Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 Review (PS4)

Activision and Treyarch will release Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 on October 12. Read on.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 is set to make its mark on PC, PS4 and Xbox One and is the sequel to the Black Ops III release in 2015. Over the years, the many releases in the Call of Duty franchise have managed to take gamers on a wild ride through the future and back. However,Black Ops 4 ditches the traditional single-player campaign, and focuses more on the multiplayer portion of the game.

After 15 installments in the series, Black Ops 4 manages to make some bold moves since the origins of Black Ops in 2010. A group of "Specialists" make their debut in Black Ops 4 which all have their own unique talents and abilities. The new focus on the multiplayer aspects of the game really shines through with the new maps in Zombies mode and the battle royale game mode, Blackout. The game will feature single-player challenge missions alongside the ability to play with bots in Zombies mode for those wanting a break from multiplayer every now and then.

As you take on the role as the various specialists, you will jump into a slew of fun multiplayer maps, and Black Ops 4 is the first title not to support automatic health regeneration. This change in the series allows players to feel the realism of combat and concentrate more on seeking cover when needed in order to heal. Some of the new weapons feature predictive recoil and a new ballistics system to immerse the player even further into the combat and gameplay.

There are 14 multiplayer maps this time around at launch that includes Frequency, Contraband, Seaside, Payload, Hacienda, Gridlock, Arsenal, Icebreaker, Morocco, Militia, Jungle, Slums, Firing Range, and Summit. There will also be a traditional Nuketown map available this November for everyone who owns the game. This is a ton of content for multiplayer fans and each map has its own unique artwork and gameplay. There is something for everyone in Black Ops 4--rather you are making your way through the sweltering heat of the jungle, exploring a Nuclear submarine, or climbing a mountain top. The new feature "fog of war" will also make enemies invisible unless a weapon or talent is used. The newest game mode, Blackout, is the largest map to ever appear in the franchise. The new mode will feature iconic characters from the series alongside new vehicles to make your way across the huge map. In Blackout, players battle to the death and strive to be the last man/team standing in these 100 player matches.

Finally, the best part of Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 is the beautiful new maps for Zombies. Some of the locations that gamers will be able explore will be the RMS Titanic, a massive arena in Ancient Rome, and a dark Alcatraz Penitentiary. The maps are beautifully drawn alongside eccentric characters that really make each map really entertaining and fun. You have four characters (Diego, Scarlett, Stanton, and Bruno) with the ability to try out some cool items (Chakram of Vegeance, Hammer of Valhalla, Scepter of Ra and Viper & Dragon) throughout the game. The maps are all unique and different in their own way, like IX features a quest that takes your team back in time, as Scarlett looks for her lost father and must slash through way across an arena of the undead. Voyage of Despair takes you to the year 1912 where you are trying to find an artifact on a sinking ship full of blood thirsty monsters. Lastly, Blood of the Dead follows Richtofen, Dempsey, Takeo and Nikolai as they make their way through a secret laboratory under Alcatraz.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 is AMAZING!

In the end, Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 is one of the best games to release in the series in the last decade. Black Ops 4 manages to take the multiplayer portion to all new heights with its breakthrough multiplayer mode Blackout by creating one of the largest and most immersive maps to ever appear in the franchise. Black Ops 4 is brilliant with its masterful gameplay, vibrant graphics and exceptional soundtrack. Treyarch manages to create an intriguing premise with a powerful storyline in Zombies. Frankly, Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 is AMAZING! To learn more, visit the official Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 website.

Score: 10 out of 10
Reviewed for PS4