Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 Review: Back in Black

What would the final few months of the year be without another Call of Duty? The two-decade tradition of yearly instalments in the storied franchises continues this year with Black Ops 7, a sequel to last year’s Black Ops 6, technically speaking, but serving more as a belated sequel to Black Ops 2, truth be told. With only twelve months having passed since the previous entry in this beloved sub-series, there were legitimate concerns as to how impactful this year’s instalment would be. Thankfully, despite the reduced development cycle, what has been produced is a predictably slick, highly engaging offering of multiplayer and co-operative modes that somewhat stumbles at the finish line due to a flimsy attempt to reinvent the traditional Call of Duty campaign experience.

Campaign Reimagined

A common criticism levied at Activision and its various Call of Duty development teams is that, as a series, it has been incredibly risk-averse over the years. Campaigns in particular have done little to evolve, typically providing five or so hours of highly entertaining, but somewhat predictable and shallow entertainment.

Last year’s Black Ops 6 tackled this issue directly, injecting the series’ trademark spectacle and bombast with the occasional levels that were more thoughtful and open-ended, at times feeling like a lite take on IO Interactive’s Hitman series. I think most would have been happy had Black Ops 7 built on the formula established by its predecessor, given how well that campaign was generally received, but in a bizarre twist, Treyarch has completely ripped up the rulebook and developed a co-op-focused campaign that has some interesting ideas, but falls short of being a compelling experience, especially when played solo.

The truth is, Black Ops 7 campaign doesn’t actually have a true solo mode in the traditional sense. Switch off the squad fill option in the campaign menu, and you’ll still be forced into an online instance, complete with a “finding match” message displayed on-screen. Upon finding yourself in an always-online instance, gone are conveniences such as pausing or checkpoints, which I found to be hugely problematic given the two crashes I experienced during my campaign playthrough, meaning I had to restart two missions from the very beginning.

Not that playing solo is something I can see most wanting to do in any event, as the campaign really does feel balanced for online co-op. Enemies are spongey, can appear in huge waves, and often contain specialist units that are purpose-built for concentrated fire from numerous sources. Level design also feels tailor-made for having other players alongside you, as the move towards a co-op campaign has resulted in levels that are a lot more open-ended than anything previously seen in a Call of Duty campaign. Missions frequently thrust you into the open world of Avalon, which serves as the map that players return to again and again as part of the campaign’s new Endgame mode. Chasing down objectives and bosses during the more scripted campaign missions feels awfully lonely when flying solo, given the expanse of the map, but makes much more sense when playing with others that make use of the space and various weapon and loadout upgrades that dot the world, Warzone-style.

While these sections are fun when playing as a team, they do still lack the identity and spectacle that players have come to expect from a traditional campaign. Rather than have tightly scripted cinematic moments, these missions typically boil down to holding positions on a map while fending off waves of enemies, or taking down bullet sponge bosses at points of interest across Avalon. There is some fun to be had as players co-ordinate special abilities, and the ability to pick up kill streaks and new weapons does allow for some degree of co-ordination and flexibility within these encounters, but all too often these engagements feel like a PvE version of Warzone, lacking the cinematic flair and eye for a great set-piece that the series has always been known for.

The campaign fares much better when it leans back towards that more scripted format, with two missions in particular standing out as what this campaign could have been. A breakneck dash across the rooftops of skyscrapers against the backdrop of neon-soaked Japan proves an exhilarating experience, as does a frenetic assault along a warped highway that loops over and in on itself, resembling some of the jaw-dropping visuals from Christopher Nolan’s Inception. In these moments, Black Ops 7 captures the spirit of a Call of Duty campaign, but, unfortunately, it’s never long until that more familiar pacing is derailed again by another level set in Avalon, or the later levels that lean heavily on gameplay loops from Treyarch’s beloved Zombies modes. It results in a campaign that pulls from several different components of the overall Call of Duty package, and whether it was an attempt to create something that feels unique or a decision that was made to use assets and tropes from other modes in an effort to reduce development time and drain on resources, it never forms a cohesive, satisfying package.

