OHZ MY GOD! The yearly Call of Duty game might be something you’ve come to expect and come to loathe, but as a Call of Duty fanboy I must report on anything new coming out. Black Ops 2 is here and it is something no one expected. Black Ops was a game set during the Cold War and it was and still is the best Call of Duty game since Call of Duty 4. Black Ops 2 I was anticipating to be a sequel to Black Ops in that it also would take place sometime during the Cold War and I am happy to say that is NOT the case. Black Ops 2 is set in 2025! The future is Black.
After watching the trailer, I can say that this looks like the first actual sequel since Call of Duty 4. Modern Warfare 2 and Modern Warfare 3 are very similar games, and while I could explain to you how they are different games, ultimately they are just more of the same game. Jumping into the future was not something I expected and I am excited to see how they pull it off. 4 Legged Tanks, Hover Coppers, and futuristic weapons should make this game interesting. Treyarch proved in Black Ops that they have the ability to not only make a fantastic game, but a game that is unique to the franchise. Nazi Zombies is still a mode that is a lot of fun to play. I can’t wait to see how they make the future. I am excited to see the new tweaks to the gameplay and how they will utilized futuristic gameplay in the Call of Duty Franchise.
(Update): After reading all of the news on various sites I have learned much more about Black Ops 2 and I am here to report on it. Black Ops 2’s campaign might very well be the most full campaign to ever hit the Call of Duty franchise. The story is being written by David Goyer, who is most noted for co-wroting the stories for Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. It will take place in two eras, 1980’s and 2025, which the majority of will be set in 2025. It will be centered around two protagonists, Alex Mason and David Mason, Alex’s son. Alex, who returns from Black Ops, will be in the 1985, while David will be in 2025. Their task is to stop a mad man from starting a war between China and the US over rare earth metals used in futuristic technology. Raul Martinez is our antagonist and he will be hacking remote controlled drones and robotics causing them to attack LA.
The biggest change in gameplay and in the campaign is that it will have multiple endings… Yes I said it, multiple endings! The game will have different routes that will branch out based on the player’s choices and actions. One of the main ways the story will branch out will be due to the integration of a new type of level in the campaign, which is called Strike Force. Strike Force levels will feature tactical, open-ended gameplay in sandbox-style levels. Based on how you complete the missions and whether or not the player dies in the mission will directly effect the outcome of the game. In these levels you will control a squad giving them commands based on left and right bumper control. You will also control drones and robotic tanks telling them to take positions, defend, and/or attack. These kinds of levels are very cool and will bring a much needed tactical gameplay to Call of Duty franchise that it has never had before. Also I forgot to mention, there will be Jet missions. Much like Battlefield 3, there will be free roaming Jet gameplay mechanics in the campaign mode.
Multiplayer will be based solely in 2025. Zombies will be back and more flushed out than ever. Nothing else has been revealed for the Multiplayer and Zombies modes yet. I am more stoked than ever for a Call of Duty game. They said that they did use Actors and motion capture so it will have top notch quality and acting in the cut scenes. They even brought a horse into the studio for the horse back riding sequences. They also upped all the graphics trying to give the illusion of PC quality to the pitiful 60fps that our consoles put out.
I will be eagerly awaiting more news.