The Call of Duty: Black Ops Saga is, without a doubt, one of the most successful first-person shooter franchises of all time. It has not only one of the best multiplayer modes ever known to any gamer, but it also has incredible storylines, characters, and more.
Since this franchise has so many great games, we decided to rank every game in the Black Ops Saga from worst to best. We only considered games released on consoles and PCs and decided to skip titles released for mobile platforms as they have minimal impact on the franchise.
Stay with us and find out what we consider the worst Call of Duty: Black Ops game to be, and which is our favorite!
What Makes Every Call of Duty Black Ops Game So Fun
The Call of Duty: Black Ops franchise usually releases titles that hit every nail and do everything fans want.
- Engaging Storyline: The Black Ops franchise is known for having intriguing, dark, and gruesome storylines of wars and conflicts happening under the shadows of the world with tremendous and lovable characters, even the villains.
- The Best Multiplayer Mode: The multiplayer in these games is chaotic, fast, and addictive not only for the great gunplay but also for the memorable maps that were designed so well that they are still being remade over and over in their newer CoD: Black Ops games.
- The Best Zombie Mode Ever Made: The Zombies in the Call of Duty Black Ops franchise started as a silly side-game mode whenever players were tired of multiplayer, but it turned out to be one of the main selling points of this saga. Zombies in Call of Duty are among the most exciting experiences in the PvE Co-op genre, featuring unique storylines, combat mechanics, movement, maps, and more.
Ranking Every Call of Duty Blacks Ops Game
Get ready to find out where your favorite Call of Duty Black Ops game ranks on our list! Whether you’re a long-time fan of the series or a newcomer, you’re sure to have an opinion on which game takes the top spot. From iconic weapons and epic storylines to thrilling multiplayer experiences, the Call of Duty Black Ops franchise has become synonymous with first-person shooter games.
So, without further ado, let’s dive into the rankings and see which COD Black Ops game comes out on top.
6. Call of Duty: Black Ops 4
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 offers fast-paced combat and an action-packed gameplay experience with different game modes, including Zombies, Multiplayer, and the first-ever Call of Duty Battle Royale game mode, Blackout.
Why the 4th Enrtry Wasn’t So Great
While Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 was not necessarily a bad game, it simply provided more of what franchise fans had seen for the past two to three games, with nothing revolutionary in the gameplay.
One aspect that made this game unique was unfortunately overshadowed by other free battle royale games of the moment; its Blackout BR mode. Blackout was a great experience, making the game’s price worth it. Unfortunately, it was released at the wrong time, and with a monetization scheme as the trend for free battle royale games was starting to blow up.
Release Date: October 12, 2018
Platforms: PC, Xbox, and PlayStation
5. Call of Duty: Black Ops: Cold War
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is one of the most recent titles in the franchise, released back in 2020 and received with high expectations as it was the game to bring the franchise back to its roots.
This title is set in the Cold War era, bringing some beloved old characters into the franchise with a fantastic storyline, a decent multiplayer experience, and a good zombie mode.
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, a Game Overshadowed By A Relative
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is not a bad game by any means, but it did not meet the standard that the Call of Duty community was used to. These standards in 2020 had a name, and that was Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019), as this title completely changed the game industry, evolving to a new engine, overhauling every mechanic from movement to gunplay and delivering a high-quality product.
While Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War did almost everything fans of the franchise wanted, Modern Warfare (2019) made Cold War feel like a downgrade even though it was a newer game but ran with its old engine and mechanics.
Release Date: November 13, 2020
Platforms: PC, Xbox, and PlayStation
4. Call of Duty: Black Ops 3
This game was released in 2015 to mixed reviews, as the franchise had already begun to fall into a repetitive void with multiplayer that players had seen a hundred times before, and one of the worst campaigns in the saga.
Although the game was not well received, and the community felt as if it had been stolen, it had some redeeming qualities that made it incredibly memorable and significant.
What Saved Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 Enough to be in our Fourth Spot
As we already mentioned, Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 brought almost nothing new to the table, with mediocre multiplayer and a nonsensical campaign that was not even close to reaching the standard for which the Black Ops franchise is known for, storywise.
Thanks to its unique Zombies Mode, Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 was saved and revolutionized the game mode for good by incorporating previous Black Ops games, bringing old maps, weapons, and more back. The game also focused heavily on going deeper into the Call of Duty Zombies storyline, which fans loved.
Today, people are still buying and playing Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 for their Zombies Mode alone.
