Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War preview: A choice-driven world based on murky true events

Call Of Duty Black Ops Cold War Screenshot Source: Activision

INSPIRED By ACTUAL EVENTS. A PLAN DECADES IN THE MAKING. KNOW YOUR HISTORY OR Be DOOMED TO REPEAT IT.

Those are the bold words that back-trail the teaser trailer for Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War. It's a promise of intrigue, of Manchurian Candidate-inspired espionage and superpowers destabilizing as nuclear war looms.

It forms the concept of the game, which is a "geopolitical, globetrotting battle prepare in the 1980s where players encounter historical figures," we're told by Treyarch co-studio head Dan Bunting. Black Ops Cold War "lives between the headlines" of history, drawing on historical characters and events while withal telling a fictional story beyond Due north America, Russia, Asia, and Latin America.

A more tactical thriller isn't necessarily new for the Call of Duty franchise, especially in the Black Ops games, just it's exemplified even more here. Both Raven Software and Treyarch have worked to build a game that feels far more in line with tales of spies and intrigue than with open warfare.

We recently got the risk to attend a digital preview event for the campaign portion of Call of Duty: Black Ops Common cold War. Due to the nature of the world right now, we weren't able to go hands-on with the campaign but instead saw a general overview of the themes and design, accompanied by gameplay clips from dissimilar portions of the story. Here'due south what nosotros learned.

Everything returning to Telephone call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War

At that place was some strife going into Phone call of Duty: Black Ops Cold State of war. For one, Sledgehammer and Raven Software were originally reported to exist co-developing this championship before issues arose that caused Treyarch to step in. Kicking things off at the preview, we were shown the higher up teaser trailer. It shows off the political thriller concept, which nosotros're told was function of a campaign pitch originally designed by Raven Software, confirming these prior reports despite non direct mentioning Sledgehammer.

While some things have changed due to the involvement of Treyarch, such as the connectedness to the Black Ops sub-series, we're told that "portions" of this original pitch are even so being used and the campaign as a whole still appears to be led past Raven.

We finally accept it, a direct sequel to the original Call of Duty: Blackness Ops.

Too, Bunting and the balance of the developers we spoke with on Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War were refreshingly straightforward most how working from home and the global pandemic impacted the last crucial stretch of development, with Activision even sending home capture kits to performance actors to finish the project. There'southward no question that this impacted the timing of the game'southward reveal, which came months subsequently when Telephone call of Duty titles are usually unveiled.

But we finally have it, a direct sequel to the original Call of Duty: Black Ops, according to Raven creative director Dan Vondrak. The plot isn't i of full-on open warfare and abiding battlefields. Instead, it's a thriller. A Soviet operative codenamed Perseus has infiltrated Western intelligence and is working to give the USSR a definitive advantage in the ongoing Cold State of war. In ane cutscene we're shown, the usual bureaucrats don't believe the evidence and say Perseus is a myth, only to be shot down by President Ronald Reagan, who authorizes a team to do whatever information technology takes to observe and stop Perseus.

This squad is composed of returning faces Frank Woods, Jason Hudson, and Alex Mason, though the latter is no longer being performed by Sam Worthington. Newcomers to the team include, but are not express to, handler Russell Adler and Lily Cowles. Adler is referred to equally "America'southward monster" a hard ready character that makes the tough decisions.

Choices in an icy earth

Call Of Duty Black Ops Cold War Screenshot Source: Activision

Per this presentation, the core tenets of the game include "paranoia, conspiracy, and mindf-ckery," and the team fifty-fifty noted that it is using recently declassified regime documents to fill in role of the game's narrative.

In that location's a lot of questions as to how exactly all this will be handled. The warnings of Russian infiltration in the teaser are delivered past Yuri Bezmenov, a real-world KGB defector quite familiar with how Communist intelligence operated and whose lectures are often incorporated into far-right rhetoric. This also comes at a time when Russian influence on political outcomes is... a relevant topic, to put it mildly. Reagan's Presidency and his mental well-being at the fourth dimension are a written report unto themselves.

Despite all this, at the cadre of Black Ops Cold War is pick. Starting with the graphic symbol cosmos, players can choose male, female person, or redacted, with corresponding he, she, and they pronouns. Players will likewise fill out their psychological contour, choosing which elements to redact, such every bit if you're a team histrion or take violent tendencies.

