CoD Black Ops 6 campaign in the test: One of the best CoD campaigns we have ever played

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 im Test.

Developer Treyarch has been there for four yearsworked – no other CoD part has had so much development time to date. What can happen when too little time is invested in a new series spin-off was only proven last year, which is due, among other things, to the lousy solo modewar.

But does that mean that Black Ops 6 is a series highlight? The simple answer: Yes – at least in the campaign!

The number in the title says it all:Black Ops now has a grown legacy, so some familiar faces from older series parts return to the story, such as veteran agent Frank Woods or the scar-faced Russell Adler.

However, you don't need a lot of prior knowledge because the basic plot, which takes place in 1991, is not particularly complex and therefore easy to understand.

The story of Black Ops 6: Tasty B-movie fare

When the CIA team around Woods, Troy Marshall and William "Case" Calderon is suspended after an operation and there are rumors of a mole in the secret service's ranks, the squad quickly goes into hiding to investigate on their own.

They are hunted not only by their own people, but also by the paramilitary unit "Pantheon", which soon turns out to be a huge threat to humanity.

Don't worry, there are no story spoilers here, we're short on the story during oursbut well entertained. There are the obligatory gaps in logic – why does a paramilitary unit have such a large number of men? – but there are also a few nice surprises and an exciting, albeit very drawn out, finale, the likes of which we have never seen in a CoD in this form.

The rendered cutscenes that advance the plot and look almost photorealistic in some places are also worth seeing.

A true variety monster

Call of Duty campaigns were always best when they offered variety in terms of gameplay and locations - as was the case recentlyor. And holla the forest fairy, that's what Black Ops 6 does!

In a total of 11 missions we embody Case Calderon most of the time and experience a mix of action blockbusters and spy thrillers in which, among other things, we free a colleague from a secret CIA facility in the USA, storm Saddam Hussein's palace in Iraq or in In an Italian casino you have to search the safe for important information.

The gunplay is great as usual. Particularly armored and therefore tough enemy types provide variety.

In terms of play, there are of course the CoD-typical Moorhuhn-like level tubes in which we shoot hordes of opponents into nirvana. Black Ops 6 can also rely on the excellent gunplay, which has never disappointed us in the series.

The numerous virtual shooting men feel great, and Case and Co. can also use some cool gadgets, such as a remote-controlled car with an explosive charge and – our highlight – a remote-controlled (!) throwing knife.

But Black Ops 6 doesn't remain so predictable. In the "Hunting Season" mission, for example, we help the SAS in Iraq to eliminate missile sites and explore a fairly large, open area where various secondary objectives (supply deliveries, enemy camps, etc.) are marked on the map.

In another mission, Black Ops 6 even slips into the horror/zombie genre - which may sound strange, but it fits perfectly at the relevant point. There are also some (vehicle) sequences with massive explosions, some of which are exaggeratedly spectacular - this is great action cinema!

Almost even better when it's quiet

But our highlight is definitely the spy thriller missions of Black Ops 6, because we often have to act as unseen as possible and sometimes even have a surprisingly large number of options. For example, quite early in the game we have to take a retina image of a US senator at a fundraising gala.

To get to him, we can, among other things, ask his wife at the bar about his affair or search his coat in the cloakroom for a note that a mysterious man has placed there. However, the options have no effect on the outcome of the mission - there are also no different endings in Black Ops 6.

Black Ops 6 also works wonderfully as a stealth game and thanks to the mini-games thrown in again and again (for example, for hacking doors or using a black light lamp to make fingerprints visible on number code locks), this aspect also gets a lot of weight, which is the bottom line very pleasant fast-slow mixture.

However, the pacing of Black Ops 6 is not perfect, as some chapters are noticeably lengthy. In the aforementioned "open world mission" in Iraq, for example, it is not necessary to explore all the points on the map, but it still took us over an hour (!), which the desolate setting doesn't really allow for.

And the last two missions, which are intertwined with each other, are well staged, but they take too much time for what comes out in the end.

You can also spend a surprising amount of time in the hideout of the renegade CIA team. The members return again and again to the rustic and spacious manor house in Bulgaria (the “Tower”).

If you don't want to start the next mission there straight away, you can look around the house for hidden secrets, chat with team members or build a few upgrades for the place with money collected in the missions.

The renegade team makes themselves comfortable in this former KGB hideout in Bulgaria.

The training area, equipment station and weapon workbench stations that can be installed in the hub also grant us various character and weapon improvements for money, such as increased health or reduced recoil - similar to the perks and attachments in multiplayer mode.

At first we questioned the gameplay sense behind this optional upgrade system, but since some places can be quite tricky even on the second of the four difficulty levels due to the sheer number of enemies and their accuracy, the operator extras - that's what they call them the game - definitely their raison d'être and actually make a noticeable difference in later levels.

Technically solid

The Black Ops 6 campaign also cuts a fine figure technically. The now somewhat dusty engine flexes its muscles with lighting effects and explosions, and there is also one of the most beautiful and detailed locations in CoD history to marvel at: the casino.

However, not all mission areas are nearly as attractive. The open-plan Iraq mission, for example, appears quite dreary with its sandy plains and rock formations. And unfortunately Treyarch hasn't worked on the characters' animations, which are still awkward in places and therefore sometimes unintentionally funny. Nevertheless: the long development time was definitely worth it.