Release Date: November 5, 2015
Platforms: PC, Xbox, and PlayStation
3. Call of Duty: Black Ops
Call of Duty: Black Ops 1 is a piece of art in gaming. The game feels like an authentic cinematic experience, with fast-paced action, gorgeous graphics for its time, and one of the best campaigns in the franchise; it introduced its most memorable characters.
Call of Duty: Black Ops is the game that genuinely sent this franchise into success, giving every piece of gameplay a unique experience thanks to its fantastic gunplay, sound design, mind-blowing graphics, and top-notch acting.
What Makes this Title so Special
As soon as the first trailer of Call of Duty: Black Ops dropped, the whole community became excited, destined for its success. Fortunately, the game turned out to be one of the best first-person shooters ever known.
Call of Duty: Black Ops evolved everything that the franchise was doing right by making an even deeper storyline with many dark elements mixed with tremendous and beloved characters. The multiplayer was also dark but fast-paced, featuring some of the best maps in the saga and excellent gunplay design.
This game is also known for having great customization options, allowing players to build their weapons however they want for the first time in the Call of Duty franchise.
Release Date: November 9, 2010
Platforms: PC, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Wii, and Nintendo DS
2. CoD: Black Ops 2
Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 is one of the most beloved games in the, if not the most loved by many, as just an image of it brings back tons of nostalgia and great memories of playing this game with your gaming friends.
What Mades Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 One of the Most Beloved Games in the Franchise
The second game with the Black Ops title did everything right and not only improved upon what everyone loved about its predecessor. Moreover, it brought more to the table with an even better multiplayer mode, great zombie maps, and one of the best campaigns of the Black Ops saga.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 engages players with an intriguing, dark storyline and has tons of replayability value. It allows players to make decisions through the campaign that will have consequences in the future.
The Zombies revolutionized this mode, bringing more Easter eggs, bigger maps, and a deeper storyline for its gruesome lore. The multiplayer was addictive with its unique and dynamic maps, exciting weapons, level design, and game modes.
Release Date: November 12, 2012
Platforms: PC, Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo Wii U.
1. Call of Duty: World at War – The Best Call of Duty Black Ops Game Ever Made
Many gamers might not know this, but Call of Duty: World at War is the first game released in the Black Ops storyline, even though it doesn’t carry the name of the saga.
Call of Duty: World at War is the game that took Call of Duty in a different direction with darker gameplay featuring gore mechanics, gruesome-looking maps, and a deeper storyline that proved to be an emotional rollercoaster.
Even though the gaming community in 2008 was about to be saturated with World War II-themed games, Call of Duty: World at War managed to stand out from the crowd and become a sacred game in the franchise.
What Makes Call of Duty: World at War the Best COD Black Ops Game
Even though the Call of Duty: Black Ops fan base does not recognize this game as part of this saga, at the end of the day, it is the title that lit the fire and created everything we love about this franchise.
Call of Duty: World at War featured a dark campaign set during the end of World War II, where players can fight as the Russians against the Germans. Other missions took place near Japan in the Pacific theatre of World War II.
Both sides of the story are intriguing and engaging, making for a sour but satisfying ending reminiscent of what people love about the Call of Duty: Black Ops storylines nowadays.
The Multiplayer kept this tense tone with intense gore and character dismemberment set in dark environments and maps that felt recreated after actual warzones with no sight of hope in their ambiance.
Call of Duty: World at War was the first game to introduce zombies in a small and claustrophobic map called Nacht Der Untoten as a minor side game mode, but it turned out to be something great as the developers continued to release unique maps and carry this trend forward to improve it in upcoming titles. The game mode helped up so well that many other Call of Duty games have zombies in them as well.
Even by today’s standards, Call of Duty: World at War holds its ground. If you’ve never tried this game, do it now and trust us; you won’t regret it.
Release Date: November 11, 2008
Platforms: PC, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Wii, and Nintendo DS.
Last Thoughts on Our Ranked List to Find the Best COD: Black Ops Game
We hope you enjoyed our ranking list for the Call of Duty: Black Ops franchise. If you agree or disagree, please let us know in the comments below. If you love the franchise and have already played the best it has to offer, consider checking out our guide to the best competitive FPS games like Call of Duty to find another great title to play with your friends.
Please write us a comment below to let us know what kind of content and what kinds of topics you would like us to cover in the future. In the meantime, check our other articles, such as our guide comparing Invasion vs Ground War in Call of Duty: MW2.
Good Luck, and have fun in your next Black Ops game!
