Black Ops 4 still manages to deliver a battle royale entry worthy of the Call of Duty brand despite it all. While the beta did showcase some shortcomings, it delivers upon promises of a huge map, tons of verticality, and a true Call of Duty experience. First off, it’s worth addressing how it’s similar to the standard BR game.
Like other battle royale titles, Blackout features a dwindling circle of safety, increasing the pressure as it shrinks. While other BRs have the storm or gas, Blackout has the Collapse. Its function is the same, with perhaps the forthcoming Battlefield Firestorm BR mode having the most unique circle enclosure (ring of fire).
Like PUBG and Fortnite’s Cart and ATK, Blackout offers a multitude of vehicles, including Choppers. While some may argue this vehicle mechanic is a bit clunky, it works well overall and it’s satisfying to eliminate opponents from the air. Moreover, while its beta began with only 80 players, Treyarch increased the count to 100 in the final hours, meaning it may very well be that size at launch.
It’ll be interesting to see how the increase in players influences the game, as Blackout utilizes the vertical space of the game well on its own. Fortnite has some verticality to its battles but that depends largely on the skill of the player. With Fortnite adding the Port-a-Fortress, it’s possible things will change, but for now, Blackout seems to do verticality better than Fortnite.
One of its biggest shortcomings thus far in the beta is a complex UI: equipping weapon attachments, activating perks, and looting bodies (while afraid of being shot) all are more difficult than the building UI of Fortnite on consoles, though unlike PUBG, Blackout shines on consoles. The mechanics work well and fill that niche of an in-between BR between the two heavy hitters, especially for those playing on a console.
Perks and weapon attachments can be picked up, granting the player a variety of bonuses. Zombies, which have always had a special place in the hearts of CoD fans, return in this mode, bringing with them the mystery box.
The zombies will defend the mystery box but some players will find it’s worth the effort, as they usually contain some of the best loot in the game. Blackout players need not worry about many zombies, however, as it was revealed they only appear in areas with a connection to the Zombies mode, and players can also see the light of the box like they could in the traditional Zombies mode.
All this and more has given many gamers the belief that Blackout is a “Fortnite-killer.” This opinion is somewhat substantiated by financial estimations following the number of viewers on Twitch, as well as Fortnite’s own reported dwindling popularity (however small). Nevertheless, the full game hasn’t launched, so it’s impossible to determine the full influence Blackout will have on the Battle Royale genre. It is competition, though, that’s for sure.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 is slated to release on October 12, 2018, for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.
