Unveiling the Untapped Brilliance: The True Legacy of Call of Duty: Black Ops 4

Highlights

On its fifth anniversary, it is worth looking at all the things that Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 did right, as doing so shows how underrated the game was.

Controversy surrounded Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 due to its omission of a singleplayer campaign. However, its replacement, Blackout, proved to be a stellar addition to the battle royale genre. The return to boots on the ground multiplayer and high time-to-kill (TTK) mechanics allowed for a seamless integration of Specialists. Despite newer Zombies modes falling short, upon reflection, it becomes evident that BO4 offered exceptional maps and exaggerated concerns such as poor HUD design.

Fortunately, the game actively addressed and resolved several issues post-launch. Patches were swiftly implemented to tackle launch day bugs in the Zombies mode, and a Reserves system was introduced to ensure fair and accessible unlocking of weapons after the game's release. It is worth noting that the inclusion of a completely free battle pass was widely regarded as a significant positive aspect of the game.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 faced controversy before and after its release, particularly due to the absence of a singleplayer campaign, which upset fans who were used to having one in previous installments. Despite data showing that only a portion of the community engaged with the story modes, the removal of the campaign sparked outrage. The game also encountered issues with its Zombies mode, which was plagued with bugs due to its rushed release aimed at competing with Battlefield. Furthermore, the inclusion of Specialists in multiplayer remained a controversial topic. These criticisms were present when the game launched on October 12, 2018.

However, it is important to acknowledge both the flaws and the successes of Call of Duty: Black Ops 4. Taking an objective look at the game and reflecting on the inconsistent quality of recent Call of Duty releases, it becomes apparent that Black Ops 4 had several strengths. The developers addressed many of the initial issues through patches and updates, resolving problems such as crashes and glitches in Zombies mode. Additionally, reverting to a boots-on-the-ground multiplayer experience reduced the impact of the controversial Specialists. Moreover, the removal of the campaign allowed for the introduction of the popular Blackout mode, which surpassed expectations and garnered significant popularity. These factors contribute to Black Ops 4 being a solid game that merits revisiting on its fifth anniversary.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 Felt Modern While Avoiding The Pitfalls of Post-Warzone CoD

Since the debut of Warzone, there has been a common criticism about Call of Duty games: the premium games themselves feel like an afterthought compared to Warzone. Zombies mode seems to receive less attention, with smaller map counts and reused resources from other modes. Multiplayer mode heavily relies on map remasters. Warzone's maps are repurposed for Ground War locations, events cater more towards Warzone, and all content needs to carry over to the battle royale, resulting in a lack of diversity. While the seasonal model has its benefits, it's hard to deny that multiplayer and Zombies take a backseat to Warzone.

Unlike Treyarch's approach with Black Ops 4, where the other modes were not neglected despite offering a battle royale with Blackout. Multiplayer mode received numerous maps and free content, and although the final releases of the Aether storyline were rushed, Zombies mode had an impressive launch of four full maps. Having Blackout tied to one game allowed for smooth transitions of all added content, and balancing for all modes was easier. Additionally, the game remained fresh with paid maps and a seasonal format that introduced fun themes and new additions even after the initial launch.

As the transition period between Call of Duty’s loot box era and a seasonal format, Black Ops 4 offered an optimal combination of features. Following the pay-to-win stigma associated with Black Ops 3 and the early days of Black Ops 4, Treyarch finally struck the perfect balance towards the end of Black Ops 4’s life cycle with Reserves. This allowed players to unlock new weapons and skins simply by playing the game and accumulating cases. Reserves introduced one of the few fair loot box systems, enabling players to easily obtain post-launch weapons by hopping onto Black Ops 4 today. Moreover, the game offered a completely free Battle Pass, a rarity in the current gaming landscape. Unlike other games with in-game stores full of bundles, all of Black Ops 4’s cosmetic content could be earned, albeit with some grinding involved.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 Zombies’ Flaws Do Not Outweigh Its Strengths

While Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 may not rank at the top of most fans' Call of Duty game tier lists, all of its modes were strong and arguably lacked the recognition they deserved. Among these modes, Zombies is the one that truly embodies this notion as it delivered a tremendous experience, although some aspects were unduly criticized. There were valid concerns about the HUD design, but the extent of the uproar was exaggerated. The performance issues and bugs that emerged upon launch were indisputably problematic, but Treyarch swiftly addressed and resolved them. The cancellation of Factions was disheartening, but players were hardly familiar with what this feature entailed. Furthermore, while the Aether story's final cutscenes seemed hastily conceived and the ending rushed, they will forever mar the reputation of Zombies. Nonetheless, the content of the Chaos story was undeniably exceptional.

