had different teams, each working on separate game modes.[39]0️⃣ Treyarch used a motion capture technology similar to the one used in James Cameron's film Avatar, which allows accurate facial0️⃣ expressions, capturing the whole performance of the actor.[40] The studio also consulted special forces veterans from both belligerents of the0️⃣ Cold War: Major John Plaster (US Army-Ret.) who served in the MACV-SOG during the Vietnam War, and former Soviet special0️⃣ forces operative Sonny Puzikas.[41] The latter taught Treyarch how Spetsnaz soldiers would react in combat, such as rolling out of0️⃣ the line of fire. Spetsnaz AIs in the game have been modeled after him, from his tactics and his movements0️⃣ to his face.[42][43] Although having a historical background, the classified aspect of these Cold War black operations allowed the studio0️⃣ to create its own fictional story.[44] The game also allows players to turn down the blood and turn off the0️⃣ profanity.[45]
It was announced on November 9, 2024, that Black Ops would become backwards compatible with the Xbox One.[46] It was0️⃣ originally meant to be available for backwards compatibility in December 2024, but the date was later changed to some time0️⃣ in 2024.[47] Black Ops was originally the sixth-most requested Xbox 360 title to become backwards compatible with the Xbox One.[48]0️⃣ On May 17, 2024, the game was made available through Xbox One's backward compatibility.[49] Shortly after, it was reported that0️⃣ sales of the Xbox 360 version had increased by 13,000 percent.[50]
Audio [ edit ]
Black Ops features the voices of Sam0️⃣ Worthington as Alex Mason,[51] Ed Harris as Jason Hudson,[52] Gary Oldman reprises his role as Viktor Reznov from World at0️⃣ War and also voices Dr. Clarke,[51] James C. Burns voices and provides performance capture for Frank Woods[53] and Ice Cube0️⃣ voices Joseph Bowman, whose appearance is likened to him as well, and is also the multiplayer announcer for the SOG0️⃣ faction.[54][55] Gene Farber voices Grigori Weaver, Emmanuelle Chriqui plays a live-action character called Numbers,[56][57] Eamon Hunt voices Nikita Dragovich, Andrew0️⃣ Divoff voices Lev Kravchenko and Robert Picardo voices Secretary Robert McNamara. Dimitri Diatchenko, an American born actor and musician voices0️⃣ the Spetsnaz faction and several other characters due to his strong Russian accent.
Call of Duty: Black Ops features Vietnam War0️⃣ era music including "Sympathy for the Devil" by The Rolling Stones[58] (played during a gameplay sequence, the credits, and as0️⃣ an easter egg in the multiplayer map Nuketown) and Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Fortunate Son".[59] Eminem's "Won't Back Down" (featuring Pink)0️⃣ is used for the credits as well, and additionally appears as an Easter Egg in the Zombie map "Five". In0️⃣ the Call of the Dead zombie map the song "Not Ready to Die" by American heavy metal band Avenged Sevenfold0️⃣ is featured as an easter egg.[60] The original music was composed by Sean Murray, who also composed Call of Duty:0️⃣ World at War while Kevin Sherwood composed music for the Zombies mode. The soundtrack was released on November 9. The0️⃣ use of The Rolling Stones' music in the game has seen a significant increase in the band's music sales since0️⃣ launch. "Gimme Shelter" sold 2,000 copies in the week before the launch trailer was revealed, 5,000 the week after, and0️⃣ 11,000 the week after the game's release. "Sympathy for the Devil" experienced a similar boost as gamers discovered the band's0️⃣ music.[61][62]
The game's score was composed by Sean Murray, and the official soundtrack was released on November 9, 2010.[63][64] In addition,0️⃣ a soundtrack for the Zombies mode was released on January 25, 2011.[65]
Marketing [ edit ]
Black Ops was first officially unveiled0️⃣ when the website for the game went live on April 30, 2010[34] prior to the release of its debut teaser0️⃣ trailer on GameTrailers TV Episode 310.[66] In early April 2010, an unmarked envelope was sent to various gaming news publications0️⃣ as well as high-profile Call of Duty fans via mail. It contained a USB flash drive with sound and text0️⃣ files. These files were codes to be decrypted, only to find a mysterious teaser site for an unknown game. Other0️⃣ codes were updated periodically.
