The latest installment in Activision’s flagship franchise, Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, feels less like a bold step forward and more like a desperate dig through the past. Developed by Treyarch and Raven Software, this title leans heavily on the legacy of Black Ops 2 – a game released over a decade ago – but fails to recapture its spirit, instead delivering a shallow experience that prioritizes artificial engagement over genuine fun.
A Story Stuck in the Past
The campaign attempts to bridge the gap between Black Ops 2 and Black Ops 6, but the result is a disjointed narrative centered around tired tropes of shadowy organizations and predictable false flags. While the plot is technically coherent, it lacks any real emotional weight or compelling stakes. The game feels less like a standalone story and more like a checklist of references designed to trigger nostalgia, rather than build something new.
The co-op campaign is particularly egregious, turning what should be a thrilling action experience into a frustrating mess. The missions are either tediously empty open-world assignments or hallucinatory sequences that feel forced and unearned. The narrative fails to establish meaningful connections with the characters, making their struggles feel hollow despite the developers’ attempts at melodrama. The fact that the campaign locks progression behind account experience points and lacks offline play only exacerbates the issue, turning a single-player experience into a hostage to server stability.
Multiplayer: Familiar, But Not Fresh
Multiplayer remains the series’ strongest suit, but even here, Black Ops 7 feels like a rehash. The core gunplay is solid, and classic maps like Raid, Express, and Hijacked return with their timeless appeal. Loadout tweaks add some depth, but the larger changes – like the chaotic 20-versus-20 Skirmish mode – fall flat. Skirmish feels disorganized, with players exploiting wingsuits to bypass engagement and rendering the battlefield a shooting gallery rather than a strategic conflict.
While the fundamental gameplay remains enjoyable, the relentless focus on progression systems feels suffocating. The game is designed to keep you grinding for weapon camos and calling cards, turning what should be a leisure activity into an obligation.
Zombies: A Slow Rot
Zombies mode continues the Dark Aether storyline, but with minimal innovation. The new Ashes of the Damned map offers a modernized take on Black Ops 2 ’s Tranzit, but the lack of meaningful new content at launch is disappointing. The absence of faster-paced, smaller maps, like those found in Black Ops 6, leaves a noticeable void.
While Cursed mode introduces welcome difficulty adjustments, the overall experience feels stagnant. The mode relies too heavily on familiar mechanics without pushing the formula forward, ultimately leaving long-time fans wanting more.
The Verdict: A Cynical Exercise in Nostalgia
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is a technically functional game that fails to justify its existence. It relies too heavily on nostalgia and predatory progression systems, sacrificing genuine enjoyment for artificial engagement. The single-player campaign is a disaster, the multiplayer is a lukewarm rehash, and the Zombies mode is slowly decaying.
This is a game designed not to entertain, but to extract maximum engagement through endless grinding and superficial rewards. If you’re looking for a fresh experience, stick with older titles in the series; Black Ops 7 is a reminder that some legacies are best left undisturbed.
