Murphy's Law; Black Ops 2 Multi-Player Review

I gotta stop making promises I can't keep.

For those of you unfamiliar with the title's origin, Murphy's Law is thus:

Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong. This applies directly to my Xbox 360.

First the controller won't connect, then I get the red ring of death, and then just as I breath a sigh of relief as the red ring only meant a disconnected cable, the AV stops working. Plus the EasyCap device won't work directly with Premiere Pro. Not my day.

I will unfortunately need to postpone the multi-player video until further notice. I will not make any promises this time, so as not to disappoint. Sorry for the inconvenience.


But I did get a chance to try out the multiplayer before it all went down south, so I do have a few words to say; the main one being that it's not all that different.

As I said in my video review, Campaign mode has always been a weak spot in the Call of Duty franchise; why I recommend games like Spec Ops: the Line for more story themed enthusiasts. That being said, the Multi-player is among it's strongest features most of the time in Call of Duty games. The design decisions that seemed to guide the creation of Black Ops 2 almost seems to prove it.

Because the Campaign mode seems better then the multi-player mode.

There are no Strike Team modes or access panels in multi-player, and I actually find myself missing the engaging (if still somewhat nonsensical) story of the Campaign mode. With multi-player its seems to follow the same mode as Black Ops 1 and Modern Warfare 3. You got your core mode, your hardcore, your perks, your different games modes, seems almost like a re-glossing of the same tried and true formula.

Not to say that it isn't good; Call of Duty has always had strong multi-player modes above all else. Most of the features that persisted were innovative upgrades made in the previous game that are streamlined toward simplicity and a more futuristic look. The point tally used for kill streaks is still there, but is now represented by a stylish meter with a slightly more complex score. The kill-to-reward ratio is still the same, and the only thing different is the way it is presented. Also have a new system for collecting new weapons, attachments, and gameplay perks that uses tokens. Basically instead of gathering 1000 or more points for a new weapon or perk, you only spend a single token on anything new. Like I said; more streamlined.

For those of you unfamiliar with the multi-player environment of Call of Duty games, be warned; there is a steep learning curve, as always. Unless you are familiar with what is called "noob-tubing", the price of admission to playing even a single game can be steep. And it is usually marked with your own multiple deaths. Understand that many people have been playing and buying this franchise of games since it was just another World War 2 simulator for the PC. The veterans who play this game will be right on top of this one, and will take all of there awesome skill with them. Don't get fustrated; everybody dies a lot, even when they are good.

Something to consider is what's called the "Season Pass" for the series. For an extra $25 you will get 4 extra maps to play on and a chance to play in more professional tournaments with a special interface. I wouldn't recommend this to casual players, as it is obvious this was made for die-hard fans in mind.

This game will play like almost any other Call of Duty game you played on multi-player, complete with exploding traps, campers, player rewards, and kill streaks. If you liked Call of Duty so far, and are ready to take the game tricks you know and love to the next level, get the season pass along with the game. If you got sick of the same mechanics and systems in Modern Warfare 3, try campaign and zombie mode instead.

here is my Seven Word Synopsis of the multi-player game mode

Simplified Interface

Same Mechanics

Good for Veterans

If I can get my Xbox working by tommorow (God willing) I will add a video to this post along with a review of  Zombie mode. If not, expect a Hitman review for the PS3 next week.

Keep your fingers crossed!