Monthly Archives: June 2025

Call Of Duty – Black Ops

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Another FPS game released November 2010 and developed by Treyarch. Considered to be a sequel to World At War.

The game’s set in the 1960s, at the height of the Cold War, where the U.S. and Soviet Union are locked in a global pissing match. The campaign’s core conflict revolves around covert U.S. operations to counter Soviet influence, from Cuba to Vietnam to Arctic outposts. It’s all about proxy wars and espionage, reflecting the real-world fear of mutually assured destruction. You’re playing as CIA operative Alex Mason, running black ops to stick it to the commies, which screams “America, hell yeah” but also shows the shady lengths the U.S. went to for dominance.

The Bay of Pigs Invasion (1961) kicks things off, with Mason involved in a botched CIA-backed attempt to overthrow Castro’s regime in Cuba. It’s a direct nod to U.S. anti-communist policies and the failure of covert intervention, showing the messy reality of regime change. The game doesn’t shy away from portraying Castro (or at least his double) and the Cuban Revolution as key pieces of the geopolitical chessboard. Vietnam War missions, like those in Khe Sanh and Hue City, highlight the U.S.’s military quagmire against the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese. Black Ops captures the chaos and moral ambiguity of the war, with soldiers like Woods griping about the pointlessness of it all, echoing real-world anti-war sentiments.

Numbers are a common occurance within the game campaign and play a large role int he story. The “Numbers” program, where Mason’s brainwashed by the Soviets, is a big metaphor for psychological warfare and propaganda. The idea of a sleeper agent programmed to kill on command plays into Cold War fears of ideological control—both sides were paranoid about the other “corrupting” their people. It’s less about left vs. right and more about how far governments (U.S. or Soviet) will go to manipulate minds for their agendas.

Nova 6, the fictional chemical weapon, is a plot driver, with the Soviets planning to unleash it on the West. It’s a stand-in for real Cold War anxieties about WMDs, like nerve gas or nukes. The game doesn’t preach, but it shows the U.S. and Soviets both playing dirty—testing weapons, running unethical experiments (like Reznov’s backstory)—which raises questions about the moral cost of “winning” a war.

The game leans hard into the U.S. as the “good guys” fighting Soviet evil, with characters like Dragovich and Kravchenko painted as cartoonishly vile. This mirrors the era’s anti-communist propaganda, where the Red Scare was still a thing. That said, it’s not totally one-sided—Mason’s team isn’t exactly saintly, and the CIA’s methods (torture, assassination) get a side-eye, hinting at the hypocrisy of both superpowers.

Multiplayer

This is where Black Ops earned its stripes. You’ had a selection of 14 maps at launch, classics like Nuketown, Firing Range, and Jungle. Black Ops saw the introduction of COD Points, so you could flex your wallet and unlock that shiny new gun without grinding for days.

