''Call of Duty: Black Ops II'' is a 2012
first-person shooter
First-person shooter (FPS) is a sub-genre of shooter video games centered on gun and other weapon-based combat in a first-person perspective, with the player experiencing the action through the eyes of the protagonist and controlling the p ...
video game developed by
Treyarch
Treyarch Corporation ( ; formerly Treyarch Invention LLC) is an American video game developer based in Santa Monica, California. Founded in 1996 by Peter Akemann and Doğan Köslü, it was acquired by Activision in 2001. The studio is known for ...
and published by
Activision
Activision Publishing, Inc. is an American video game publisher based in Santa Monica, California. It serves as the publishing business for its parent company, Activision Blizzard, and consists of several subsidiary studios. Activision is one ...
. It was released for
Microsoft Windows,
PlayStation 3
The PlayStation 3 (PS3) is a home video game console developed by Sony Computer Entertainment. The successor to the PlayStation 2, it is part of the PlayStation brand of consoles. It was first released on November 11, 2006, in Japan, November ...
, and
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is a home video game console developed by Microsoft. As the successor to the original Xbox, it is the second console in the Xbox series. It competed with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generati ...
on November 12, 2012, and for the
Wii U
The Wii U ( ) is a home video game console developed by Nintendo as the successor to the Wii. Released in late 2012, it is the first eighth-generation video game console and competed with Microsoft's Xbox One and Sony's PlayStation 4.
Th ...
on November 18 in North America and November 30 in PAL regions.
''Black Ops II'' is the ninth game in the ''
Call of Duty'' franchise of video games, a sequel to the 2010 game ''
Call of Duty: Black Ops'' and the first ''Call of Duty'' game for the Wii U. A corresponding game for the
PlayStation Vita, ''
Call of Duty: Black Ops: Declassified'', was developed by
nStigate Games and also released on November 13.
The game's campaign follows up the story of ''Black Ops'' and is set in the late 1980s and 2025. In the 1980s, the player switches control between Alex Mason and Frank Woods, two of the protagonists from ''Black Ops'', while in 2025, the player assumes control of Mason's son, David (
codenamed "Section"). Both time periods involve the characters pursuing Raul Menendez, a Nicaraguan cartel leader, who is responsible for kidnapping Woods in the 80s and later sparking a
second Cold War in 2025. The campaign features
nonlinear gameplay
A video game with nonlinear gameplay presents players with challenges that can be completed in a number of different sequences. Each player may take on (or even encounter) only some of the challenges possible, and the same challenges may be played ...
and has
multiple endings
A narrative typically ends in one set way, but certain kinds of narrative allow for multiple endings.
Comics
* ''The Death-Ray'' by Daniel Clowes.
* '' Cliff Hanger''.
Literature
* The ''Choose Your Own Adventure'' series.
* ''Fighting Fantas ...
.
Development for the game began soon after the release of ''Black Ops'', with Activision promising that the follow-up would bring "meaningful innovation" to the ''Call of Duty'' franchise. ''Black Ops II'' is the first game in the series to feature futuristic warfare technology and the first to present branching storylines driven by player choice as well as selecting weapons before starting story mode missions. It also offers a
3D display
A 3D display is a display device capable of conveying depth to the viewer. Many 3D displays are stereoscopic displays, which produce a basic 3D effect by means of stereopsis, but can cause eye strain and visual fatigue. Newer 3D displays such ...
option. The game was officially revealed on May 1, 2012, following a set of leaked information released during the previous months.
''Black Ops II'' received generally positive reviews from critics, with praise for its gameplay, story, multiplayer, and Zombies mode, but was criticized for its Strike Force missions. The game was a commercial success; within 24 hours of going on sale, the game grossed over $500 million.
It had remained the largest entertainment launch of all time until September 2013, when
Take-Two Interactive
Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. is an American video game holding company based in New York City and founded by Ryan Brant in September 1993.
The company owns two major publishing labels, Rockstar Games and 2K, which operate internal ...
announced that ''
Grand Theft Auto V'' had grossed $800 million in its first day of release. It went on to sell 7.5 million copies in the U.S. in November 2012, making it the highest-grossing game of the month.
A sequel, ''
Call of Duty: Black Ops III'', was released in 2015. ''
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War'', set between ''Black Ops'' and ''Black Ops II'', was released on November 13, 2020.
Gameplay
Campaign
''Black Ops II'' is the first ''Call of Duty'' video game to feature branching storylines, in which the player's choice affects both the current mission and in turn, the overall course of the story. Known as "Strike Force missions", these branching storylines appear during the 2025 storyline and feature
permanent death
Permadeath or permanent death is a game mechanic in both tabletop games and video games in which player characters who lose all of their Health (gaming), health are considered dead and cannot be used anymore. Depending on the situation, this co ...
. The success or failure of these missions can have ramifications for the wider campaign storyline. Choosing one of the missions locks out the others unless the player begins a fresh campaign.
Strike Force missions allow the player to control a number of different war assets, such as
unmanned aerial vehicles
An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), commonly known as a drone, is an aircraft without any human pilot, crew, or passengers on board. UAVs are a component of an unmanned aircraft system (UAS), which includes adding a ground-based controlle ...
, jet fighters and robots. If the player dies in a Strike Force mission, the campaign continues recording that loss, as opposed to letting the player load a previously saved checkpoint. The player's progress in the Strike Force missions may go on to change even the plans of the story's antagonist, Raul Menendez.
By the end of the game, the player may have changed the results of the new Cold War.
Similarly, in the main story missions, there are certain points where the player is given different choices and paths to progress, which could have an effect on the gameplay, as well as the story. ''Black Ops II'' is also the first game in the series to allow the player to customize their loadout before beginning a mission, creating freedom in choosing how to approach a mission.
Multiplayer
One of the biggest changes added to multiplayer mode in ''Black Ops II'' is the introduction of Pick 10, a new system within the Create-a-Class menu. Pick 10 gives the player a total of 10 allocation slots in a class, which are used for guns, perks, and grenades. The player can customize the slot allocation, to either have more attachments for a gun, or more perks.
Killstreaks from previous ''Call of Duty'' games are renamed as Scorestreaks, which are now earned by gaining points, rather than kills. This allows the player to focus on objective modes, which also earn points towards Scorestreaks.
Unlike past games, weapons in ''Black Ops II'' have a progression system, which is used to unlock weapon attachments. After maxing out a weapon's level, the player can choose to "prestige" the gun, similar to how they can prestige the player level, and reset their attachment progress. In exchange, the player can customize their weapons with custom clan tags and emblems.
''Black Ops II'' is also the first ''Call of Duty'' game to include a competitive mode. Known as League Play, the mode allows players of similar skill level to be matched together, and play according to the rules of
Major League Gaming
Major League Gaming Corp. (MLG) is a professional esports organization. MLG is headquartered in New York City, New York and was founded in 2002 by Sundance DiGiovanni and Mike Sepso. MLG has held official video game tournaments throughout the ...
.