Similarly to Modern Warfare 2's marketing, the first full-length trailer of Black Ops was aired after the0️⃣ 3rd quarter on ESPN during the NBA Eastern Conference Finals on May 18, 2010.[67] During E3 2010, studio head Mark0️⃣ Lamia opened the Microsoft conference by playing Black Ops on stage.[68] It was also announced that the timed Xbox 3600️⃣ exclusivity for additional content of Call of Duty titles, which began with Modern Warfare 2, extends until 2012.[69] A remixed0️⃣ version of the ESPN trailer with Eminem's "Won't Back Down" was released on June 14,[70] prior to the E3 Activision0️⃣ conference for which he also performed.[71] A multiplayer teaser trailer was released on August 9, 2010, revealing killstreaks, weapons, and0️⃣ other in-game multiplayer features. A full multiplayer reveal took place on September 1, 2010, and revealed many multiplayer features from0️⃣ the game.[72]
Chrysler produced a limited-edition Call of Duty Jeep as the Wrangler is featured in Black Ops.[73] In late September,0️⃣ viral site GKNOVA6 was updated revealing fuzzy footages of zombies.[74] On October 11, a single player trailer aired on ESPN0️⃣ during the New York Jets versus Minnesota Vikings NFL Monday Night Football game.[75] The same trailer was aired the next0️⃣ day in the United Kingdom at half time of the England versus Montenegro 2012 European Football Championship qualifying game. On0️⃣ October 29, the official launch trailer was released online. The same trailer aired on October 31 during the New Orleans0️⃣ Saints versus Pittsburgh Steelers NFL Sunday Night Football game. The trailer features the song "Gimme Shelter" by The Rolling Stones,0️⃣ and was directed by Rupert Sanders, who later went on to direct Snow White and the Huntsman and Ghost in0️⃣ the Shell.[76]
Retail versions [ edit ]
Like Modern Warfare 2, "Hardened" and "Prestige" limited editions are available: the Hardened Edition includes0️⃣ a SteelBook case, a medal with its display case, four exclusive co-op levels and an Xbox Live or PlayStation Home0️⃣ avatar outfit. The Prestige Edition offers, in addition to the Hardened Edition's content, a real RC-XD remote-control vehicle modeled after0️⃣ the in-game killstreak reward, which gives video and audio feedback to its controller.[77] In Japan, the game is distributed by0️⃣ Square Enix. Two versions are available: subtitled or dubbed,[78] released respectively on November 18, 2010, and December 16, 2010. Both0️⃣ have dismemberment censored.[79] Gore is censored as well in Germany in addition to the removal of "Sympathy for the Devil"0️⃣ and Nazi symbols considered "anti-constitutional" in the country.[58]
Downloadable content [ edit ]
Treyarch released the "First Strike" Map Pack on February0️⃣ 1, 2011, for the Xbox 360. The PlayStation 3 received the map pack on March 3, 2011, and the PC0️⃣ version was released on March 25, 2011, through Steam.[80] The Map Pack includes additional maps that can be played in0️⃣ the multiplayer mode. These maps include "Berlin Wall", "Discovery", "Kowloon" and "Stadium" and a map for the Zombies mode titled0️⃣ "Ascension" which takes place in a Soviet launch site.[81]
On April 11, 2011, a second map pack called "Escalation" was announced0️⃣ by Activison and Microsoft. It features 4 new multiplayer maps named "Zoo", "Hotel", "Convoy", "Stockpile" and one new zombies map0️⃣ named 'Call of the Dead'. This map is based on the movies by George A. Romero, the revolutionary epic-zombie-horror director.0️⃣ The trailer for this map shows the four playable characters: Danny Trejo, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Robert Englund and Michael Rooker.0️⃣ The name is a reference to the immensely popular Dead Series created and directed by Romero. The trailer also offers0️⃣ a sneak peek of a zombiefied version of George A. Romero himself, lurking out of water. The map is set0️⃣ on a ship, but with the ship's crew as zombies instead of Nazi zombies. It was released on May 3,0️⃣ 2011, for the Xbox 360, June 2 on the PC and June 10 for the PlayStation 3.[82]
A third map pack0️⃣ called "Annihilation" was released for the Xbox 360 on June 28, 2011,[83] and on July 28, 2011, for the PlayStation0️⃣ 3 and PC.[84] It contains four new multiplayer maps named "Hangar 18", "Hazard", "Drive-In", "Silo", and a new zombies map0️⃣ named "Shangri La", which takes place in a legendary shrine lost in an exotic jungle.[85][86]
The fourth map pack, "Rezurrection" was0️⃣ released on August 23, 2011, for the Xbox 360,[87] and September 22, 2011, on PlayStation 3 and PC.[88] The Rezurrection0️⃣ Map Pack is made up of 5 Zombies mode only maps. It includes the first 4 maps from Call of0️⃣ Duty: World at War ("Nacht Der Untoten"/"Night", "Verruckt"/"Asylum", "Shi No Numa"/"Swamp", "Der Riese"/"Factory") fully remastered. It also includes a new0️⃣ map called "Moon". "Moon" allows players to fight zombies in zero gravity with both the player and the zombies under0️⃣ zero gravity influence.[89]
Reception [ edit ]
Call of Duty: Black Ops received "generally positive" reviews, according to review aggregator Metacritic, except0️⃣ for the DS, where it received "mixed or average" reviews.[90][91][92][93][94] GameSpot awarded it 9.0 out of ten and wrote "Call0️⃣ of Duty: Black Ops bears the series' standard superbly, delivering an engrossing campaign and exciting competitive multiplayer."[102] Edge magazine was0️⃣ less positive, giving it a 7/10, writing that "As polished and pretty and fun as Black Ops often is, it0️⃣ feels more like a yearly update than a sequel [which] isn't distinct from its predecessors in any important way".[119] Several0️⃣ reviewers also complained that the game felt too much like a rail shooter, with PC Gamer branding it "barely interactive".[120][121][122][123]
Reviewers0️⃣ also noted that the PC version of the game was buggy and had "a number of frustrating problems", including a0️⃣ lag in multiplayer modes which for some players rendered the game almost "unplayable".[124][125][126] Players have also reported serious bugs with0️⃣ the PlayStation 3 version, including compatibility issues with 3D televisions.[127] PC World magazine noted that user reviews of the game0️⃣ were much less positive than those of critics.[128] As of November 12, 2010, three days after the release, PC, PS3,0️⃣ and Xbox 360 versions of the game held average user ratings of 3.1, 3.1, and 1.8 stars on Amazon, respectively0️⃣ (on a 1 to 5 scale),[129] with many PC users complaining about lag, stuttering and bugs.
