Call of Duty: Black Ops

So I finally wrapped up the latest in the Call of Duty series and I'm left with a huge question mark.  This is the first game I've ever played where it ended with a NPC saying "We won!" and then the credits roll.  I mean, honestly, this is how one of the biggest developers wraps up one of the biggest games of the year?  What a joke.

The story to Black Ops is, to be put bluntly, a mess.  It follows the exploits of a character's name I can't remember across several countries though messy flashbacks and seizure inducing sequences.  Much like Modern Warfare 2, I felt no connection to any of the characters or what was happening.  Black Ops is a story full of cliches and surprises that can be seen coming miles away.  And to cap it all off, after saving the free world, you're greeted by half the armed forces and your NPC partner says "We won!"  Cue credits and my disbelief at this terrible ending.  The entire campaign feels rushed and there is no innovation.  This is the essentially the same game we've been playing for half a decade.

Speaking of which, Black Ops' multiplayer is the same old hat trick.  The only variation coming from earning credits and purchasing the weapons in addition to waiting to hitting a required level to unlock them.  Mulitplayer is much more balanced than MW2, with noob tubers and quick scoping a thing of the past.  My biggest complaint is that Sniper Rifles feel severely underpowered.  Even using the PSG1, the game's final unlockable sniper rifle, I find myself putting three rounds into someone's chest before they'll drop.  Maybe I'm just no good, but this is the first game where I've found it impossible to use the sniper rifle. 

Black Ops throws in Treyarch's classic Nazi Zombies, which much like World at War, is an absolute blast to play.  There's also a top down shooter that plays like a certain classic arcade game.  It's a nice addition, but I haven't found myself playing it a whole lot.

As a whole, Black Ops is a more stable and solid Call of Duty.  But it's still one that brings absolutely nothing new to the table.  But with a new Call of Duty being released every year, can one really expect any kind of innovation?