Zombies
Treyarch confirmed that the Zombies mode would return for ''Black Ops II'' with new game modes. This is the third ''Call of Duty'' game to feature a Zombies mode, following ''
Call of Duty: World at War'' and ''
Call of Duty: Black Ops'', and the first to have game modes other than the traditional Survival mode. Treyarch also confirmed that Zombies would run on the game's multiplayer engine, allowing for a deeper community experience, along with new features. A new, 8 player co-op game called "Grief" is also supported, featuring 2 teams of 4 players competing to survive, unlike the previous games which only supported 4 player online co-op. As with the previous installments, each Zombies map contains "Easter eggs" side quests, which is used to progress the story. Another new mode, "Turned", is introduced with several downloadable content maps, in which one player attempts to survive three player-controlled zombies who must turn the other player into a zombie.
Plot
Single-player campaign
Setting and characters
The single-player campaign features two connected storylines, with the first set from 1986 to 1989 during the final years of the First
Cold War, and the other set in 2025 during a
Second Cold War and
Rare earths trade dispute. The protagonist of ''Black Ops'',
Alex Mason (
Sam Worthington
Samuel Henry John Worthington (born 2 August 1976) is an Australian actor. He is best known for playing Jake Sully in ''Avatar'' and its sequel, ''Avatar: The Way of Water''; Marcus Wright in ''Terminator Salvation'', and Perseus in '' Clash o ...
) returns as the protagonist in the first
Cold War section, and chronicles the rise to infamy of the game's primary antagonist, Raul Menendez (
Kamar de los Reyes
Kamar de los Reyes (born November 8, 1967) is a Puerto Rican actor. He is best known for his portrayal of Antonio Vega on the ABC soap opera, ''One Life to Live'', and as Raul Menendez, the primary antagonist of the 2012 video game, '' Call of ...
).
The 2025 section of the game features Alex Mason's son David (codenamed Section) (Rich MacDonald) as the protagonist, in which Menendez is plotting against the United States and China, with one of his ultimate goals being to see the United States locked in a new Cold War with China, in revenge for many of his misfortunes.
In this era, wars are defined by
robotics
Robotics is an interdisciplinary branch of computer science and engineering. Robotics involves design, construction, operation, and use of robots. The goal of robotics is to design machines that can help and assist humans. Robotics integrate ...
,
cyberwarfare,
unmanned vehicles, and other futuristic technology.
Returning characters include Alex Mason's
CIA
The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA ), known informally as the Agency and historically as the Company, is a civilian foreign intelligence service of the federal government of the United States, officially tasked with gathering, processing, ...
squadmates Frank Woods (James C. Burns) and Jason Hudson (
Michael Keaton
Michael John Douglas (born September 5, 1951), known professionally as Michael Keaton, is an American actor. He is known for his various comedic and dramatic film roles, including Jack Butler in ''Mr. Mom'' (1983), Betelgeuse in '' Beetlejuice'' ...
), former
Soviet Army
uk, Радянська армія
, image = File:Communist star with golden border and red rims.svg
, alt =
, caption = Emblem of the Soviet Army
, start_date ...
Colonel Lev Kravchenko (
Andrew Divoff), and disgraced
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army ( Russian: Рабо́че-крестья́нская Кра́сная армия),) often shortened to the Red Army, was the army and air force of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic and, afte ...
Captain Viktor Reznov (
Gary Oldman
Gary Leonard Oldman (born 21 March 1958) is an English actor and filmmaker. Known for his versatility and intense acting style, he has received various accolades, including an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and three British Academy ...
). New characters include: Section's
SEAL
Seal may refer to any of the following:
Common uses
* Pinniped, a diverse group of semi-aquatic marine mammals, many of which are commonly called seals, particularly:
** Earless seal, or "true seal"
** Fur seal
* Seal (emblem), a device to imp ...
teammates Mike Harper (
Michael Rooker
Michael Rooker (born April 6, 1955) is an American actor known for his roles as Henry in '' Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer'' (1986), Chick Gandil in ''Eight Men Out'' (1988), Frank Baily in '' Mississippi Burning'' (1988), Terry Cruger in '' ...
) and Javier Salazar (Celestino Cornielle), their commanding officer Admiral Tommy Briggs (
Tony Todd
Tony Todd (born December 4, 1954) is an American actor who made his debut as Sgt. Warren in the film ''Platoon'' (1986), and portrayed Kurn in the television series '' Star Trek: The Next Generation'' (1990–1991) and '' Star Trek: Deep Space N ...
), the CIA
double agent
In the field of counterintelligence, a double agent is an employee of a secret intelligence service for one country, whose primary purpose is to spy on a target organization of another country, but who is now spying on their own country's organ ...
Farid (
Omid Abtahi
Omid Abtahi ( fa, امید ابطحی) is an Iranian-American actor. noorfilmfestival.com Accessed 2016-1-28 He is best known for his roles as Salim in Starz Original ''American Gods'', Doctor Pershing in ''The Mandalorian'' on Disney+, Saleem U ...
),
U.S. President
The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States ...
Marion Bosworth (Cira Larkin), Strategic Defense Coalition leader General Tian Zhao (
Byron Mann
Byron Mann is a Hong Kong-American actor of film and television. His best-known roles include Ryu in '' Street Fighter'', Silver Lion in '' The Man with the Iron Fists'', Wing Chau in ''The Big Short'', Admiral Augusto Nguyen on ''The Expanse'' ...
), Tacitus Corporation ex-employee Chloe Lynch (codename Karma) (
Erin Cahill
Erin Jessica Cahill (born January 4, 1980) is an American actress. She is best known for her roles as Jen Scotts in ''Power Rangers Time Force'', Ted Mosby's sister Heather in ''How I Met Your Mother'', and Kendra Burke in '' Saving Grace''. S ...
). The game also features several historical and real-life characters, including:
UNITA
The National Union for the Total Independence of Angola ( pt, União Nacional para a Independência Total de Angola, abbr. UNITA) is the second-largest political party in Angola. Founded in 1966, UNITA fought alongside the Popular Movement for ...
leader
Jonas Savimbi (
Robert Wisdom
Robert Ray Wisdom (born September 14, 1953) is an American actor, best known for his roles as Howard "Bunny" Colvin in '' The Wire,'' Norman "Lechero" St. John in ''Prison Break'', and Harold Conway in the 2021 Hulu movie ''Vacation Friends''.
...
), former
Panama
Panama ( , ; es, link=no, Panamá ), officially the Republic of Panama ( es, República de Panamá), is a transcontinental country spanning the southern part of North America and the northern part of South America. It is bordered by Co ...
nian leader
Manuel Noriega
Manuel Antonio Noriega Moreno (; February 11, 1934 – May 29, 2017) was a Panamanian dictator, politician and military officer who was the ''de facto'' ruler of Panama from 1983 to 1989. An authoritarian ruler who amassed a personal f ...
(
Benito Martinez), Colonel
Oliver North
Oliver Laurence North (born October 7, 1943) is an American political commentator, television host, military historian, author, and retired United States Marine Corps lieutenant colonel.
