Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War | Final Campaign Thoughts

The campaign in Cold War seems to be it's shining achievement. While it does harbor a standard or somewhat cliche espionage plot with a Call of Duty twist it is done in such a way as to never be dull. The missions each have varied action packed takes on objectives, and gives the player an opportunity to escape the routine run & gun or camping habits brought on by the game's multiplayer scene. It comes with several different difficulties. Each difficulty ramping up the AI's performance. Making them increasingly more hostile, and sensitive to your approach. Along the way you will also be collecting evidence which in turn will open up three different ending possibilities. This involves two particular side missions with accompanying puzzles dependent upon certain pieces of evidence. Also certain choices within the playthrough will hold weight on the ending you get as they too play into getting the evidence required for the bonus missions. The endings themselves vary from good to bad, and finally to really bad. No spoilers here though. I strongly suggest you playing through it yourself, so that you can get the most out of what you paid for.

A detail I forgot to mention in my earlier campaign post is in regard to story perks. When creating your character through their profile folder you will choose two different psych assessments which double as in-game buffs, extra weapon stock, or assists. It can take the edge off of some of the harsher gameplay elements, especially in the more difficult difficulty settings. Something worth noting for those of you not yet into the campaign portion of the game.

As far as my thoughts on the campaign goes it is a proper plot driven action packed experience with all I've come to expect as a seasoned Call of Duty fan. It's got plenty of political intrigue without really stomping any country a new bumhole, and it is definitely light on what it portrayed in the "Remember Your History" trailer. Perhaps to some negative, and misleading degree supposing that's what you bought into the game for. It is by all intents and purposes a fictional account of a Cold War initiative revolving around the faux President Reagan era cabinet, the CIA, and the usual Call of Duty suspects, save for Bell. Bell of course is the character you play as, and a key player in the politics that the plot produces. For what it's worth I think Cold War's campaign is alright. Not exceptional, but alright. The action sequences are good, and paced properly while the narrative portion of the tale being told is done well enough to clue you in to what's going on without you having to read the evidence captions for extra behind-the-scenes context. The bonus missions, and how you go about solving them for the different endings being the icing on the cake.