Much like we saw in 2023, when Modern Warfare 3 immediately followed Modern Warfare 2 from the year before, forgoing the biennial release schedule of alternating Call of Duty games between Infinity Ward and Treyarch, Black Ops 7 has done the same, following 2024’s Black Ops 6. The result is a multiplayer experience that doesn’t feel, or look, all that different at first glance. It’s the same engine, after all, and the core components are still identical, so to the many who didn’t particularly enjoy last year’s game, they’d be forgiven for thinking Black Ops 7 is more of the same.
In some ways, they’d be right. Gunplay doesn’t feel wholly different — not in the same way jumping between the Black Ops and Modern Warfare subseries does — and visually, despite the jump in time period, it largely looks familiar. It’s only when you get behind the wheel, so to speak, that you realize how many slight nuances there are.
Black Ops 7’s most laudable aspect is its maps. The arenas in which you duke it out are often what can make or break any given first-person shooter, and where Black Ops 6 missed the mark with most, Treyarch has returned to a true three-lane map design philosophy this year. That should be music to the ears of long-time Call of Duty veterans; most of the fan-favorite maps in series history followed a strict three-lane structure, and they’ve absolutely nailed it this time around.
Out of the 15 maps available in the core 6v6 modes, there are only a couple that I don’t enjoy playing. From Blackheart and its rotating chamber in the center to the sand-laden paths of Exposure, or the small-yet-somehow-sprawling Flagship, every new map is simple to learn, and you rarely feel hard done by when dying. Seeing the return of Raid and Express from Black Ops 2 is a delight too, and both maps work well with the increased pace of today’s Call of Duty experience. The same can’t be said for Hijacked though, as the narrow cruise ship is too claustrophobic for matches at this speed to be fun.
Questions do need to be asked about Paranoia, a map that has only been seen in the 2v2 Gunfight mode so far. Pre-launch communications stated this map would be available in the 6v6 modes, too, but it’s nowhere to be seen. What’s the dealio, Treyarch?
Another crucial element to an FPS game is the average time-to-kill, or how many bullets it takes with an automatic gun to kill an enemy at full health. Where maps are Black Ops 7’s biggest strength, the frustratingly quick time-to-kill is its most glaring weakness. Call of Duty has always had a relatively quick time-to-kill compared to its competitors, such as Halo or Gears of War, or more recently, Apex Legends or Rainbow Six Siege, but this year, it’s simply too quick.
The reasoning behind this is understandable: a higher time-to-kill puts less skilled players off. When the chances of a “turn on” — when you get shot in the back but still manage to turn and kill your attacker — are increased, it favors the higher-skilled players who are capable of such feats. There is a sweet spot, though, and Black Ops 7 has undershot it, to the point where deaths happen before I can even react. Maybe I’m washed these days, perhaps I’m what the kids would call an “unc,” but as someone who used to compete in Call of Duty esports events around the UK more than a decade ago, I must admit I yearn for the good ol’ days.
One brand-new addition to Black Ops 7 is Overload, a mode that resembles a number of others in Call of Duty history; it’s almost like a Sabotage (Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare) x Blitz (Call of Duty: Ghosts) mashup. There’s one EMP device teams must fight over to escort it to one of two goals in the enemy team’s spawn. It isn’t particularly innovative, but it does encourage teamwork, it’s fast-paced, and it is a welcome addition to an assortment of modes that have, for the most part, gotten somewhat stale. I’ll always defend Hardpoint and Domination, but if I have to play one more match of that stinkin’ Kill Confirmed…
I’d be remiss not to touch upon the skill-based matchmaking (SBMM) changes too, as they are one of the biggest topics of discussion this year. For those unaware, the last few Call of Duty games have used a matchmaking algorithm that prioritized finding other players close to your skill level. Over time, a vocal portion of the player base — typically the more skilled players — spoke out against it because they were unable to perform as well in matches, also known as “pub stomping” (pub as in public match, not a private or ranked match).
Of course, for every player going on a tear and putting up huge numbers, there are multiple players on the receiving end of that beating. Since Treyarch reverted to a region-first matchmaking algorithm, intended to hasten queue times and improve connection quality, a lot of players have realized exactly the benefit of SBMM. Humble pie is being served left, right, and center.
Black Ops 7 still has one “standard” SBMM playlist, exclusively catered towards a mosh pit playlist (a mixture of objective-based game modes), so players who want a higher chance of being in a more even match can opt for that. I’ve had better times in that playlist, simply because I enjoy a “sweaty” experience, as opposed to being stomped on, even if those matches are followed up by games where I’m doing the stomping. No SBMM also increases the chances of players leaving when they’re losing heavily, so for it to work effectively, increased penalties for abandoning matches midway through should be implemented.
Away from the usual arena shooter fare, Black Ops 7 also has two other multiplayer modes on offer. The first is Zombies, which any storied Call of Duty fan will be familiar with, as the mode has progressed considerably from its World at War debut. It’s not my personal cup of tea — a lack of Call of Duty-interested pals means I’m usually playing the mode solo, which makes it considerably more difficult, especially tackling the infamously obtuse easter egg quests — but after giving it a few goes with random players online, it feels like the most audacious Zombies yet.
The basics are still the same, but the Ashes of the Damned map is huge, to the point where the game offers you a truck to get from one area of the map to another. Chances are, if you’ve played a Treyarch Call of Duty before, you’ll know whether you like Zombies or not, because the core gameplay loop is still the same, just even more chaotic.
Then there’s Endgame. Technically billed as the final mission of the Black Ops 7 campaign — and, as a result, only available once you complete the rest of the story — Endgame is an open-world PvE mode that acts as a sort of Blackout x DMZ x Zombies hybrid. With up to 32 players in one game, there are numerous objectives and tasks scattered throughout the map.
Problem is, it’s all just a tad boring. In the same way the Avalon-set missions (the Endgame map) in the campaign fall flat, Endgame is repetitive, as you go from one location to the next, kill a bunch of not-particularly-tough enemies, then move on. There’s one final boss, once you’ve reached a 100% clearance rate, but it does little to innovate beyond being a slightly more formidable foe. You can exfil mid-game to secure your combat rating, allowing you to tackle harder locations when you return, but the allure of a Call of Duty roguelike doesn’t quite stick the landing.
If you haven’t been a Call of Duty fan for some time, Black Ops 7 is unlikely to change your mind. It isn’t doing anything revolutionary or switching up the formula. If you just found yourself waning for a year or two though, and you want an excuse to start sweating in multiplayer again? You could do worse than getting involved again with Black Ops 7.
