Does Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 Have a Single-Player Campaign? An In-Depth Investigation
As an avid Call of Duty gamer and content creator, I am constantly exploring, analyzing, and testing the latest COD titles extensively. Today, we will be going on an in-depth investigation covering every aspect of Black Ops 3‘s ambitious single-player campaign. Grab some coffee, this will be an long but exciting read!
The Epic Cyberpunk Campaign Storyline
At its core, Black Ops 3 features a gritty, cyberpunk-inspired campaign set in the year 2065. You take control of an elite squad of "cybernetically enhanced" black ops soldiers, outfitted with cutting-edge tech that grants superhuman reflexes, awareness, and mobility.
This special forces team wields near-futuristic weapons and technology to battle a rising tide of advanced enemy robotics and autonomous systems that threaten the existence of humanity as we know it.
The storyline tackles intriguing concepts like the ethical dilemmas of militarized cybernetics and transhumanism. Across the campaign‘s 11 missions spanning globally, you uncover conspiracies and hidden agendas, questioning who the real enemy is.
Key Campaign Characters
You play as the squad‘s "player-character" leader, simply known as "The Player", who can be customized as either male (Donnie Walsh) or female (Alice). The Player‘s commanding officer is Rachel Kane, leader of the Winslow Accord black ops team.
What makes the campaign so memorable is the distinct personality of each squad member:
- John Taylor – Former SAS heavy weapons specialist. The fiery "tank" of the team.
- Jacob Hendricks – Ambitious and reckless former USMC assaultman.
- K.I.A. – A female combat robot with human emotions and banter.
Evaluation of Campaign Gameplay and Mechanics
While the storyline of Black Ops 3 was divisive, most critics praised Treyarch‘s gameplay innovations that made moment-to-moment action incredibly fun and dynamic.
Cybernetic Enhancements and Mobility
Your black ops squad has been cybernetically augmented, allowing you to utilize:
- Cyber Cores – Equip "cyber cores" that grant temporary buffs like rapid health regen or auto-aiming.
- Cyber Rigs – Traversal gear like a grappling hook to reach new areas.
- HUD Visuals – Integrated combat displays and enhanced reaction time.
This supplements the core advanced movement system introduced, letting players wall-run, power slide, thrust jump with great fluidity. The combination of cybernetics and mobility makes playing as the enhanced black ops team feel truly superhuman.
Varied Mission Designs
Each of the 11 campaign missions feature diverse locales, enemies, and gameplay sequences:
| Mission | Details |
|---|---|
| Black Ops | Introduction mission set in Cairo |
| New World | Rescue scientist from Nile River research facility |
| In Darkness | Assault H.A.T.E compound in rural Egypt |
| Provocation | Pricelessartifacts heist in Singapore luxury tower |
| Hypocenter | Infiltrate Winslow Accord headquarters (W.A. campagin twist) |
From assaulting an Egyptian H.A.T.E. compound on horseback to orchestrating an art heist in a Singapore penthouse, the campaign manages to continuously surprise with fresh scenarios.
Breakdown of Campaign Length
While many called it the most ambitious COD campaign ever, some criticized Black Ops 3‘s single-player for its relatively short length compared to past franchise titles:
| Game | Main Story Duration | Completionist Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Call of Duty: Black Ops | 8 hours | 15 hours |
| Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 | 7 hours | 17 hours |
| Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 | 6 hours | 12 hours |
| Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare | 8.5 hours | 18.5 hours |
However, this table demonstrates that while Black Ops 3‘s main story runs slightly shorter versus previous games, its completionist runtime fills out to a respectable 12 hours – on par with competing FPS campaigns.
Critical Reception and Review Scores
Black Ops 3‘s campaign received mixed assessments from professional reviewers:
| Site | Campaign Score |
|---|---|
| IGN | 8.2 out of 10 |
| GameSpot | 6 out of 10 |
| Polygon | No numbered score |
- Praised for innovative multiplayer and zombie modes
- Some complexity and interesting themes in the story
- Satisfying moment-to-moment gameplay and cybernetic powers
- Plot described as convoluted and abrupt
- Shorter runtime than expected
- Uneven pacing and set pieces
However critics viewed the narrative itself, Black Ops 3 earns recognition for daring to go bolder while retaining the solid mechanics expected from Treyarch.
Commercial Sales Performance
Despite polarizing opinions over the single-player content, Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 stands as one of the highest selling entries ever for the record-breaking franchise.
As of June 2018, Black Ops 3 sold:
- 26.2 million copies worldwide across all platforms
- $550 million in worldwide sales during first 3 days
These staggering sales figures prove that even if some longtime fans were let down by the campaign, Treyarch still managed to create an incredibly commercially successful Call of Duty package.
Impact on the Franchise Going Forward
While not perfect, Black Ops 3 marked a new era for Call of Duty campaigns by introducing an original futuristic setting, innovative player mobility, and thought-provoking concepts around transhumanism.
Treyarch further improved this formula in 2018‘s Black Ops 4, which features the most polished advanced movement of the series alongside thrilling Specialist showcase missions that serve as an alternative to a traditional campaign.
Meanwhile Infinite Warfare integrated certain mobility cues like wall running from Black Ops 3, suggesting Treyarch‘s mechanical ambition has spurred the rest of the franchise to follow suit.
High Replay Value from Co-Op and Challenges
Besides a playthrough of the main plot, I discovered Black Ops 3‘s campaign boasts considerable replay value from:
- 2-4 player online co-op – Play through the entire story or specific missions.
- Level challenges – Complete certain feats to earn XP and rank up (max level 20).
- Heroic difficulty – Crank up the challenge by taking on tougher enemies.
- Cyber Cores/Rigs – Experiment with different gear combinations.
These elements let players dive back into the campaign to join friends, seek achievements, or relive standout sequences.
Blackout: A New Call of Duty Battle Royale Mode
While not related to the single player directly, one exciting feature introduced in Black Ops 4 is Blackout – Call of Duty‘s take on the popular battle royale genre.
Players skydive into one giant map featuring iconic settings from Black Ops history and compete to be the last soldier standing while finding weapons and loot. It‘s an intense new way to experience Treyarch‘s Black Ops universe!
Verdict: Well Worth Playing Through At Least Once
Despite some valid critiques of its disjointed plot and shorter length, Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 delivers a remarkably fun single-player campaign that explores captivating themes of transhumanism and cybernetic augmentation while retaining the incredible core gameplay the series is known for.
I highly recommend all FPS fans play through Black Ops 3‘s campaign at least once to witness the ambitious beginnings of a high-tech future for the Call of Duty franchise with their own eyes. Just be prepared to confront the ethical dilemmas posed by militarized cybernetics enhancing soldiers beyond being human!
Let me know your own thoughts on Black Ops 3‘s single-player in the comments! Do you feel recent COD campaigns have matched its innovations? I welcome friendly debates within this passionate community.
And as always, thank you so much for reading! Be sure to follow me here on the GamerGuide for the latest FPS updates and impressions. This has been Ryan, signing off.
