Call of Duty: Black Ops [X360/PS3/PC]

[Ouenben]

Surprised there wasn't a thread already by Kubrick :P

Pretty nice game so far, I've played one mission, one round of zombies and a few rounds of multiplayer and one 'wager match'

The first level of the campaign is pretty standard but fun, no training level/course as they know 99% of players will know how to play, it starts you almost instantly in the action after the initial cutscene of some prisoner in a lab of some sort being interrogated for information. The whole game presumably is to do with his memories of different events.

The graphics seem a little more polished than MW2s specially with facial/body features but not as nice as Medal of Honors IMO.

The main thing I like so far is that it's not limited to WW2 weapons Enjoying being able to use an accurate M16 with grenade launcher.

Online seems to be the usual stuff, feels more like WaW than MW2 as you'd expect. Alot of stuff to unlock/buy with CoD points, but there doesn't seem to be as many guns or perks in this one.

Wager matches are fun, I played "one in the chamber" and it's really tense, specially when you miss and your left without any bullets for your pistol. Won my first match after finding a couple campers using my spy plane (UAV) Certainly can't wait to try the other modes.

Zombies seems to be basically the same with a more polished look and some new novelties like 'revive potion' you can drink that gives you an extra life. However one addition I don't think I'll enjoy much longer is the characters Russian accent and constant taunts to the undead, he's a bit psycho and doesn't know when to shut up!

Enjoying it alot so far, shaping up to be Treyarch's best game by far, not sure if I'll prefer it over MW/MW2 yet though. But we'll see

[Btang84]

Played a few games of this tonight after getting it at Tescos after queuing with a mate.

My only experience of COD online before this was MW2, so I hadn't ever tried out WaW. I was expecting a change, but the pacing is very very different. It's not quite as fast paced as MW2 was. My first gun was the M16 and I have to disagree with Ouenben, I hate it! The 3 round burst ruined it for me and it certainly isn't quick enough. Switched to MP5K after 2 games and immediately got over 20 kills.

There are some neat ideas. You can buy contracts for short term achievements, there is currency to buy guns and perks and upgrades and you'll probably not want to splash too much too soon, as there is a vast amount available.

Overall though, very fun, am looking forward to ploughing more hours into this one.

[BaronSqwelch]

stood in line for an hour in gamestation (v.sad I know) have done midnight openings before but this one really brought home how much of a money spinner this is. literally 10 times as many people as were at the same stores Halo-Reach launch.

done the first 2 missions in SP, business as usual really...on hardened difficulty and not died yet, seems quite forgiving health wise.

not gone online yet as I am not in the mood to get my ass kicked tonight but I played the combat training to get a taste of it, its def like a cross between WAW and MW2 so I may like it more personally than the last game. m16 is not for me either as I tend to aim too low and fail to finish off people!

no arcade mode from the off so I assume you need to finish the game first...

[Kubrick]

I normally snipe or use assault rifles in other CODs, but I haven't found anything yet that I feel happy with in Black Ops. Loved the M16 in MW/MW2, but it just doesn't feel as potent in this and I'm not keen on the FAMAS being full-auto (with recoil) either. I've not tried any of the others much although the last one I unlocked (Galil) seemed quite decent.

I haven't bothered to try sniping yet since I don't like the Dragunov, and the WA2000 was my least favourite sniper rifle in MW2. Plus, I don't think many of the maps seem suited to sniping much anyway. Unless the L96 or the "classified" gun are any good, I think I'll need to forget about sniping in this game.

My first impressions are that it's good, and that it feels more like World at War than Modern Warfare to play, plus it looks more like it too. Running & gunning with SMGs seems the way to go in a lot of the maps in this game. Favourite map so far is probably "Launch". It's pretty awesome when the big Soyuz lifts-off during a match.

Can't really comment on the Campaign as I've only played it for 10mins.

