With a ton of content, outstanding balance and design, and the solid gameplay , it's worth the 60 bones.
Black Ops is set in the cold-war era, where you take control of many different characters in order to find out what these mysterious numbers mean. As it appears, Mason is the only person who can solve these codes, but has trouble remembering them. So, flashbacks are in order to solve this puzzle one at a time. If Mason doesn't find out these numbers meanings soon, World War III can be a very possible thing. I really enjoyed the campaign, Black Ops did a lot better in this department then any other game in the franchise. The story can also be given credit because of its cleverly placed set piece moments. What's definitely a shame is, some of these set pieces would be great multiplayer maps, which Treyarch sadly didn't deliver. But otherwise, it's one of the most refreshing COD campaigns I have played in a while, even if it is a tad bit short.
It's pretty much a proven fact that a of players sink in hours upon hours of play time into this game. And I didn't even think it was possible, but Treyarch has set the standards in this department too. On top of the most balanced multiplayer experience yet (which I will get to shortly) who are getting a whole slew of new modes, unlock-ables, and hidden secrets. Even though the campaign is a little short, you'll be playing for a while. Firstly, this game sees the return of Nazi Zombie mode, along with new maps to play in. These maps are cleverly designed, and add new elements to what already was an addictive game mode. There are new weapons, new enemies, and new up grades to be had. I can not say enough as to how much Treyarch added to this mode, it is such a well done job on their part. There is also a bonus game to be had via secret code, and what would be a 15 dollar game on PSN or Xbox Live, is free to play. This mode is similar to Wolf of the Battlefield by Capcom, but a lot more well done.
As for the multiplayer, it is back and better than ever. The game uses a new currency system to replace having to unlock stuff by leveling up. Granted, you still have to unlock the piece of equipment you want to buy, but none the less, it gives you more to think about when purchasing. There are 14 well designed maps (more on the way, knowing Activision) some of them having different environmental hazards, and all of them having unique looks. Kill streaks are also back, and they feel a lot more well rounded. Everything about Black Ops feels tuned just right, which is a lot more then I can say for its predecessor, Modern Warfare 2. Another thing about this currency system is how you can complete certain contracts or bet your money on a match in hopes to get more of it. It rewards you fairly for doing one of these tasks, and if you don't want to compete in these matches, feel free to get your money from regular matches. As for the weapons, they never feel to old or new for the generation that this game takes place in. You'll get your standard assault rifles, shotfuns (typo intended) and snipers, and you will also get new add ons and special weapons. All in all, this game could be considered a steal at its original price, if your willing to spend quality time with the multiplayer mode.
I've already mentioned countless times how "well designed" most aspects about this game are. The campaign is a blast from start to finish, while staying fresh in the process. But what really sticks out are the multiplayer modes in the game. As I said, Nazi Zombies has a few new maps to explore, with new upgrades to achieve. The competitive multiplayer maps are amazing too, but they pale in comparison to other games in the series. One thing that bothers me a little bit is the number of bugs that manage to sneak their way into your experience. And the faulty hit detection isn't really making things any better. The most common criticism about this game, besides its merely average graphics, are the re-spawns. Where you re-spawn is usually where their are fewer enemies, like past games. But this time around, you'll sometimes be placed around enemies, in which case, you get slaughtered. I've experienced a lot of cheap deaths from this game, most of which were due to this faulty re-spawn system. As a whole though, the game is designed well enough but it's slightly missing that polished feel. No need to worry though, Treyarch announced that an update is coming soon, and by the time you read this, these problems will probably be non-existent, solid.
So we all saw it coming, and it was true, the core gameplay hasn't really changed. It's not a bad thing at all, but this game series is most likely in need of a reboot. As for all these new elements added, they're fun, but ineffective to the overall game. But think like this, not every game is as innovative as they used to be. Black Ops is still a load of fun, both offline and online. Since they're a lot of modes to experience in this game, all revolving around the game mechanics that have worked so great these last few years. The thing that makes this game stand out more is its balancing. It is so much more balanced and refined then Modern Warfare 2, and it makes the game more fun to play because of this. There isn't really a whole lot to say about this game, if you've played past games, you will know what to expect from this, and you will have fun playing all of the different modes. If it isn't broken don't fix it.
And the most bashed on thing about this game are the graphics. The games look feels some what dated, and what could you expect from an engine that was made back in 2007? Still, there can be some pretty good looking environments in the game. The voice acting and dialog are pretty good too, which make the story a lot better. The sound department has gone under a drastic over-hall too. Guns sound alot different then previous entries in the series. Plus, with kill streaks like the RC bomb car and mortar team, you can expect some pretty cool sounding explosions. Like the gameplay, there really isn't a whole lot to say about this game that hasn't already been said.
If you are a fan of FPS games, you would do your self well to pick this game up. With as much content as there is, you could be playing for months. Buy this game, not to support Activision, but to support a great developing company, Treyarch. There will be nay sayers who hate this game because it was published by Activision, and I can't really blame them, but still, Treyarch deserves the money they put into this game. Overall, it is quite a solid game.