reyarch’s new release in the Call of Duty franchise, Black Ops 2, hit the shelves on November 13th and is shaping up to be another best seller for the hit developers. Read on to discover why Black Ops 2 should be at the top of your wish list this holiday season.
Black Ops 2 is set 13 years into the future (2025) and chronicles the lives of various new characters. This futuristic setting has allowed Treyarch to break the conventions of modern day warfare and has given the Call of Duty franchise a completely fresh feel with tons of new elements.
Single Player
The campaign mode for Black Ops 2 offers more variety in its gameplay. Everything you do—and don’t do–will have a serious impact on the way your game plays out. Depending on the decisions you make, your experience may differ vastly to someone else’s. Those decisions could end up helping or hindering another character’s life. There will also be the introduction of “strike force” levels. They appear as separate missions from the central storyline and give players a chance to experience something different from the main campaign. The player can assume the role of a commander and control ground forces in a bird’s eye view and there will be the ability to go back to the traditional first-person and take part in the action themselves
Multiplayer
Fans won’t be disappointed with what’s in store for them in the multiplayer department. While it will still feature similarities to the first installment, the class and customization setup has been drastically improved. A new score streak system was introduced, which makes things a little easier for players who struggle to attain high kill streaks. Coupled with the new and improved combat training program, this will surely bring smiles to less experienced players.
In the previous Black Ops, the prestige system garnered frustration amongst some players because they had to unlock and purchase weapons they had already obtained in the previous level of prestige. Any scopes, perks, and camouflages also had to be bought again, which was a very time consuming task. In Black Ops 2, they have eradicated this by allowing players to keep their weapons, accessories, and perks when they level up in prestige mode.
Another new feature for the multiplayer mode is the multi-team death match. In the previous installment, only 2 teams were pitted against each other, but Black Ops 2 allows players to experience the thrill of 4 teams going head-to-head in all-out combat.
Also Included in the game’s in-play interface are a variety of tools and options that will enable players to stream their matches live to the Internet. No third party applications will be needed, making it much easier for anyone who wants to commentate on a match, listen to team communications, or just watch for the fun of it. For anyone worried about the tactical implications of this, Treyarch has included a substantial time delay between what’s happening in-play and when it’s streamed to the Internet.
Another returning feature is Theater, which they improved from the original Black Ops. Players can now bookmark past gameplay using an option called Social Features. Players can now create videos using the Highlight Reel.
Black ops 2 has 55 levels and 10 Prestiges. You receive 1 unlock token for every level and can use them to unlock weapons, perks, equipment, and Scorestreaks in Create-a-Class. There are a total of 14 Multi-player maps
- Aftermath
- Turbine
- Standoff
- Drone
- Cargo
- Yemen
- Overflow
- Hijacked
- Express
- Raid
- Carrier
- Meltdown
- Slums
- Plaza
Zombies
Thanks to the popularity of Zombies in the original Black Ops, Zombies for Black Ops 2 has been dramatically revamped to give players a more enriched experience. It also runs on the multiplayer engine and include much larger maps, both for co-operative and single play matches. A new campaign mode has been added, which will allow players to fight for their lives against hordes of the un-dead. Instead of only taking place on one level, Treyarch has created an intricate system of levels, designed to give maximum enjoyment.
New Weapons
The futuristic aspect of Black Ops 2 has allowed Treyarch extensive leeway for creating new weapons. The developers have improved many of the generic weapons featured in other installments of the C.O.D. franchise and have implemented a new weapon customisation system. Snipers can fire tracer bullets, and crossbows are able to have up to 3 sets of arrows attached. There is also a “guardian” kill streak, which will aid players and their teammates by vaporising their enemies with laser beams.
If everything you have just read has made you eager to play one of Call of Duty’s most expansive and diverse titles to date, then Treyarch has done its job. The developers haven’t just added a few new guns and maps; they’ve created a sequel that is sure to outshine its predecessor. They’ve delivered an impressive follow-up that will no doubt see fans glued to their seats for months!