[bash]

I did find MW2 a little too fast (for a pad based game, give me a mouse+keyboard and it've been kool). If you lot are saying online has slowed down gameplay wise I might give this a crack . . . . Is the one player worth bothering with as I could never tell what the hell was going on previously.

[jimtendo]

... I'm not keen on the FAMAS being full-auto (with recoil) either. I've not tried any of the others much although the last one I unlocked (Galil) seemed quite decent.

Interesting change, as I preferred the 3-shot burst.
I assume that there's still no way to change fire-rates in Black Ops?

[IainGamer]

Right... Played multiplayer forna good few hours now and I think it is very poor..

My reasons are it feels floaty, you can't fell the impact of your shots like you can mw2, it is not 60fps and impacts on some maps.

Single player feels very on rails and almost just feels like platformer in a weird way I.e. You just run into thing blindly and find out where you will just die and try again.

Graphics on single player are really good but just too much going on!

Will persevere with online but preferring mw2 despite it's quirks!

[Richie_uk]

ummm far far to much, flash, camera shake, fade out, spinning camera on the single player way over done, I think iam a little baked on call of duty need a few years off if you ask me...

and for f**k sake keep the camera still so I can see whats going on.

Great soundtrack so far !

[Neon Ignition]

For some reason the 3D option doesn't work at all in this, might have to use the converter. Only played the MP but warming to it quicker than I did MW2. It's like a hybrid between MW2 and WAW, contracts are already compulsive. Easily beats out WAW and MOH at least.

[Silvergun X]

See, this is the issue for me...

I liked MW2 but hated the netcode or the way that you had to run around with akimbo shotties to stand a chance.

Is this more balanced?

Is it as laggy?

Are the killstreaks game breaking?

I loved MW1 multiplayer but really got put off MW2. WaW was alright too. Will I like the multiplayer on this?

I'm interested in hearing multiplayer impressions from people that were put off MW2.

[Rossco]

What's the movie clip recording feature like? Can't wait to use that to share clips of awesome kills.

[charlesr]

Non First Play posts removed. Please keep to First Play discussion. Stock and pricing should be in news. Thanks.

[Kubrick]

I assume that there's still no way to change fire-rates in Black Ops?

Not that I've seen.

Is this more balanced?

Too early to say if it's better balanced, but it probably feels that way. There's fewer perks this time (even Stopping Power isn't in this one), and I don't think there's any immediately obvious overpowered setup. You need to be quite close with shotguns to get a kill and snipers have been nerfed.

Quick-scoping isn't possible since the ADS animation (on the Dragunov at least) is slow as hell, plus when you do bring up the scope, the target is off-centre. This seems to happen every time and be a deliberate ploy to combat quick-scoping or firing snipers from the hip.
There's also seems to be a lot of sway when aiming making it quite comparable to having an ACOG fitted in the MW games. Perhaps one of the scope attachments will iron some of that out, but I don't think it does as I picked up a Dragunov last night that was fitted with the variable zoom scope and it still swayed around. It seems you pretty-much HAVE to hold your breath before taking a shot in this.

Is it as laggy?

I'd have been inclined to say yes to that as many games I had yesterday had lag issues since it was mostly Europeans I was being partied up with. Once I noticed the WaW-style region filter (Press BACK in the lobby) though, it was much better, especially after midnight once the late-night shoppers came online.

Are the killstreaks game breaking?

No. The Chopper Gunner is still a beast, and you only need 9 kills to earn one now, but they need to be 9 regular kills by your own hand - If you get a 5 killstreak and then unleash a Napalm strike that takes out 4 people, you still need another 4 kills to earn the Chopper Gunner.
The RC-XD (little radio-controlled car) is perhaps too easy to earn at only 3 kills, since it can be quite deadly, but I'd say the killstreaks I've seen so far, seem okay.

[MJ]

What the Vet campaign like?

[Skull Commander]

Yas! I was hoping the region filter was going to be in the game again. It makes all the difference, and means you don't have so many unfair deaths due to lag.