Despite its shortcomings, the campaign offering is at least always interesting to look at, largely resulting from the narrative Treyarch has chosen to tell here, completely embracing the more trippy, surrealist nature of the Black Ops sub-series. It turns out that Cradle, the hallucinogenic bio-weapon thought to be dealt with during the events of Black Ops 6, is back and in the hands of the Guild. Also returning is series icon Raul Menendez for reasons that I won’t explain, returning from the dead to haunt the lives of Mason and his team once again.

From an actual storytelling perspective, there isn’t much meat on these bones, and what ensues is a fairly basic tale of Mason and co, trying to thwart The Guild’s production of Cradle. But, when an early mission sees the team exposed to the gas, the hallucinogenic nature of it means that the level and art design teams were able to have a field day. Quite a few missions break down into trippy nightmare sequences, leeching off the memories of Mason and the other members of Spectre One, resulting in some of the most visually spectacular environments the series has ever produced, often drawing from the history of the Black Ops series and providing a few nice easter eggs for long-time fans.

It’s these nightmare sequences that prevent the campaign from being a total failure, as they often result in novel boss fights that, for example, see you calling in skyscraper-sized machetes as a killstreak, or taking on huge building-sized plants that spew Cradle. In these moments, you can see the vision the developers had come together, and you get the sense that there are the bones of something great lurking beneath the surface of the otherwise misguided five hours it’ll take you to see the credits.

I’m delighted to report that while the core campaign is a disappointment, it does culminate in a brand new mode for the series, named Endgame. At its core, Endgame is an extraction shooter taking place on the map of Avalon that sees you and up to three other players airdrop in and tackle a variety of objectives and missions across the sprawling landscape. As you tick off objectives, you’ll increase your combat rating and access various skills, with the catch being that your progress resets if you don’t extract successfully. It’s somewhat of a blend between a rogue-lite and an extraction shooter in that sense, and it’s an experience that I hope to see continuously updated and built upon post-launch as what is here is incredibly solid fun.

A lot of that fun is, admittedly, fun that can be found elsewhere within the Black Ops 7 package. Many of the missions feel like they are ripped from Zombies or Warzone, but there’s a joy to be had in roaming Avalon, ticking off points of interest at your leisure, gradually getting powerful enough to venture into more difficult zones. Avalon feels purpose-built for this type of free-form fun, and works far better as a sandbox when the developers aren’t trying to shoehorn in contrived campaign objectives. It’s a mode I see myself returning to with the right support from the developers, and with Black Ops 7’s progression systems being universal across Endgame, Multiplayer, and Zombies, it’s nice to have a new PvE-focused experience that still lets me work on levelling weapons and gadgets that I can bring into the multiplayer side of the game.

Good Old Multiplayer

The multiplayer experience builds upon last year’s foundation in subtle and significant ways. Treyarch has clearly listened to the community. The game launches with an impressive 18 maps total, including 16 core 6v6 maps and two larger 20v20 arenas for the new Skirmish mode. It’s one of the largest day-one map offerings the franchise has ever seen.

Movement feels fantastic. The Omnimovement system from Black Ops 6 returns but with meaningful refinements. Wall jumping is the main addition, allowing you to chain up to three consecutive jumps to bounce around corners, cross gaps, and generally confuse the hell out of your opponents. It’s satisfying when you nail that perfect wall jump to escape danger or flank an unsuspecting enemy. The decision to make Tactical Sprint a perk rather than a default ability is an odd design choice. But this actually forces you to think more carefully about your build. 

Gunplay remains tight and responsive. The weapon balance at launch feels solid, though the community will probably discover meta builds within weeks, if not days. The variety is there, giving you plenty of room to experiment. What really stands out is the new copy build feature. Getting absolutely destroyed by someone and being able to copy their exact loadout is awesome. It removes the friction of having to memorize attachments or screenshot builds, and it’s one of those quality-of-life features that feels obvious in hindsight.

