Genre: First Person Shooter

Platform: Xbox 360

Publisher: Activision

Classification: 18 (BBFC)

Bullets whistle through the air, splinter through furniture and ricochet off concrete. It's a non-stop exchange of military might that makes battles from Saving Private Ryan look like a weekend break in Disneyland.

There's deception by the dime, torture by the ton, bullets by the bucket-load and death by the dozen. Suffice to say – it’s grittier than a sandwich at a picnic on the beach.

The campaign isn't fantastic simply because of it's rock solid storyline, it’s fantastic because of the scenarios it rattles off, the dramatic music that accompanies it, and the relentless action that’s layered thick. It's simply the best campaign the Call of Duty series has ever seen.

Black Ops is heavily clad with storyline that flits between scenarios from World War II, The Cold War, The Vietnam War and anything in between. It sees players take control of different operatives in different scenarios that all make up the collective meat of the plot. It’s a gripper that demands to be played whilst its commitment to variety ensures that it deserves it.

In true Call of Duty style however, the campaign isn't particularly lengthy, only around six to seven hours long. For a game of this calibre though, it's plenty long enough to enjoy the paradoxically disgusting paradise that it is.

Multiplayer is where the Call of Duty series has excelled in the past though and has attracted millions of regular gamers across the globe. Already Black Ops is proving that it’s going to be the biggest military movement since World War II, and from what we’ve experienced it’s clear to see why.

All the things that make Call of Duty so enticing online are present including ranks, prestige and perks. But this is more than just a simple reincarnation of the multiplayer seen in previous CoD games. There are a bunch of brand new gameplay modes, 14 brand new maps and a new currency system that enables players to purchase their upgrades as and when they want them.

The zombie mode has made a reappearance with one map available from the offset, and another becoming available after certain criteria has been met. This mode sees players work together in an effort to fend off an encroaching zombie attack, by boarding up windows whilst dispatching the flesh munchers with weaponry. It's frantic, it's fast, it's frustrating and it's fun.

Developers Treyarch have some successful games in their portfolio - Call of Duty: Black Ops however is their very first masterpiece.

SCORE: 9 / 10