Another year brings another game in the Call of Duty franchise. On Friday, November 6th, Call of Duty Black Ops III was released. This installment is a continuation of the popular Call of Duty series developed by Treyarch and Activision Studios. Thus, as with every Black Ops game, it is the return of popular zombies that excite gamers to purchase the product. A new campaign story, a multiplayer different from the rest, and  additional unique features were added, which intrigued and appealed to the game’s enormous fan base. Aside from being a fun game, Black Ops III might have the best multiplayer and zombies to date.

Campaign:

The story this time is set in the near future of 2065, where technology and war are merged together like never before. This, of course, affects the battlefield, making robotics and scientific advancements more important and drastically changing the way soldiers fight. This almost symbiotic relationship with technology creates an interesting plot, revolving around the fear of technology taking over human society.

The first couple missions serve as an introduction to the new features, such as wall running and “cyber-core” abilities exclusive to the campaign. Each mission incorporates the new mechanics well, making combat much more skill-based and fun. Although the storyline and missions are similar in the sense that the player runs around an area shooting the enemies, a variety between the missions keeps it fresh. The battles during the missions get intensely heated, engaging players in thrilling gameplay. However, if certain players feel the intensity lacks a challenge, Black Ops III incorporates new difficulty levels for the campaign. Recently added was a realistic mode, which makes missions nearly impossible to complete, due to the more intelligent and deadly AI enemies.

The most exciting feature added to the game is the option for cooperative gameplay within the campaign. In previous games, the campaign was strictly for solo play; however, Black Ops III allows for up to four players to work together in missions. Normally, gamers barely touch the campaign due to the tedious work and lack of connection to the story, but with the addition of co-op mode, you now have the ability to play with friends, making the story less boring to follow. Along with playing with a group, there are even more additions to spice up the game. Individual soldier customization encourages players to truly express themselves through their own characters. In-game collectibles also bring another layer to the game, creating an almost side quest-esque  feel. Overall, the changes make the campaign a more worthwhile mode to play.

Multiplayer:

As always, the multiplayer experience is superb. Staying true to the series, Black Ops III provides an enjoyable and challenging environment for players to explore. The maps vary from medium to large size, which creates strategically challenging situations for the player. With a new futuristic jumping and movement system similar to that of Advanced Warfare, Black Ops III’s predecessor, the multiplayer has a unique, fresh feel. Games, overall, seem more fast-paced than former versions, making for intense and action-packed gameplay. A noteworthy topic to discuss is also gun balance. A problem in previous Call of Duty games was that certain weapons would be overpowered and unfair when matched against any other. However, in this game, the guns are relatively equal. No gun seems to be excessively strong or provide an unequal advantage compared to other weapons.

It is also noteworthy to talk about server connectivity. So far on next generation consoles, such as the Xbox One and PS4, poor connection or lag has not been an issue. Previous installments of the Call of Duty franchise have been known to struggle with connection, especially during the week of release. Black Ops III seems to have a strong connection that allows for smooth gameplay and lessens the amount of problems.

A brand new feature to the game would be the specialist classes. Giving a new dimension to the game, the specialist classes allow the player to use two new toggleable abilities unique to  each individual character. With a choice between eight specialist weapons or eight specialist abilities, the player can choose the one that adapts the most to their play style, whether it be passive or aggressive. Certain abilities, such as Ruin’s Gravity Spikes, can be too strong. The balancing of the specialist weapons will undoubtedly be patched in future updates of the game to create stability within multiplayer mode. Perks, which are bonuses that affect a player’s playstyle, are another important aspect of multiplayer. In Black Ops III, the wide variety of perks allows for unique customization of a player’s personal classes.  Overall, due to the fairly balanced options provided, a properly made class and skill are the only factors required to do well in the multiplayer.

Zombies:

When purchasing the game from the launch, only one map is provided with the game disc. Another map can be gained through a code that players receive for preordering the game or purchasing it the first week of release. This map is the Giant, a remake of Der Riese, an older zombies map from Call of Duty World at War. The default zombies map, Shadows of Evil, is possibly the largest and most complex map created for this gamemode. The map is set in the 1940’s within the fictitious Morg City, following a brand new cast of characters that add to the theme. It contains numerous features and easter eggs that enhance the gameplay substantially, giving the map great replay value. This makes for a very strong showing of Treyarch’s commitment to the franchise and alludes to greater maps for the future.

The map offers myriad new content for the player to experiment with. An example of a new feature to the zombies gamemode is the GobbleGum machine. Prior to the start of a game, players can choose from a selection of toggleable skills that they can receive from gumball machines located around the map. When picked up, the GobbleGum perk is randomized per usage of the machine. As you progress over time, you are also allowed to customize the guns that appear on the wall to better suit your gameplay and personal preferences. It is also worthy to note that there is a brand new leveling system within zombies. While it’s too early to see what it has in store, the more prevalent ranking system will definitely make for a more competitive zombies mode.

Call of Duty Black Ops III has shown to be a fun, innovative game from its overwhelmingly positive reviews to its engaging and competitive gameplay. The new features have definitely intensified the game in all of its aspects. This opens it up to an entirely new dimension of enjoyment while still retaining the classic elements of the Call of Duty franchise. Being perhaps the best game in the series, Black Ops III is certainly an excellent game to pick up and play.