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Modern Warfare Remastered Did Call of Duty Loot Boxes The Right Way
Since Modern Warfare Remastered is free this month on PlayStation Plus, I decided to revisit some classic Call of Duty. This remake of 2007’s groundbreaking shooter is reminding me how a Call of Duty game can make a loot box system feel more rewarding and less like a money grab. It’s no secret that as…
By S.E. Doster -
Call Of Duty Blackout’s ‘Ambush’ Mode Forces You To Play Smarter
At first mention of Ambush, Black Ops 4’s most recent Blackout limited-time mode, I initially gave a dramatic groan and cringed. I love playing Blackout, but I loathed the idea of being limited to snipers, melee, and rockets only. I’ll try every mode at least once, but it was sheer stubbornness that kept me playing…
By S.E. Doster -
Black Ops 4‘s Latest Zombies Update Is A Lurch In The Right Direction
Black Ops 4’s Zombies mode wasn’t a big hit with the community when it arrived last fall, and what’s happened in the months since then hasn’t helped its reputation. But this week’s update is a step in the right direction. In my initial review of Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, I professed my frustrations…
By S.E. Doster -
Call Of Duty‘s Latest Microtransaction Is A Tiny Red Dot
For a game that’s already taking heat from its player base for the price of its extra cosmetic items, Black Ops 4‘s latest offering seems especially difficult to swallow. A red dot reticle showed up in the Black Ops 4 Black Market on December 25, wearing a price tag of 100 COD Points, or about…
By S.E. Doster -
Blackout Keeps Crashing On The Xbox One X
A recent Black Ops 4 update has made Blackout unplayable for many players on Xbox One X, and currently there’s no fix or update. On December 18, the arrival of Black Ops 4’s Absolute Zero event on Xbox One brought a new Specialist character, tons of new Contraband loot, and an unfortunate Blackout issue that…
By S.E. Doster -
Black Ops 4’s New Specialist Is All About Sabotage
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4’s new Specialist is a game changer, countering and hacking opponents for some clutch plays in multiplayer. Since launch, Black Ops 4’s Specialists have filled the playing field with explosive mesh mines, pesky razor wire, and microwaving barricades. Games can often be won or lost with the assistance of Specialist…
By S.E. Doster -
Fortnite Players Are Recreating Classic Call of Duty Levels
Fan-favorite Call of Duty maps are now showing up in Fortnite, via the new creative mode introduced last week. Creative mode is a feature that gives Fortnite players their own private island to create custom maps and games to share. Basically, it gives off the Minecraft creative vibe of being able to float around with…
By S.E. Doster -
Call Of Duty’s Blackout Mode Keeps Getting Better
Black Ops 4’s Blackout is a fantastic battle royale experience, but even the best game can be made better with the right updates. Treyarch design director David Vonderhaar has recently said that more changes are coming to Blackout. Since launch, we’ve seen stability updates and minor changes to improve the overall quality of Blackout. For…
By S.E. Doster -
Culture
Black Ops 4 Zombies Won’t Stop Crashing, Frustrating Easter Egg Hunters
Frequent blue-screen crashes in Call of Duty: Black Ops 4’s Zombies mode has made it much more difficult for the community to find the game’s Easter eggs. After 25 frustrating days, the “Classified” map has been solved—but the players had to use exploits to do it. Black Ops 4 marks 10 years since Treyarch introduced…
By S.E. Doster -
The ‘Free’ Gear in Black Ops 4 Is An Unforgiving Grind
You’re supposed to be able to earn flashy new gear via Black Ops 4’s Contraband Stream by either playing the game or spending money. But since arrival, it’s become clear that getting everything without opening your wallet is extremely difficult, and the whole thing feels like a scheme to get players to spend. Instead of…
By S.E. Doster -
Black Ops 4 May Not Have A Campaign, But It’s Got Some Terrific Cutscenes
Black Ops 4 is the first Call of Duty without a traditional story campaign, but the game still gives us some of the series’ best cutscenes. I was initially annoyed that they were locked behind tutorials I didn’t need, but I’m glad I soldiered through all of them to discover interesting bits of story told…
By S.E. Doster -
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ReviewsMultiplatformCall of Duty: Black Ops 4: The Kotaku Review
The fourth installment of Treyarch’s Black Ops series might be the first Call of Duty to forgo a single-player campaign. But after a spate of less-than-fully-satisfying entries in the once-reliable series, putting the full force of its efforts behind the multiplayer has paid off: Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 finds the perfect middle ground…
By S.E. Doster -
Black Ops 4 Is Having The Smoothest Call Of Duty Launch In A While
Black Ops 4 launched worldwide today, and it has been the smoothest Call of Duty release in years, assuming you’re playing on console. Starting at midnight, players have been partying up and jumping right into battle on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. If you’re gearing up to play on PC, you might experience some login…
By S.E. Doster