The 2025Call of Dutygame will beCall of Duty: Black Ops 7, and while many weren’t initially excited for it, after learning more details, it appears to be theCODgame fans have been waiting for sinceBlack Ops 3.Black Ops 7isn’t too early— it’s overdue, as we’re finally getting a direct sequel to the fan-favoriteCall of Dutygame in the franchise,Black Ops 2.
After replayingCall of Duty: Black Ops 2,it’s still the greatest entry in the series, offering the best total package of anyCODtitle. The campaign is one of the best in all of FPS games; the multiplayer is top-tier, and Zombies is stellar as well, although only when factoring in DLC. The game still holds up today, and it’ll be interesting to see howBlack Ops 7follows in its footsteps.
Black Ops 2 Easily Contains The Best COD Campaign
Just As Incredible Today As It Was In 2012
I replayedCall of Duty: Black Ops 2, right after replaying the original, and whileBO1had some dated elements looking back, I was blown away byBO2’scampaign. It’s incredible in so many ways, but the most obvious reason is the story and characters.BO2is a direct sequel toBO1, following Alex Mason’s son, David Mason, in a then-futuristic setting of 2025. You also play as Alex Mason throughout several missions taking place in the past, and these levels are fantastic,setting up the big villain:Raul Menendez.
It’s wild how many pathways and endings there are inBlack Ops 2.
Raul Menendez has to be one of the greatest villains in all of FPS games, if not one of thegreatest video game villainsin general. Played by the late-great Kamar de los Reyes, you can’t help but be mesmerized by every word he says.Menendez commands every scene he’s in, and Treyarch nailed him by making the character become what all great villains should be: understandable. Without spoiling anything, what transforms Menendez into a person consumed by hatred for America is completely understandable to the audience, which ultimately makes him a far more effective villain.
The multiple choices in this game were also executed phenomenally, and they add a significant amount of replay value. It’s wild how many pathways and endings there are inBlack Ops 2. Plus,the levels are a blast, with in-game challenges and customizable loadouts adding even more replay value to an already stacked campaign.CODgames, likeBlack Ops 3, have numerous frustrating parts that hold me back from replaying the campaign again, but that isn’t a problem with the second title.
There’s even aBayonetta-style ending music video with Avenged Sevenfold’sCarry Onplaying, which is the cherry on top. From start to finish,Black Ops 2’scampaign is the pinnacle of the series andeven better than most other FPS games. The campaign forTitanfall 2is iconic, but after my most recent playthrough ofBlack Ops 2, I still wouldn’t say it matches up to Treyarch’s 2012 masterpiece.
Multiplayer Broke New Ground For The Franchise
Tons Of Stellar Innovations, But Also Some Flaws Looking Back
Fans often categorizeCall of Duty: Black Ops 2as thefinal game in the golden era ofCOD, and after looking at its multiplayer, you may see why. Dozens of features/mechanics that became standard in futureCall of Dutygames started here. The Pick Ten System made its debut inBlack Ops 2, and it worked perfectly, letting you fine-tune your loadout to the best it could be.
Be cautious when playingBlack Ops 2Xbox 360 multiplayer, as modded lobbies are often present. Hackers can affect your player account, and if you see a big line of text anywhere on the screen in all rainbow colors, quit the game immediately.
Killstreaks were finally removed in favor of Scorestreaks, encouraging you to play the objective instead of just racking up kills. It’s such a well-designed system thatModern Warfare 2019’s reintroduction of Killstreaks is baffling.Black Ops 2also introduced DLC weapons, an aspect ofCODthat’s still present today.
Black Ops 2multiplayer isn’t the absolute best in the series, and looking back all these years later, there are numerous flaws thatBlack Ops 3improved upon.Sniper Rifles are ridiculous in this game, for one, and along with weapon balance improvements,Black Ops 3’s tweaks to game length and player visibility also punched up the experience. All the same,Black Ops 2’s multiplayer remains fun to this day, and it established a strong foundation for the future of the series.
Zombies Got Significantly Better Over Time
A Zombies Mode People Warmed Up To
Like the multiplayer, Zombies was amazing inBlack Ops 2, although not at first. The standard map that only comes with the base game is Tranzit, which was a terrible map even at the time. Having to use the bus to go around the map is a massive pain, and while you can walk to each destination, it’s not intended. Thankfully,the DLC maps improved dramatically. Maps like Buried and Mob of the Dead are incredible, but the final one, Origins, takes the cake.
Arguablythe greatest Zombies map of all time, Origins takes the established Zombies crew to World War 1, in what has to be the best and most satisfying Easter egg questline in the franchise. When looking at all the Zombies maps,Black Ops 2has a top-tier Zombies experience, but it is a shame that people who didn’t buy the DLC sawBO2Zombies in a negative light.
When factoring in the all-time great campaign, the stellar multiplayer, and fantastic Zombies,Black Ops 2earns the title of the bestCall of Dutyof all time.Black Ops 3is still my personal favorite, but while it objectively comes close, the campaign holds it back. While I appreciate how bold and artisticBO3’scampaign was, there are still many annoying parts that I never want to play again, and compared toBO2’scampaign, there’s no contest. All these years later, that campaign experience is the element that makes the difference.
