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Call of Duty: Black Ops 7

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 offers predictable but fun multiplayer, interesting additions to its zombies mode, but a single-player/co-op campaign that’s tedious and too goofy by far.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 Game Cover
50%Game Brain Score
Most mentioned positive aspects:gameplay, graphics
Most mentioned negative aspects:story, optimization
36% User Score Based on 2,247 reviews
Critic Score 64%Based on 37 reviews

Platforms

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Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 Game Cover

About Call of Duty: Black Ops 7

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is a single player and multiplayer shooter game with warfare, violence and science fiction themes. It was developed by Demonware and was released on August 19, 2025. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and negative reviews from players.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is a first-person shooter set in 2035, co-developed by Treyarch and Raven Software. The game features three main modes: a cooperative campaign playable with up to four players or solo, multiplayer with 6v6 and 20v20 modes, and the round-based Zombies mode. Multiplayer features a perk system split into combat specialties, weapon prestige progression, and scorestreak reward…

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Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 screenshot
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 screenshot
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 screenshot
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 screenshot
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 screenshot
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 screenshot
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 screenshot
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 screenshot
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 screenshot
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 screenshot
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 screenshot
+5
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Reviews

36%Audience ScoreBased on 2,247 reviews
gameplay70 positive mentions
story57 negative mentions
  • Multiplayer is fun, smooth, and reminiscent of older Black Ops games with solid gunplay and maps.
  • Zombies mode is excellent, with great maps, fun Easter eggs, and a mode that captures classic Zombies feel.
  • Endgame mode provides enjoyable PvE gameplay and progression, similar to MWZ but with its own flavor.
  • The campaign is widely criticized as confusing, repetitive, and poorly designed with mandatory online connection and no pause function.
  • Skill-based matchmaking (SBMM) remains an issue, causing sweaty lobbies and uneven player experiences despite claims otherwise.
  • The game is plagued with cheating, bugs, and technical problems including crashes, connection issues, and optimization problems.

  • story

    384 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    14% positive mentions, 71% neutral mentions, 15% negative mentions

    The story in Black Ops 7 receives overwhelmingly negative feedback, criticized for its nonsensical, incoherent, and poorly written narrative that undermines the Black Ops legacy. The campaign's forced online-only co-op mode, lack of checkpoints, and repetitive mission design further diminish the immersion and player engagement. While some find moments of fun, especially when played cooperatively, the general consensus is that the story is a major disappointment compared to previous entries.

    • “I’ve always been one of the biggest fans of this franchise; I love the story modes and how they usually feel like watching a deep Netflix series where you learn about every person's timeline.”
    • “The campaign seems to be the only positive I have this time around. While normally I attempt to play the campaign and get bored after the third or fourth mission and go back to zombies or multiplayer, I don't know whether it's the story being rather interesting this time, or the fact that progress on weapons carries over, but I've been wanting to play it more.”
    • “The campaign, for the most part, is a fun experience with a bunch of flashback on previous Black Ops and Black Ops 2 story.”
    • “The campaign is incredibly insulting to both the characters of the Black Ops 2 story and the legacy it brought; the entire campaign is just a glorified advertisement for the endgame rather than a cohesive, put-together story.”
    • “The story is honestly worse than Black Ops 3 (in terms of Black Ops games) and horrendously worse than the campaigns of MWIII and Infinite Warfare combined.”
    • “The story makes absolutely no sense, does not tie up anything from previous entries, and feels like it was written by AI or Copilot.”

  • gameplay

    237 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    30% positive mentions, 59% neutral mentions, 11% negative mentions

    The gameplay receives mixed reviews: many praise the smooth, fast-paced movement, newly added mechanics like wall-jumping and grapple hooks, and engaging multiplayer and zombies modes, which improve on previous entries. However, significant criticisms include clunky or broken mechanics, lack of innovation beyond prior titles, repetitive content, poor campaign design, and technical issues affecting stability and balance. Overall, while core multiplayer and zombies gameplay remain enjoyable for fans of the series, the campaign and some mechanics leave many players disappointed.

    • “On top of that, they've updated both Rebirth Island and Verdansk, and added new mechanics like wall jumping and the grapple hook, which make the game insanely fun to play.”
    • “These mechanics completely change the pacing and overall flow of the game in a very good way.”
    • “The gameplay is very fast-paced, the gunplay is top-notch (killing opponents feels very 'rewarding'), and most of the new and remastered maps play just very well, with 'yakei' being the icing on the cake.”
    • “Every single mechanic in this game is either stupid or broken.”
    • “The mechanics feel clunky, the performance is awful, and the whole thing just screams 'rushed out the door.' I kept thinking it would get better the longer I played, but nope — it just kept getting worse.”
    • “The gameplay is a catastrophe built on copy-paste level design and rushed production.”

