Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 Review | GameSpot

Mike Mahardy - "In its undead modes, and the first 10 hours of multiplayer, it excels. But in its campaign, it merely crawls forward. 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."

[Masterchief_thegoat]

7.0 wow

[Eidolon]

I'm not surprised, but this is the lowest score so far.

[Major_Glitch]

I've given up on the Call of Duty series. I really hate the feeling that I'm buying the same game year after year.

[Erik7357]

Glad some reviewers aren't sacking cod d!ck anymore and giving ithem the score that past 4 deserved.

[DragoonsScaleLegends]

AW = $HIT

BO3 = NOT $HIT

I can't believe I've read so many comments saying AW is a good game and this one is not. So many delusional or trolling people. The gameplay is so much better in BO3 and no AW's story mode was not good. It was along with Ghosts the worst in the series.

[nX]

Both seem unable to reach the quality of MW1 or BO1 which in my opinion, is kind of ridiculous.

[pivotplease]

They're both not great. Saying otherwise might be denial, or you're just an unconditional fan which is fine. 4 was the peak. Had some fun with MW2 and BO 1 and 2, but the CoD part of life is over for me. It's kind of like how I haven't gotten excited about a Pokemon release since Gold/Silver.

[Eck0]

BO2 was really good as far as multiplayer..its the one i played the most... ive played since MW1 .. ghost was alright...but not good.. AW never felt like a COD game to me.. i couldnt get into it at all.. when i tried the beta for BO3 i was excited because it felt like a COD game again.. with alittle bit of the jet pack.. but not too much

[kparks]

Agreed AW and ghost even MW3 were shit! I was really hoping for a W@W2 that would of been crazy way overdue!

[zidane1341]

Yeah, well that's just like, your opinion man.

[callahan09]

I haven't' played a Call of Duty game since the original Black Ops, which I thought was pretty good in multiplayer and single player (though better for multiplayer). I wasn't interested again until Advanced Warfare, which I thought looked pretty neat but I haven't played it yet. This one looks even better, though. The zombies trailer was freaking awesome, it made me really want to play this game. Should I pick this one up, or get Advanced Warfare discounted for cheap?

[DragoonsScaleLegends]

Advanced Warfare is worse than Ghosts and in my opinion the worst CoD to date. Save yourself the frustration of realizing how bad it is and buy BO3.

Fun fact, Ghosts rarely lagged on my PS4 but I've never had a single match in AW that didn't lag.

[CitizenFour]

AW is awful imho..
go with black ops

[zidane1341]

There's not a cold day in hell where AW was worse then ghosts. Furthermore it wasn't lag you were getting in every match, it was fps drops because the all powerful ps4 had issues running it at 1080p.

[venom06]

not wow at all.. it really isn't much more than BO2 with slightly different movements. But because SOOOO many folks depend on CoD to put food on their tables, they pump it up, promote it and pimp it out as something "fresh" every year, when it really isn't..

[HammadTheBeast]

There's so much content in this game that you can't really go wrong. 2 campaign modes, both with co-op, zombies, top down zombie minigame, a solid multiplayer, and the freerunning mode.

In terms of value for money, it's pretty solid.

I haven't enjoyed CoD since MW1 and MW2, and I find this really enjoyable.

I can understand people not liking it if they've bought every CoD every year, but that's another problem.

[Kingdomcome247]

@Hammad- What do you mean by a,"freerunning", mode? I'm thinking about picking this up in late December after I've finished ROTR and Fallout 4, and it's dropped a bit in price, just for the zombies mode. It looks like they did a bang up job with the zombies mode. The game does seem to have a good amount of content, though. On current gen consoles at least.

[IamTylerDurden1]

Well considering Black ops III is currently rated higher than HALO 5... a 7.0 is surprising...considering most critics rated it a 9/10.

Blk Ops III /xb1/ Metacritic = 86

HALO 5/xb1/ Metacritic = 85

Just sayin, as a whole Blk Ops III is better than HALO & it's the best CoD in years. I wonder why the lowest critical score is getting the most pub?

[HammadTheBeast]

@Julietlewis

Don't kid yourself, Halo is in the same place as CoD right now, it hasn't had that top-tier MP since Halo 3.