  • Nuketown: A tiny ‘50s suburb with two houses, a couple of buses, and a whole lot of carnage due to it’s small size. The nuke shelter and mannequins give it that creepy Cold War charm.
  • Firing Range: A military training ground with shacks, towers, and tight corners. Think of it as Nuketown’s slightly bigger cousin. Fast-paced but with just enough room to breathe. You can flank, hold a rooftop, or go Rambo in the middle. The central tower’s a death magnet, but controlling it feels like you’re the king of the lobby.
  • Jungle: A dense Vietnam jungle with rivers, huts, and elevated paths. It’s humid and hostile, like you’re actually in ‘Nam. Slower-paced, with sneaky flanks and sniper perches. The foliage lets you play Predator, but one wrong move and you’re eating an AK-47 burst. Perfect for tactical players who like a bit of stealth. Snipers and assault rifles shine, but watch for flankers with SMGs. Claymores are your best friend.
  • Launch: A Soviet cosmodrome with a rocket that actually launches mid-match. Big, open, and industrial. That rocket launch is a cool gimmick, shaking up sightlines. It’s a sniper’s dream with long lanes, but the side paths let rushers flank. Feels epic, like you’re storming Area 51. The rocket’s a distraction however, don’t get caught gawking.
  • Cracked: A war-torn Middle Eastern city with rubble, markets, and a big statue. Urban chaos at its finest. There lots of cover, destructible bits, and verticality. You can climb buildings or sneak through alleys. Feels like a real battlefield, but the layout’s forgiving for newbies.
  • Grid: A Soviet industrial complex with warehouses and open yards. Snowy and tactical. Great for objective modes—lots of choke points and a central building that’s a killzone. It’s balanced but rewards map knowledge.
  • Villa: A swanky Cuban estate with courtyards, a pool, and tight indoor areas. Fancy but deadly. It’s like crashing a drug lord’s party with an M16. The open courtyard’s a sniper’s playground, but indoors is a shotgun fest. Feels unique compared to the military vibes elsewhere.
  • Crisis: A Cuban military base with jungle edges and a central bunker. It’s got a good flow—open areas for firefights, jungle for stealth. The bunker’s a hotspot, but the map’s not as iconic as Nuketown or Firing Range. Solid, not spectacular.
  • Havana: Cuban city streets with colorful buildings, alleys, and a central plaza. Feels like a mini “Operation 40” from the campaign. Tight corners and rooftop routes make it a flankers’ paradise. The cars add cover but can explode GTA San Andreas style, so don’t get cozy around them.
  • Radiation: A Soviet nuclear plant with tunnels, conveyor belts, and an eerie glow. Creepy and industrial. The underground tunnels are a wild card—perfect for sneaky kills or getting ambushed. The open reactor area’s great for big team fights.
  • WMD: A snowy Soviet weapons facility, tied to the campaign mission. Big, with hangars and open fields. The snow adds atmosphere, but it’s a sniper’s map at heart. Feels epic but can drag if your team’s not coordinated.
  • Array: A massive Soviet radar base in the snow, with a giant dish and scattered buildings. It’s one of the biggest maps, built for snipers and vehicle cover. The dish is a cool landmark, but the map’s too spread out for my taste—feels like running a marathon to find a fight.

Zombie

Zombies mode was one of the more popular modes of the multiplayer. “Kino der Toten” is set in an abandoned cinema, with you and other players trying to hold the line at the theater while zombies swarmed like Black Friday shoppers. Then you got “Five,” where you’re playing as JFK and Nixon mowing down the undead in the Pentagon. Very absurd. “Dead Ops Arcade” was this weird top-down fever dream, like if Smash TV and a zombie apocalypse had a lovechild. Additional DLCs like Rezurrection just poured gas on the fire with more maps.

Versions

Xbox 360: The 360 version runs at 1040×608 but manages to maintain its 60fps framerate. This version is playable on the Xbox One, although It’s not enhanced to take advantage of the more capable hardware. A co-operative mode is supported with two controllers, allowing for split-screen play for multiplayer.

Multiplayer is still active on Xbox Live, and for the deathmatch and free-for all playlists you can often jump into a match, or wait a few minutes for matchmaking to assemble a team of players. You might run into hackers every now and then, sometime I’ve even landed on a mod menu by chance, you can often just leave the match and wait a few minutes before matchmaking again.

PlayStation 3: Compared to the 360 version, the PS3 runs at a lower resolution at 960×544 which makes it closer to an SD resolution. Like the 360 version, you can also have two players off the same console with split screen mode. Online play is still supported and is free, but there is an issue with stats not saving for newer PSN profiles, stats have also been reported to reset when your PSN profile name is amended.

Microsoft Windows: The Windows version uses dedicated servers via Game Servers, a which was much preferred over Modern Warfare 2’s peer-to-peer. This means better connection stability and less host migration grief, though server quality varies. You get mod tools and a developer console, letting you tweak settings or create custom content (especially for Zombies).

Mac OS X: The Mac version was ported by Aspyr and was released a few years later. The game was previously sold on Steam, although it was a separate product/licence to the Windows version. It also used different servers, which meant it was more difficult to find multiplayer games. Since it was a 32bit application, it’s no longer compatible with modern versions of macOS which can only run 64bit applications.

The port itself is semi decent, it ran OK on low setting for an iMac 2011 (with a Radeon 6750) though expect to see a lot of ‘Shader Warming’ messages.

Nintendo Wii: The Wii version is a lot more compromised for it to run on its less capable hardware. You do have the benefit of motion controlled aiming but this can be awkward to get used to, thankfully there is support for the Wii Classic Controller (Not the Gamecube controller) for those that prefer the traditional experience.  Online play was previously supported but the official servers were discontinued. You can use Wiimmfi to restore online play, but the online populations are tiny and is often difficult to find a match. Sadly a lot of people wanting to play Black ops online will just use the more popular 360 or PS3 versions.

