Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War | Campaign Review In Progress ...

So, currently I'm a few missions into Black Ops Cold War's campaign. It's actually good so far. Your standard espionage story with a Call of Duty twist. The old US vs Russia theme this time around with familiar and fresh faces joining in. Missions do vary significantly, and offer multiple choice paths as well as in-mission side missions. Visually it's structure is a mixture of CG cut scenes, montages of stock video clips, and playable objective based missions carried by voice-over narrations. The characters involved are okay for the most part. Likable, but not fully fleshed out. They're not the big focus. The main point of it all is centered around chasing down leads on Perseus, the game's Russian spy, and finding out why he's resurfaced. There are plot twists, betrayals, and the usual espionage thoroughfare. 

When you first begin the campaign you'll actually name the character you play as, and give optional details on them. Despite this given name your middle name "Bell" will be what the main characters refer to you as. Along with the playable character's namesake you even pick the character's skin color, and gender via a classified folder UI. It is inclusive to say the least. Not surprisingly there is also a non-binary option shoved into the gender slot which also contains the scientifically correct Male and Female types. When it comes down to your character's role in the plot he's mostly out of the picture. Just a gun toting arms and legs following the lead of lead characters like Frank Woods, Adler, and a few other onboard agents. As the playable character you'll get to man turrets in various vehicles including an Apache helicopter, and a mini tank. At times you'll also engage in stealth infiltration, escort missions, and even rescue missions. All throughout the ordeal your character is mostly silent while those in the lead speak to you about what to do, and about the current mission objective/s.

Mission objectives in the game are accessed through a safe house's evidence bulletin board. By clicking on the tacked missions you gain access to evidence related items that come complete with contextual information regarding the mission at hand, and those involved. Building upon the campaign's lore, and making it seem more like a proper CIA operation. In the CIA safe house hub you'll actually find a few secrets if you explore. Including a TV that you can change the channels on as well as a radio with a station tuner that can be changed. It is in this safe house where you'll also get to know the supporting agents better. By speaking to them through multiple choice questions you can find details on their past as well as their thoughts on current operations and mission objectives. Speaking of missions ... One thing to know is that while missions are mostly linear in how you take them on there are some circumstances which allow you to tackle them in a different manner. This sometimes opens up achievements that tie into the game's unlockables. 

The pacing in the campaign, itself, is somewhat of a slow burner to start with with peak moments of intensity brought on by skirmishes with enemy targets, and troops. Most are decently short in length, and are filled with cinematic sequences, and stock footage along with character specific voice-overs that keep in line with the ongoing narrative. The approach to storytelling as a result is good. It's a more grounded take compared to earlier Call of Duty entries though greatly varied, activity-wise. The locals, NPCs, and key characters all make the world feel more alive. Though, admittedly, the AI is clumsy AF and just performs standard target focused commands. Taking away some of the realism that could be had. 

And that is about where I am at on it all ...

Being this is an "In Progress" review I will pause to play some more before I return to give you my final thoughts on the campaign as a whole. From there I'll move into Multiplayer, Warzone, and Zombies. I hope you stay tuned in for my thoughts, and I will do my best not to give any spoilers away.