Call of Duty: Black Ops: Declassified – A Deep Dive into COD BO7 for PlayStation Vita
Call of Duty: Black Ops: Declassified (COD BO7) is a 2012 first-person shooter developed by nStigate Games and published by Activision for the PlayStation Vita. Positioned chronologically between Call of Duty: Black Ops and Black Ops II, the game attempts to deliver a portable Black Ops experience, including single-player, multiplayer, and a unique “Hostiles” mode. Despite its ambition, the game was widely criticized upon release, making it one of the lowest-rated entries in the franchise.
Overview of COD BO7
Call of Duty: Black Ops: Declassified was first announced during Sony’s Electronic Entertainment Expo conference, drawing attention for bringing a core Call of Duty experience to a handheld console. The game promised fast-paced action, classic Black Ops-style missions, and competitive multiplayer, all optimized for the PlayStation Vita’s unique controls.
The story bridges the gap between the first Black Ops and its sequel, offering players insight into covert operations during the early 1960s. However, the execution was met with disappointment from critics and fans alike, largely due to technical issues and underwhelming gameplay.
Gameplay Mechanics
COD BO7 takes full advantage of the PlayStation Vita’s hardware, incorporating dual-analog sticks, a front touchscreen, and a rear touchpad for interactive gameplay.
- Breath Control: Using the rear touchpad, players can hold their breath for more accurate shooting during sniper sequences.
- Grenade Throws: Similar to Resistance: Burning Skies, grenade throwing is mapped to the front touchscreen, allowing precise directional throws.
- Melee Attacks: Swiping or tapping the touchscreen triggers melee attacks, providing a tactile alternative to button presses.
Despite these innovations, many players found the controls awkward and unresponsive, particularly in high-intensity firefights.
Single-Player Campaign
The single-player portion of COD BO7 is referred to as Operations, featuring objective-based missions that players can replay to improve their performance.
- Time Trials Mode: A unique addition where players race against the clock to eliminate wooden enemy targets, testing speed and accuracy.
- Mission Variety: Operations span different environments and tactical challenges, although the campaign is notably short, often lasting less than an hour according to critics.
While the intent was to provide a compact, action-packed handheld experience, the limited mission design contributed to the game’s poor reception.
Hostiles Mode
One of the most distinct features of COD BO7 is the Hostiles mode, which resembles the Survival Mode from Modern Warfare 3.
- Wave-Based Combat: Players face four waves of enemies per map, with each wave introducing different weapons and enemy types.
- Maps: Maps are primarily drawn from multiplayer levels, excluding the iconic “Shipment” map. Key maps include Shattered, Rocket, Range, Intel, and Nukehouse.
- Care Packages: After each wave, a care package is dropped, offering mortars, sentry guns, or weapons that players must secure before the next wave begins.
Hostiles mode was praised for adding replayability but criticized for repetitive gameplay and enemy AI issues.
Multiplayer in COD BO7
COD BO7 features competitive 4v4 multiplayer, optimized for the PlayStation Vita’s Wi-Fi capabilities.
- Maps and Modes: The game includes seven maps and five game modes, offering a mix of classic and handheld-specific experiences.
- Weapons and Equipment: Players have access to eighteen primary weapons, ten secondary weapons, six equipment types, and twelve perks.
- Prestige and Customization: The game supports five preset classes, five custom slots, and an additional class shared through the PlayStation Vita’s Near feature, which provides temporary multiplayer support.
Unfortunately, critics noted that the maps were excessively small, leading to chaotic spawns and unbalanced gameplay, which detracted from the multiplayer experience.
Visuals and Technical Issues
During its showcase at Gamescom 2012, COD BO7 faced scrutiny for subpar graphics. Nihilistic Games responded with updates improving lighting, enemy models, textures, and weapon designs.
Despite these efforts, the game suffered from numerous glitches, including enemies getting stuck in level geometry and inconsistent AI behavior, which further marred gameplay.
Reception and Criticism
Upon release, Call of Duty: Black Ops: Declassified received overwhelmingly negative reviews:
- Metacritic Score: 33/100, making it the lowest-rated game in the Black Ops series.
- Critical Reviews:
- Game Informer: Called the game “appalling”.
- Giant Bomb: Labeled it a “disjointed mess” with frustrating touch controls and tiny multiplayer maps.
- 3 News: Criticized the single-player campaign as “terrible value for money”.
- 1Up.com: Gave a D− rating, stating it negated progress made in Black Ops II.
Key criticisms included poor enemy AI, numerous glitches, flawed multiplayer maps, and a campaign that lacked depth.
COD BO7 represents an ambitious attempt to bring the Black Ops experience to a handheld platform. While it introduced interesting concepts like Hostiles mode and innovative Vita controls, technical issues and limited content prevented it from achieving its potential. For collectors and series enthusiasts, it remains a curious entry in the Call of Duty franchise, but it is widely regarded as a cautionary tale of handheld FPS design.
For players looking to experience COD BO7 today, whether to relive the handheld Black Ops action or explore its quirky multiplayer, there are still ways to get involved online. Some dedicated communities even offer the option to buy COD BO7 lobby access, allowing fans to jump straight into matches and enjoy the game’s unique multiplayer features without the usual matchmaking frustrations. This ensures that, despite its flaws, COD BO7 can still provide moments of fast-paced action and nostalgic fun for dedicated fans.