Call of Duty®: Black Ops

The biggest problem with this game is that it knows exactly what it wants to be—an interactive war blockbuster. The set pieces are spectacular, the voice acting is professional, the pacing is tight, but the cost is sacrificing nearly all player agency. You're not playing a game, you're performing according to the director's script.

Invisible walls, invincible enemies, forced routes—these design choices were already outdated in 2010. The multiplayer currency system is a bright spot, but it can't save the single-player campaign's "trapped in a cage" experience. If you can accept a 6-hour linear shooting gallery, the audiovisual presentation is worth the price of admission. If you're expecting exploration, strategy, choices—don't buy it.

Is it worth spending a dozen hours on? The single-player campaign takes 6 hours to complete, multiplayer depends on whether you have friends to play with. My advice is to wait for a sale, or just watch someone else's playthrough—your input doesn't affect the story anyway.