Map design deserves particular praise here. Treyarch has returned to the classic three-lane philosophy that made Black Ops 1 and 2 maps so beloved, but without feeling stale or predictable. Maps like Toshin, Scar, and Colossus provide great flow, with enough verticality and alternate routes to prevent matches from becoming too formulaic. Three fan favorite maps from Black Ops 2 make their return: Express, Hijacked, and Raid. These remasters look gorgeous in the 2035 setting and play just as well as you remember.

The new Overclock system adds a subtle but engaging progression element within individual matches. As you successfully use equipment, scorestreaks, and field upgrades, they level up and unlock enhanced versions. It’s not revolutionary, but it does encourage you to stick with your gear choices rather than hoarding scorestreaks for the perfect moment.

Skirmish mode, the 20v20 offering, could have been more ambitious and fleshed out. The developers clearly had Battlefield 6 in their sights when designing this mode, but somewhere during development, they stripped away a lot of the complexity. What remains is functional but not particularly exciting. The large maps support the player count, and you can use wing suits and other new movement mechanics, but the gameplay loop feels too simplified compared to what competitors offer. It’s not bad, just underwhelming.

The new Overload mode is another highlight. This replaces Control in ranked play and competitive matches, and it absolutely earns its spot. The mode blends elements of Capture the Flag and the Uplink mode, creating high-energy objective gameplay that demands teamwork and coordination. Treyarch’s creative director wasn’t exaggerating when he called it “super high energy.” 

A Big Win for Zombies

Zombies in Black Ops 7 could honestly be an entire game of its own. The main launch map, Ashes of the Damned, is officially the largest round-based zombies map the series has ever produced. Set entirely within the Dark Aether dimension, this sprawling environment features a unique figure-eight track design that changes how you approach survival.

The Dark Aether setting immediately addresses one of Black Ops 6’s biggest problems with its overly bright maps. Ashes of the Damned nails the eerie, oppressive tone. It’s unsettling without compromising visibility. You can still see what you’re shooting at, which matters when you’re trying to survive round 30.

The Wonder Vehicle, also called Ol’ Tessie, is the map’s highlight gimmick. This drivable truck serves multiple purposes: transportation across the massive map, mobile cover during firefights, and eventually a mobile Pack-a-Punch machine once you upgrade it. It’s a clever solution to the map’s size, preventing the experience from devolving into endless running between POIs. Driving around while your squad shoots zombies from the truck bed creates some incredible moments.

The storyline brings together two generations of zombies. You’ve got Weaver’s Requiem team from Cold War and Black Ops 6, plus Dark Aether versions of the iconic quartet: Dempsey, Nikolai, Takeo, and Richtofen. The mysterious new villain with a cowboy hat adds a bit of intrigue, but the story leaves more questions than answers. It’s a surface-level narrative: survive and escape the Dark Aether.

Gameplay mechanics pull heavily from Black Ops 6’s zombies, which means you’re still dealing with armor plates, loadout weapons, and HUD elements that blur the line between zombies and multiplayer. The mode doesn’t have the completely unique identity that older zombies entries possessed. However, there are improvements. Special rounds now progress much faster than Black Ops 6’s frustratingly slow Vermin and Parasite waves. The new Ravager enemies are aggressive threats that keep the pressure on. The new enemy types include the Zursa, a zombified bear with beehive-like growths that deploy swarms of “Zombees.” 

Standard mode gives you the traditional round-based experience with all features unlocked. Survival mode drops you into a smaller section of Ashes of the Damned for classic endurance challenges. The first survival map, Vandorn Farm, is tense and claustrophobic in the best way. Cursed mode is designed for hardcore players, introducing punishing modifiers through a system called Relics that increase difficulty in exchange for greater rewards. It brings back that old-school Black Ops feeling. Dead Ops Arcade 4 also returns, offering a completely different top-down shooter experience that’s surprisingly robust with multiple arenas and challenge rooms.