[zidane1341]

@hammondthebeast: says you. Everybody else disagrees . This is by far the most fun mp halo ever had. Sorry you disagree, but millions agree it's one of the best mp game out.

[TwoForce]

@Fries1223 But for Black ops Series and Treyarch game, i don't think so.

[jc12]

Im sorry, but these games are nothing but cash grabbing, uninspired junk at this point.

[HammadTheBeast]

How so?

In terms of value for money, this year's CoD beats out most games released this year. The PC port is incredibly solid, and they've managed to innovate a bit, while still catering to their main audience.

[jc12]

How so? Did you just ask me how the yearly editions of COD are uninspired? Honestly?

Lets see, its the same engine since what, 2001? The shooting mechanics haven't changed one bit in 14 years. Animations get recycled year over year, sounds get recycled year over year. Campaigns are incoherent, over-the-top messes every single time. The characters are uninspired, cliche ridden, b-grade movie crap. The engine is still painfully limited in terms of physics and dynamic destruction.

There are three, THREE companies making yearly releases of what is in effect, the same crap. Wait, lets add in a jet pack this year, then maybe some wall running next year...whoa, that's intense innovation. The classes and perk systems are pretty much the same year over year. None of the multiplayer maps of the last 4 years have been able to capture that same magic that MW1 and BO1 had. All the recent maps are mazes comprised of players running around at impossible speeds and stabbing each other to death.

At this point, they should just call it COD '15, COD '16 and so on. It's become Madden.

[rainzor]

Yet they gave halo 5 an 8 lol

[Masterchief_thegoat]

halo is better game ^-^

[poor_cus_of_games]

Actually it's not. Bo3 is a game with more depth than halo.

[DJustinUNCHAIND]

Halo IS the better game.

[DefenderOfDoom2]

Reply to "Masterchief_ thegoat" . Well, if you are talking about the Halo 5 campaign vs Black Ops 3 campaign . I think the level design for Halo 5's campaign is way more to fun to play, than the very straight linear level design in the Black Ops 3 campaign .

[trywizardo]

this is a playstation site , don't fight it dude
i have PS4 but i know for sure that halo is the best FPS game ever ...

[MasterCornholio]

Doesn't Halo have the same metacritic as BO3? Which would mean that they are about the same in terms of quality.

I'm actually expecting BlackOps 3 to drop a bit more in terms of metacritic. Probably mid 7s to mid 8s is what I'm predicting.

[pivotplease]

I know they're both FPS, but this comparison is so apples to oranges it's ridiculous.

[Sparta07]

@ thegoat, I think is a matter of opinion.
this game has been getting a lot of 9's and 8. LoOKs like the reviews are all over the place just like halo.
I haven't played halo or COD yet so can say witch game is better in my opinion.
but you can't state opinions as facts.

[NovaCorps]

how is the better game ?
less features,a 4 hour campaign and a cod-titanfall copy paste multiplayer

but forgot....just saw your avatar..no need mentioning more..you are just a blinded halo fanboy.

https://www.youtube.com/wat...

[HammadTheBeast]

LMAO how are you guys arguing which is better from 2 completely different games?

Come on guys, let's not be this blinded.

[zidane1341]

@poor: LOL no. Not at all. Halo takes way more skill and strategy then any cod mp.

[JonnyBigBoss]

Because Halo 5 is a better game.

Source: I own both.

[SatanicEyeJesus]

Using the holy name of Big Boss and playing a XOne? Something wrong with this world.

[Ezz2013]

That still doesn't make your opinion about Halo5 being better is a fact
at the end of the day it's all opinions
Both have the same metascore so far....let's wait and see what gamers think of this game first

This will be the first COD i buy for my PC since 2009.

[pivotplease]

People have never been this defensive of CoD on N4G...Is there some kind of illuminati conspiracy going on?

[Rookie_Monster]

@privote,

"People have never been this defensive of CoD on N4G...Is there some kind of illuminati conspiracy going on?"

No, it is just the PS4 logo appearing at the end of the COD commercial for the first time...makes haters into lovers and enemies into friends.