A veteran of the Vietnam War, North was a National Secu ...
(voiced by himself), and former
CIA director
The director of the Central Intelligence Agency (D/CIA) is a statutory office () that functions as the head of the Central Intelligence Agency, which in turn is a part of the United States Intelligence Community.
Beginning February 2017, the D ...
David Petraeus
David Howell Petraeus (; born November 7, 1952) is a retired United States Army general and public official. He served as Director of the Central Intelligence Agency from September 6, 2011, until his resignation on November 9, 2012. Prior to ...
(
Jim Meskimen
James Ross Meskimen (born September 10, 1959) is an American actor, comedian and impressionist, who is best known for his voice-over work in video games.
Early life
James Ross Meskimen was born in Santa Monica, California on September 10, 1959 ...
).
Jimmy Kimmel
James Christian Kimmel (born November 13, 1967) is an American television host, comedian, writer, and producer. He is the host and executive producer of ''Jimmy Kimmel Live!'', a late-night talk show that premiered on ABC on January 26, 2003, ...
cameos as himself in one of the game's endings, while the rock band
Avenged Sevenfold
Avenged Sevenfold (abbreviated as A7X) is an American heavy metal band from Huntington Beach, California, formed in 1999. The band's current lineup consists of lead vocalist M. Shadows, rhythm guitarist and backing vocalist Zacky Vengeance ...
makes a non-canonical appearance at the end of the game.
Story
In 1986, Alex Mason, now retired from active duty, pursues an obscure existence in
Alaska
Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U.S. ...
with his son, seven-year-old David. Their shaky relationship is further strained when Jason Hudson approaches Mason for an assignment in
Cuando Cubango during the height of the
Angolan Civil War
The Angolan Civil War ( pt, Guerra Civil Angolana) was a civil war in Angola, beginning in 1975 and continuing, with interludes, until 2002. The war immediately began after Angola became independent from Portugal in November 1975. The war was ...
and
South African Border War
The South African Border War, also known as the Namibian War of Independence, and sometimes denoted in South Africa as the Angolan Bush War, was a largely asymmetric conflict that occurred in Namibia (then South West Africa), Zambia, and Ango ...
. Frank Woods and his team have disappeared aiding
Jonas Savimbi's
UNITA
The National Union for the Total Independence of Angola ( pt, União Nacional para a Independência Total de Angola, abbr. UNITA) is the second-largest political party in Angola. Founded in 1966, UNITA fought alongside the Popular Movement for ...
rebels against Angola's
Marxist government; their actions have already been disavowed by the
CIA
The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA ), known informally as the Agency and historically as the Company, is a civilian foreign intelligence service of the federal government of the United States, officially tasked with gathering, processing, ...
, but Hudson hopes to rescue any survivors. Mason and Hudson recover Woods from the
Kavango River
The Okavango River (formerly spelled Okovango or Okovanggo), Also known as the Cubango River, is a river in southwest Africa. It is the fourth-longest river system in southern Africa, running southeastward for . It begins at an elevation of in ...
, subsequently encountering Raul Menendez among a contingent of
Cuban
Cuban may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to Cuba, a country in the Caribbean
* Cubans, people from Cuba, or of Cuban descent
** Cuban exile, a person who left Cuba for political reasons, or a descendant thereof
* Cuban citizen, a perso ...
military advisers. After a lengthy firefight, the trio are rescued by Savimbi. It is revealed that Menendez is responsible for holding Woods captive after murdering his team.
In light of this, Mason, Woods, and Hudson begin tracking Menendez, an established primary arms dealer for bush conflicts in Southern Africa and Latin America. The CIA later authorize a strike against the unscrupulous Nicaraguan, now making a healthy profit running arms across
Soviet-occupied Afghanistan
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...
. The trio and Chinese operative Tian Zhao ally with the Afghan
Mujahideen against the Soviets. They capture Lev Kravchenko,
who survived the grenade explosion with Woods in Vietnam, and interrogate him into disclosing that Menendez has
moles Moles can refer to:
* Moles de Xert, a mountain range in the Baix Maestrat comarca, Valencian Community, Spain
* The Moles (Australian band)
*The Moles, alter ego of Scottish band Simon Dupree and the Big Sound
People
*Abraham Moles, French engin ...
inside the CIA before executing him. The Mujahideen then betray the Americans and Zhao, leaving them to die in the Afghan wilderness until their rescue by two unidentified civilians.
The origins of Menendez's
anti-American sentiment are revealed. His sister Josefina was disfigured in a fire as part of an insurance fraud masterminded by an American businessman. The CIA sanctions the assassination of Menendez's father after uncovering his ties to South American
drug trade. Mason, Woods, Hudson, and
Panamanian security forces led by President
Manuel Noriega
Manuel Antonio Noriega Moreno (; February 11, 1934 – May 29, 2017) was a Panamanian dictator, politician and military officer who was the ''de facto'' ruler of Panama from 1983 to 1989. An authoritarian ruler who amassed a personal f ...
raid Menendez's compound in Nicaragua; during the chaos, Woods inadvertently kills Josefina with a grenade. Conspiring with Noriega to fake his demise, Menendez crosses paths with Mason and Woods again during the
American invasion of Panama. Revealing that he had coerced Hudson to be his mole, Menendez captures Hudson and David and has Hudson manipulate Woods into shooting Mason before crippling Woods. He then executes Hudson, promising to return and complete his revenge at a later date.
In 2025, Menendez reemerges as the charismatic leader of Cordis Die, a militant populist movement. His organization stages a
cyberattack
A cyberattack is any offensive maneuver that targets computer information systems, computer networks, infrastructures, or personal computer devices. An attacker is a person or process that attempts to access data, functions, or other restricte ...
that cripples the Chinese stock exchanges, forcing their government to leverage its economic influence and sparking a second Cold War between
NATO
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two No ...
and the Chinese-led Strategic Defense Coalition headed by Zhao. David, now a
Navy SEAL
The United States Navy Sea, Air, and Land (SEAL) Teams, commonly known as Navy SEALs, are the U.S. Navy's primary special operations force and a component of the Naval Special Warfare Command. Among the SEALs' main functions are conducting s ...
Lt. Commander code-named Section, spearheads an effort by American
Joint Special Operations Command
The Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) is a joint component command of the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) and is charged with studying special operations requirements and techniques to ensure interoperability and equi ...
(JSOC) to track down Menendez. They fail to apprehend him but learn that Menendez is planning a second cyberattack with global repercussions, dependent on a
quantum supercomputer
Quantum computing is a type of computation whose operations can harness the phenomena of quantum mechanics, such as quantum superposition, superposition, Wave interference#Quantum interference, interference, and quantum entanglement, entanglement ...
engineered by rogue developer Chloe Lynch. Section and two other SEALs, Harper and Salazar, either rescue Lynch by killing Menendez's second-in-command, DeFalco, or he escapes. The "Strike Force" mission "Second Chance" must be completed to rescue Lynch if the latter occurs.