In January 2011, to a0️⃣ player complaining about the remaining connection problems for the game on PlayStation 3, an Activision customer service representative threatened that0️⃣ they could shut down the servers for the game for the PlayStation Network at any time.[130][131][132] After some days and0️⃣ following some game media heat,[133] Dan Amrich, Activision Social Media Manager, declared that even if they could kill the servers,0️⃣ they did not plan currently to do it.[134]
The Daily Telegraph praised Black Ops as its "meaty kick of the guns,0️⃣ the blistering pace of the action and the sterling soundtrack of explosions, gunshots and whistling bullets all serve to quicken0️⃣ the player's pulse and tighten their grip on the controller", and how the game is "compensated for by [the] nail-shredding0️⃣ tension and creepy atmosphere".[118]
Official Nintendo Magazine awarded the Wii version 90% and said "Black Ops on Wii is a fantastic0️⃣ shooter packed with all the features of its HD brothers, with the only exception being split-screen multiplayer."[135] Martin Gaston at0️⃣ VideoGamer gave the Wii version 6 out of 10, complaining of Treyarch's reworking of in-game sequences as movies, poor AI,0️⃣ and gameplay problems from lower-resolution graphics.[115]
In February 2011, the Xbox 360 version was named the Xbox Live's top title of0️⃣ 2010 by GameSpot.[136]
At the 14th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards (now known as the D.I.C.E. Awards), Call of Duty: Black Ops0️⃣ was nominated for "Game of the Year", "Action Game of the Year", "Outstanding Achievement in Animation", "Outstanding Achievement in Online0️⃣ Gameplay", and "Outstanding Achievement in Visual Engineering".[137]
Sales [ edit ]
Within 24 hours of its release, Black Ops had sold 4.20️⃣ million copies in the U.S. and 1.4 million copies in the UK, surpassing that of Modern Warfare 2 and establishing0️⃣ a new record for largest entertainment launch.[138] Compared to the much anticipated opening of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows0️⃣ – Part 1, the game earned more than twice as much as the film, earningR$360 million.[139] Only five days after0️⃣ its release, sales from the game worldwide reached US$650 million, surpassing the previous record achieved by Modern Warfare 2 which0️⃣ earnedR$550 million in five days.[140] By November 22, the game remained the bestselling title in the United Kingdom, despite sales0️⃣ dropping by 85%.[141] Some estimates had placed sales of the game as reaching 18 million units sold, earning a revenue0️⃣ ofR$818 million. This would fall about 2 million copies andR$182 million short of Modern Warfare 2.[142] By December 22, worldwide0️⃣ revenue of Black Ops exceededR$1 billion.[143][144] Sales remained strong months after the game's release, remaining at the top-seller list in0️⃣ February 2011.[145] On March 3, 2011, the news magazine The Hollywood Reporter also reported on the best selling video games0️⃣ ever. It announced that Call of Duty: Black Ops was the best-selling game ever in the United States of America.[146]0️⃣ Black Ops was the best-selling game of all time in the UK until Grand Theft Auto V overtook it in0️⃣ November 2014.[147] In August 2011, Activision announced that the game had sold more than 25 million copies.[148] By November 2013,0️⃣ the game had sold 26.2 million copies.[149]
Controversy [ edit ]
Cuba has condemned the game for its depiction of American special0️⃣ forces trying but failing to kill a young Fidel Castro, killing instead a body-double.[150][151] The Cuba-based pro-Fidel Castro website Cubadebate0️⃣ said the game "encourages sociopathic attitudes of American children and adolescents, the main consumers of these virtual games."[150][152][153]
Mobile phone version0️⃣ [ edit ]
Black Ops was also released for both mobile phones and smartphones.[154] This version is a side-scrolling shooter. It0️⃣ features a different storyline, a different set of characters, and is set in the Vietnam War in 1967. The game0️⃣ was developed by Glu Mobile and published by Activision.[154][155]
Notes [ edit ]
