Skipping to the chase, the majority of Black Ops III reviews have been overwhelmingly positive, including more than a few 9/10s.
“There’s something here for everyone†seems to be the general consensus. Critics also agree that the three year development cycle has paid off as it’s leaps and bounds over previous games in terms of content.
Why Activision chose set the review embargo to launch day is a bit baffling. Had reviews gone live, let’s say, Wednesday, then retailers may have seen a sudden increase in pre-orders.
Perhaps the lacklustre last-gen versions have something to do with this. VideoGamer have confirmed early suspicions that Activision simply hasn’t bothered this year. RIP last-gen.
On with the new, here’s a review round-up:
100/100 – GamingTrend: “Call of Duty: Black Ops III deserves your time – take a day off work to play. With two campaigns, world-class online combat and a deep and passionate step forward with Zombies (not to mention the fantastic Dead Ops Arcade 2), there is something here for everyone”
9.5 – EGM: “Black Ops III is the deepest Call of Duty experience to date. With not one, but two campaigns, new multiplayer modes and more robust customization, and a Zombies mode that will suck in even the most casual of players, Treyarch has once again found a way to raise the bar”
9.0 – God is a Geek: “Combine all three of the major modes in Black Ops 3 and you’ve got easily the best Call of Duty game on the current gen systems. Surpassing an excellent Sledgehammer effort last year, here Treyarch cement the fact that Call of Duty is still the shooter to beat. Essential”
9.0 – GameInformer: “Whether you’re into traditional multiplayer mayhem or zombie survival, you’ve got lots of choices that are fun solo and even better with friends”
9.0 – PlayStation Lifestyle: “Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 is an insanely full featured game. If code was a physical thing, this game disc would be bursting at the seams with how much Treyarch has packed onto one Blu-ray. There’s a little something for everyone here”
9.0 – LazyGamer: “In the end it is still Call of Duty and if you aren’t a fan of the run and gun mechanic then you are probably not going to be a big fan. However if you’ve ever enjoyed any Call of Duty game since World at War you are going to love this. Easily the best multiplayer I’ve experienced in years along with a strikingly unique single player campaign plus a bucket load of extras and a massive community to enjoy it with. You can’t go wrong picking it up this year”
8.5 – Destructroid: “At this point, at least two of the Call of Duty developers (Treyarch and Sledgehammer), have it figured out. They now have a three-year development cycle, which means that technically, each individual game is not a rushed “annual” iteration. While the campaign could certainly be a lot stronger, Black Ops III is living proof of that concept”
4/5 – The Telegraph: “No, it’s not the best Call of Duty ever made, but the sheer volume of content on display largely makes up for its weaknesses in specific areas. A worthwhile story would have added enormous value to the overall package, but its absence doesn’t undermine what is another solid release”
4/5 – The Escapist: “The developers took bold risks with Black Ops IIIand many of those are what long time Call of Duty fans have been yearning for. Even if you have never played a Call of Duty game in your life, the new Zombies mode is something any Left 4 Dead or Evolve fan will appreciate”
4/5 – GamesRadar: “This massive, wonderfully diverse Call of Duty theme park is best enjoyed with a friend (or three). Going alone dampens the fun, but either way it’s still worth the price of admission”
7/10 – GameSpot: “Black Ops III doesn’t offer anything remarkable to the series, but does just enough to maintain the Call of Duty status quo. The franchise, however slowly, continues its inexorable march”
3/5 – GiantBomb: “On paper, it might be the biggest Call of Duty package yet. But the devil’s in the details here, and various changes made to multiplayer feel like more wheel-spinning from a series that’s had a little too much wheel-spinning over the last few years”
