For the first time in quite a while for the series, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 features an incredibly varied campaign. Beginning with a classic Call of Duty shootout and vehicle chase, Black Ops 6's campaign then transitions into a stealthy sniping mission, which itself paves the way for a full Mission: Impossible-inspired espionage sequence behind enemy lines which eventually culminates in an explosive, nail-biting escape.
Unlike Modern Warfare 3 before it, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6's campaign has plenty of big action set pieces. But surprisingly, some of Black Ops 6's best missions are actually those that feature a slower build of atmosphere and tension. 'Emergence' is one such mission, and in many ways, it feels like it's been influenced by Remedy's 2019 paranormal action game Control.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6's 'Emergence' Feels Inspired by Remedy's Control
Taking place six missions into Call of Duty: Black Ops 6's campaign, 'Emergence' sees Marshall and the rest of his team of rogue agents investigate a seemingly abandoned CIA research facility in Kentucky, which is believed to be the birthplace of a mysterious bioweapon called "The Cradle". Upon entering the facility, the player-character, Case, falls down an elevator shaft, leaving them isolated at the bottom of the facility, having breathed in a mysterious green gas.
'Emergence' Has Similar Environmental Theming to Control
After prying open a nearby door, players will find themselves in the hub area of this underground research facility, and fans of Remedy's Control might start to notice some similarities right away with the game's Federal Bureau of Control setting. Mysterious logos are plastered on locked doors and hanging flags, large statues of unknown figures tower above the player in the main atrium, and gaudy wood paneling covers almost every wall.
The floors in the atrium are either a deep blue that's been polished to a sheen, or an orange carpet that wears its Shining influences on its sleeve. Janitorial buckets and mops lie on the floor, and though the area is clearly abandoned, the bright white lights hanging from the ceilings and walls remain on. Control's FBC Headquarters features some very similar architecture and scenery.
'Emergence' Borrows Some of Control's Mind-Bending Atmosphere
While 2019's Control isn't a fully-fledged horror game, it has plenty of unsettling moments, many of which embrace themes of paranormal and supernatural horror. Call of Duty: Black Ops 6's 'Emergence' mission follows in Control's footsteps in this regard as well.
Having been subjected to the mysterious Cradle bioweapon, Black Ops 6's player-character suffers from extreme hallucinations throughout 'Emergence'. These hallucinations range from light jump scares, such as a wheelchair rolling down the corridor by itself, to more visceral, violent illusions, like an army of undead researchers and facility workers hunting the player through the abandoned corridors.
The player-character's hallucinations in 'Emergence' also cause the environment to shift unnaturally around them, and upon picking up a ringing telephone, they're able to hear their repressed memories as if they were happening all over again. Control features many of the same paranormal occurrences, and it has plenty of similar mind-bending moments, such as the infamous Ashtray Maze that sees player-character Jesse Faden navigating an array of shifting walls and passages.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 83 /100 Critics Rec: 91%
- Released
- October 25, 2024
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Suggestive Themes, Strong Language, Use of Drugs
- Developer(s)
- Treyarch, Raven Software
- Publisher(s)
- Activision
- Engine
- IW 9.0
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer, Online Co-Op
- Cross-Platform Play
- Yes - PlayStation, Xbox, PC
WHERE TO PLAY
Forced to go rogue. Hunted from within. This is Call of Duty: Black Ops 6.
Developed by Treyarch and Raven, Black Ops 6 is a spy action thriller set in the early 90s, a period of transition and upheaval in global politics, characterized by the end of the Cold War and the rise of the United States as a single superpower. With a mind-bending narrative, and unbound by the rules of engagement, this is signature Black Ops.
The Black Ops 6 Campaign provides dynamic moment-to-moment gameplay that includes a variety of play spaces with blockbuster set pieces and action-packed moments, high-stakes heists, and cloak-and-dagger spy activity.
In a best-in-class Multiplayer experience, players will test their skills across 16 new maps at launch, including 12 core 6v6 maps and 4 Strike maps that can be played 2v2 or 6v6.
Black Ops 6 also marks the epic return of Round-Based Zombies, the fan-favorite mode where players will take down hordes of the undead in two brand-new maps at launch. Post-launch, players can look forward to even more exciting maps and groundbreaking experiences dropping into both Multiplayer and Zombies.
- Cross Save
- Yes - PlayStation, Xbox, PC
- Prequel(s)
- Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, Call of Duty: Black Ops III, Call of Duty: Black Ops II, Call of Duty: Black Ops, Call of Duty: World at War
- Franchise
- Call of Duty
- Number of Players
- 1-4
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- Unknown
- PC Release Date
- October 25, 2024
- Xbox Series X|S Release Date
- October 25, 2024
- PS5 Release Date
- October 25, 2024
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, PC
- Genre(s)
- FPS
- How Long To Beat
- 8 Hours
- X|S Optimized
- Yes
- File Size Xbox Series
- 216 GB (October 2024)
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
