MagicWithEarvin
Member
Metascore - 85
IGN - 9.3/10
Giant Bomb - 4/5
GameSpot - 8/10
Joystiq - 4/5
Polygon - 8/10
Venture Beat - 89/100
GameTrailers - 9.4/10
1UP - B+
EGM - 9/10
Destructoid - 8.5/10
G4 - 4.5/5
IGN - 9.3/10
The team at Treyarch could have played it safe and Black Ops II would have sold well, but instead they challenged assumptions and pushed the series forward in awesome new directions. It’ll be hard to return to a campaign where I don’t have the ability to shape it, and I simply can’t imagine going back to the old loadout system now that Pick 10 exists. Combined with the host of subtle and overt improvements to the array of other systems, the additions to make it more appealing to Esports, and the more fleshed out Zombies mode, this is not just a fantastic Call of Duty game, but one of the best shooters of the last decade.
Giant Bomb - 4/5
It's weird to come away feeling positive about a game right after you've just told someone that a full third of it is essentially useless to you, but then Call of Duty: Black Ops II is a big game with a whole lot going on. It doesn't reinvent the wheel, and some of the multiplayer changes feel more like they're propping up an aging concept rather than truly moving it forward, even though it's still a good way to spend time with your online friends. For me, it's the notion that Call of Duty is showing some terrific signs of life on the campaign side that left me the most impressed. It's got its share of flaws, but overall Treyarch has assembled a great, fast, and fun first-person shooter that, even if you were thinking about finally skipping a year, is still worth your time.
GameSpot - 8/10
Though zombies mode is stagnating, the rest of Black Ops II is lively, and it's great to see some shifting in the familiar structure. Developer Treyarch's storytelling prowess has once again resulted in an engaging, exciting campaign, and the addition of league play to the online multiplayer arena is an intriguing change that could reinvigorate the formula that has endured for so long. By reaching forward while remaining rooted in the things it does so well, Black Ops II offers a great shooter experience.
Joystiq - 4/5
Multiplayer is king in Black Ops 2, offering plenty of in-game and inherent rewards for its ravenous online community. It's paired with a lackluster story that fails the ambition shown by the branching campaign, reflecting the overall game's forward-thinking but imperfectly executed ideas. Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 isn't the best or most charming entry in the franchise, then, but it takes risks, exploring more than is strictly required for an inevitably annual franchise.
Polygon - 8/10
Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 is made up of so many dissonant parts that it's hard to believe they were all made by the same studio. Black Ops 2's campaign and Zombies mode are disappointments, especially coming off the across-the-board success of its predecessor.
But it's a testament to the extraordinary quality of its multiplayer that Black Ops 2 won't go down as a forgotten entry. For most, that's probably enough to strongly recommend it. A saving grace, if ever there was one, Treyarch has taken big risks with the most successful multiplayer formula in online shooters since online play and party systems. That innovation, combined with the constant refinement of Call of Duty's multiplayer mechanics over the years, makes Black Ops 2 the best online shooter out there.
Venture Beat - 89/100
Treyarch studio head Mark Lamia said in an interview with GamesBeat that “we wanted to push the boundaries. … Creatively, what we wanted to do making Black Ops II was turn some of those expectations around.” It accomplished that, even though they only had two years to work on this game.
The common thread of all of the subgames is that they are very hard to master. Most of them are easy to pick up and start playing, with the exception of Strike Force. But you’ll want to play them over and over again until you finally conquer a mission. Once you get that mastery, you’ll feel great. You’ll find, after all that time you invest, that you won’t have much time for other games this season. And that’s just that way that Activision wants it to be.
GameTrailers - 9.4/10
Call of Duty: Black Ops II is the most evolved sequel we've played in recent memory as it challenges the status quo at almost every turn. The elastic story provides plenty of incentive to replay the campaign, the strikeforce levels aren't executed perfectly, but they're a glimpse at the future, and the multiplayer features are tweaked to make every play style relevant and to level the playing field. It does so many new things so very well, making it the most groundbreaking Call of Duty since the first Modern Warfare. Shooters simply don't get much more deep, varied, surprising, or rewarding than this.
1UP - B+
I can honestly say that I walked away from Black Ops II completely surprised. Not because of the variety of content -- the Call of Duty titles have never skimped on delivering an ample amount of game. Rather, I was surprised with the risks that Treyarch took in the name of delivering a unique and creative experience. Not all of them paid off, but knowing that the team was willing to eschew the safe route helped ward off any stagnation that may have begun to creep into the series as of late. The most telling thing I can say about Black Ops II is that it made me feel a little bit better about the fact that Call of Duty is, and will continue to be, a major envoy of our medium.
EGM - 9/10
The first Black Ops put Treyarch on par with Infinity Ward; with Black Ops II, they surpass them. This is the most impressed I’ve been with Call of Duty since the first Modern Warfare; aside from some problems with the Strike Force missions, this is a shining moment for the franchise.
Destructoid - 8.5/10
Love it or hate it, Call of Duty inspires strong emotions from those entrenched in the gamer community, and people on either side of the fence are regularly at odds with one another. It's seen as a mark of shame by many to love the series these days, and while the detractors may be looking forward to seeing their favorite target of hate critically decimated, I'm afraid that, once more, I cannot be the hitman you're after. I had a blast with Black Ops II, and I'm not sorry for that.
It's a great game from a studio that's done everything it can with the tools at its disposal to reinvigorate Call of Duty, even if it doesn't refashion the series completely. You won't appreciate that just by playing its online mode, and you will be disappointed if you're wanting the property to be turned inside out and spun on its head. Those that simply love to play military first-person shooters, and were looking for something that finds what life is left in the genre, however, should find themselves perfectly catered to.
Call of Duty: Black Ops II finds that life and holds onto it for all it's worth. Love it or hate it, you have to at least respect it.
G4 - 4.5/5
But despite the slight dings in Strike Missions and Zombies, the series continues to shine with its incredibly ambitious, globe-spanning, epic single player campaign, which is now augmented with an incredibly high replay factor. And it should come as no surprise that the multiplayer continues to shine, and will dominate the online game boards in the weeks and months to come. The series has come to be strongly identified by its online multiplayer, and the same holds true in this latest release. They’ve perfected the scratch to the itch you have when you feel the need to jump online and shoot things.
And as with most Call of Duty titles, stay tuned after the credits for something extra. Although this time, be prepared for the truly bizarre. Seriously. It still has us simultaneously scratching our heads and tapping our toes.