For me, haven't touch a COD since BO2. Not gonna to touch it again this year.

[ceromaster]

Bro, certain fanboys are cosigning this game just so they can spite Halo, lol.

[Concertoine]

You guys seriously think all these games are reviewed by the same person with the same standards? Gamespot is more than one person.

I feel like im on the junior high playground again

"Halo's better! No COD's better! Well Halo got a better review!"

[HammadTheBeast]

These comment sections are such a joke now.

[Mega_Volnutt]

We'll deserved score. It's disgusting how Activision keeps milking this without true innovation. Specially on the same recycled animations and weapons feel. I'm only getting it for zombies, the only worth thing playing, that it's actually better than the game.

[Eidolon]

Lol, so you're into zombies, but think that Activision is milking?

[Mega_Volnutt]

Who the f@@k said I'm getting it now?? I have far better games hmmmmp "Fallout" hmmp "Xenoblades Chronicles X", to play this season. Soo yeah.

[Rattlehead20]

Ermm. You said it..

[PizzaSteve]

LOL this contradiction is funny.

[Mega_Volnutt]

U guys r really fu@%$ng stupid huh?? Do I have to be specific enough to make u understand?? What I meant iis that "I'm not getting the game right now, but in the future, because I have far better games to play this (Fallout4, Xenoblades Chronicles X) this season. I'm getting a deal If I wait a month for the game, so I'm paying like $3O bucks for it. Geez

[Swiggins]

Chill out Mega you're acting like a goddamn child.

[Back-to-Back]

Complains about milking
Says he is buying

You're special my friend, very special.

[Mega_Volnutt]

I'm only getting it because I'm paying like 30 bucks or less and because my best friend and brother are playing on it. Soo, I'm paying only for zombies mode and for less than $30 bucks? Yeah I'm "very special" buddy. Thank Zeus, I'm not a blind fanboy like you. Cheers

[Heyxyz]

Like always, Gamespot is lower than the "average" review.

[Eidolon]

I trust the aggregate over any single review, but even then I am skeptical.

[Der_Kommandant]

I really think this is one of the best COD's in recent years, it feels so different in a good way.

There goes the polarizing reviews

Gametrailers - 92
EGM - 95

Giantbomb - 6
Gamespot - 7

[DragoonsScaleLegends]

Don't let the disagrees fool you it is definitely better than and came with more content than AW and Ghosts.

[Gazondaily]

Yeah the beta alone was more fun than AW and Ghosts

[pompombrum]

^^ That isn't really saying much though is it? AW and Ghosts were shockingly bad.

[jc12]

The fact that some of you people really think this game is "innovative" or much improved over previous iterations is honestly kinda scary.

I played the beta and its the same old shit we've been playing for the last decade plus. Same animations, same poor audio, all the guns feel similar, minimal recoil, uninspired maps lacking the magic of MW1, poor physics, minimal if any dynamic destruction, same perks and classes system...sigh.

Honestly, we as gamers should demand a bit more from Activision rather than a re-skinned, re-hashed, "passable" entry in this series. I guess I don't blame Activision for milking the shit out of this franchise though, inexplicably, people can't seem to get enough of it - especially "younger" gamers.

[divinealpha]

That's whAt everybody says every year "I think this is the best cod in recent years"

[WellyUK]

no one ever said that about ghosts and AW... But Blops 3 is better than both of them easily but its still not MW1.

[pivotplease]

They said it about AW actually. Ghosts is probably the only CoD that didn't get the generic free pass treatment.

[MasterCornholio]

From the reviews that I read. While it may not be an amazing game its still pretty good. And certainly much better than CODs like Ghosts for example.

[Mega_Volnutt]

At least Ghost's didn't had the boost jumping and wall running bs.

[emad-E-three]

Same comments every year!

[franwex]

This game will probably be all over the place score wise like MGSV and Halo 5.

[BiggerBoss]

MGS5 has a metacritic of 93. 82 positive and 2 mixed. Hardly all over the place

[franwex]

Defend MGSV all you want, but it has its fans polarized. I myself love it though. I was guessing this game was gonna be the same, but it seems that people are enjoying it. I'm hoping it makes up for Halo 5 colossal disappointment.

