Black Ops 4 is a game that takes many, many risks, but it sure does prove that sometimes, the risk was worth taking. When campaign was first announced as being completely scrapped, I was severely disappointed and felt cheated out of what could've been the filler point between Black Ops 2 and 3, however, with the addition of Specialist HQ (a sort of campaign/specialist tutorial) that essence of filler was wrapped up in a pretty bow and packaging, without having to be convoluted and over the top which we have previously seen in the Call of Duty series.
Along with Specialist HQ, we have seen the addition of Blackout. Treyarch made a ballsy move to grab at the Battle Royale genre whilst scrapping a staple of Call of Duty (campaign) but as previously stated, risks are sometimes worth doing. Blackout is what a Battle Royale game should be; tense, fast paced, exilherating and most of all... FUN! Searching iconic Black Ops series land marks such as Firing Range of the Verruckt asylum lead to a game with so many possibilities, that games such as PUBG or H1Z1 have been scared to even consider!
Multiplayer for me is one of the highlights for this game. Despite Treyarch becoming the forefront of Call of Duty Zombies, they sure as hell know how to hook a multiplayer fan base. Within the first week I have managed to rank up to level 40 and I couldn't be having anymore fun. Maps feel balanced, specialists are recognisable and sort of nostalgic whilst also having the sense of refreshments, and with the addition of new game modes such as Heist or Capture, this multiplayer is one that is certain to last for the next 3 years until Treyarchs newest instalment. 1 problem I have encountered within the game on the other hand is the balancing of certain guns such as the ICR-7 and the Rampart, however they far from take away from the experience of a stellar multiplayer!
And finally... ZOMBIES! Oh my god. Treyarch have certainly gone balls to the wall and focused their hearts and souls into these new stories. The introduction of the Chaos crew in maps such as IX and Voyage of Despair introduces a brand new structure in a completely new universe. On the other hand, maps such as Blood of the Dead and Classified keep older fans whilst also introducing new fans to the series to that of the Aether story/Primis/Ultimus crew. The new perk mechanics work to perfection meaning the loss of fan favourite perks e.g, Juggernog, Speed Cola and Double Tap 2.0, don't feel as heart wrenching as many would expect. Along with this, Elixers feel highly balanced replacing the overpowered gobblegum system from Black Ops 3. Despite the occurance of crashes on every platform and the occasional game breaking glitch, Treyarch persist to release updates that make the game still enjoyable, giving fans a sense of relief that many haven't felt they have been given from other Call of Duty developers.
Black Ops 4 is a well rounded game that is here to stay. The sub-storyline of Speciaist HQ combined with multiplayer and Blackout works to bring the past, present and future fans into such an established game series, whilst Zombies' new fresh yet classic style of play results in one of the funnest and truly breath taking Call of Duty experiences that I've had in a very long time. Not only does it make you forget about CoD WW2 and Infinite Warfare before that, it makes you believe that they were just a way to build hype for a game this good!
Call of Duty Black Ops 4 gets a 9.3/10!