JSOC finally capture Menendez in Yemen with the assistance of undercover CIA agent, Farid. However, before being apprehended, Menendez orders Farid to kill a captured Harper. Menendez will execute Farid if he refuses. American forces take Menendez aboard the aircraft carrier U.S.S. ''Barack Obama'', commanded by Admiral Briggs; however, Menendez escapes with the aid of a mole inside JSOC: Salazar. How Salazar's betrayal pans out is determinant on the fates of Lynch, Farid, and DeFalco. Menendez hacks into the U.S. military satellite to seize control of their entire drone fleet. Whether the Americans regain control is determined by whether the Strike Force missions were completed and whether Briggs remains alive to activate the ship's defenses.
Regardless, Menendez uses the drones to attack
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...
during a meeting of
G20
The G20 or Group of Twenty is an intergovernmental forum comprising 19 countries and the European Union (EU). It works to address major issues related to the global economy, such as international financial stability, climate change mitigatio ...
leaders, hoping to kill them and foment widespread economic and civil chaos. With the drones also targeting several other strategic cities across the U.S. and China, Section escorts the
President of the United States
The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States ...
to safety in a
Cougar HE. Menendez is tracked to Haiti, where Section must either execute or reapprehend him.
Endings
The events of the player's ending are determined on the fates of Menendez, Lynch, and Alex Mason, and whether the Strike Force missions were completed.
* If Section executes Menendez, a video is uploaded to YouTube, where Menendez commands Cordis Die to revolt. Cordis Die supporters launch a massive global insurrection, resulting in the burning of the
White House
The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. It is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., and has been the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in ...
and widespread anarchy. This ending is canon and sets the stage for ''
Call of Duty: Black Ops III''.
* If Section reapprehends Menendez and Lynch survives, she will prevent Menendez's cyberattack, and he will remain imprisoned, watching Lynch being interviewed on ''
Jimmy Kimmel Live
''Jimmy Kimmel Live!'' is an American late-night talk show, created and hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, broadcast on ABC. The nightly hour-long show debuted on January 26, 2003, at Hollywood Masonic Temple in Hollywood, California, as part of ABC's lea ...
'', where she insults Menendez as he rages in his cell.
* If Section reapprehends Menendez and Lynch was killed or not rescued, Menendez's cyberattack will succeed, and he will break out of prison. He heads to the Vault and kills Woods, then travels to his sister's grave, digs up her corpse, and
lights himself on fire.
* If Mason survives being shot by Woods, he will reunite with him and Section. If he does not, David retires from the military after visiting his father's grave.
* If all the Strike Force missions were completed, China and the United States would ally, ending the Second Cold War.
A non-canon ending is unlocked by completing the game, depicting Menendez and Woods performing at a concert with
Synyster Gates and
M. Shadows
Matthew Charles Sanders (born July 31, 1981), known by his stage name M. Shadows, is an American singer and songwriter. He is the lead vocalist and a founding member of heavy metal band Avenged Sevenfold. In 2017, Shadows was voted third in th ...
of
Avenged Sevenfold
Avenged Sevenfold (abbreviated as A7X) is an American heavy metal band from Huntington Beach, California, formed in 1999. The band's current lineup consists of lead vocalist M. Shadows, rhythm guitarist and backing vocalist Zacky Vengeance ...
, with the rest of the characters from the game dancing. It is shown after the 2nd half of the credits and acts as the game's official music video.
Zombies
Characters and setting
Zombies takes place throughout various time periods, mostly focused during the modern time, in a post-apocalyptic world, created as a result of the missile launch from the moon striking the Earth. The majority of the story follows four new characters: Samuel Stuhlinger (
David Boat
Dave Boat is an American voice actor
Voice acting is the art of performing voice-overs to present a character or provide information to an audience. Performers are called voice actors/actresses, voice artists, dubbing artists, voice talen ...
), Marlton Johnson (
Scott Menville
Scott David Menville (born February 12, 1971) is an American actor who is known for his voice work in animated films, television series and video games.
Life and career
Menville was born on February 12, 1971, to television animator and writer ...
), Abigail "Misty" Briarton (
Stephanie Lemelin
Stephanie Lemelin is an American actress and comedienne. She is best known for voicing Artemis Crock on '' Young Justice'', Eep on '' Dawn of the Croods'' and Audrey on ''Harvey Girls Forever!''.
Education
Lemelin graduated in 2001 from the Uni ...
) and Russman (
Keith Szarabajka
Keith Szarabajka (; ; born December 2, 1952) is an American actor. He is perhaps best known for his roles as Mickey Kostmayer on '' The Equalizer'', Daniel Holtz on ''Angel'', Gerard Stephens in '' The Dark Knight'' and Adam Engell in '' Argo''. ...
). Dr. Edward Richtofen (
Nolan North
Nolan North (born October 31, 1970) is an American actor best known for his voice acting roles.
After his breakthrough role as Dr. Chris Ramsey on the ABC soap opera '' Port Charles'' in 1997, North moved into voice acting when the show ended ...
), one of the previous playable characters from the previous game, returns as the demonic announcer, overseeing the four characters. Another returning character is Dr. Ludvig Maxis (
Fred Tatasciore
Fred Tatasciore (; ) is an American voice actor who has provided voices in animated and live-action films, television shows, and video games. He is known for voicing the Hulk and Beast in various Marvel media and Solomon Grundy in various DC ...
), who instructs the new group to help him defeat Richtofen. Players can choose whether to help Maxis or Richtofen, which will have different results once the story ends. The map "Mob of the Dead" features a new crew of characters: Albert "The Weasel" Arlington (
Joe Pantoliano
Joseph Peter Pantoliano (born September 12, 1951) is an American character actor who has appeared in over 150 films, television and stage productions.
After his early roles in the television series '' M*A*S*H'' and the 1983 comedy '' Risky Bu ...
), Billy Handsome (
Ray Liotta
Raymond Allen Liotta (; December 18, 1954 – May 26, 2022) was an American actor. He was best known for his roles as Shoeless Joe Jackson in ''Field of Dreams'' (1989) and Henry Hill in Martin Scorsese's ''Goodfellas'' (1990). He was a Primet ...
), Michael "Finn" O'Leary (
Michael Madsen
Michael Søren Madsen (born September 25, 1957) is an American actor. He has starred in many films and television series, frequently collaborating with director Quentin Tarantino, most famously in the latter's debut film '' Reservoir Dogs'' (1 ...
), and Salvatore "Sal" DeLuca (
Chazz Palminteri). The map "Origins" features an alternate version of the original crew: Tank Dempsey (
Steven Blum
Steven Jay Blum (; born April 29, 1960) is an American voice actor. Known for his distinctively deep voice, his most well-known roles include Spike Spiegel from the anime series '' Cowboy Bebop'', Garazeb Orrelios from the animated series ''S ...
), Nikolai Belinski (also voiced by Tatasciore), Takeo Masaki (
Tom Kane
Thomas Kane Roberts (born April 15, 1962) is a retired American voice actor. He is best known for his work in animation and video games, most notably in the '' Star Wars'' franchise.
