For months, we’ve seen Call of Duty titles sitting amongst the top requested games to come to the backwards compatibility scheme on Xbox One, with the only other one to break into the top 5 being Bethesda’s hit RPG, Skyrim. Sitting atop the voting pile for some time now has been Call of Duty: Black Ops 2, and it seems all those pleas that we’ve seen circulating on social media have finally got reason to cheer, with the arrival that has been hinted at for months. But whilst many will be excited to see another of the world’s most popular entertainment franchise arrive on Xbox One, is it really worth returning to 2012’s offering when there are so many other options available?
Call of Duty has undergone a huge transformation in recent years. What started life as a classic war time shooter evolved into one of the finest modern war era shooters before transforming into a near unrecognizable, yet equally popular, futuristic beast. Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 was where this all started, being the first game in the series to involve futuristic warfare technology as well as being the first title to offer branching storylines based on the player’s choices. These weren’t the only differences of course and back at the time players were happy to see something new from the yearly franchise.
Nowadays the same can’t be said, with fans voicing their concerns at the futuristic approach the series has been taking with the past few releases. This year of course looks to change things with Sledgehammer Games bringing Call of Duty back to the boots on the ground way of life once more. But whilst we wait for what is set to be a huge unveiling in the coming weeks or months, depending on when that finally comes around, fans have now got the chance to dive back into Black Ops 2…on Xbox One.
And boy is it a welcome addition to see it arrive on Xbox One. Whilst there have been several releases since Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 arrived on our consoles, none have felt quite right with the majority of the fanbase, with Call of Duty: Ghosts ridiculed by many, Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 receiving criticism for its lack of relatable content and Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare having its trailer condemned to the most disliked video on YouTube even before release. Despite all three of those titles still receiving pretty decent sales, it’s Black Ops 2 that has been most wanted, and you can see why. The campaign is a thrilling adventure that offers questionable choices, there is a villain that you can’t help but empathise with, the multiplayer is one of the most beloved multiplayers the series has ever had, and the zombie mode is possibly the finest showing since it all began back in Call of Duty: World at War.
With the franchise finally heading back to where it started, with what looks to be Call of Duty: WW2 (not World at War 2 folks) if the leaked screenshots are to be believed, Black Ops 2 may not receive a long-lived revival, but it sure is nice to see one of the best titles in the series make a return. Many will point to the fact that there are many newer options available right now, but there will be more than enough interest in the multiplayer side of things to warrant a return to the highly-requested title once more.
So, should you head back to Call of Duty: Black Ops 2? If you want a great and believable Call of Duty experience, we definitely think you’ll be better off heading back in. ASAP!
Will you be taking a trip back to Treyarch’s 2012 phenomenon? Let us know in the comments below or via our usual social channels.
