Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 - A New But Familiar Way To Play Campaign - Review

Quick Overview

The Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 campaign is a successful blend of cinematic narrative, returning characters like David Mason, and satisfying next-generation shooter gameplay featuring new movement mechanics and open-world elements, despite some underdeveloped villainy and the forced re-use of assets from Black Ops 3 and Modern Warfare 3.

Key Points: The campaign is a direct sequel to Black Ops 2, set in 2035, bringing back protagonist David Mason. The game successfully integrates new mechanics like the grapple gun and protective shield bubbles into both linear and open-world missions. The open-world co-op mode, Avalon, features level scaling based on player count (up to 4 players) and offers high-risk/high-reward missions. The villain, Emma Kagan (CEO of The Guild), is criticized for being emotionless and underdeveloped, despite being voiced by actress Kiernan Shipka. The campaign features psychedelic, hallucinatory sequences where characters relive past traumas, reminiscent of Black Ops 3. The game reuses assets like zombies and parasite enemies from Black Ops 6 and Modern Warfare 3 in the co-op mode. The campaign is considered the most robust Call of Duty campaign experience in years, offering a good blend of action and story.

Context: This video provides a review of the single-player campaign for the rumored 'Call of Duty: Black Ops 7,' which is set in 2035 as a direct sequel to Black Ops 2. The review focuses on the narrative, the integration of futuristic movement mechanics, and the introduction of an open-world co-op mode called 'Avalon,' contrasting it with previous installments like Black Ops 3 and Modern Warfare 3.

Detailed Analysis

The Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 campaign is deemed a successful attempt by Treyarch to lean into fantasy and deliver a mind-bending narrative, serving as a direct sequel to Black Ops 2 and featuring the return of David Mason as the protagonist. The gameplay successfully blends traditional tight corridor gunfights with larger, open-world missions set in the fictional city of Avalon. New mechanics like the grapple gun, protective shield bubbles, and Kinetic Jump enhance player mobility. The campaign features trippy, hallucinatory segments where characters relive memories, similar to Black Ops 3. However, the villain, Guild CEO Emma Kagan, voiced by Kiernan Shipka, is criticized for lacking emotion and feeling underdeveloped. The co-op mode, Avalon, supports up to four players and features dynamic scaling, offering high-risk/high-reward missions that reward progression through skill unlocks and weapon upgrades. While the campaign is highly praised for its cinematic moments and solid gunplay, the reviewer notes the reuse of enemy types like zombies and parasites from Black Ops 6 and Modern Warfare 3, and finds the open-world objectives occasionally tedious, though ultimately, the overall experience is strong enough to maintain player engagement.