Career
Kane began his voice-over career in 1977, at fifteen ye ...
), and Richtofen (
Nolan North
Nolan North (born October 31, 1970) is an American actor best known for his voice acting roles.
After his breakthrough role as Dr. Chris Ramsey on the ABC soap opera '' Port Charles'' in 1997, North moved into voice acting when the show ended ...
), as well as Maxis' daughter, Samantha (
Julie Nathanson
Julie Nathanson (born May 10, 1975) is an American actress who can be heard as Silver Banshee and Jewelee in DC's animated film '' Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay'' and as Jess Black in Ubisoft's '' Far Cry 5''. She has been voicing Belle from ''Bea ...
).
Story
In
Nevada
Nevada ( ; ) is a state in the Western region of the United States. It is bordered by Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. Nevada is the 7th-most extensive, ...
, a team of
CIA
The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA ), known informally as the Agency and historically as the Company, is a civilian foreign intelligence service of the federal government of the United States, officially tasked with gathering, processing, ...
and
CDC
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is the national public health agency of the United States. It is a United States federal agency, under the Department of Health and Human Services, and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgi ...
operatives investigate a nuclear testing site known as "Nuketown", where they are attacked by
zombies
A zombie (Haitian French: , ht, zonbi) is a mythological undead corporeal revenant created through the reanimation of a corpse. Zombies are most commonly found in horror and fantasy genre works. The term comes from Haitian folklore, in wh ...
. At the same time, Dr. Edward Richtofen seizes control of the zombies by entering the
Aether from Group 935's moon base. However, Dr. Ludvig Maxis joins with his daughter Samantha and Richtofen's former allies, Tank Dempsey, Nikolai Belinski, and Takeo Masaki, to thwart him. To end this, Maxis launches three massive nuclear missiles filled with Element 115, the element responsible for the reanimation of dead cells, at the Earth, destroying its atmosphere. One missile completely destroys Nuketown and all present, except for one individual, Marlton Johnson, who escapes after hiding out in the site's bunker.
Ten years later
following the events on the Moon, Earth has been reduced to a crumbling, hellish wasteland
overrun by zombies. In this new world, four survivors - Samuel Stuhlinger, Abigail "Misty" Briarton, Marlton, and Russman - have banded together to survive in
Washington
Washington commonly refers to:
* Washington (state), United States
* Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States
** A metonym for the federal government of the United States
** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...
with the help of a bus driven by a robotic driver. The four are contacted by both Richtofen and Maxis, who is now a digital
artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence (AI) is intelligence—perceiving, synthesizing, and inferring information—demonstrated by machines, as opposed to intelligence displayed by animals and humans. Example tasks in which this is done include speech r ...
, for aid against the other. Both former scientists request the four to assist them in powering up a tower within the area to work in their favor. Once done, regardless of the path they choose, they are teleported by Richtofen to a crumbling skyline in
Shanghai
Shanghai (; , , Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ) is one of the four direct-administered municipalities of the People's Republic of China (PRC). The city is located on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the Huangpu River flowin ...
, China. The four learn of The Flesh, a cannibalistic cult that chooses to eat zombie meat, as well as the beginnings of a new airborne
pandemic of Element 115. Stuhlinger is threatened by Richtofen, who knows of his past as a member of The Flesh, which allows only him to hear Richtofen and not the others. At the site, Maxis and Richtofen once again instruct the four to power up a second tower.
Following their battles in Shanghai, Russman leads the group across the continents to a large hole in the ground known as The Rift in Africa, hoping to find answers about the unseen forces commanding them. Richtofen commands Samuel to "mend the rift". The four gain a new ally in the form of a mute giant (real name later known as Arthur) in a Western town warped underground by temporal displacement, and are hampered by a ghostly woman in a massive mansion. In the canonical ending, the group aids Maxis, allowing him to use the power from the towers to enter the Aether and assume ultimate control, trapping Richtofen in a zombie's body. However, the Earth begins shaking, and Maxis explains to the four that he is beginning the process of the destruction of the Earth and humanity to reach
Agartha
Agartha (sometimes Agartta, Agharti, Agarath, Agarta, Agharta, or Agarttha) is a legendary kingdom that is said to be located in the Earth's core. It is related to the belief in a hollow Earth and is a popular subject in esotericism.
History
T ...
, where he believes Samantha is; in the non-canon ending, the group aids Richtofen, letting him gain unlimited power over the Aether and the Earth, allowing him to kill Maxis and condemn Samantha's soul to eternal damnation.
Following the canonical ending, Maxis then plucks Samantha's soul from Richtofen's body on the Moon and forces her to join him in Agartha. Realizing her father has been corrupted by the Aether, Samantha reaches out to an alternate version of him, who resides in Dimension 63. She ends up in 1918 in France during
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, where Group 935 was formed much earlier, with Maxis as one of its leaders, operating to secure
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
** Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ge ...
victory in the war. Group 935 created mechanical robots, as well as staffs that control the powers of the elements. Stumbling upon an ancient tomb believed to be of
Vril
''The Coming Race'' is a novel by Edward Bulwer-Lytton, published anonymously in 1871. It has also been published as ''Vril, the Power of the Coming Race''.
Some readers have believed the account of a superior subterranean master race and th ...
origin, they accidentally unleash the first known zombie outbreak in history. Aiming to stop Germany, Japan, Russia and the United States of America send Takeo, Nikolai and Dempsey to capture Richtofen, the mastermind behind the advanced technology. By this time, Group 935's operatives have been wiped out, and Maxis himself was
lobotomized
A lobotomy, or leucotomy, is a form of neurosurgical treatment for psychiatric disorder or neurological disorder (e.g. epilepsy) that involves severing connections in the brain's prefrontal cortex. The surgery causes most of the connections t ...
when he began to turn into a zombie. The group are contacted by Samantha, who begs them to free her from Agartha. Richtofen puts Maxis' brain in a flying drone, and he joins the fight against the zombies and to free Samantha. The group is eventually successful, and while Maxis meets his daughter, they enter Agartha to be rewarded. A cutscene is played, showing Samantha with a boy named Eddie inside a house playing with toys of the characters who have appeared in the Zombies game mode throughout
all
All or ALL may refer to:
Language
* All, an indefinite pronoun in English
* All, one of the English determiners
* Allar language (ISO 639-3 code)
* Allative case (abbreviated ALL)
Music
* All (band), an American punk rock band
* ''All'' (All al ...
three
3 is a number, numeral, and glyph.
3, three, or III may also refer to:
* AD 3, the third year of the AD era
* 3 BC, the third year before the AD era
* March, the third month
Books
* '' Three of Them'' (Russian: ', literally, "three"), a 1901 ...
games.
Air raid sirens are heard and the two children retreat to the basement with Maxis, with Samantha noting her father has
a plan to make the heroes of their games real.
