Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 looks to the future

The sequel to the best-selling franchise in Call of Duty history is coming. Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 dials down the past and shoots forward to a bright, frightening future.

Design, plot, graphics, it’s all new. Sources say that COD: BO 2 takes its plot cues from a plausible future and one that is strikingly similar to Terminator 2.

Plot heavy

Resources are tight in 2025. Oil is gone, replaced by precious metals which power the wars of the future. With the assistance of David Goyer, screenwriter for Batman Begins, the story is going to bob and weave with the best COD titles. A tweaked graphics engine (built off DOOM III) promises superlative facial and body animations.

Fans can look forward to past friend returning. David Mason, son of COD: BO 1‘s hero Alex is the main protagonist. Predictably, it’s China versus the US in an all-out battle for supremacy.

And holy hell, it won’t be a totally linear experience. Black Ops 2 will rock “branching story threads” but precious little has been revealed regarding this gameplay tidbit. We’re sure it will boil down to “kill this guy” or “don’t kill this guy”. Here’s to innovation!

Strike Force!

the new “Strike Force” missions hint at what the emergent story-lines can deliver. Past COD titles have placed players in the boots of random soldiers, each fighting a different side of the war. Players can now pick and choose teams, and a positive or negative outcome affects the plot of BO 2. Yes, the players squad can be wiped out and the flow of the war fluxes accordingly.

The Strike Force missions will have an “open-world” feel, but from what we’ve seen, it almost seems like a real-time strategy take on the COD franchise, something which Half-life 2 did eight years ago. Players will jump in and out of soldiers and vehicles as the battle plays out. But Half-Life 2 never had controllable tank robots or Terminator 2 style Hunter-Killer drones. Exciting stuff.

A word on multiplayer

Here’s one area where change is unwelcome. COD’s multiplayer has been honed to a finely tuned killing system. Players spawn, murder and die. Rinse and repeat. There are no details on multiplayer as of yet (minus these scant rumours), but expect the same n00b-unfriendly game that’s worked so well.

This is a bold take on the COD: BO franchise and one that is very welcomed. Here’s to the future. Visit the official site for further details.