REVIEW: “Cold War” catapults “Call of Duty” players back into the ‘80s

 

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War”

Developed by: Treyarch and Raven

Published by: Activision

Available: NOW

Available on: Microsoft Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC, Sony PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4

Price: $59.99

I AM A CHILD of the ‘70s and ‘80s. I’m old enough to remember watching “Star Wars: A New Hope” in a movie theater in 1977. I remember watching cars, lined up for hours, to get fuel. Then, I remembered US hostages in Iran being held for 144 days. 

Then, the 1980s came. Ronald Reagan was shot, the Soviet Union presented a clear and present danger. Suddenly, a suicide bomber killed 243 Marines and sailors in Beirut, Lebanon in 1983.

That’s where “Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War” picks up. Developed by Treyarch and Raven Software, and published by Activision, “Cold War” takes place in the world of covert ops. You can see this single-player campaign leading up to the real-life Iran-Contra scandal.

You play as a member of this small A-Team of spooks, tying America’s loose ends around the globe. “Cold War” brings an innovative approach to gameplay with this offering. Instead of running and gunning, you will have to search for clues to track down leads. 

Wait, what?! Is this Phoenix Wright?

Yes, you will spend a considerable amount of time discussing mission objectives with your team, sneaking around taking photos and surveillance. You’ll find yourself globetrotting fromEastern Europe to Cuba and Southeast Asia. Plus, you’ll be greeted by voice directions trees. Your choices will actually impact your ending. The last shooter that gave us “thought-provoking” outcomes was the “Army of Two” sequel. The choices are split-second; your decisions can cost lives.

Gameplay is on point. Controls are solid and easy for shooter fans to pick up and play. I played single-player on my Xbox One and Xbox Series X, multiplayer on my PlayStation 4. Finding matches, of course, were a breeze. The modes and maps are pretty diverse. You’ll slog it out in escort missions, domination and other modes with many options, including a true blast from the past - Nuketown!

Graphics on the Xbox One X and the PS4 are great. However, the Xbox Series X version - which includes the Xbox One version, is beautiful, presented in 4K at a smooth 60fps. Audio is awesome, with Ronald Reagan’s voice a truly remarkable performance.

Verdict: If you love “Call of Duty,” you’ll enjoy the solid gameplay and numerous multiplayer options. The voice dialogue options and decisions are interesting, but may leave a sour taste. Still, this is a great diversion from COVID-19.

9 (out of 10’

NOTE: If you buy the Xbox Series X version of the game, be careful to make sure you install the correct version on your device. I’ve heard multiple reports that some are playing the wrong version of the game.