Still its an impressive port, but the motion controls can be an issue for some players.

Conclusion

Black Ops is a popcorn shooter with a side of political spice. The Cold War backdrop gives it that gritty “us vs. them” vibe, but it’s not afraid to show the U.S. getting its hands dirty. You’re not just fighting for freedom; you’re knee-deep in the CIA’s sketchy playbook, which makes you wonder who the real bad guy is.

Man Of Medan (Dark Pictures Anthology)

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Man of Medan—first game in this anthology series from Supermassive Games, dropped in 2019. You’re following these five college-age knuckleheads—Alex, Brad, Julia, Conrad, and Fliss—who are out on a dive boat in the South Pacific, chasing a WWII plane wreck. Things soon go south, Pirates show up, a storm hits, and boom, they’re stuck on an abandoned freighter, the SS Ourang Medan. Supposedly based on a real ghost ship legend.

Gameplay-wise, it’s classic Supermassive. You’re making choices, hitting quick-time events (QTEs), and praying you don’t get your favorite character killed The story branches like crazy—every choice feels like it could kill someone or save ‘em. You’re picking dialogue with this “head or heart” compass thing, which sounds cheesy but actually works for those clutch “do I trust this sketchy dude?” moments and is a new concept that has followed onto the other Dark Pictures games. The QTEs can be tense as hell. Miss one, and your character might die. They added some accessibility stuff later, like QTE warnings and easier controls, which is nice for folks who don’t have the reflexes or prefer for a more casual gameplay. The game pushes its branching narrative hard, but some choices don’t impact the story as much as you’d expect. You’ll stress over a decision, only to find it loops back to the same outcome or has minor consequences.

Still, the relationships the charicters have with each other is affected by your decisisions and reactions to certain events, Stronger relationships can mean characters are more likely to save each other in clutch moments. For example, if Alex and Julia’s romance is solid, Julia might risk her neck to pull Alex out of a bad spot. But if you’ve been a jerk, like making Fliss and Conrad beef over dumb decisions, they might not lift a finger when the other’s in trouble, leading to some brutal deaths. It’s a little silly since I doubt once character would abandon them over an argument they had earlier, but this is horror movie logic.

Multiplayer is where this game gets wild. You got Shared Story mode, where you and a buddy play online, controlling different characters, and you can totally screw each other over without knowing it. Then there’s Movie Night mode, where you pass the controller around with your crew.

The ghost ship’s got this grimy, claustrophobic vibe—think Dead Space but wetter and with more jump scares. The character models are pretty good, especially since they’re motion-captured by legit actors like Shawn Ashmore, who was previously in the Quantum Break game. The atmosphere’s on point, with flickering lights and creepy noises that’ll make you check over your shoulder. But, man, the pacing? It’s slower than me trying to get through a 5K. The first half drags like a bad PKA tangent about crypto—takes forever to get to the spooky stuff. Without spoiling, the big narrative reveals lean on horror tropes that feel recycled if you’ve seen movies like Ghost Ship or Event Horizon. The supernatural elements and the “is it real or not?” angle aren’t as clever as they think they are.

Overall, Man of Medan is a fun, spooky ride with your boys, especially in multiplayer, but it’s not topping Until Dawn. If you’re into interactive horror and want something to play while arguing with your friends, it’s worth grabbing on sale

Road 96

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Road 96 drops you into Petria, a fictional dystopian country that’s basically “Authoritarian Land: The Road Trip.” You play as a bunch of runaway teens trying to cross the border, hitchhiking and making choices that supposedly shape the story. It’s got this roguelite thing going on, where every run’s different, and you’re juggling energy and cash while chatting up a cast of NPCs. Sounds cool on paper, right? But let’s not get all starry-eyed yet.

One of the many decisions

The game’s big selling point is its procedural storytelling where it shuffles dialogue and events like a deck of cards. Sure, it’s neat that no two playthroughs are identical, but don’t let that number fool you—it’s not like you’re getting unique novels. A lot of it feels like variations on the same vibe: you meet quirky characters, make some choices, and maybe get arrested or die if you screw up. The core loop—hitchhike, talk, minigame, repeat—gets old faster than you’d expect for a game hyping itself as endlessly replayable.