Unified Progression

The major takeaway is that Black Ops 7’s progression system is unified. You earn level XP across every mode: multiplayer, campaign, zombies, and even Dead Ops Arcade. This cross-mode progression means you’re never wasting time, regardless of what you’re playing. It’s a small touch that makes the overall package feel more cohesive.

Prestige is back after being absent for a few years. Once you hit military rank 55, you can choose to prestige, which resets your level but grants exclusive rewards, calling cards, and camo challenges only available through the prestige journey. It’s optional, of course.

Weapon progression works similarly. You can level up your guns in zombies if you’re not comfortable using them in multiplayer yet, which removes the pressure of performing with unfamiliar weapons. The camo challenges are split into three distinct categories: campaign/endgame, multiplayer, and zombies. Completionists get multiple paths to grind without feeling forced into modes they don’t enjoy.

Online Only and the use of Generative AI

Black Ops 7 runs well on a base PS5, though it’s not flawless. Performance mode targets 120fps on compatible displays, and the game hits that mark most of the time. I did occasionally run into frame drops during particularly intense moments, such as large-scale zombie hordes or 20v20 Skirmish matches. 

Loading times are fast thanks to the SSD, but keep in mind this is an online only game. Yes, even the campaign is online only. The network stability has been solid in my experience, with only occasional issues here and there, such as stuttering or rubberbanding. Treyarch has already begun rolling out patches to address the most common stability problems, and the technical foundation is strong enough that these won’t be an issue in the long run.w

The jump to 2035 gives Treyarch license to create vibrant, futuristic environments that pop with color and detail. Multiplayer maps feature neon-lit Tokyo rooftops, frozen Alaskan wilderness, and Mediterranean architecture that all feel distinct. The Dark Aether in zombies is also a visual triumph.

That said, the game does use AI-generated artwork. All the telltale signs are there, like six-fingered hands and bland, generic imagery that clearly wasn’t created by human artists. Activision confirmed the use of AI-generated content as well. This decision is particularly disappointing given Activision’s massive budget and resources. 

There’s no shortage of talented concept artists and illustrators in the gaming industry who could have created original, high-quality artwork. Instead, the company chose to feed prompts into an algorithm trained on the work of countless artists without compensation or consent. The AI-generated images look noticeably worse than human-created art.

Call of Duty never fails in the audio department. Weapon sounds are punchy and satisfying: each gun’s distinct audio signature helps you identify what’s being fired even without seeing it. Zombies benefits from stellar atmospheric audio. The groans and shrieks of the undead create constant tension, and the environmental ambiance of the Dark Aether sells the otherworldly horror of your situation. However, the soundtrack is not particularly memorable. 

Directional audio is crucial in competitive multiplayer, and the game handles it well. You can reliably pinpoint enemy positions based on footsteps and gunfire, which is essential for high-level play. 

Conclusion

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 represents Treyarch doing what Treyarch does best: crafting rock-solid multiplayer and inventive zombies experiences. Coming just one year after Black Ops 6, there were legitimate concerns about franchise fatigue, but the game manages to be both familiar and fresh enough to justify its existence. 

My biggest criticism is that it tries to be everything to everyone: multiplayer, large-scale warfare, zombies, survival mode, top-down arcade shooter, co-op campaign, and extraction-style PvE. Some of these modes seem undercooked compared to the core offerings. The game would have been stronger with a tighter focus on the core experiences.

There’s also the question of value. Following Black Ops 6 so quickly means you’re essentially asking players to commit to another year-long engagement with a very similar experience. The improvements are meaningful, but incremental. If you burned out on Black Ops 6, this won’t change things.

Final Verdict: 3.5/5

Available On: PS5 (reviewed), PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC; Publisher: Activision; Developers: Treyarch, Raven Software; Released: 14 November 2025; Players: 1-40; MSRP: $69.99

Full Disclosure: A review code was provided by the Publisher.