Rated Excellent Based on 488 Reviews
Let's get this out of the way first, there isn't a single-player campaign. Black Ops 4 ships with multiplayer and the Blackout battle royale mode and Zombies but as stated, no single-player campaign.
Should the overall review score suffer because of this? Do you dock points since a major feature of the series has been removed? Do you evaluate the game with more emphasis on what's in it than what's not? It's really many factors. The campaign's absence could have an impact on the final score. Black Ops 4 is not lacking in content. The features we get with multiplayer and Blackout are all excellent.
The game is not affected by the absence of a single-player campaign. The majority of Call of Duty players don't finish their campaigns. In general many gamers never finish single-player campaigns. However, I have played every Call of Duty campaign from start to finish. It's a guilty pleasure, and a rare commodity in today's market. A short, AAA game that you can complete in a few hours. (I find that I rarely go into Zombies mode so this review will be solely focused on multiplayer and Blackout.
Call of Duty campaigns are not always great because they are too linear and bombastic. However, the campaign helps to ground the multiplayer and gives it a fiction to base the rest of the game on. Black Ops 4 has no tutorial missions. However, there are some good cut-scenes which, in a small manner, give the MP specialists some personality and backstory. If you only play the campaign, it is not enough to justify the purchase of the game.
Multiplayer is more interesting, challenging and tactical than any previous entry in the series.
Black Ops 4 is an amazing shooter that's a lot of fun. This is the best Treyarch multiplayer game since Black Ops 2. Treyarch has improved the movement system and balanced out the specialists so the game feels and plays better.
Each specialist brings a unique set of skills to the match. The "boots-on-the-ground" gameplay may be less vertical than Black Ops 3, but it still feels faster and more insane. Matches can be fast-paced and frenetic.
WWII is a great game, but you'll be amazed at the speed of Black Ops 4. Both games are "boots-on-the-ground" but BO4 is much faster and more chaotic. This is not a criticism. It's great fun once you get into a rhythm. This is the best multiplayer experience I have had since Black Ops 2 or the first few Modern Warfare games.
This may be the greatest Call of Duty game, and in many ways it is the best multiplayer Call of Duty ever. It's also frustrating because of the terrible spawns that can leave you exposed every time you return to the match. Some of these issues will be fixed in future updates, as with many other entries in the franchise. The good news? The core gameplay loop is solid.
The game comes with 14 maps. Most of these are visually appealing, well-balanced, and fun to use. Nuketown is included as a free update.
Blackout - Time for some battle royale!
Treyarch's new battle royale mode, Blackout, was bundled with Black Ops 4 instead of a single campaign. You can play Solos or Duos as well as Quads (cooler way of saying Squads). 100 players descend upon the giant map and attempt to outlive each other. The match will be won by the last duo/quad standing.
It's great fun and allows you to ride in vehicles such as boats and helicopters. However, it is less intense than traditional multiplayer. It can be nice to take a break from the chaos of multiplayer and get to Blackout, which can be quite intense.
The huge map is a great way to see all the old and new areas. It includes everything from a huge hydro-dam to a construction site, to a cargo ship docked at port, to the rivers and roads that wind through Rivertown. You may encounter zombies in some areas, such as the asylum. These can rush you and distract from your enemies.
Verdict
If you're big into single-player campaigns then you will be let down with Black Ops 4. If you are a gamer who enjoys multiplayer and battle royale, you will find plenty of addictive content that will keep you playing for many months. If you are a shooter enthusiast, it's well worth your time.