  • graphics

    92 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    34% positive mentions, 51% neutral mentions, 15% negative mentions

    The game's graphics receive mixed feedback, with some praising the detailed visuals, nostalgic map remasters, and improved aesthetics, while others criticize outdated, blurry, or low-quality textures and an inconsistent art style that feels unpolished. Performance is generally stable on good rigs, but issues like poor draw distance, shader stutters, and motion blur detract from the experience. Overall, the graphics are seen as decent or better by some fans, but insufficiently innovative or refined compared to past entries, leaving many players divided.

    • “I will say it's the best Black Ops since 4 in terms of movement, visuals, and overall feel of the game.”
    • “The action and carnage immerse you while the high quality graphics and sound make it feel like you're right there in the game.”
    • “Stellar graphics, good operator skins and well-designed maps.”
    • “The graphics are surprisingly underwhelming and feel outdated rather than improved when compared to previous entries, due to the cartoon appearance.”
    • “This is the worst game I’ve ever bought. My Steam library is only worth about $65 excluding Black Ops 7. This is my most expensive game and also my least favorite. The story is pathetic, the gameplay feels like a free low-budget game, and the graphics are dangerously ugly even after increasing settings.”
    • “Bo7 has launched with awful looking graphics issues on PC. The game looks very blurry during motion, like the anti-aliasing is messed up, resulting in a smeary, ghosting mess while moving.”

  • optimization

    44 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    18% positive mentions, 57% neutral mentions, 25% negative mentions

    Optimization in this game receives mixed reviews, with some users praising stable performance and smooth gameplay, especially in multiplayer, and others criticizing severe frame drops, stuttering, and inconsistent hit registration. Many highlight that despite solid core mechanics and visuals, the game often feels rushed and poorly optimized, with frequent lag spikes, crashes, and erratic netcode issues impacting the experience. Overall, optimization remains a significant concern, with improvements needed to match player expectations and hardware capabilities.

    • “Game runs fine, probably the most optimized version since BO4.”
    • “Multiplayer is pretty decent, no performance problems, no stuttering, no crashes.”
    • “The game runs great with very good optimization.”
    • “Probably the worst game I've played in my life, constant frame drops and stuttering. Zombies EE are awful and repetitive, and multiplayer is just constant lag spikes and sweat fests.”
    • “Some of the worst optimization of a game I've ever seen. I'm getting 150 FPS on 1080p medium with frame generation with a 4080s and a R9 7900X.”
    • “This game is highly unoptimized and every update seems to make the game more glitchy and laggy.”

  • monetization

    35 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    9% positive mentions, 14% neutral mentions, 77% negative mentions

    The monetization of this game is widely criticized as aggressive and predatory, heavily relying on microtransactions, ads, and paid content that feels like a cash grab rather than adding genuine value. Many reviewers express frustration with the excessive advertising, high costs, and perceived lack of creativity, seeing these practices as undermining the overall game experience.

    • “I miss the days of in-game COD points that you used to have to earn and then spend to buy things such as guns and calling cards.”
    • “The game pushes out a minimally viable product to try and maximize returns and farm players for money through microtransactions.”
    • “The game includes many cosmetic microtransactions, which don't directly impact gameplay but are prominent.”
    • “The microtransactions are really heavy, and if you have a hard time with impulse buying then I really don't recommend this game.”
    • “Predatory monetization and pricing also need to be fixed.”
    • “Paying for a game + season passes + microtransactions with in-game currency is ruining gaming.”

  • stability

    27 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    19% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 81% negative mentions

    The game suffers from numerous stability issues, including frequent crashes, glitches, and freezes that disrupt gameplay—especially in high-round zombie modes. Spawn system flaws, UI bugs, and inconsistent audio further detract from the experience, with some players experiencing disconnections and game-breaking errors regularly. While a few report good performance and optimization, the overall stability is widely criticized as incomplete and poorly tested.

