Gameplay wise, it sits somewhere between Black Ops 3 and Black Ops 4. Fast pacing, modern movement, and classic Black Ops energy. If you’ve played those games, you’ll know exactly what kind of experience this is within the first few matches.

A lot of the conversation around this game feels louder than the game itself. Older CODs are remembered for the memories they created, not necessarily for how they actually played. Anyone who was there knows hit registration, netcode, and balance were never perfect back then either.

BO7 definitely has flaws, but so has every entry in this franchise. Calling it the “worst ever” feels more like part of the yearly cycle than a reflection of what’s actually here. It’s very likely this will be one of those games people warm up to over time.

If you’re expecting a time machine back to 2012, this won’t be it. If you’re looking for a familiar Black Ops-style experience with modern pacing, you’ll know pretty quickly whether this clicks for you.

I was planning to skip this title like I did with Black Ops 6, but despite all the ongoing controversy and negativity around Activision, I’ve genuinely enjoyed playing multiplayer so far.