Summary
TheCall of Dutyfranchise is massive and iconic, leading as one of the most played and longest-tenuredfirst-person shooter franchises. The franchise includes many subseries within, none more famous and beloved than theBlack Opsseries of games. Starting withCall of Duty:Black Ops, which introduced players to a memorable cast of characters in the campaign and a plethora of series staples. TheBlack Opsseries continued to grow and develop based on the formula the first entry created.
Now, 15 years on from the release of the firstBlack Opstitle, players are eagerly awaiting the 6th installment. A sequel toBlack Ops: Cold Warand building upon many of its innovations,Black Ops 6includes many returning features, but plenty of brand-new ones that haven’t been seen within theCall of DutyFranchise.
6New Maps
A Whole New Lineup
Maps are at the core ofCall of Dutymultiplayer. That goes without saying.Call of Dutymaps are iconic and infinitely replayable, some maintaining the standard three-lane routing whilst others offer intense and sporadic engagements in close-quarters combat. As moreCall of Dutytitles release, the maps get more intricate and compelling, offering incredible design and atmosphere.
Whilst new maps are a staple of each release,Black Ops 6is unique in the sense that each launch map is entirely new. The Call of Duty franchise can sometimes rely heavily on nostalgia, providing players with remakes or re-releases of iconic maps from past games. Whilst nostalgia is fun, making new memories with brand-new maps is a preferable option for many players.
5Warzone Mastery Camo
Even More To Grind For
Camo grinding inCall of Dutyis the act of completing weapon camo challenges to unlock and utilize new weapon camos. Each weapon has a gold camo, requiring all challenges to be completed, as well as a camo for completing all challenges of a certain weapon class, then one final one for completing every weapon mastery camo challenge in the game.
In recent releases, such asBlack Ops: Cold War, players have been able to unlock a mastery camo for zombies as well as multiplayer. InBlack Ops 6, for the first time in the franchise, there will also be mastery challenges and camos for the beloved battle royale mode, Warzone. This allows players an entirely new way to play Warzone, as well as provides completionists with a new set of camo challenges to complete, on top of multiplayerand zombies.
4Kill Order
A Brand New Mode
Call of Dutyhas seen arange of modes throughout the franchise. Some players stick vehemently to the core modes; Search and Destroy, Team Deathmatch, Hardpoint, and Domination. Be it through familiarity or because they are the most played modes. Other players prefer more casual modes such as Gun Game or Infected. Regardless of where players stand on the inclusion of modes, it is fair to say that theCall of Dutyfranchise has trialed many new and interesting modes in its tenure.
Black Ops 6aims to introduce a brand-new mode, never before seen within the franchise, entitled Kill Order. This mode sees one player picked at random as a HVT, who accumulates score through survival and has increased health along with Warzone armor plates. Players must eliminate the HVT of the opposite team whilst protecting their own. This is an innovative mode that adds a new level of strategy and tension to theCall of Dutygameplay loop.
3Audio Overhaul
A Whole New Sound System
Audio is a hotly debated topic within theCall of Dutyfranchise, specifically pertaining to footstep sounds and their balancing when compared to other sounds in the game. Some players wish them to be loud, allowing a chance to hear opponents coming, whilst others believe that this strips away the run-and-gun core ofCall of Duty. Despite this debate, it could be argued that sound design, outside of footstep audio, has been somewhat neglected throughout the recent entries in the series.
Black Ops 6aims to change this, with an entirely new audio system. This system changes the way sounds play indoors, allowing for reverberation and further immersion through sound. It also aims to ensure players can tell the range of shots more clearly, adding in new ways for sound to travel throughout the map so that players can determine threats through sound.
2Day One Game Pass Release
An Accessible Way To Play
Xbox Game Pass in an invaluable resource in the gaming industry, offering Xbox and PC players an accessible and affordable way to play games, without having to purchase them separately. For a subscription fee, players have access to an extensive library of games that often stay available on Game Pass for a solid amount of time, allowing players to work through their back-catalog entirely through the use of Game Pass.
1Omnimovement
A True Game Changer
Movement mechanics are at the very core of many first-person shooter titles, especially theCall of Dutygames. TheCall of Dutygames have always been known for fast-paced and frantic movement, opting to allow players a run-and-gun arcade style that defines the franchise. Movement has always been developed throughout the games, with some,likeModern Warfare (2019)aiming to slow down players, before movement technology evolved withinWarzone, which allowed for incredibly mobile slide-cancelling.
Black Ops 6, however, introduces the most innovative and game-changing movement systems, in the form of omnidirectional movement, shortened to omnimovement. This omnidirectional movement technology allows players to maintain momentum and speed through fast strafing and backward movement. It also allows players to dive into prone in a system that is not dissimilar totheMax Payneseries. When in prone, players can utilize the new supine prone system that allows for complete 360-degree vision. Overall, omnimovement not only changes the core movement mechanics but the entire feel and pace ofBlack Ops6.
