Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 review in progress – Incredible gameplay let down by lackluster maps

4 weeks ago 3

Even before Black Ops 6 was released, it was being hailed as a possible turning point for the franchise. After jumping into the new multiplayer, Treyarch has delivered exactly that by embracing the new, while still celebrating the old.

Even as someone who’s always preferred the grittier realism of the Modern Warfare series, I’ve long appreciated the way that Black Ops lets you live out your action-hero fantasy. With Black Ops 6, this magic can be felt in multiplayer like never before.

This year’s multiplayer delivers everything that fans of the series are looking for — from best-in-class gunplay to a back-to-basics approach to progression. While the underwhelming maps hold it back from true FPS greatness, the addition of omnimovement means that it’s set to be a landmark release in the franchise.

*This is a review in progress that currently focuses on multiplayer. We’ll be adding our verdict on the campaign and Zombies, as well as a final score, in the coming days.

Black Ops 6 screenshots & details

Price: £69.99 / $69.99
Developer: Treyarch
Release date: October 25, 2024
Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC, PS4, Xbox One
Reviewed on PS5

Gameplay

Black Ops 6 player aiming with sniper glint looking back

For all of its changes and innovations, the moment-to-moment gameplay will be immediately familiar to series veterans — and it’s as snappy as it’s ever been. It almost feels redundant to say that Call of Duty has the best gunplay in the genre at this point, but still being able to say that confidently after the better part of two decades is some achievement.

Although the weapons feel lighter than MW3 overall, they pack a mean punch. Mowing down enemies with an SMG or landing a headshot with sniper feels just as good on the 1000th kill as it did on the first, with the help of all the immersive vibrations and sound effects we’ve come to expect.

Although every firearm feels great to use, guns within the same category often feel indistinct from one another. Whereas MW3 made every weapon feel unique, through a variety of different rates and ranges, the new roster blurs together, with only the absolute meta picks like the XM4 standing out from the crowd.

Fortunately, the time-to-kill is also in a great spot. Enemies die fast enough to keep the action moving, but you still have a window to react and turn things around if you’re hit first. It’s been sped up slightly compared to last year, and that does take a small adjustment period after thousands of matches of MW3, however, the faster TTK works beautifully with the faster movement in Black Ops 6.

Stellar gameplay doesn’t mean much if the progression doesn’t keep you hooked, but multiplayer also nails this thanks to the return of the classic Prestige system. The seasonal Prestiges of the last few entries have been scrapped, in place of the OG system that gives you the option to start unlocking your weapons, Perks, and Scorestreaks again, while earning exclusive skins and camos in the process.

This means that leveling up is meaningful every single time and I now care about my rank for the first time in years. Pair this with a streamlined Mastery Camo grind and I’ve got no doubt I’ll be revisiting Black Ops 6 for seasons to come.

Omnimovement

The hottest talking point ahead of Black Ops 6 was omnimovement. Competitive players hoped it would revolutionize the franchise and separate the strong from the weak, while casuals feared it could make this the least accessible multiplayer to date.

I was firmly in the latter camp going in, but after a few matches to adjust to the new 360-degree sprints, Max Payne-style dives, and possible combinations, it’s hard to believe that it wasn’t added years ago.

The act of simply moving around the map is more fluid than ever before and being able to sprint in any direction while looking in another gives you a greater sense of awareness. Plus diving backward out of a window while unloading an Assault Rifle feels like something that’s been plucked straight out of a Hollywood movie, but being able to pull it off naturally in the heat of battle is all the more satisfying.

There’s no doubt that omnimovement nudges the skill gap up slightly, as those who take the time to truly master the system will be chaining together slides and dives to dizzying effect. But in the games I’ve played so far, it’s just a tool in your arsenal rather than the be-all-and-end-all. Twitch reflexes and accuracy are still king, and you can top the leaderboards game after game while completely ignoring the system.

However, learning its nuances and knowing how and when to use it will give you the edge in close-fought matches. This rings especially true on the smallest maps such as Babylon and Payback, where the lightning-fast movement is most noticeable, especially when playing against top players.

Maps

Treyarch are known for delivering some of the most iconic maps in Call of Duty history, from fan-favorites like Firing Range and Raid, to modern classics like Hacienda. Unfortunately, the launch lineup in Black Ops 6 falls way short of those lofty standards, with a selection that is forgettable at best and awkward to play at worst.

While they’re all undoubtedly gorgeous to look at, these three-lane arenas lack the flow and cohesion of the series’ best. Many of them feel disjointed and force you into specific areas, with one of the worst offenders being Rewind, a retail park with a ton of shops on one side, one small building on the other, and a barren road going through the middle.

They’re also much smaller than we’ve seen in previous years. Even the biggest maps in BO6 feel more compact than your usual medium-sized maps, and the sheer amount of dead space only adds to the claustrophobia.

They’re not all duds though, there are still a handful of well-designed battlegrounds that are a welcome sight in the pre-game lobby. Payback, which takes place in the Safe House from the campaign, is a fast and frantic map that’s a blast to play, while the boat-hopping Lowtown has a nice mix of open courtyards and compact buildings to contest.

All that being said, there aren’t any maps here that I expect to reminisce about in years to come and even the best of the bunch will likely fade from memory once we move on in 2025.

Verdict

Black Ops 6’s multiplayer is the new gold standard for a modern Call of Duty. The signature gunplay we know and love feels better than ever, and omnimovement is a revelation that’s likely to have a drastic impact on the franchise going forward.

The return of the classic Prestige system also finally makes progression feel meaningful again, resulting in a multiplayer that combines the best of the old and the new.

The game’s held back by a poor selection of maps, which are some of the worst launch maps we’ve seen to date, but overall, this is a fantastic return to form. Black Ops 6 gives players exactly what they want, while also laying the groundwork for the future.

For more information on how we score video games, check out our scoring guidelines here.

Read Entire Article