Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 review, Xbox One and PlayStation 4: ‘set in the future, but still stuck in the past’

The latest game in the series works best when viewed as a package of goodies rather than a coherent whole
Mixed bag: an underwhelming campaign is made up for by new abilities and the best zombies yet
Activision
Talal Musa9 November 2015

Call of Duty games are like FIFA... out (almost) every year with just enough tweaks and updates to warrant an investment.

But if Advanced Warfare offered glimpses that the once unstoppable war machine was starting to lose speed, Black Ops 3 sees the series slam the brakes on entirely. In fact, some elements - particularly the campaign - see Treyarch veer off the once-promising track set out in Black Ops 2.

From the moment the campaign shoe-horns you into the boots of an elite soldier, you know exactly what to expect. You'll blast your way through wave upon wave of masked goons and cyborgs before moving to the next area and doing the whole thing again

The only respite comes whilst waiting for a character to open a door or the occasional set piece. These welcome cinematic events look fantastic (as does the game on the whole), but have almost lost all 'wow' factor given how predictably they're delivered.

There's a sense that the campaign plays second fiddle to multiplayer, and as a result suffers from somewhat of an identity crisis. This is perhaps most evident in the ability to turn on a scoring system to show you how many people you have killed. For a campaign that tries frequently to build an emotional rapport with its characters, it makes for a jarring addition. Throw in a confused plot that draws inspiration from The Matrix, Deus Ex and hints of Minority Report, and it’s difficult to feel completely engaged.

This is the best way to see Black Ops 3 - a package. Gone are the times when the campaign alone was enough to warrant a purchase

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It's not helped by how predictable enemies behave. Hide for too long and they'll lob a grenade. If you're out in the open, they'll charge and flank you. To Treyarch's credit, there is at least some variation in enemy design - Warlords in particular prove a welcome addition. These towering cyborg warriors are incredibly hard to put down and simply charging them usually results in death.

This is where some of your abilities come in - Black Ops 3's saving grace. Whether it's running up walls, sliding across the floor or unleashing wave of nano 'bees' to swarm your foes, they add a much-needed dimension to combat. Coupled with an enhanced heads-up display that highlights foes and 'kill zones', you'll soon feel very much the super soldier.

Video Games, 2015 - in pictures

1/8

These, although useful in campaign, really come into their own on multiplayer - another area where Black Ops 3 claws back a point. Along with the host of unlockable guns, perks and gear that COD fans come to expect, a fantastic new addition comes in the form of the 'Specialist'.

Before you set out, you're no longer just a random soldier – instead, you pick an elite operator who has one exclusive power and one exclusive weapon. Add to the mix the best Zombies mode yet, which is set in the 1940s, and Black Ops 3 starts to look an attractive package.

This is the best way to see Black Ops 3 - a package. Gone are the times when the campaign alone was enough to warrant the purchase, which is a shame. Treyarch was universally praised for their work on the previous Blacks Ops titles, with the last game, in particular, shining. Fabulous voice acting, multiple endings and a charismatic villain in Raul Menendez gave COD campaign fans hope that had started to dwindle with Infinity Ward at the helm.

On the plus side, Black Ops 3 nails every multiplayer aspect, and must be commended. Whether it’s cooperative, zombies or traditional multiplayer modes, you'll spend hours levelling up and, most importantly, having fun.

Just don't expect something revolutionary; it may be set in the future, but Black Ops 3 is still very much stuck in the past.

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