I think it's safe to say that Activision has done right by Wii gamers this generation. Time after time developers have overlooked the Wii, or simply made a crappy port of a title to say they supported the console. Activision has simply done everything they could to push the little white box that could. They've shown that with the Guitar Hero titles which really took advantage of features on the Wii that quite honestly a lot of us didn't know existed.
Now here we are with the seventh installment of the Call of Duty franchise, and fortunately this is not the Wii's first rodeo when it comes to COD. We have been treated to COD 3, World at War, and even a ported version of Modern Warfare and the thing that stands out most about these titles is that they all got better. So, the question is does COD Black Ops take a step forward for Wii gamers, or does it fall flat. After spending several hours with the game on Wii I can safely say this is a must buy title for Wii owners looking for the definitive shooter on Wii!
Gameplay: 95%
We've already been given Goldeneye from Activision last week which gave us every control scheme possible. While Black Ops doesn't include GC support it does keep Classic Controller support as well as the superior Wiimote/Nunchuck setup that Wii gamers have come to love. If the latter is your choice of control all of the customization options expected are present, and once you have it tweaked to your liking you will be killing soldiers and Zombies alike.
Graphics: 90%
Let's face it. The Wii version doesn't have the visual fidelity the HD versions do, and who really expects it too. However, this game looks impressive on the Wii. Absolutely on par with Goldeneye in every respect. Obviously you will find those pesky jagged edges, but this game doesn't falter when it comes to utilizing every bit of the Wii's horsepower.
Sound: 100%
It's what a shooter set in a war zone should sound like. It's immersive, and intense. When you see an explosion on the battlefield you here it as well. The voice work through the entire game is superbly delivered as well, and to be honest at points the over sound quality rivals the HD versions.
Story: 100%
After playing Modern Warfare Reflex for Wii I thought Activision had an uphill climb for story telling in their COD series. However, Treyarc has done a fantastic job with Black Ops. Set during the Vietnam era the game begins with the attempted assasination of Fidel Castro, and you are in the role Mason who has been tasked to kill him. You will get to see President JFK which is cool and somewhat disturbing. The Presentation of the story enthralls you, and you will never find yourself being bored.
Overall: 100%
The sheer quality this title exuberates is unheard of for the majority of Wii titles. Normally us Wii gamers get the short end of the stick, and get stripped down versions of popular titles. However, Treyarc has poured in every thing from the HD versions (except for campaign co-op) including the popular Zombies mode. The muliplayer component is also a feat in itself due to the inclusion of 4-player co-op Zombie mode through Nintendo's WFC. The only way I can sum up this review is Kudos to Treyarc and Activision for giving Wii gamers the game they deserved! Call of Duty: Black Ops
Of course there are many who claim the COD games are the same every single year, I am not one of them. I happen to also be a Wii gamer. Anyone making fun of gamers on Wii obviously haven't moved past the year 2006 when Wii jokes were "cool" and cannot comprehend that people like games on different systems. Of course the graphics aren't as shiny as the other versions, this is something that has been known and should be known when you purchase this game. The online isn't Xbox Live, again, this is something that should already be known. I have to say it is as close as ever on Nintendo's console to being something along the lines of "Live". Anyway on to the actual review.
**The game as many already know takes place during a bunch of periods in history. The story itself isn't something to write home about, but the presentation is great and it does capture a "cinematic experience". This can add to the experience or detract to the experience. One instance if may detract is when it shows the same cut-scene every time you load a different menu or switching from multiplayer to single player. It might get tedious. Zombies makes a debut on Wii and is a total blast both solo and online.
**The graphics seem to be a mix of World at War and Modern Warfare Reflex. They can look really great sometimes but other times you are staring at a blurry texture or low-poly model here and there. The explosions and lighting look very good though and when you are running through a street and see a bunch of explosions and fires ahead of you it can look really nice. More blood seemed to have been added to the mix and the game now features the "blood hitting the camera" effect when you shoot somebody up close or are hit. This feature had been featured in the HD versions of MW2. Overall the graphics are pretty good just seem to lack a little polish here and there.
**The controls to me are great. I have not tried the classic controller myself, but that is because I favor the remote and nunchuck configuration. Set up just right the game can feel great. It takes a little to fine-tune the controls and sensitivity at first, but as somebody who has put alot of time into both World at War and Modern Warfare on Wii I knew what I was doing. Newcomers might be a bit frustrated but I would suggest to hang in there and perhaps use the practice mode in multiplayer to tune their controls just right. I also advise the dead zones always be the smallest possible.
**Multiplayer is Online and zombies online ONLY. Unfortunately this game does NOT have split-screen multiplayer or even the "squad-mate mode" from previous COD titles on Wii. However the online is where this game really shines. The game seems to try and tuck friend codes under the carpet and they are ONLY used if you want to play with somebody specific. In this case, there is no need to both exchange friend codes. Unlike most games that utilize this system, once you put in somebody's friend code, they KNOW it and are sent an invite to either decline or accept. You both don't have to contact each other and input both codes anymore.
Friends can also be added online. You can add friends either in the lobby while playing, or the game will keep a list of "recent players". I am not sure how long or how many it can store, but I have 47 people and the last person was from 17 hours ago when I first played. Adding people as a friend means you can join their games, invite them to games, and practice with them on dummies (practice mode mentioned above). You can also see their stats and leaderboard positions relate to yours. You can also see stats for ANYONE you are currently playing with or have played with before (the list of recent players). Stats also include their awards, challenges, graphs of performance for EVERY game mode and EVERY weapon, favourite weapon and game mode, contracts they have purchased/completed/not completed, and much more.
Adding someone as a friend (or ally) also means you can send text messages to eachother using a USB keyboard. Communication also comes in the form of voice chat with the new Headbanger Headset. While sending messages through text is limited to friends, voice chat is open to anyone. Chat with anyone in game or in the lobby, something only sen on one other game right now for Wii and that is monster hunter 3. Conduit 2 will also open it up to chatting with anyone.
Online modes features the same basic modes seen in past games along with some new ones. Challenges are back along with custom classes, kill streaks etc. New this time are contracts (which new ones are added every so often), custom kill-streaks, and wager matches. The game uses a currency of "COD points" which are earned with kills, kill streaks, and completing challenges. This currency is used to purchase perks, purchase contracts, purchase new kill streak rewards, and bet on your performance in wager matches. New also is that the score card (shows up after every online game) shows much more information about your performance. It will detail the challenges you have completed but also rewards for personal bests int he game, overall bests in the game, etc.
**Overall the game is a blast. The amount of content is just awesome and will keep you busy for a long time. The single player is alot of fun but the game shines with the multiplayer and new (to wii) zombie mode. You will find the online as a whole much more interactive and intuitive this time around then past games, COD included, on Wii. There is a better sense of community and interactivity, which is a great step in the right direction on the Wii console. New contracts will be added every day or so and also new maps will be available for download soon, another first for COD on Wii. I would recommend this game to any shooter fans especially fans of the COD series on Wii. With more content, more ways to control, amazing online, there is no reason to not give this a try!
**Online name: TonightStarsRevolt. I also have a headset. - Black Ops - Fps - Call Of Duty - Video Games'
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