Wow. Welcome to the single digits everyone! Nine days to go until we FINALLY get our hands on what very well may end up being the biggest game of the year, or even all time. And why do people expect such great feats from Black Ops? While the Campaign will no doubt be dramatic and gripping, It’s addictive and incredible Multiplayer is the big ticket item of course! The Call of Duty franchise has always had a history of being great multiplayer games, but Call of Duty 4 was the one that really kicked it up a notch! World at War and Modern Warfare 2 took the great success of CoD 4 and improved it (although some may debate that Modern Warfare 2 was an “improvement”…). But now Treyarch is looking to blow the roof off of Call of Duty Multiplayer all over again! So many refinements and new features, I’m sure that one of the biggest challenges the first few days of playing will be figuring out what to try first! And with all these new features at your disposal, we here at Call of Duty: Black Ops News figured we would give you a run down on what to be wary of when you jump into your first multiplayer matches in Black Ops when the game finally hits the street November 9th! So without further ado… 1. RC Inbound! There are a lot of cool new killstreaks in Black Ops, but there is one that you know that everyone will be trying out (And we will cover the other ones a bit later…). Of course, that killstreak is the RC-XD. In case you are that one person who is unaware of what this is, it is basically an RC car with C4 strapped to it. You can drive the car all around the map, and then when you get in a good spot, BOOM! A lot of people are concerned that this killstreak will get abused by players, especially considering it only requires 3 kills in a row. But one thing is for sure. The RC-XD will be getting a lot of use in the first day or two of the games release, so be on the look out for a little RC car flying around the map, and try to avoid it. 2. Where are you soldier? In the world of First Person Shooters, Call of Duty has always been looked upon as a lone wolf, run-and-gun game, as opposed to other FPS franchises like BattleField, where teamwork is heavily encouraged. But it looks like Treyarch may be taking a few steps to change that designation, at least slightly. On the in-game HUD’s Mini Map, Treyarch has added coordinate grids to help players know where on the map they are, as well as where their fellow teammates are located. This has the potential to help in team-based games, allowing a player (If using a Microphone) to call out where they are. Say you run into half the enemy team held up in an area. Simply call out the coordinates and inform the rest of you’re team where the opposition is! Alternatively, teammates could call out where the enemy is NOT, so that you don’t have to worry about looking there. 3. Sniper? Where!? It seems like whenever I talk to someone about Call of Duty, 90% of the time, they mention sniping. Sniper Rifles are just a big thing in Call of Duty, and there is no doubt in my mind that they will be a popular weapon of choice in Black Ops. Another thing is that Treyarch has been stressing the idea that they want to incorporate different height levels in their maps, so there should be no shortage of sniper spots on the higher levels of the maps. For these and other reasons, I expect to see a lot of snipers on day one of the games release, and you should be too (heck, maybe you’ll be one of them!)! But either way, be wary of not just you’re immediate surroundings, but also whether or not you are vulnerable to long range weapons. 4. Look Your Best! Another BIG new feature that has CoD fan’s mouths watering is Theater Mode! Similar to tools like those included in the Halo games and Uncharted 2, Theater Mode will allow players to record, review, edit and share their multiplayer matches! And with so many people anxious to give the new feature a try, there is a very real possibility that you could end up on YouTube in the days of the games launch (Heck, maybe you’ll be the one posting the video!)! So that means always be aware… You’re on camera! But with all those cool new ways to customize your character, that shouldn’t be a problem… Theater Mode Is Watching You... 5. Money? Yes please! With all these cool new game mechanics to try out, you very well may loose sight of one of the biggest additions to the games multiplayer mode. CoD Points! Who doesn’t like money, right? Even when it IS virtual. Once you enter the world of Black Ops Multiplayer, CoD Points are going to be a big part of you’re experience. You will be using them to get just about everything in-game. Weapons, killstreaks, facepaint… EVERYTHING!! So be aware of how many you have, and how many you are earning! And think twice when you go to buy something. You could always save that (virtual) cash for a nicer gun…. 6. These guys need new gardeners… So while it won’t be the setting for every map (or even the majority), at least a couple maps will have a Vietnam setting. Now, think for a moment about the stereotypes (and realities) of the Vietnam War, and the terrain it was fought in. Any mental pictures come to mind? Well, if you have seen footage of the war, lush, dense jungles may easily come to mind. Well, from the footage we have seen, and the fact that the revealed Vietnam MP map is CALLED “Jungle”, I think it is safe to assume that we will see these environments in Black Ops. And any experienced player will know, the environment has a HUGE impact on the way you have to play the game! Dense foliage means that the enemy could be hiding anywhere. Expect snipers to be well concealed by the brush, and watch for ANYONE to be prone, just waiting for you to turn the corner. If you think that sounds bad, imagine how bad the war really was? Welcome to Vietnam! 7. Get away from da chopper! Obviously, the RCXD is the killstreak that EVERYONE is looking forward too, but there are a lot of other ones that you should be watching out for too! Some old favorites return, like the Attack Helicopter and the Sentry Gun, but other new killstreaks, like the SAM turret, Napalm Strike, Valkyrie Rocket, and Gunship promise to be devastating to whoever happens to be on their receiving end. Sam turret will make you think twice about calling in that air support. The Valkyrie rocket is for sure something to always be looking for, not just because you don’t want to get hit, but if you manage to dive out of the way of it just in time, you have on heck of an awesome Theater Mode highlight. And the Gunship poses to be a real pain for anyone in its path.. especially because the player controlling it can CHOOSE its path! For more on the game changing killstreak, check out yesterdays countdown article! 8. We need more power!! Players (especially those on PS3) should remember that last ears Modern Warfare 2 launch didn’t exactly go off without a hitch. Right after launch, there was a short period of time where PS3 users were unable to play the game, due to the massive server load from a higher than expected number of PS3 purchases. While we hope that Treyarch and Activision are ready for the heavy server load that will no doubt plague the launch of Black Ops, players on both console should be prepared for less than 100% reliability the first few day following the games release. However we hope that, considering the large investment that Activision has made promoting the game, they are more than prepared for the launch day rush! 9. Cheap? Maybe. Cool? YES! Ok, now who DOESN’T want to try out that Crossbow or that Ballistic Knife in a Multiplayer Match? At this point, who knows how these weapons will affect gameplay. But one thing is for sure, people are going to find out fast! I expect that a lot of people will be making these “Special Secondaries” one of the first things they buy with their newly acquired CoD points (No matter HOW long they have to save!) Of course, who knows! Maybe they aren’t quite as amazing as you want them to be, and all those CoD points would have been wasted. I suggest you hop into a Wager Match of “Sticks and Stones”, where you get to try out these hype-building weapons while competing for more CoD points!
