Over the years, Call of Duty has brought a lot of sub-series into existence. Some were set in modern settings, while others explored faraway futures. But regardless of this, the community has taken the greatest interest in every title in the Black Ops sub-series. It has a distinct identity among the sub-series, thanks to the impactful stories and multiplayer experiences that defined all the first-person shooter games that followed.
With that being said, though, not every entry in the Black Ops series is held to the same esteem. Some entries have finished at the top of the Black Ops hierarchy, while other titles were not up to the mark as per the fans. As someone who has played every entry in the series, here is how I would personally rank each Black Ops title.
1. Call of Duty: Black Ops 2
Without a second thought, we have placed Call of Duty on top of the list. For a heavy FPS-oriented game, it equally, if not better, set a new standard for storytelling. Players had the option to tweak the ending based on choice, and this is what makes it perfection. It introduced different missions. It even pushed the franchise into a near-future world without straying too far from its roots.
And then there is the multiplayer. The multiplayer had a lot of balanced weapons; solid maps and the Pick 10 system. Pick 10 gave players more control over their loadouts than any previous system! Many fans still think it is the best version of a loadout system in Call of Duty history.
The zombies mode was also peak creativity with maps like Tranzit, Mob of the Dead, and Buried. They brought something fresh and built their own mythology in the Black Ops world.
2. Call of Duty: Black Ops
You can say if Call of Duty could run, it was thanks to Call of Duty: Black Ops, which walked with perfection. The original Black Ops set the stage for everything that followed. There was a campaign here that was unlike anything we had experienced before.
It combined the Cold War mysteries theme with psychological elements. What really made the campaign impactful and powerful was its cast, such as Alex Mason (who took the role of CIA operative), Frank Woods and Jason Hudson All of them became instant hit characters of the game.
Maps like Nuketown, Firing Range, and Summit came to mind quickly. The weapon balance might not have been perfect, but it was fun to play every day.
3. Call of Duty: Black Ops 3
Black Ops 3 took a slightly different direction. It went more futuristic but kept the feel of the older titles going. In terms of gameplay, the movement system was revamped. Now players had wall runs and boost jumps. Initially fans were reluctant and skeptical about this feature, but the game turned out to be a well-balanced experience.
The biggest highlight was zombies. Many still consider this to be the best zombies experience ever instead of the traditional enemy system.
The multiplayer experience was fast-paced and emphasized your FPS skill. Not everyone liked the advanced movement, but for the players that did, they remained committed for many years.
The campaign was a little weak compared to the previous games. It confused a lot of players with the story. But the rest of the package was so strong that it kept Black Ops 3 high on this list.
4. Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War
The community was initially divided about Cold War reception. On one hand, players appreciated the slow combat. While on the other, players wanted it to feel more polished. Eventually, the game had found its place.
The campaign is short but good. It returned to the classic Black Ops feel with mind control, secret missions, and risky decisions oriented gameplay. It also has multiple endings that made it more replayable for fans.
Multiplayer was still the core of the game. It almost had a more grounded action element than ever before. The movement was notably slower than Black Ops 3 and 4.
Zombies was decent but didn't hit Black Ops 3 levels. Mapping to additional zombies was solid with maps like Die Maschine. The zombies game mode was simple to set up and not intimidating for new players.
5. Call of Duty: Black Ops 4
Black Ops 4 is one such game that had potential but never made it big. It removed the campaign entirely, which made many fans upset from day one. Developer Treyarch gave an explanation that they intended to focus on multiplayer and Zombies; however, the absence of the campaign created a void that players certainly recognized.
The multiplayer attempted to have a more tactical angle. Others felt it strayed away from the classic nature of the game.
In Zombies, a lot of interesting ideas were transmitted to Zombies, but it also had bugs and issues at launch, and those initial few buggy months were enough to ruin fans' experience, which was unfortunately beyond repair. However, compared to anything else, Zombie mode was the most loved aspect of this game. Ironically, isn't it?
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