Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 has hit the scene, and after a less than stellar single-player campaign, it’s time to dive into the heart of the game: Multiplayer and Zombies. These modes are the backbone of this year’s installment, staying true to the series’ tradition of offering diverse experiences. While the Zombies mode has taken a backseat in previous editions, it makes a triumphant return in Black Ops 6.
Treyarch Takes the Lead in Black Ops 6
This year, Treyarch takes the helm, a studio renowned for its work in the Call of Duty series, particularly with the first two Black Ops titles. With the release of the sixth installment, signs of wear and a possible disconnect with player expectations begin to surface. Despite this, the game’s theme set in the 90s permeates through every aspect, from the weapons to the maps and operators. The narrative foundation is strong, although player reactions may vary based on their interest in the chosen theme.
Multiplayer Madness and Customization
In the Multiplayer mode, players can expect the usual visual updates and a plethora of customization options. Loadouts receive a facelift, encouraging experimentation and strategic thinking. However, the game’s overall experience is marred by Skill-Based Matchmaking and Engagement Optimized Matchmaking, leading to fluctuations in satisfaction and performance penalties.
Matchmaking Woes and Player Frustration
The map selection in Black Ops 6 leaves much to be desired, with some layouts feeling uninspired and confusing. The matchmaking system, featuring SBMM and EOMM, further compounds player frustrations, making genuine moments of enjoyment a rare occurrence. Despite the game’s solid foundation, the online experience is compromised by these systems, hindering the overall fun factor.
This is the reality, and I was able to confirm this in both Modern Warfare 3 and now in Black Ops 6. I conducted a test, knowing it would require many hours of patience, to see how the algorithm of my account would change the matches. For several rounds in a row, I systematically died, until, at a certain point, the game changed, starting to give noticeably easier matches – against players who often didn’t even recognize who the enemy was. These tests lead to the conclusion that when playing any modern Call of Duty title, the satisfaction experience is limited. Most of the time, the player feels like they are constantly in intense games, as if each round were the final of a world championship, which often leads to frustration and fatigue instead of fun.
Perhaps this is just my impression and maybe many people are really enjoying these new Call of Duty games. However, the perception doesn’t seem to be that, because whenever I turn on the in-game voice chat, most players with microphones spend their time insulting, shouting, and showing frustration. Something seems to be out of tune with the game, which no longer seems to generate satisfaction or provide entertainment, which should be its main objective.
Omni-movement and greater dynamism
But not everything is bad, it is important to recognize the introduction of a more dynamic movement, the so-called omni-movement, which essentially improves the agility of the operators, allowing fast movements, such as sliding jumps and rotations in various directions while shooting. These movements are indeed interesting, but they also end up looking a bit caricatured and even comical when observed in other players, as the movements are not very natural and are slightly forced to adapt to the mechanics.
The multiplayer of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 is not what it was many years ago, and the hope for relevant changes seems to have faded. While the game continues to be a sales and engagement success, the producers have no incentive to change the formula, which requires players to accept the current state and move on, whether they like it or not, leaving behind long-standing complaints. Although the foundation is solid, the manipulation system remains a serious problem.
Zombies
The last piece we have is the Zombies, which return this year with a more classic formula of maps. In Black Ops 6, we have the maps Terminus and Liberty Falls, which bring their own story, but with the same goal: to survive in stages with increasing difficulty. Although I have never been a big fan of Zombies, there is an enthusiastic community dedicated to exploring every secret, setting records, and challenging their own survival limits.
The Zombies in Black Ops 6 maintain their nostalgic appeal and roots, especially with the simple dynamic of surviving increasingly challenging waves. In this version, we face hordes in two different maps, with a story that is unlocked by playing with specific characters. Some new features, such as the ability to evacuate at any time “exfil” and the option to save and exit the game to continue later, are an effort to make the mode more flexible and accessible.
On the other hand, the Zombies bring this time a more complex progression system, with the return of familiar customizations, but combining them with various abilities, bonuses, and consumables like the traditional Gobblegums, as well as new features that accumulate almost overwhelming. This system includes investigable abilities, active and passive bonuses, and a wide variety of equipment and upgrades ranging from Perk-A-Cola machines to weapon upgrades with their own levels, like the iconic Pack-A-Punch. Although these elements create a sense of generosity, the excess of mechanics and options turns the mode into a dense and sometimes too confusing experience, which can deter players looking for something simpler, but on the other hand may please veterans of these adventures.
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For many, the attraction of Zombies has always been its more relaxed aspect, a break from the intense multiplayer mode, where the goal is simply to survive as long as possible with friends. However, with the introduction of various forms of progression and customization, the mode becomes somewhat confusing, making it difficult for newcomers to access and requiring a good knowledge of the mechanics to be enjoyed. The excessive complexity seems to contradict the relaxing essence of the mode, creating a barrier that only experienced players or those who rely on online guides can truly overcome.
Single-player campaign
This year’s single-player campaign, which was analyzed separately for a better appreciation, lacks a true impact. Despite some progress, it remains stuck to recycled elements from the past. There are standout moments, but the excessive diversity of missions ends up creating an atmosphere of saturation and lack of direction. Still, there are well-executed aspects, such as the special touch in James Bond-style missions and a base of operations that invites exploring the narrative and its main characters in greater depth.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Review
Persistent gaps from previous years continue to be a problem, such as poor artificial intelligence, perplexing narrative choices, especially at the end, and the recycling of ideas that have become stale over time. I acknowledge that it is difficult to innovate with annual releases, but with so many studios involved and almost limitless resources, more is expected and deserved than a delivery that is merely acceptable.
Visuals and Sound
Visually, Black Ops 6 meets expectations, but without surprising. It achieves its goal, but does not go much beyond that; compared to previous editions, the graphic quality seems even lower, which is unexpected. Furthermore, a point to highlight is the visibility of enemies, which this year is even worse – in many moments we can only spot them thanks to the red names above their heads, making it difficult to identify them. The sound is another positive point to emphasize; the sounds of the weapons and the environment stand out immensely, allowing for a high-quality sensation, as is tradition in the series. It is well crafted and helps to create an immersive atmosphere.
At the end of the day, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 is another title to join the extensive list of the series, which manages to gain some momentum compared to last year’s troubled release. Despite the progress, it still has many issues in its multiplayer mode, a campaign that, despite attempting to innovate, lacks inspiration, and a Zombies mode that, while fun, quickly becomes overly repetitive. We can only hope for the next chapter next year.
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