[burza1982]

Thanks Gamespot for not being corrupt.

[nX]

lol of all the reviewers Gamespot not being corrupt? bubble up for funny

[PizzaSteve]

Activision forgot to put that extra 0 on the check.

[divinealpha]

Cod fans and sony fanboys who feel that they now want to defend the game because sony is marketing it are the only ones upset. Your really mad it has lower scores that halo lmaooo

[MasterCornholio]

Well it currently has a metacritic of 85 which is the same as Halo 5s metacritic.

So overall they are scoring very similarly.

[divinealpha]

Just was talking about particularly gamespot review for this article I should have clarified that my mistake.

Edit. But we will have to compare reviews . but you mentioned metacritic saying they have similar scores so reviews are similar, so are you saying metacritic tallies everyone's review score and averages it out.

[Rookie_Monster]

Master,

Halo 4 has over 80 reviews for the 85 scores while COD has less than 40 for the same score. Let's wait for all the reviews to come first before comparison...k.

Plus, since this article is about Gamespot, they rated Halo 5 higher so in their eyes....it is the better game.

[MasterCornholio]

@rookie

"Halo 4 has over 80 reviews for the 85 scores while COD has less than 40 for the same score. Let's wait for all the reviews to come first before comparison...k."

Thats true but i dont expect the score to change that much. COD3 is currently at 84 and while it can go lower i dont expect to be much lower. Nothing wrong with being in the 80s since it means that the game is great.

"According to Gamespot Halo 5 is the better game."
Thats true. Its a shame that we dont have articles about the meta critic because that would be the appropiate place to discuss overall scores.

[HammadTheBeast]

@Rookie

Gamespot is not one person. They have multiple reviewers.

[Avery]

Still not as good as Battlefield

[HammadTheBeast]

In what way? Hardline was a disappointment, I'd take this over Hardline any day. BF4 however, is great, but I wouldn't compare it to CoD, they're completely different games.

[AstroCyborg]

a honest review im shocked hopefully the reviewer don't get fired

[jokerisalive]

Have they confirmed the native rez for the PS4yet? There is a website saying they are using dynamic rez from 1360x1080 to 1920x1080. I picked it up last nite but havent played it yet on my PS4 cuz I am still at work. Just read about that and was wondering if its just a bullshit rumor cuz Eurogamer had confirmed the PS4 beta to be at full native 1080p before. The XB1 I believe was 900p(1600x900). Thanks if anyone has heard anything about this guys.

[Kos-Mos]

Casual gaming at it's finest.

[HammadTheBeast]

There's nothing wrong with that is there?

[mark_parch]

still getting for zombies

[theFAYEsorceress]

7 is still a good score for any game and i actually like this cod. i didn't like aw or ghosts, or bo2 that much, but this one has been more fun than those ones so far. people are gonna hate on cod because it's cod, but this one is actually pretty good. the vast majority of people bashing this game don't have it and will never even play it.

[SuperbVillain]

Of cod gets a 7 then star wars needs to get 4 or 5

[DivineAssault]

Im not surprised.. The check mustve been missing from their review copy.. Activision should be more careful like other publishers but they might be frugal since that $6 billion deal with the candy crush devs.. Maybe the next COD will have guns with candy bullets

[arbitor365]

For once I agree with gamespot. other sites are like
> Campaign and Co-op are mediocre crap
> Fun multiplayer
> 9/10
> Cash that activision check

[Mkai28]

COD, the madden of FPS...

[NovaCorps]

ah look now that cod is a sony thing the game gets a 7
well the game will still be the best selling game of the year tho either you like it or not gamespot

[paddy95]

It's much better than same old Halo 5. This should be higher than that generic sci-fi cash in!

[Kyizen]

If this came out instead of Ghosts it would get 9/10 but because of Ghosts and AW it geta a lower score for not moving the franchise forward?

[DafunkyRebel]

Activision didn't pay enough bribes this time cause this game was actually good and is much better then the last 2 COD yet it gets a lower score? What fresh hell did Gamespot find this reviewer from?

[JasonKCK]

I'm not someone who cares about reviews because I already know what I want to play, but... yikes!