Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War Open Beta Preview

October 18, 2020 at 4:29pm
By Jason Stettner

This is my third go at the Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War pre-launch content having experienced the alpha and beta on Playstation 4, I now dive into the open beta on Xbox One X. It’s nice to have a different platform perspective on the release, alongside it being the platform I’m typically experiencing the franchise on.

Visually it’s definitely more on par with what I’m used to, looking far sharper on the platform. Still, it doesn’t necessarily have that next gen shine that Modern Warfare has with it instead opting to have a grittier look more typical within this Black Ops franchise.

I don’t usually mind that, but for me it feels as though it’s taken away from some of the realism and style that the improvements brought for the last game. It’s very much something that looks stylized which is an odd way to put it.

It somewhat matches the time period it’s aiming to emulate, and it’s an odd situation to be in. I’m certainly less impressed by it, at the same time find it somewhat intriguing to take in as I run down corridors blasting enemies.

That aside, it does feel regressive in regards to some mechanics and level layouts. The environments feel like they’ve gone back to specifically created sections instead of carved out parts of a real area. The lack of that extra all out sprint, contextual leaning and the doors. It just comes across as such a step back in those smaller ways that I’ve become accustomed to.

Going back to the maps, I’m not necessarily thrilled by any of them aside from maybe the Miami level. I do like what they’re doing with the larger scale arenas of conflict, but it’s not nearly as impressive as Ground War was.

I suppose the water areas are kind of fun, yet feel silly at the same time if that makes sense. With that, I do love their War type mode that’s been labeled as Assault. I really quite like that concept of fighting for momentum across maps, it’s a mode I’ve thoroughly missed from this series.

Anyways, I’m still very much looking forward to seeing what they’ll do with the rest of this. That being the campaign and zombies, Treyarch typically delivers a good all around package. I’m just still not necessarily sold on the multiplayer, with it again being alright.

I’m not sure it’ll take me away from Modern Warfare’s online or even Warzone which is included right in the menu of this one too. I was hoping to see Treyarch’s own battle royale effort by that doesn’t seem like it’ll be a thing in this situation. You can read a review of the battle royale Call of Duty Warzone below, or check out the franchise hub for further coverage of the series.

Read our Call of Duty Warzone Review
View our Call of Duty Hub