Call of Duty: Lag Ops

It's Monday night, we wrote the 8.11.2010. Since midday Black Ops is on my desk, is already registered on Steam and via Preload on the hard disk because the game via DVD only wants to install from the day of publication. 23 against clock at one time something is happening. My half Buddy List plays suddenly "Call of Duty: Black Ops - Multiplayer". So Steam restart ... and actually, I can start it! Double, decrypt the game files and off you go - with the Ruckelpartie.

Solo part

The main menu of the game is nicely done, with interactive I realized today (Tip: Press the space bar several times). The setting is sometimes a completely new: no world war, not a fictional presence banter, but so far the very "unspent" Cold War. Without spoilers - the story is well told and remains consistently at a good level - significantly better than in MW2, however no longer than 5-6 hours (depending on the difficulty and "skill").

You play as in previous CoD parts, a shoot of several protagonists which controlled with some AI comrades in the "three-man army" style through the levels. However, no standard according to tactical elements (instructions / commands); so are the "friends" quickly became the cannon fodder. Generally, it is not as well ordered to the AI: Enemies looking rarely meet and are really fix riddled with AK; Only when several opponents (10+) may be dangerous for the player times.

The levels are very varied - from Cuba and Russia to Vietnam is everything. But Mostly you could tell that this time Infinity Ward has been working on the title - I have no details, the Level act partly sterile and constructed. In the last Modern Warfare titles I did not have this feeling.
Also particle effects and sounds are used to. I've never seen such a surreal explosion effect - which then sounds like a popcorn package that explodes in the microwave and looks like a hamster by a detonating gas reaction the temporal blessing ... (everything on MAX details!)
To that we the immense resources feeding - I have a C2D @ 3.0GHz, 4GB RAM and a GTX 275 but still feel Nachladeruckler, although the frames are fairly constant. This can come only through botch in the program code into being, even in really demanding titles I do not have such problems.

Conclusion SP: Familiar Call of Duty shooter fare, and better told and made more exciting than the previous MW2. Fans of the series can be accessed safely and will certainly not be disappointed. BUT:

Multiplayer-Part

Actually, I bought myself the game only because of the multiplayer - finally dedicated servers, new ways to personalize their character / classes, a new monetary system, many (new) game modes ... Too bad if you can not play properly. In contrast to the quite modest singleplayer Performance of multiplayer goes one better. Since the game is then ever are 1-2 seconds; stupid when you're just with your finger on the trigger ... successful play is not possible.

At first I thought that these were server problems, just for a quick look at the Steam Forum it became clear that there are no lags but stuttering.
Even players with more current i7 systems seem to have these problems; Again, I go from bad programming / porting. However, there are also players who have no problems - which this "jerking" related, nobody knows so far right ...!

Conclusion MP: ATTENTION! Who wants to play in multiplayer BO mainly, I advise first time to wait! For as in the gaming scene has become customary, consumers are once again abused as a beta tester. Anyone looking for a good multiplayer shooter, perhaps should only times Battlefield BC 2 movie ... or wait 2-3 weeks until it is playable in BO (buy for console or, since everything goes without problems).

Closing remarks:

Since the multiplayer is not really functional for me, I admit once "only" 3 stars, also because of the faltering performance. The SP part is well done - varied and well staged, only partly bad effects cloud the overall picture somewhat. I will update this review if Treyarch has fixed the problems in MP.

Update 16.11.2010:

Since the 12th, there is a patch that increases the performance of the MP - for me it has helped, I can now much smoother play than before. However, some players do not feel Unterschied.Allerdings there are still irregular jerks, but this should be patched later this week, according to an official statement - we will see '

I played the MP for 15 hours now and am thrilled. The innovations are diverse and fun - for example, Customizing the weapons and his personal emblem and the new COD points system. Man on essays and equipment no longer free by using the weapon long, but can purchase upgrades immediately after unlocking the weapon on COD Points. However, there is among the (quite a lot) weapon was not produced much, most of the players are always running with the same weapons around, some are just too inaccurate. Shotguns are not to use only partially up, make them little harm, and are also the primary weapon. Here Balancing must be operated! Who exchanged a weak shotgun against a strong assault rifle with which one still meets on 20 meters?

The maps are varied and up to Nuketown also playable. However spawn points are not always well chosen - as it happens sometimes that an enemy right behind one spawns. There are a total 11 game modes, but those who seek real thrill, plays a Wager Match (almost a match bet). This is where you have a certain amount of COD points and get this paid off again, depending on the placement of - or not.
Really great I find the movie function. This allows you to watch a complete game again - also from the perspective of opponents. For more great games you have to store 6 presets to those in the Steam Cloud. A function to store on the hard drive, I could not find.

Conclusion MP: The multiplayer is fun, but you also noticed here that the game is clearly too early to come to market. Many good ideas are there, just notice that there are some problems with regard to balancing the weapons and usual comfort functions (abort update server, your own classes in the game Edit) missing. An MP-Beta would have been appropriate! Is also questionable whether the game can motivate a long time, as there is to unlock the Prestige Mode to Level 50 in theory little.

Since at present still not all errors are eliminated, I will write another update and possibly adjust the rating again.

Update 20/11/2010:

Today there was a patch and what can I say - because the stuttering are again. Super thing I could the last days playing quite well, barely stuttering, good pings, even FPS and now everything is gone. Slowly I lose patience. With Treyarch they should vll. Times set good programmers ...

Update 16.12.2010:

Again a new patch - the finally brings improvement! Now I have no more Nachladeruckler, lags are not an issue on most servers. In general, the performance is better than ever, even in single player. However, I decided not to increase the assessment, because me the trouble has already cost a lot at the beginning of nerves.
Btw: Treyarch has announced that the first DLC will (as expected) appear soon - to weiterzumelken the CoD Cow ....

----> This game requires a Steam account and is bound to it! Without an Internet connection can not be activated!