    • “The game runs great with very good optimization.”
    • “Runs great on max settings on my midrange laptop and still looks incredible.”
    • “Glad to see SBMM is an option, been having fun, game runs great and looks amazing.”
    • “I want to love this game but unfortunately it's a complete buggy mess.”
    • “Always when I start to get comfortable and reach high rounds in zombies I get kicked out because of this. Not a single other game I know kicks you out completely if Steam goes down for 30 seconds. This, combined with dead ops arcade boss fights freezing the game for everyone and kicking you back to the lobby, and even regular zombies freezing sometimes at the moment when you have sacrificed two or more hours to reach high rounds. Today luckily I was doing a solo match in cursed mode, round 50, the game froze when I was crafting a scorestreak and I had to close it, thankfully it saved my progress!”
    • “It's incredibly buggy too, not to mention directX API errors and resulting game crashes galore. Glitching through the map boundary and being forced to reset, being randomly killed by the game in-between rounds, getting one-hit killed by zombies through all your perks and armor vest... it's a mess.”

  • humor

    27 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    100% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions

    The humor in the game is often described as goofy, cheesy, and at times hilariously bad, with many players enjoying the campy dialogue, funny voice lines, and silly in-game moments, especially when playing co-op. However, some find the humor forced or low-budget, comparing it to generic action movie clichés, and feel it tries to mask shortcomings in gameplay. Overall, the humor adds a comedic charm that many appreciate despite the game's flaws.

    • “The psych grenade/fear trap essentially putting people under a genjutsu that spawns fake clones everywhere and changes everyone's model to the victim's own while also taking away the ability to discern friend and hallucinations from foes is extremely funny to observe, especially when the dude affected by it starts shooting literal air . I'd give the MP a solid 8.5/10.”
    • “But honestly, playing it co-op with friends turned it into a hilarious experience.”
    • “Been a big fan of Zombies since World at War, the artwork in Zombies is beautifully detailed, voice quotes are hilarious and have a sense of old school Call of Duty vibe to them.”

  • grinding

    24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    0% positive mentions, 4% neutral mentions, 96% negative mentions

    Grinding in this game, especially for camos, is generally seen as enjoyable and rewarding due to unique customization and weapon prestige features. While some find the grind tedious and repetitive, many appreciate the added content, balanced zombies mode, and fresh endgame activities that keep the process engaging. However, a few players note the grind can feel like a chore and exhibits some formulaic aspects reminiscent of previous titles.

    • “Completing them offers little sense of achievement, because the challenges are not truly challenging, they’re just tedious, annoying, and full of artificial constraints that make the grind feel like a chore rather than something to strive for.”
    • “Good luck grinding while having a nine to five, actual showerless people.”
    • “Nothing new tbh release was yesterday and I'm already starting to get bored of it, just feels like every other CoD. The mental drain from grinding BO6 has carried over due to how similar the games are.”

  • replayability

    23 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    39% positive mentions, 48% neutral mentions, 13% negative mentions

    The game offers strong replayability primarily through its Zombies mode, featuring a variety of maps, challenging easter eggs, and the new cursed mode that adds depth and challenge. Co-op integration further enhances replay value, making gameplay engaging both solo and with friends. However, the campaign receives mixed feedback, with limited replay value despite a decent number of missions.

    • “First classic feeling Call of Duty in years, excellently crafted with a ridiculous amount of replayability and progression.”
    • “It's expanded and deeper than Black Ops 6 with more augments, more difficult easter eggs, more survival maps, an expedited camo grind, improved gameplay systems, and the inclusion of cursed mode which adds a surprising amount of challenge and replayability.”
    • “As someone who has always loved the zombies mode, I hold the unpopular opinion that Black Ops 4 was the last great zombies Call of Duty, and then Cold War was only decent with every other iteration being absolutely awful (even Black Ops 6 which should & could have easily been a cheap DLC for Cold War). However, Black Ops 7 has given me new hope for the mode which I had long lost for years with its zombies mode being extremely fun, replayable and leaving me craving more content.”
    • “Game feels so trash without the carry forward they promised for this game, especially the amount of replay value it would've added for zombies.”
    • “Mobile games looking more playable than Call of Duty these days.”
    • “Campaign - no real set pieces, terrible writing, confusing plot, multiple plot holes and zero replay value.”

  • atmosphere

    16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    38% positive mentions, 43% neutral mentions, 19% negative mentions

    The atmosphere in recent zombie games is polarized, with some praising the return of dark, mysterious, and immersive vibes reminiscent of beloved earlier titles like BO2 and BO3, while others criticize a loss of eerie, creepy tension, describing it as chaotic and soulless. Several maps and modes receive acclaim for their depth, ambience, and well-crafted quest lines, though some feel the intensity is forced and the overall mood lacks authenticity. Overall, the best examples succeed in recapturing the classic horror and suspense atmosphere that once defined the series.

