Call of Duty Black Ops 7 Test: Is This Truly the Worst Kalashnikov Ever Made?

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Call of Duty Black Ops 7: Rushed Release Delivers Poor Quality

Every year, like clockwork, Activision releases a new Call of Duty game, arriving with the same regularity as the Beaujolais Nouveau. After the disappointment of Sledgehammer Games’ Modern Warfare III, fans were excited about last year’s release, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, developed by Treyarch and Raven Software. However, this year, Treyarch and Raven also handled Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, even though they had just released Black Ops 6 the year before. This compressed timeline resulted in a rushed product that has disappointed both fans and critics, with one review citing low-quality gameplay and a poor Metacritic score. While Call of Duty remains a top-selling franchise, moving between 10 and 30 million copies annually, Black Ops 7’s accelerated production has affected its quality. Although Call of Duty is primarily known for its multiplayer, the single-player campaign remains important to many players. Activision’s decision to exclude it from Black Ops 4 demonstrated its significance, but creating a substantial single-player mode requires time and resources, which Treyarch and Raven Software lacked. To compensate, they repurposed elements from the endgame and Zombies modes.

The campaign in Black Ops 7 can be played cooperatively with up to four players, reminiscent of the 2015 installment. However, it lacks the feel of a traditional solo campaign, functioning more as a group experience. Missions begin similarly to multiplayer matches, allowing friends or strangers to join via matchmaking. While enjoyable with friends, playing with strangers can be chaotic, as constant chatter can ruin immersion. Compounding the issue, this cooperative mode requires a constant online connection, even for solo play, and there are no checkpoints. Dying alone results in respawning with squadmates, and if none are present, the mission restarts. The game also cannot be paused; inactivity, even when finding a safe spot, leads to being booted from the game and forced to restart the mission. Furthermore, players are forced to watch cinematics if any teammate wants to view them. The progression system is simplistic, involving clearing areas without originality, and the storyline is uninspired.

Black Ops 7’s Single-Player: Psychedelic Paranoia and Open-World PvE Mayhem

The single-player mode places players in a world of psychedelic hallucinations and paranoia, led by David Mason, Alex Mason’s son, who heads JSOC as they confront The Guild, a terrorist organization using fear-inducing tools and brain-targeting gas. The game features many over-the-top elements, including robots, zombies, mutant plants, and giant machetes. These elements feel recycled and fail to connect with Black Ops 2 and 6. The only benefit is earning XP, upgrading weapons, and unlocking abilities that enhance multiplayer gameplay. Completing the main missions unlocks the endgame, an open-world PvE extraction shooter where players explore Avalon, collect loot, increase their power level, and face hordes of enemies before a final extraction battle. Despite the expansive map and tiered difficulty zones, the effects of a truncated development cycle are evident, with uninspired level design. Although players can use abilities like kinetic jump, the enemies lack personality.

Multiplayer Madness in Black Ops 7: Balance and Claustrophobia Concerns

While the solo experience struggles, the multiplayer mode attempts to recapture the series’ strengths. In Black Ops 7’s multiplayer mode, Treyarch and Raven Software retained the movement system from Black Ops 6, emphasizing fast-paced action with sprinting, sliding, and diving. They introduced wall-jumping, which allows players to use the environment for strategic advantages. However, the maps often lack the detail to fully utilize these new moves. At launch, Black Ops 7 reused classic maps like Hijacked, Express, and Raid, a decision that saved time but also evoked nostalgia. While these maps can be fun, Black Ops 7’s gameplay is significantly faster-paced, with some maps feeling too cramped. The time-to-kill, one-shot grenades, drone turrets, and invincible robot dogs contribute to an overwhelming experience, exacerbated by balancing issues and problematic respawn points.

Black Ops 7: Familiar Formula, Uninspired Innovations

Black Ops 7 maintains a familiar formula, perhaps too closely, with limited innovation due to its accelerated development. The game includes 16 maps at launch—13 new and 3 from Black Ops 2. Classic modes like Team Deathmatch, Domination, and Search and Destroy return, along with Overcharge, a capture-the-flag variant that emphasizes teamwork. However, the 20v20 Engagement mode fails to capture the essence of Battlefield, suffering from conventional maps and generic AI. The absence of SBMM allows for more random, balanced matches. While the mobility and wall-jump system from Black Ops 6 are present, the maps do not fully support these features. The solo campaign is underwhelming, with ridiculous storylines, excessive flashbacks, and bland progression, although it does offer XP and unlocks for multiplayer. A PvE open-world mode is available, but its gameplay is uninspired.

Zombies Mode in Black Ops 7: Vehicle Freedom but Missing Iconic Spots and Fresh Ideas

The Zombies mode is a fan favorite. This time around, it lacks some fresh ideas. The main map, Ashes of the Damned, introduces open-world freedom and vehicle movement, which allows players to run over zombies, place turrets, buy defense modules, upgrade weapons using the Sacred Punch, and manage vehicle damage and repairs. While solo play becomes repetitive, it’s more enjoyable with others, but the map lacks iconic spots and can feel flat or linear. Dead Ops Arcade 4 provides a more casual, arcade-style experience with its signature bizarre elements. Playable solo or with up to four players, this mode is filled with minigames, including a cosmic gorilla, rainbow zombies, and karting sessions. While entertaining for a short time, it is easily forgotten. Graphically, Black Ops 7 appears to be a step back from Black Ops 6, possibly due to its futuristic aesthetic, and it does not compare favorably to other contemporary games. Overall, Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 presents a solo campaign that fails to impress, a lackluster endgame, and a multiplayer mode that leans heavily on past successes. The Zombies mode, despite its larger map and vehicles, lacks unique features to distinguish itself.

In Case You Missed It

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