The narrative’s got this heavy-handed political edge, screaming “oppression bad, freedom good!”  I’m not saying it’s wrong, but it’s about as subtle as a sledgehammer to the face. You’re dodging cops and picking sides in a revolution, but the game’s politics feel like they were written by a college freshman who just discovered dystopian novels. It wants to be 1984 meets The Breakfast Club, but it lands closer to a Reddit thread about “the system.” The game tries to make every choice feel like you’re saving the world when half the time you’re just picking whether to steal a candy bar or not.

The game keeps track of your progress with different teenagers

The gameplay mostly sees you walking, talking, and playing minigames like pumping gas or bartending. Some of these are fun, like when you’re hacking a computer or dodging cops, but others feel like busywork to pad the runtime. The resource management—keeping your teen fed and funded—sounds intense but ends up being a minor annoyance. You’re not exactly strategizing like it’s XCOM; you’re just scrounging for bucks to buy a burger. And the “abilities” you unlock? Stuff like lockpicking or hacking sounds cool, but they’re just dialogue shortcuts, not game-changers.

The game’s story is set in 1996, which influences the world around you. Characters rock flannel shirts, ripped jeans, and chunky sneakers, with one of the main NPCs, Zoe, sporting a red bob and a rebellious attitude that’s pure 90s punk-grunge. It’s not over-the-top like a Saved by the Bell set, but it’s convincing enough to feel like you’re flipping through a 1996 zine. You won’t find super-specific references like Tamagotchis or Pogs cluttering the scenes, which might’ve added authenticity. It’s a bit sanitized, like the game’s afraid to lean too hard into the era’s weirder quirks. Still, the vibe works—it’s recognizable without being a caricature.

Petria’s authoritarian regime feels like a nod to the era’s dystopian sci-fi flicks (The X-Files was peak 90s paranoia), and the election plot echoes the political awareness that started bubbling up with stuff like Rock the Vote. Minigames and interactions also sprinkle in 90s flavor. You’ll play arcade cabinets, flip through cassette tapes, or mess with old-school tech like rotary phones. One sequence has you answering a quiz that feels like a warped version of a 90s game show, which is a nice touch. The game’s humor—sarcastic, a bit goofy—lands like something you’d hear on Beavis and Butt-Head.

Replayability’s a big claim here, and it’s got some legs. You’ll need at least six runs to see an ending, and choices do change how the election or characters’ fates play out. But let’s be real: after a couple runs, you’re seeing the same beats with slight remixes. It’s not Skyrim levels of freedom. If you’re the kind of guy who replays games to see every ending, cool, but I’m unsure most people will care enough to grind through all the permutations. Seven hours for the main story, maybe ten for completionists, and that’s if you don’t get bored.

Road 96 is a fun little road trip with some heart, but it’s not the masterpiece it thinks it is. If you’re into indie games and don’t mind some preachiness, give it a spin. Currently it’s on PlayStation Now/Plus Extra and was previously on Gamepass.

Call Of Duty – World At War

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A first person shooter released as a followup to Modern Warfare (Call Of Duty 4), here we return to history. World at War hits different in comparison to the previous titles in the series, taking on a more gritty undertone with the games campaign, which can carry over to it’s multiplayer maps.

The game is set during World War II, depicting intense battles such as Peleliu, Okinawa, Stalingrado, and Berlin. It emphasizes the gritty and brutal nature of the conflict, including unique enemies like Kamikaze fighters and Banzai chargers. The single-player campaign is split into two perspectives. The American campaign follows US Marine Raider Private C. Miller in the Pacific Theater, covering battles like Makin Atoll, Peleliu, and Okinawa. A mission featuring US Navy Petty Officer Locke as a gunner during Okinawa is also include. The Soviet Campiagn centers on Soviet soldier Private Dimitri Petrenko, alongside Sergeant Viktor Reznov, from Stalingrado to the Battle of Berlin, culminating in planting the Soviet flag on the Reichstag.