Despite initial issues, the negative reception of Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 Zombies can largely be attributed to players' unwillingness to give the Chaos Story a chance. Maps like Ancient Evil, IX, and Dead of the Night offer exceptional gameplay and an intriguing story that had the potential for further development. Unfortunately, this potential was never realized as players had already dismissed the new story from the beginning. Additionally, criticisms of the perk system and HUD were exaggerated, as the changes were intended to address long-standing problems. Classic perks like Juggernog and Double Tap, while iconic, limited player freedom and variety by requiring purchase in every game. The BO4 perk system aimed to rectify this, but most players could not look past the absence of familiar perks. Instead of appreciating the fun mechanics, improvements, and abundant secrets and maps, players fixated on the issue of perks.

In truth, Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 Zombies should not be labeled as a black sheep, as the maps in the Chaos story are intricately designed and unique. If it weren't for the lackluster Aether content and severe crashes that marred the initial Easter egg hunts – two factors that disillusioned influential CoD Zombies content creators – the game would be more highly regarded. Returning to a map like Ancient Evil to wield the Hammer of Valhalla or the God Hand Wonder Weapons could be a refreshing and enjoyable experience for players. Furthermore, Black Ops 4 Zombies provided the same amount of round-based content on its launch day as Black Ops Cold War did in its entire life cycle, which is an impressive achievement. With the divisive open-world approach of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Zombies and the diminishing complexity of Easter eggs, the depth and personality of Black Ops 4 Zombies are sorely missed.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4’s Blackout and Multiplayer Complimented Each Other Perfectly

Black Ops 4 may not appeal to those who dislike long Time-To-Kills in Call of Duty, but it will be loved by those who do not enjoy the fast TTKs of games like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2019. The player's personal preference will determine their feelings towards Black Ops 4 multiplayer, as its combat is characterized by a longer feature attributed to its healing system, weapon balancing, and more. The longer TTK worked well with Black Ops 4's specialists, as their weapons and abilities felt more balanced. This allowed for the enjoyable introduction of new objective modes like Heist and Control. Furthermore, regardless of whether players enjoy prolonged gunfights, it is natural to seamlessly switch between them and Blackout, as both experiences offer a consistent TTK.

Although the decision to replace a campaign with a battle royale mode was divisive, it ultimately proved to be a wise choice as Blackout was released during the battle royale trend's peak. It emerged as a fantastic mode, surpassing the popular free-to-play hit Warzone for many players. Despite being locked behind a paywall, there are many aspects of Blackout that are highly commendable. These include character mission unlocks, two excellent maps (with Alcatraz being reskinned as Rebirth Island), a enjoyable armor system, captivating abilities, and a vibrant map featuring locations that pay homage to Black Ops' history. As a result, Blackout stands out as a replayable battle royale mode filled with personality.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 breaks from tradition in the Call of Duty franchise, but it is far from the worst installment. The Blackout mode provides an almost perfect experience, while the multiplayer strikes a good balance between Black Ops 3 and classic Call of Duty. However, the Zombies mode is slightly perplexing, as players often focus on minor flaws rather than the entertaining maps and intriguing storyline presented by Treyarch. Although this game, which is now five years old, has its share of issues such as subpar visuals and the absence of a campaign, the controversial Zombies perk system and multiplayer TTK will always spark debates. Nevertheless, after addressing major issues like bugs and pay-to-win content, Black Ops 4 has cemented itself as a solid addition to the beloved franchise. On its anniversary, it is important to acknowledge its successes and not dwell on its shortcomings.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 is now available for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.