    • “Ashes of the Damned is massive, atmospheric, and unforgettable.”
    • “I've been playing zombies for well over a decade now and Black Ops 7, to me, comes the closest to replicating the peak that was BO2/3 zombies in terms of atmosphere and map identity, as well as the Easter eggs so far being actually quite good!”
    • “They nailed the atmosphere and vibes and that's something I really haven't experienced since BO3 and it's a huge relief to have that feeling again!!!”
    • “Constant forced energy, fake intensity, zero atmosphere.”
    • “Most importantly, it has lost the dark, creepy atmosphere that once defined zombies, turning it into a chaotic, soulless mode.”
    • “Instead of a wartime atmosphere, we get a circus.”

  • music

    15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    33% positive mentions, 47% neutral mentions, 20% negative mentions

    The music in the game receives mixed feedback, with some praising the soundtrack as enjoyable, high-quality, and one of the best of the year, while others find it generic, AI-generated, or reused. Overall, the soundtrack is noted as a highlight by many, contributing positively to the game's atmosphere despite some criticisms.

    • “The game has one of the best soundtracks this year.”
    • “The music and sound effects are impeccable, something between Interstellar and James Bond.”
    • “The lobby music is damn good, the in-game music is enjoyable, and it's just simply good fun.”
    • “The whole soundtrack sounds like something I could generate in a couple of nights using Suno AI.”
    • “You could swap it with royalty-free YouTube music and not notice.”
    • “Fighting Menendez was like playing an ad pop-up when you're trying to listen to music, straight AI generated.”

  • emotional

    15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    100% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions

    The emotional experience of the game is highly polarized, with some players feeling it lacks depth, self-awareness, and meaningful engagement, leading to frustration and emotional disconnect. However, occasional wholesome moments and impactful plot twists evoke genuine emotions, though many find the overall presentation rushed and emotionally shallow compared to earlier titles.

    • “Honestly, so much potential. I played to get Singularity, but once again, matchmaking is emotionally killing Call of Duty, and I do not see how it is not more talked about.”
    • “I recall one game a couple days ago where it was a father playing with his son and daughter—a very wholesome moment.”
    • “I cried, laughed, adopted a pet eagle, and filed taxes all in the span of one cutscene.”

  • character development

    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    33% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 67% negative mentions

    The character development in the campaign is underwhelming, lacking the narrative depth and engaging plot twists typical of the series. Additionally, character designs are considered mediocre and outdated, failing to leave a strong impression.

    • “Underwhelming campaign and character buildup: while functional, the campaign offers limited narrative depth, and the character development falls short of what the series has previously delivered.”
    • “The storyline was weak, lacking the engaging plot twists and character development we've come to expect from the franchise.”
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Critic Reviews

64%Critics’ scoreBased on 37 critic reviews
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Play Times

33h Median play time
73h Average play time
6-100h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 13 analyzed playthroughs
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Game News

Complete Roadmap For Black Ops 7 & Warzone Season 5—Every Map, Weapon & More

July 14 on insider-gaming.com

Black Ops 7 Season 5 has been fully revealed, with the next Call of Duty update bringing a raft of fresh content

July 14 on techradar.com

Black Ops 7 & Warzone Season 5 Release Date & launch Times

July 14 on insider-gaming.com

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 needs its own version of Black Ops 7's Classic mode or it risks sidelining its oldest and most loyal fans

July 14 on eurogamer.net

Black Ops 1 and 2 Port Player Counts Dominating Black Ops 7, It’s Claimed

July 13 on insider-gaming.com

‘Lucky that we didn’t listen to the internet’ — Black Ops 7 isn’t perfect, but I’ll be sad to leave its incredible multiplayer behind for Modern Warfare 4

July 8 on techradar.com

Black Ops 7's incredibly popular Classic mode is here to stay, and it's getting four new maps

June 23 on pcgamesn.com

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, Season 4 adds a mode that removes OmniMovement and a gun that aims for you—perfect for players who can't be bothered to play anymore

June 7 on pcgamer.com
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Frequently Asked Questions

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is a shooter game with warfare, violence and science fiction themes. Common tags for Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 include science and gaming.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is available on Xbox Series X|S, PC, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4 and others.

On average players spend around 73 hours playing Call of Duty: Black Ops 7.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 was released on August 19, 2025.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 was developed by Demonware.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 has received mostly positive reviews from players and mostly positive reviews from critics. Most players liked Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 for its gameplay but disliked it for its story.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is a single player game with multiplayer and local co-op support.