The game’s campaign touches on a few political elements, specifically with patriotism and Nation Duty. While not overt, the game subtly critiques the dehumanizing nature of war through its graphic violence and grim tone, showing the cost of militaristic ideologies. The campaign doesn’t shy away from war’s horrors—flamethrowers burn enemies alive, civilians are caught in crossfire (e.g., “Vendetta”), and missions like “Eviction” depict urban devastation. This contrasts with the patriotic heroism, suggesting war’s toll on all sides, though it’s less critical of Allied actions. The game’s mature rating and gritty aesthetic (dismemberment, blood effects) aim to portray WWII’s brutality authentically, unlike earlier, sanitized WWII games. However, it stops short of questioning the Allies’ moral framework, focusing on Axis aggression.

The game reflects WWII’s propaganda-driven narratives, with each side’s campaign reinforcing their ideological stance—American democracy vs. Japanese imperialism, Soviet communism vs. Nazi fascism. Soviet missions use rhetoric like “For the Motherland!” to evoke communist unity, while American missions emphasize liberating the Pacific. The game doesn’t explore internal political tensions (e.g., Soviet purges, U.S. segregation) but mirrors wartime propaganda’s black-and-white framing. This reflects how WWII media shaped public perception, with clear heroes and villains. The game’s Zombies mode, while fictional, uses Nazi zombies as a shorthand for evil, reinforcing this narrative.

The Pacific campaign subtly touches on imperialism, as the U.S. fights to reclaim territories from Japanese control, but it doesn’t critique American expansionism. Missions like “Semper Fi” and “Black Cats” focus on retaking islands like Makin and Okinawa, framing the U.S. as liberators. The game sidesteps the Pacific’s colonial history (e.g., U.S. control of the Philippines) and Japan’s imperialist ambitions are villainized without nuance.

This reflects a Western-centric view, where Allied actions are heroic, and Japanese motivations (e.g., resource-driven expansion) are reduced to fanatical aggression.

Multiplayer

There are six multiplayer modes, including Team Deathmatch and Capture the Flag, with a ranking system up to level 65. You can unlock weapons, perks, and grenades as they progress, with a Prestige mode resetting rank for additional class slots. Killstreaks are rewarded following several consecutive kills In a row without dying, the rewards  Includes three killstreak rewards: Recon Plane (3 kills), Artillery Strike (5 kills), and Attack Dogs (7 kills). There are 13 maps included, with additional maps added as DLC.

Zombies Mode

This was the first in the series to include a Zombies modes, which is a PVE mode where a team of players have to face off against computer controlled zombies whilst scoring enough points to spend on weapons, ammunition and barriers. The vibe is spooky, the teamwork is clutch, and it’s got that “one more game” energy that keeps you up ‘til 3 a.m. The later DLC zombie maps, like Verrückt, just crank the insanity up. This mode basically birthed a whole subgenre for Call of Duty and has become a common staple of the series. It can be best thought as a competitor to the Horde mode from Gears Of War 2, Firefight from Halo Reach, or survival from Left 4 Dead.

Versions

Xbox 360: The only version that has support for achievements, along with standard Xbox Live features like matchmaking and leaderboards. You do need to subscribe to play on Xbox Live unlike the other versions but is playable on the Xbox one and the Series consoles.

PlayStation 3: Compared to the 360 version, there is a noticeable frame drop when the game gets busy.Trophies were added following an update.

Wii: The Wii version is a tailored adaptation of the game for Nintendo’s console, offering unique benefits despite hardware limitations compared to the PS3, Xbox 360, and PC versions. While it sacrifices some graphical fidelity and features (e.g., no online co-op, fewer maps), it leverages the Wii’s motion controls and accessibility to deliver a different experience. I cant say the motion controls are good for aiming, sometimes you get a benefit of accuracy if the Wii Remote is playing nice, but most times it s awkward to correctly aim which makes the game more clunky to play.

Windows: Avaliable on Steam, but appears to lack achievement support since Steam did not support this at the time. This version still works on modern systems and the servicers are still online. But various security expoits make this version risky to play.

Conclusion

Call of Duty: World at War is a straight-up classic. The campaign’s a wild ride, multiplayer’s got that addictive grind, and Zombies? It’s not perfect—grenade spam and some repetitive missions can be a buzzkill—but this game’s got heart, guts, and a legacy that kicked off the Black Ops series of games.