CALL OF DUTY: BLACK OPS IIII

The closed beta places COD back on our (Over)watch list

THE GAME HAS FAR MORE COLOUR THAN PREVIOUS TITLES IN THE SERIES.

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Treyarch’s latest entry in the Call Of Duty series has all the hallmarks the franchise is known for, but the shift towards Overwatch’s hero shooter template – you pick a character with a particular set of skills and class – gives Black Ops IIII a fresh feel.

Playing this month’s closed beta we get to put the game through its paces. The Specialists at first feel restrictive, as you’re forced to play in certain ways and accept tactics that may feel alien. This is especially true during new mode Control, which flips objectives from capturing to defending a zone; it can feel like playing in a daze as you try to figure out just how the game wants that particular Specialist to affect the match.

In 6v6 Chaos Team Deathmatch both the Specialists and this COD begin to tick. As the best teams have a mix of Specialists you’re coerced into taking on a role, and more importantly, pushed into moving around the maps as a unit. Even casual lone wolfers will find wins come easier if they play well with their team.

SURE SHOT

It’s not only the shooting that’s shifted for this game; so too has the visual style. Being able to play extended matches of Black Ops IIII we soon discover the game has far more colour than previous titles in the series.

Each map is crammed with boldly designed houses and bunkers. Bright snow crunches under our feet in Payload, and Seaside is a Mediterranean bluesky paradise of white-washed walled houses and fluttering bunting. The spectre of Overwatch hangs over Blops IIII, and actually, it’s all the better for it. Has this year’s COD done enough to put the game back on your PS4? Let us know.