The Mixed Review: A Tale of Three Modes
The Good: Multiplayer & Zombies Shine Critics from IGN and The Guardian agree: if you are here for the “sweat,” Black Ops 7 delivers.
- Omnimovement 2.0: The movement system has been refined with a new wall-jump ability that adds a Titanfall-esque verticality to the maps.
- Zombies (Ashes of the Damned): Widely considered the “strongest pillar” of the game. It returns to a massive, round-based figure-eight map featuring “Ol’ Tessie,” a drivable pickup truck.
- Matchmaking: In a win for fans, Treyarch introduced “Open Playlists” where Skill-Based Matchmaking (SBMM) is toned down, allowing for more organic, persistent lobbies.
The Bad: The “Warzone-ified” Campaign This is where the game loses its footing, especially for the UK’s massive single-player audience. In a controversial move, the campaign is Online-Only and designed primarily for 4-player co-op.
- No Pausing: Because the campaign runs on a live server, you cannot pause—even when playing solo.
- The AI Controversy: Players have heavily criticized the use of generative AI for in-game assets and calling cards, leading to a “soulous” feel in certain missions.
- Repetitive Missions: Many levels are simply repurposed Multiplayer or Warzone maps with hallucinogenic “fear toxins” added to justify the trippy visuals.
The Verdict: Black Ops 7 is a maximalist package that feels like a “Warzone expansion” disguised as a £70 premium title. If you live for the camo grind and high-octane Zombies, it’s a hoot. If you’re a single-player fan looking for a cinematic story, you might want to wait for a deep sale on the PlayStation Store or Xbox Marketplace.
The Best Way to Play: 👉 [Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 – Cross-Gen Bundle]
- Why: Essential for those not on Game Pass; includes the base game for both console generations.
The Competitive Edge: 👉 [Xbox Elite Series 2 Controller / PS5 DualSense Edge]
- Why: To master the new wall-jumping and Omnimovement mechanics, back-paddles are a necessity in 2025.
The Audio Advantage: 👉 [SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 Wireless Headset]
- Why: Precise directional audio is vital for the massive new Zombies map and sweaty Multiplayer lobbies.
Protect Your Console: 👉 [Internal SSD Expansion for PS5/Xbox (2TB)]
- Why: With Black Ops 7 reaching massive file sizes, extra storage is no longer optional.