A separate story, "Mob of the Dead", taking place also in Dimension 63, focuses on four mobsters: Salvatore "Sal" DeLuca, Billy Handsome, Michael "Finn" O'Leary, and Albert "The Weasel" Arlington, who are incarcerated at
Alcatraz Island
Alcatraz Island () is a small island in San Francisco Bay, offshore from San Francisco, California, United States. The island was developed in the mid-19th century with facilities for a lighthouse, a military fortification, and a military pri ...
. On New Year's Eve 1933, the four attempt to escape the prison, using Weasel's plan to build a makeshift airplane called Icarus. However, the prison becomes infested with zombies, and they are forced to fight their way out. They succeed in building the airplane, but crash-land at the
Golden Gate Bridge. They are then teleported back to the prison, with no memories of their previous attempt (except Weasel, who keeps a journal of the ongoing events). They continuously try to escape, but the result remains the same. After many failures, they discover that they were actually stuck in
Purgatory
Purgatory (, borrowed into English via Anglo-Norman and Old French) is, according to the belief of some Christian denominations (mostly Catholic), an intermediate state after physical death for expiatory purification. The process of purgatory ...
, constantly repeating a cycle as punishment for their past sins. In reality, the escape plan never came to fruition, and Weasel was killed by the other three on New Year's Eve, while the rest were given the death penalty weeks later. Having remembered the truth, Sal, Billy and Finn set out to kill Weasel once again. Two possible endings can occur: if Weasel is killed, the cycle repeats once again; if Weasel lives and the other three are killed, the cycle is broken, and he is finally freed of his punishment. The latter ending is canonical.
Development
Activision Blizzard
Activision Blizzard, Inc. is an American video game holding company based in Santa Monica, California. It was founded in July 2008 through the merger of Activision, Inc. (the publicly traded parent company of Activision Publishing) and Viven ...
CEO
Robert Kotick
Robert A. Kotick (born 1963) is an American businessman who serves as the chief executive officer (CEO) of Activision Blizzard. He became CEO of Activision in 1991 after purchasing a company stake the previous year. Kotick engineered a merger ...
stated on November 8, 2011, that a new ''Call of Duty'' game was in development for a 2012 release and would be the newest installment in the franchise. The game was officially confirmed by Activision during its fourth-quarter earnings call on February 9, 2012, who promised that it would feature "meaningful innovation" for the series.
Oliver North
Oliver Laurence North (born October 7, 1943) is an American political commentator, television host, military historian, author, and retired United States Marine Corps lieutenant colonel.
A veteran of the Vietnam War, North was a National Secu ...
, who was involved in the
Iran–Contra affair
The Iran–Contra affair ( fa, ماجرای ایران-کنترا, es, Caso Irán–Contra), often referred to as the Iran–Contra scandal, the McFarlane affair (in Iran), or simply Iran–Contra, was a political scandal in the United States ...
was a consultant on the 1980s portion and helped promote the game. The author and defense expert
Peter W. Singer served as a consultant on the 2025 storyline of the game.
Internal leaks
In February 2012, a product page for ''Call of Duty: Black Ops 2'' appeared on
Amazon France and was quickly taken down. No information had yet been released by Activision, but Gameblog claimed that Activision demanded the removal of its original report too. When it refused to do so, the publisher reportedly cut off Gameblog from ad support, review game mailings, and future Activision events for refusing to comply. Activision denied Gameblog's claims that it had been cut off. Around the same time, computer game artist Hugo Beyer also listed "Black Ops 2" as his current project in his LinkedIn CV, then removed his LinkedIn page. Beyer is an artist working for Nerve Software, "a Dallas-based independent developer" which has "helped" with previous Activision games including ''Black Ops'' in 2010. A "Black Ops 2" trademark by Activision was spotted January 2012. Further, ''Black Ops 2'' was listed by the France international entertainment retail chain
Fnac
Fnac () is a large French retail chain selling culture, cultural and consumer electronics, electronic products, founded by André Essel and Max Théret in 1954. Its head office is in ''Le Flavia'' in Ivry-sur-Seine near Paris. It is an abbreviati ...
in March 2012, which touted a predictable November release date.
On April 9, 2012, an image was leaked on the official Call of Duty website, which leaked the ''Call of Duty: Black Ops 2'' logo, as well as a revealing date of April 28, 2012. The URL was later removed. On April 18, 2012, Kotaku received an image from "a retail source", which showed a teaser poster that lacked a game title but had clear clues to ''Black Ops'' and a May 2 date that seemingly points to an unveiling. On April 27, 2012, an image containing two
Target
Target may refer to:
Physical items
* Shooting target, used in marksmanship training and various shooting sports
** Bullseye (target), the goal one for which one aims in many of these sports
** Aiming point, in field artillery, f ...
pre-order cards sent by IGN reader Richard confirmed the game's title and release date. The cards clearly display the ''Call of Duty: Black Ops II'' logo, and the release date November 13, 2012.
Reveal
![Gamescom 2012](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f3/Gamescom_2012.jpg)
On April 23, 2012, Activision redesigned CallofDuty.com to announce that the game would be revealed on May 1, 2012, during the
NBA playoffs
The playoffs, play-offs, postseason or finals of a sports league are a competition played after the regular season by the top competitors to determine the league champion or a similar accolade. Depending on the league, the playoffs may be eit ...
on
TNT
Trinitrotoluene (), more commonly known as TNT, more specifically 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene, and by its preferred IUPAC name 2-methyl-1,3,5-trinitrobenzene, is a chemical compound with the formula C6H2(NO2)3CH3. TNT is occasionally used as a reagen ...
. The art featured on the site matched up perfectly with the supposed retailer leak received by Kotaku. However, parts of the official website went live hours prior to the announcement, which revealed the title, confirmed the release date for PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, and the "21st Century Cold War" setting. Activision had hinted that the game may eventually become available for Nintendo's own consoles, although had no official announcements for the time being. As promised by Activision, the preview for the game was revealed in the form of a YouTube trailer that detailed the futuristic setting, the characters carried over from the previous games, and the conflict.
After the game was revealed, the preorder rates on the game set records three times higher than for the preorders of the first ''Black Ops''. Critics have noted the trailer's similarities to that of ''
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots''. On July 19, 2012, a second trailer was released by
Treyarch
Treyarch Corporation ( ; formerly Treyarch Invention LLC) is an American video game developer based in Santa Monica, California. Founded in 1996 by Peter Akemann and Doğan Köslü, it was acquired by Activision in 2001. The studio is known for ...
, offering insight into the game's narrative. The storyline was described by writer
David S. Goyer
David Samuel Goyer (born December 22, 1965) is an American filmmaker, novelist and comic book writer. He is best known for writing the screenplays for several superhero films, including '' Nick Fury: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.'' (1998), the ''Blade'' ...
as "better than a Hollywood movie".
