Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 Review (2025) – Ambitious, Content-Packed

Treyarch and Raven Software’s Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 arrives as a bold follow-up to 2024’s Black Ops 6, launching globally on November 14, 2025, across PC, PlayStation 4/5, and Xbox Series X|S/Xbox One. As the series’ first back-to-back Black Ops entry, it balances familiarity with innovation—delivering a cooperative campaign, refined multiplayer, and the franchise’s largest Zombies map to date. With an M 站 score of 84 and polarizing yet ambitious design choices, it’s a FPS that caters to both series loyalists and casual players. Here’s our full breakdown.

Campaign: Chaotic Co-Op and Reality-Bending Narrative

Set in 2035, between the events of Black Ops 2 and Black Ops 6, the campaign revives fan-favorite characters like David Mason and Raul Menendez, while introducing new faces such as “Guild” CEO Emma Kegan. The story centers on a global crisis sparked by a fear-inducing weapon that blurs the line between reality and hallucination, sending Mason’s “Specter One” squad on a mission to infiltrate the futuristic metropolis of Avalon. What sets this campaign apart is its fully cooperative design—supporting up to four players—that redefines how Black Ops stories are experienced.

The standout “perception separation” mechanic is a game-changer: teammates may witness entirely different environments mid-mission, with one player facing standard enemies while another confronts giant mechanical spiders or distorted landscapes. This forces constant communication, turning simple 分工 into a fight to align shared reality. The campaign also introduces a replayable “Endgame” mode, opening up Avalon to 32 players for dynamic objectives, a first for the series. However, ambition doesn’t always translate to polish—IGN awarded the campaign a 6/10, criticizing inconsistent execution and a step back from Black Ops 6’s tighter narrative, though the 11 missions still offer thrills when played with friends.

Multiplayer: Refined Movement and Expansive Content

Black Ops 7’s multiplayer hits the ground running with 16 launch 6v6 maps and two 20v20 “Skirmish” mode maps, spanning neon-lit Tokyo rooftops to frozen Alaskan wilderness. The series’ signature Omnimovement system returns with meaningful tweaks, including a new wall-jump that adds verticality without breaking balance. This mechanic lets players scale previously unreachable ledges for flanking or evasion, though it’s more a tactical tool than a game-changer—hardcore players will appreciate the extra mobility, while newbies can adapt quickly.

The weapon and equipment customization is excellent, featuring 30 futuristic weapons and an improved skill system. There are no longer class-based specialization locks. players can mix red, blue, and green perks to unlock specializations, offering unprecedented flexibility. The addition of visual health bars improves enemy identification, fixing a longstanding complaint, while the removal of SBMM (Skill-Based Matchmaking) has been praised by the community for more organic lobbies. Gunplay remains top-tier—crisp feedback, punchy sound design, and responsive controls that feel both familiar and refined, with hints of Modern Warfare’s weight balanced by Black Ops’ signature speed.

Zombies: Massive Maps and Classic Survival Thrills

Treyarch’s legendary Zombies mode returns with its most ambitious iteration yet, centered on the series’ largest map, “Cursed Ember.” The round-based survival core remains intact, but new twists elevate the experience: drivable vehicles for traversing the sprawling hellscape, the return of classic characters like Richtofen and Nikolai, and a narrative that continues Black Ops 6’s Dark Aether storyline. The “Survival” mode demoed pre-launch delivers pure, unadulterated fun—waves of zombies, upgradable weapons, and generous rewards that keep the action fast-paced.

New threats like the “Raider” zombies—fast-moving hordes that swarm unexpectedly—add tension, while the map’s scale encourages exploration and teamwork. Whether you’re holding down a choke point with a upgraded shotgun or navigating fog-shrouded valleys in a vehicle, the mode balances nostalgia with fresh ideas. It’s a love letter to Zombies fans, offering enough depth to sink hours into without alienating newcomers.

Technical Performance and Localization

Black Ops 7 prioritizes performance across platforms, with next-gen consoles and high-end PCs shining brightest. PS5 and Xbox Series X run at a stable 4K/60FPS, with a performance mode hitting 120FPS for competitive play. PC players benefit from ray tracing, DLSS/FSR support, and ultrawide monitor compatibility, plus near-instant load times thanks to SSD optimization. Older platforms like the PS4 see more compromises—fluctuating 40-60FPS and reduced visual details—but remain playable.

Notably, the game includes full Chinese voice acting and region-specific price adjustments for the Chinese market, a welcome localization effort that resonates with Asian players. Bugs are minimal at launch, a testament to the polished Beta phase that earned widespread praise for its stability.

Pros and Cons

Strengths

· Expansive content lineup: A replayable co-op campaign, robust multiplayer, and the series’ best Zombies mode in years.

· Refined mechanics: Improved movement, flexible loadouts, and quality-of-life tweaks (visual health bars, SBMM removal) that fix past pain points.

· Impressive technical performance: Stable framerates, sharp visuals, and thoughtful platform optimization.

· Strong localization: Full Chinese dub and region-friendly pricing show attention to global audiences.

Weaknesses

· Inconsistent campaign: Ambitious ideas like perception separation don’t always land, and the narrative falls short of Black Ops 6’s heights.

· Underwhelming new mechanics: The wall-jump and some multiplayer tweaks feel incremental rather than revolutionary.

· Older-gen compromises: PS4 and Xbox One versions suffer noticeable visual and performance hits.

Final Verdict

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is a confident, content-rich entry that honors the Black Ops legacy while pushing just enough boundaries. It excels where it matters most—tight gunplay, addictive multiplayer, and a Zombies mode that’s worth the price of admission alone. The cooperative campaign, despite its flaws, offers a unique social experience that’s a breath of fresh air for the series. Whether you’re a longtime fan chasing that classic COD feel or a new player looking for fast-paced fun, this game delivers.

For multiplayer-focused players and Zombies enthusiasts, it’s a must-buy. Those seeking a standout single-player narrative may want to wait for a sale, but the overall package is strong enough to justify the investment. Black Ops 7 proves that even as a “yearly franchise,” Call of Duty can still surprise with ambition and polish.