Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War (commonly referred to as Cold War or Black Ops Cold War) is a first-person shooter and partly a top-down game, being the seventeenth Call of Duty game in the main franchise and was produced by multiple companies, Treyarch produced majority of the title, while Raven Software assisted with the Campaign, and in other areas of the game assisted by Beenox, Demonware, Activision Shanghai and Sledgehammer Games.
It was released on November 13th, 2020 on the Playstation 4, Playstation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC via Battle.net. This is the first Call of Duty to be released on both the eighth and ninth generation of consoles.
A sequel, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, was released October 25, 2024. The game takes place, approximately seven years before Cold War.
Zombies[]
- "Uncover dark Cold War experiments that unleash a new Zombie threat to take on in frightening and intense co-operative gameplay with friends."
- — Battle.net description
Zombies takes a new direction, adding a whole slew of new features to the game, and even returning features.
These include:
- For the first time, the player can freely choose their character of choice, allowing players to play as their favorite Multiplayer operator from both NATO and Warsaw Pact forces.
- A new and improved HUD, now fitted with a mini-map.
- The return of Dead Ops Arcade, following the events of Dead Ops Arcade II: Cyber's Avenging.
- A Rarity System. Players can now upgrade their weapon by their color, increasing damage along with upgrades from Pack-A-Punch. The order is as follows from weakest to strongest:
- Loadout/Common (1x damage)
- Uncommon (1.5x damage)
- Rare (2x damage)
- Epic (3x damage)
- Legendary (4x damage)
- Ultra (NOTE: This rarity is exclusive to Wonder Weapons, such as the Ray Gun.)
- A new Crafting system, allowing players to pick up Salvage from Zombies. Salvage can be used to upgrade a weapons rarity, as well as increase shield strength, make lethals and tacticals.
- Due to this system, the player(s) no longer spawn with Grenades. Instead, they are able to pick up Lethals and/or Tacticals from Zombies, or craft them.
- The Monkey Bomb is also able to be crafted and picked up in this way.
- Due to this system, the player(s) no longer spawn with Grenades. Instead, they are able to pick up Lethals and/or Tacticals from Zombies, or craft them.
- Trials return, available in all maps.
- Juggernog, as well as Speed Cola, Deadshot Daiquiri, Mule Kick, and Tombstone Soda return.
- There is no longer a limit to the amount of perks a player can purchase.
- Perks now have the ability to be upgraded with Aetherium Crystals. These upgrades allow up to 5 upgrades, allowing the perk to gain more features.
- The Perk-A-Colas now have redesigned machines that correspond to the theme of their perk (Ex: Stamin-Up having a 70s Disco aesthetic, and Deadshot Daiquiri having a 90s Rock aesthetic).
- In addition, the Pack-A-Punch also received a major redesign.
- A new Mystery Box tune.
Maps[]
For the first time in Call of Duty history, DLC maps are completely free-to-play due to the addition of Battle Passes and Seasons.
Die Maschine[]
- "Dimensional gateways opening around the globe. An undead horde threatening all of humanity. A new Cold War threat emerging from the shadows. Investigate the abandoned Nazi facility at the heart of it all."
- ―Map Description.
Die Maschine is the launch map for Black Ops Cold War. It is a re-imagining of Nacht der Untoten. Set in the 1980s, the story follows a C.I.A spec ops team named Requiem tasked with handling zombie outbreaks around the world while also attempting to stop a Russian research group named Omega Group. They arrive at an old WWII outpost called Projekt Endstation, where experiments with a particle accelerator cause a rift to the Dark Aether to open. Requiem are assisted by a former member of Omega Group and close the particle accelerator.
Firebase Z[]
- "A captured agent in the heart of darkness. A treacherous scientist on the brink of a breakthrough. An unlikely ally out for revenge. Infiltrate Omega's Vietnam base and expose the secrets within."
- ―Map description.
7 months later, Samantha Maxis infiltrates an Omega Outpost in Vietnam, only to be captured and locked in the Dark Aether. Requiem is sent to meet with a Russian informant name Sergei Ravenov, who assists the group. The group's actions are hindered by an Omega Scientist, Doctor William Peck, in which the group use a truth serum to make him tell Requiem how to save Samantha. Requiem come into contact with an Elder God whilst completing the steps to save Samantha, and they eventually defeat it. Samantha tells Weaver about another operation occurring in the Ural Mountains, stating she must stay in the field.
Back at the Firebase, Peck is approached by Aleksandra Valentina, then Lev Kravchenko, who is revealed to be the head of Omega Group. He asks Peck "Which is your better eye?" as he pulls a knife out.
Post-Firebase Z Interm[]
"Operation: Excision" occurs in the Outbreak zombies mode. Samantha secretly orders the Strike Team to destroy Omega Group warheads in the Ural Mountains with the help of Ravenov. Weaver discovers this and suspends Samantha from participating in operation
Pre-Mauer der Toten[]
Ravenov tells Weaver about a group of Omega Group scientists who want to defect to Requiem. Weaver reluctantly sends the Strike Team to check out a Sanotourium in the Ural Mountains. The Strike Team travel to a monument outside the safe zone with the assistance of an Aether Orb, only to find that the scientists were killed by Omega and the whole operation was setup to lure the Strike Team. Weaver orders Raptor-1 to take the team home, but him and the team are attacked by an Orda. After defeating it, the Strike Team is picked up, only for Raptor-1's helicopter to be shot down.