Gameplay revisions
![E3 Expo 2012 - black ops soldiers (7640965222)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/50/E3_Expo_2012_-_black_ops_soldiers_%287640965222%29.jpg)
In developing ''Black Ops II'', Treyarch introduced several revisions to the gameplay mechanics for online multiplayer that have been a hallmark of the ''Call of Duty'' franchise. These include the introduction of "multi-team" games that allow matches to host three or more teams of players, in contrast to the traditional two factions, and revisions to the "Create-A-Class" function that allows users to select which guns, attachments, weapon camouflage and perks (additional bonuses that alter aspects of gameplay) to use in multiplayer matches.
The "Kill Streak" function, which gives players in-game rewards for killing other players, was revised and is now known as "Score Streaks".
Whereas players still receive in-game rewards, these are unlocked by performing certain actions – such as killing other players, successfully capturing territory, and so on – rather than simply killing other players.
Furthermore, the "wager matches" feature included in ''
Call of Duty: Black Ops'' was removed.
These changes were introduced to shift the emphasis towards objective-based gameplay, to reward players who work in teams and to make the game more accessible to new players.
There is also 3D support if players are playing with an HDMI cable on a 3D TV. Before entering multiplayer mode, there is a 3D setting in the "options" menu.
Japanese releases
Square Enix released the game for the Japanese market on November 22, 2012, as a subbed version. A Japanese voice-dubbed version was released separately on December 20, 2012. The script for this version was translated by Zenigame Nakamoto. The translated version was criticized for its translation errors. The Japanese release of the Wii U port is only the dubbed version since the console was not available in Japan in November.
Soundtrack
The game's soundtrack was composed by
Jack Wall,
with the main theme composed by
Trent Reznor
Michael Trent Reznor (born May 17, 1965) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, record producer, and composer. He serves as the lead vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, and principal songwriter of the industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails, wh ...
,
the leader of industrial rock project
Nine Inch Nails since 1988.
The soundtrack was released as a part of the ''Hardened Edition'' and ''Care Package'' releases, as well as on iTunes and Amazon, with two supplemental tracks by Brian Tuey, as well as "
Symphony No. 40 in G minor, K550 (Allegro Molto)" by
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 17565 December 1791), baptised as Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart, was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period. Despite his short life, his rapid pace of composition r ...
. Also, a version of the song "
Try It Out Try It Out may refer to:
* Try It Out (Gino Soccio song)
* Try It Out (Skrillex and Alvin Risk song)
"Try It Out" is a song by the American record producers Skrillex and Alvin Risk. It was released on 14 October 2013, as the lead single from Skri ...
" by
Skrillex
Sonny John Moore (born January 15, 1988), known professionally as Skrillex, is an American DJ and music producer. Growing up in Northeast Los Angeles and Northern California, he joined the post-hardcore band From First to Last as the lead si ...
and
Alvin Risk is used in the game, but it is not present in the soundtrack album. When the Campaign is completed, after the end credits, Woods and Menendez perform a concert with heavy metal band
Avenged Sevenfold
Avenged Sevenfold (abbreviated as A7X) is an American heavy metal band from Huntington Beach, California, formed in 1999. The band's current lineup consists of lead vocalist M. Shadows, rhythm guitarist and backing vocalist Zacky Vengeance ...
on their song "Carry On", with Woods on drums and Menendez on rhythm guitar. The band chose to use Woods as the drummer in the game due to the loss of their original drummer
The Rev
James Owen Sullivan (February 9, 1981 – December 28, 2009), also known by his stage name the Rev (shortened version of ''the Reverend Tholomew Plague''), was an American musician, best known as a member of the heavy metal band Avenged Seven ...
, who died of a drug overdose on December 28, 2009. The band's song "Shepherd of Fire" is featured on the Zombie mode Origins. Additional artists include
Sean Murray, Jimmy Hinson, Sergio Jimenez Lacima, Kamar de los Reyes, Azam Ali, & Rudy Cardenas. A war track pack containing a selection of ''Black Ops II'' songs is featured in ''Black Ops Cold War''
's season two battle pass.
''The Replacers''
Heralding the release of ''Black Ops II''s DLCs, Activision releases a
live-action
Live action (or live-action) is a form of cinematography or videography that uses photography instead of animation. Some works combine live-action with animation to create a live-action animated film. Live-action is used to define film, video ...
short starring a well-groomed
Peter Stormare, who acts as a "Replacer", part of a group who are sent by mutual friends to take your place during your daily life while you can stay at home and play ''Black Ops II''s new content. Stormare goes on to explain the aims of his jobs and is then shown in multiple situations where he has taken over random people's jobs, such as masquerading as a pregnant lady's husband, working at an office, and enduring a grandmother's endless talking, as well as other such scenarios.
To promote ''Black Ops II''s second DLC, entitled "Uprising", comedian
J.B. Smoove joined Stormare in the second production of ''The Replacers'', in which the two maintain a haphazard relationship. Stormare normally acts as a mentor to the new replacer Smoove by pointing out his various quirks while doing his job, such as his poor performance defending his client while he replaces a lawyer, admitting that he might be guilty.
Downloadable content
A ''Black Ops II'' Season Pass was released by Treyarch with the release of the game. On December 12, 2012, all Xbox 360 Season Pass holders received access to the ''Nuketown Zombies'' map, with PC holders following on January 17, and PlayStation 3 holders on January 19, having been delayed two days due to
PSN technical issues.
It was later released as an individual download for PC on April 13, 2013.
The first major DLC pack is called ''Revolution''. It was announced on January 8, 2013, and released for Xbox 360 on January 29 and PC and PS3 on February 28
The pack contained four new multiplayer maps: ''Downhill'', ''Hydro'', ''Mirage'' and ''Grind''; and two new Zombies modes: ''Turned'' and ''Die Rise''. Also included was the first DLC weapon: ''the Peacekeeper''. Turned occurs in the Diner segment of the ''TranZit'' map from the original release, and allows up to four players to fight each other in two teams – one human against three zombies. The ''Die Rise'' map is a larger zombies survival map taking place in two semi-destroyed skyscrapers in Shanghai, where one to four players use elevators to travel between floors.
Personalization pack microtransactions for the game were released for Xbox 360 on March 12, 2013, and PC and PS3 on April 12. These allow the player to make small aesthetic changes to the multiplayer functionality of the game, like adding the flag of their country to the kill notification box, adding new weapon skins and allowing the player to use more Create-a-Class slots.
The second major DLC pack is known as ''Uprising''. It was released for Xbox 360 on April 16, 2013, and came out for PC and PS3 players on 16 May.
It includes the new zombies map ''Mob of the Dead'' as well as new multiplayer maps ''Magma'', ''Vertigo'', ''Encore'', and a re-imagining of fan-favorite from previous installment ''Black Ops Firing Range'', known as Studio.
The third major DLC pack is called ''Vengeance''. It was released for Xbox 360 on July 2, 2013, and for PC and PS3 on August 1. It includes new zombies map ''Buried'' as well as new multiplayer maps ''Cove'', ''Detour'', ''Rush'' and a remake of the popular map Summit from ''Black Ops: Uplink''.
