Since permanently changing competitive online multiplayer with 2007's Modern Warfare, the Call of Duty games have largely settled into refining their established ideas, making small but significant improvements with each new instalment. So while Treyarch may not be revolutionising CoD's online modes with Black Ops II, it is looking to evolve them in substantial ways.
Adding new modes - including 'Hardpoint', which is 'King of the Hill' but with one hill that moves around every few minutes - as well as new maps such as Cargo (a loading dock in Singapore), Turbine (a slightly damaged wind farm), Aftermath (a heavily damaged downtown Los Angeles), and Yemen (a small town with many nooks and crannies) should satisfy returning CoD battlers with some shiny newness. And unlike the campaign, which includes regular flashbacks to the '70s and '80s, multiplayer all takes place in the near-future date of 2025.
What it means to 'do well' in a CoD multiplayer match is also being tweaked. This time out, Killstreaks are being replaced with Scorestreaks. Instead of getting that coveted auto turret for killing five people without dying, you'll now unlock it with points you'll earn from completing objectives (i.e. capturing a flag, diffusing a bomb), being skilful (nailing a headshot, avenging your death), and, well, killing people (just like in previous games) without dying yourself.
Pick 10
Helping you prep for battle is the newly revamped loadout section. While you still have a choice of weapons and perks, each costs you a point (of which you only have ten). You can still have a classic CoD loadout - a primary weapon with two attachments, a secondary weapon, three perks, and two grenades only uses nine points - but you also get Wildcards. These use a point each, but let you break the rules.
For instance, 'Perk 1 Greed' lets you simultaneously use two perks from the same group, as opposed to just one. Other Wildcards let you use two primary weapons, or carry twice as many grenades. Treyarch has also eliminated gun-modifying perks. So if, for instance, you like to reload faster, you now have to use the faster reloading attachment instead. Assuming, of course, your chosen gun can use that attachment.
All of this new customisation should come in handy with the new multi-team options being added to most modes. This means that instead of just 9v9, Team Deathmatch can also be played 6v6v6 or 3v3v3v3v3v3 or some uneven combination as well. "Most people playing Team Deathmatch may as well be rogue agents running around like chickens with their heads cut off," says design director David Vonderhaar. "If you play multi-team, and you get three guys who know each other and are working together, you're like 'holy shit, this is exactly how it should be.'
13 comments so far...
delpoi on 4 Oct '12 said:
My head just exploded I can't wait for it now!!!!
Power-Girl-Fan on 4 Oct '12 said:
If I'm honest, it still doesn't make me scream like a schoolgirl. I'm looking more forward to Gears Judgement and Watchdogs.
OXM ETboy on 4 Oct '12 said:
Well, that's the schoolgirl demographic out of the running. Sorry, Treyarch.
GHOSTY05 on 4 Oct '12 said:
I am happy with battlefield 3 for now.
Will also have hitman to play soon and possibly forza horizon.
FishyGinger on 4 Oct '12 said:
If King Kong ripped through my office wall, grabbed me and took me to the roof I'd probably scream like a school girl. Ergo this game is not a giant ape.
What point that makes I'm not sure but I'm with the non-screaming school-girl, think I can wait for this, maybe end of next year perhaps. I do like the odd zombie romp but it's nowhere near early buy for me.
OXM ETboy on 4 Oct '12 said:
Boom - there go the ape-lovers too. At this rate, nobody's going to buy the thing. Tough times ahead, Activision.
CunningSmile on 4 Oct '12 said:
I would buy it, but having recently played the excellent Spec Ops The Line I'm now doubting the moral validity of war and it's representation in video games
vadersmyfather on 4 Oct '12 said:
Alternative box-art quote?
RyanGowran on 4 Oct '12 said:
their just building us up to let us down look whats happened since MW2 each game has been Shyt
but it does come with zombies so il be buying
lazercut123 on 4 Oct '12 said:
I think about 90% of the people buying this game are just getting this for the zombies, me included. But I believe that one of the reasons people don't find this appealing is that it is called "black ops" 2, and considering the "fact" that the first "game" was "dreadful", "people" think this will also be "dreadful".
YAY "inverted" commas "."
SidTheSloth on 4 Oct '12 said:
Haven't bought a CoD since the first MW, hasn't really interested me but im intrigued how this one pans out, looks like the most interesting one for years. Couldn't give a flying (ginger) fish about the zombies, and im not even a shooter fan really but they've had criticism for not changing the series and they've responded so credit where it's due. Scepticism abounds as they surely can't change it that much and risk upsetting the core fans, but the stuff i'm hearing is sufficient i'm keeping an eye out. Got a lot of mates who are big fans so i hope it's good for their sake at least as i know most of them were disappointed with MW3.
FishyGinger on 5 Oct '12 said:
How dare you take my name in vain, get down on your knees and give me 10 hail marys ya daft eejit
Zombie Trooper on 8 Oct '12 said:
I don't know about getting this. MW3, while not my most favourite game, is still a game that offers, essentially, big dumb fun. Put me in a game with a riot shield or a tactical knife then I have a whale of a time ( I wonder if it will be my friend), and overall, I think that the only big issue I have with it is that the maps can turn into a campfest, but Treyarch say that they have sorted this out. While I do prefer BF3, that too has the potential for big dumb of a different variety (how much C4 can I humanely put on the front of my quad bike? Then drive it into the nearest tank!).
Only problem this autumn, too many good games, not enough time (or money) to play them all
, but I suppose that BlOps II is somewhere on my list of games, after Halo 4, Dishonored and Borderlands 2