The team struggles to get out of the crash, while Omega Group soldiers are nearing by. Kravchenko reveals himself to the team and tells Weaver that the Strike Team belongs to him now. Raptor-1 is pulled from the wreck, unconcious.
Mauer der Toten[]
Lev Kravchenko takes the team to Berlin, where he revealed that Aleksandra Valentina was pursuing her own agendas and betrayed Omega. He states there is another Endstation lab somewhere in the city and the team must find it to stop her. Using a Requiem-based robot named Klaus, they find the lab and open a gateway to the Dark Aether and confront Aleksandra. The team and Aleksandra engage in a fight before the latter is defeated. They use her body and her power to charge warheads, which Klaus carries into the portal, sealing it, and killing Klaus.
The Strike Team and a now rescued Raptor-1 escape to the streets and are attacked by Kravchenko. Samantha calls in and orders the team to the rooftops, where she uses her Aether power to open a portal back to Requiem HQ.
A man observes this through a camera, and proceeds to talk to someone on his computer, stating that Samantha's powers are growing and he will enact "Project Janus". He sips from his coffee cup, which reads "Best Director Ever!", revealing the man to be the Director of Requiem.
Forsaken[]
Requiem learns from Ravenov that Omega has planned to rescue Kazimir Zykov from the Dark Aether in order to gain his knowledge. Wary, but reluctant, Weaver send the Strike Team to infitrate the now-overruned Test Site Anna facility housing the main portal to the Dark Aether. Enacting "Operation: First Domino", the team confronts Zykov, who revealed himself to be the Forsaken. Assisted by Samantha, the team fights Zykov while Kravchenko and Peck, who were observing the group, hastily escape the facility.
After the team damages Zykov, Samantha realizes what she needs to do. She says goodbye to Weaver and plunges into the portal Zykov came out from. Zykov is captured in a contaiment vessel by the Strike Team. Strauss states that the dimensional tears are closing around the world. Requiem operatives transport the vessel, and Raptor-1 takes the Strike Team home, while Ravenov salutes them farewell.
After a brief time skip, the Director's computer screen reads that Maxis is no longer a threat to Project Janus, and he is shutting down Requiem. One by one, members of Requiem are apprehended by the military authorities and arrested. After Weaver, Strauss, Grey, Carver, Raptor-1 and the Strike Team are arrested, the Director leaves his office.
He stops to turn around and give one last look, revealing the man to be Edward Richtofen, who gives a soft smirk and leaves.
In 1990, 5 years later, Peck is seen in Japan, asking a fisherman to rent a boat and travel to the location of the downed warheads that the Requiem Strike Team brought down 6 years prior. He tells the fisherman that he's "looking for some old friends."
Enemies[]
Like previous installments, there are returning and new enemies.
Returning[]
New[]
- Megaton - A large zombie that utilizes radiation.
- Bomber and Blaster - The split variant of the Megaton.
- Plaguehound - Similar to Hellhounds, with the exception of being gas instead of fire.
- Mimic - A shapeshifting creature that disguises itself as legendary items.
- Orda - A giant monster that serves as a boss.
- Tempest - An electric-based enemy similar to the Avogadro.
- Krasny Soldat - Similar to Panzer Soldats
- Disciple - A spectre like creature that strengthens zombies.
- Tormentor - A enemy that blows up when it gets close to the player.
- Abomination - A enemy that appears similar to a Margwa. It can shoot a beam of electricity at the player(s).
Perk-a-Colas[]
Returning[]
- Quick Revive
- Juggernog
- Speed Cola
- Stamin-Up
- Deadshot Daiquiri
- Mule Kick
- Tombstone Soda
- Death Perception
- PhD Slider
New[]
- Elemental Pop
Dead Ops Arcade III: Rise of the Mamaback[]
Dead Ops Arcade makes a return in this game, under the title Rise of the Mamaback. It overall retains the same features from Dead Ops Arcade II: Cyber's Avenging.
Onslaught[]
Onslaught was a Playstation exclusive mode until its release for other platforms on November 2nd, 2021. This mode involves playing on maps from the Multiplayer mode in a 2-player experience, surviving as long as they can. Players have a chance to earn weapon blueprints as rewards for completing certain challenges.
Outbreak[]
Outbreak is a large-scale Zombies experience featured in Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War that was released on February 25th, 2021 as part of the Season Two of content for the game. Taking place on the Fireteam maps set in the Ural Mountains, Outbreak features new enemies with rewards and intel for completing objectives and World Events.
Reception[]
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War received generally favorable reviews from critics on Metacritic, having 7.6/10 on PS4, PS5 and PC. There is currently no critic reviews for the Xbox One and Series X/S versions of the game. The metascore is a underwhelming 3.0-3.3/10, meaning the game is "generally unfavorable" among players.
References[]
- ↑ Sledgehammer Games (assisted) • Beenox (PC, with assistance from Blizzard Entertainment) • High Moon Studios (assisted) • Activision Shanghai (assisted) • Demonware (assisted)