The fourth and final major DLC pack is called ''Apocalypse''. It was released for Xbox 360 on August 27, 2013, and PC and PS3 on September 26. It includes new zombies map ''Origins'' back to the old characters (Takeo, Nikolai, Richtofen and Dempsey), as well as new multiplayer maps ''Pod'', ''Frost'' and two remakes of popular maps ''Courtyard'' and ''Stadium'' of ''
Call of Duty: World at War'' and ''Black Ops: First Strike'' DLC.
On August 7, 2014, Activision released Nuketown 2025 for the Wii U Version. None of the DLC packs released for the Xbox 360, PS3, and PC were released for Wii U.
Reception
Critical reception
''Call of Duty: Black Ops II'' received "generally positive" reviews for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Wii U versions, but "mixed or average" reviews for the PC version, according to review aggregator
Metacritic
Metacritic is a website that aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created by Jason Dietz, Marc ...
.
IGN
''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
editor Anthony Gallegos describes the game as "a good example of how to evolve an annualized franchise."
Gallegos praised the game for telling a story was genuinely interesting and creating a villain that he empathised with to the point of questioning his own actions over the course of the story. Gallegos directed criticisms at the
artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence (AI) is intelligence—perceiving, synthesizing, and inferring information—demonstrated by machines, as opposed to intelligence displayed by animals and humans. Example tasks in which this is done include speech r ...
of allies in Strike Force mode and at the ending of the campaign, which he felt was disappointing even though he was aware that the outcome was directly influenced by the choices he made.
Marty Sliva of
1UP
In video games, a life is a play-turn that a player character has, defined as the period between start and end of play. Lives refer to a finite number of tries before the game ends with a game over. It is sometimes called a chance, a try, rest ...
gave the game a B+ while praising it's freedom of choice in game modes and gameplay variety: "I was surprised with the risks that Treyarch took in the name of delivering a unique and creative experience. Not all of them paid off, but knowing that the team was willing to eschew the safe route helped ward off any stagnation that may have begun to creep into the series as of late."
[
Dan Ryckert of '']Game Informer
''Game Informer'' (''GI'', most often stylized ''gameinformer'' from the 2010s onward) is an American monthly video game magazine featuring articles, news, strategy, and reviews of video games and associated consoles. It debuted in August 1991 w ...
'' was also critical of the artificial intelligence of Strike Force mode, and was unimpressed by the "Pick Ten" system introduced to multiplayer modes, noting that it was "interesting, but ultimately less exciting" than the system used in previous ''Call of Duty'' titles. Like Gallegos, Ryckert praised the narrative and structure of the single-player campaign, introducing changes that he felt were overdue and noting that the branching storylines "had me talking to others about their experiences in a way I had never done before with this 'Call of Duty''series".
Steven O'Donnell and Stephanie Bendixsen, of video game talk show '' Good Game'', both gave the game an 8.5 out of 10, praising the gameplay multiplayer and zombies mode, but were critical of the campaign's confusing narrative and Strike Force missions. In particular to the narrative, ''Good Game'' was critical of the opening battle where the player guns down fleeing African rebels, feeling that it was added purely for shock value and commenting that:
Frederick Charles Fripp of IT News Africa
IT News Africa is a Johannesburg-based technology news website. It focuses on news surrounding information and telecommunications (ICT), broadband, IT security, software, gadgets and gaming, and mobile operators from across Africa. IT News Africa ...
gave it a final score of 9.2/10 and wrote that "BO2 is a non-stop action-packed shooter that will keep gamers on their toes and on the edge of their seats. It has everything a player could want in a game: great graphics, a good story, easy controls and superb acting."
Sales and revenue
Activision reported ''Black Ops II'' grossed over $500 million in its first 24 hours, making it the biggest entertainment launch of all time until the record was surpassed by '' Grand Theft Auto V'' in September 2013. It is the fourth year in a row that the ''Call of Duty'' series has broken the same record. 2011's '' Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3'' grossed $400 million on one full day; 2010's '' Call of Duty: Black Ops'' grossed $360 million on day one; in 2009, '' Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2'' brought in $310 million. By November 24, 2012, it had sold more than 7.5 million copies in the United States.
''Black Ops II'' went on to gross $1 billion in the first 15 days of availability, beating ''Modern Warfare 3''s record of the first 16 days. On November 5, 2013, IGN confirmed that the game sold 24.2 million copies, making it the third highest-selling game in the series, behind 2010's ''Black Ops'', and 2011's ''Modern Warfare 3''.
Lawsuit
In July 2014, Manuel Noriega
Manuel Antonio Noriega Moreno (; February 11, 1934 – May 29, 2017) was a Panamanian dictator, politician and military officer who was the ''de facto'' ruler of Panama from 1983 to 1989. An authoritarian ruler who amassed a personal f ...
sued Activision for lost profits from the use of his likeness in the game. He also claims that his inclusion translated to higher sales of ''Black Ops II''. Noriega makes an appearance in the Cold War portions of the game and aids the primary antagonist. The suit sought compensation for lost profits and damages for his depiction as a "kidnapper, murderer, and enemy of the state" in the game. On October 28, the Los Angeles court dismissed the lawsuit, ruling that Noriega's inclusion was protected under free speech laws.
The publisher, Activision, was also sued in a French court by family members of Jonas Savimbi, who thought his portrayal in the game was inaccurate, saying he was portrayed as a "barbarian". Three of his children wanted 1 million euros for damages. The French court dismissed the case in 2016.
Notes
References
External links
*
*
{{Authority control
2012 video games
Video games set in 2025
Activision games
Black Ops II
Cold War video games
First-person shooters
Science fiction shooter video games
Interquel video games
Horror video games
Martyrdom in fiction
Military science fiction video games
Multiplayer and single-player video games
Nintendo Network games
PlayStation 3 games
Fiction about purgatory
Science fiction video games
South African Border War in popular culture
Square Enix games
Treyarch games
Video games set in 1986
Video games set in 1989
Alternate history video games
Video games about terrorism
Video games set in Afghanistan
Video games set in Angola
Video games set in the Cayman Islands
Video games set in China
Video games set in Haiti
Video games set in France
Video games set in India
Video games set in Kyrgyzstan
Video games set in Los Angeles
Video games set in Nevada
Video games set in Washington (state)
Video games set in Georgia (U.S. state)
Video games set in New York City
Video games set in Myanmar
Video games set in Nicaragua
Video games set in Pakistan
Video games set in Panama
Video games set in Saudi Arabia
Video games set in Singapore
Video games set in San Francisco
Video games set in Yemen
Video games set in Japan
Video games set in England
Video games set in the Netherlands
Video games set in Taiwan
Video games set in the 1980s
Video games set in the 2020s
War video games set in the United States
Video games scored by Jack Wall
Video games with alternate endings
Angolan Civil War video games
Soviet–Afghan War video games
Insurgency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa fiction
Wii U games
Windows games
Works by David S. Goyer
Xbox 360 games
Video games about the United States Navy SEALs
Video games about zombies
Video games using Havok
Drones in fiction
Video games developed in the United States