Throughout the game, there are opportunities for players to make different choices and gather evidence in side missions. These missions can be undertaken immediately, or y'all tin can wait and observe more than proof of a detail conspiracy. Y'all're fifty-fifty encouraged to question the motivations of everyone involved, including Adler and others on your team. All of these add upwardly in merely how your story unfolds, with multiple endings that Raven says are meant to provide ownership in a way that values player choice.

The dedication to retro styling

Call Of Duty Black Ops Cold War Screenshot Source: Activision

Outside of this grim commutation of subterfuge, Raven has clearly worked a slap-up bargain on getting the aesthetics and design of the 1980s simply right. From the lighting to the character outfits, it'due south all geared more towards clandestine work than the full-scale warfare and special operations that the serial has been known for. A large corporeality of time is spent explaining the attention to detail and focus on photorealism that the teams strive for.

The movie Diminutive Blond and the HBO mini-series Chernobyl are both cited equally reference material and it shows conspicuously. Neon nightclubs and rainy streets are juxtaposed with imposing concrete Soviet structures across the gameplay clips nosotros're shown. One item operation takes place backside the Iron Drape at a training facility designed to be a recreation of a calm, stereotypical Midwestern U.S. town. When a firefight inevitably breaks out, information technology's accompanied by Hit Me With Your Best Shot past Pat Benatar.

Raven has clearly worked a slap-up deal on getting the aesthetics and pattern of the 1980s but correct.

We also see clips of what is best described as an "immersive sim lite" level. Players will go to go undercover at sure points, infiltrating Soviet operations centers with a variety of primary and secondary objectives that can be solved in whatsoever guild you want, which you lot keep track of on a map. It's a far weep from presenting the power to play nonlethally, but information technology yet looks to provide an interesting change of pace, as it takes the concept from Call of Duty: WWII's "Liberation" level and heavily expands it.

While this globetrotting adventure is mostly gear up in the 1980s, there are a few cardinal flashbacks that are ready during the Vietnam State of war. I mission, which Raven and Treyarch refer to as the most unique level ever featured in their games, has the team reliving their traumatic experiences in a kind of heed palace. Roughshod jungle warfare is intercut with ruddy doors smashing down effectually the field and voices guiding yous that y'all tin cull to listen to or ignore. It'south a fascinating presentation and ane we're told has countless secrets and paths for players to explore.

When nosotros inquired near features specific to next-generation consoles, Bunting happily confirmed that there are several means in which the two studios are taking Telephone call of Duty: Blackness Ops Cold War to the side by side level with the newly-incoming hardware. Anyone playing on Xbox Series X or PS5 tin can look forrad to hardware ray-tracing, seamless load times, an overall better "quality of life" experience and 120hz refresh charge per unit support. PS5 players will also benefit from the DualSense haptic feedback, which is existence supported.

Multiplayer remains shrouded in mystery

Call Of Duty Black Ops Cold War Screenshot Source: Activision

While this preview consequence was focused on the singleplayer campaign, other big modes volition accompany this bleak story. The multiplayer efforts are spearheaded by Treyarch, which reveals that Warzone is going to continue in Call of Duty: Black Ops Common cold War. Cantankerous-generation, cross-platform play is in, so you'll exist tearing up Battle Royale with your friends across all platforms.

There'due south going to be a Battle Pass, with shared progression across Warzone and Black Ops Cold War multiplayer. You'll also exist carrying over anything you lot've unlocked in Warzone and then far, from blueprints to Operators.

We tin besides confirm that Zombies mode will return, though Treyarch is staying tight-lipped on any further details for at present.

Bottom line: What do we think about Phone call of Duty: Black Ops Cold State of war?

Call Of Duty Black Ops Cold War Screenshot Source: Activision

The Black Ops franchise has always been one of the edgier sections of the Call of Duty brand. Information technology's equal parts intriguing and concerning since political strife and impending destruction are being examined for the purpose of a hopefully entertaining undercover thriller. To say we have questions about how the field of study matter is existence handled would be an understatement. With that in mind, some of the design choices presented by Raven are legitimately promising, as is the focus on histrion selection. Plus, we'd love to see this all play out in a compelling, smartly-written drama.

Just how it'south all handled will be seen subsequently this yr, equally Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is set to release on Nov. xiii, 2022. It's coming to Xbox Series X, Xbox One, PC, PS4, and PS5.

Make choices

Call Of Duty Black Ops Cold War Box Art

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War

The direct sequel yous've been waiting for

Telephone call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is the direct sequel to Black Ops and seeks to put you in the middle of Cold State of war intrigue. Make moral choices and play tactically.

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