REVIEW: Even FPS newbies can get into 'Call of Duty: Black Ops 6'
Playing first-person shooter (FPS) games can be intimidating, especially for those who are not well-versed in the genre.
Personally, I find the genre daunting—it's fast-paced and you're playing with other people (who may be a whole lot better than you). My entry into FPS was Call of Duty Mobile, and I played the Warzone Mobile after. Now, I've been playing the newest title in the franchise, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6.
ICYMI, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, developed by Treyarch and Raven Software and published by Activision, was officially launched on Oct. 25. Earlier in September, PhilSTAR L!fe got to play the early access open beta version of the game.
Now, there are more game modes available like the single-player campaign, Zombies, and multiplayer. BO6 also introduced the new Omnimovement and Intelligent Movement for gameplay, new Loadout, and more maps.
All the new features and different game modes sound overwhelming, but they're somehow newbie-friendly.
Campaign
For instance, if you want to start with a less daunting game mode, kick your playthrough off with Campaign. BO6's single-player campaign is a spy thriller set in the 90s.
The first hour of the gameplay will get you accustomed to controls and get a feel of different weapons like a sniper rifle, throwing knives, etc.
I've only played the first few chapters, as of writing, but the story is interesting so far. You play as William "Case" Calderon, a CIA operative, to take down a rogue paramilitary group called The Pantheon. The first few minutes are already action-packed as you're thrust into the middle of the Iraq-Kuwait border.
Playing on an HP Omen Transcend 14 gaming laptop, the graphics of BO6 looked crisp and detail-filled. You can walk through and check out different rooms in the Rook, the safe house. Some of these spaces are empty, but it's a nice touch to see that the environment is built out.
Multiplayer
BO6 has several multiplayer modes including the classic Team Deathmatch, where you earn score points for your team by eliminating enemies, Domination where you capture, hold, and defend objectives, Hardpoint where you capture and hold a rotating zone to earn points, Kill Order where you target enemies with High Value Targets, and Face Off where you fight players with Scorestreaks disabled.
Team Deathmatch, Domination, and Hardpoint are the more fast-paced matches as these are 6v6, but you can try Gunfight, which is 2v2, if you want to take it slower. I've enjoyed Gunfight more as the objective is to kill the two enemy players to win the round.
As you level up, you unlock different loadouts, guns, gear, and more.
I've been playing for a few days and I still find 6v6 matches hard, but it helps to go through the Training Course and Firing Range to get used to controls. Another tip: Don't charge into the field all the time. Crouch, slide, use the Omnimovement, get cover—the goal isn't just to keep shooting and killing enemies, but to stay alive, too.
