Activision have lifted the lid on more details of Call of Duty: Black Ops II, promising it will deliver “the most groundbreaking and visceral Call of Duty experience ever”.
Set in the year 2025, Call of Duty: Black Ops II features advanced weaponry, robotics, and drone warfare with new graphics technology driving the action.
"Hands down, this is the most ambitious Call of Duty ever," says Eric Hirshberg, Activision CEO.
"We are bringing disruptive innovation to the franchise and we are doing it on several fronts. We're pushing the boundaries technologically, graphically, and from a narrative and gameplay perspective.
“At the same time, we need to stay true to the epic realism, authenticity, heart pumping adrenaline, and cinematic action that so many people love and expect from a Call of Duty game. Treyarch's vision for Call of Duty: Black Ops II will redefine the Call of Duty franchise for the future - both literally and figuratively."
In Black Ops 2 players will once again take up the role of protagonist Alex Mason in the 1980s, and as his son, David Mason, in 2025. The title will also feature a new villain, Raul Menendez, a man who transforms from honourable soldier to bitter terrorist.
The Dark Knight writer David S Goyer helped pen the storyline which spans the Mason family and Woods, along with the the transformation of Menendez into a terrorist.
"A new feature in the single-player campaign is that players will be given the choice to take part in 'Strike Force' missions, with a key objective that can shift the landscape of the greater battle between China and the United States," writes Joystiq.com.
"Sometimes multiple missions will be available, but only one can be selected. Based on the success or failure of these missions - and you can actually fail to accomplish your objective - the campaign story will change. There are also choices within levels.
“In a mission shown at the event, players were given the choice between covering their team with a sniper rifle from a perch, or hitting the ground alongside their squad. According to Treyarch Studio Head Mark Lamia, player choice can also lead to the death of key characters during the campaign.”
“With Call of Duty: Black Ops II, the team is crafting an experience that Call of Duty fans have never seen before,” says Lamia.
“We are challenging assumptions on every front, with the single player campaign, Zombies and multiplayer. In the campaign, we are creating a thought-provoking story that introduces branching storylines and meaningful choices that impact the narrative.
“Running in the multiplayer engine for the first time, Zombies gives players a bigger and more diverse set of gameplay experiences, as well as entirely new ways to wage war with the undead. And in multiplayer, we’re embracing all skill levels and play styles to give players more ways to engage. With Call of Duty: Black Ops II, we’re all in and we won’t rest until we’ve launched nothing less than the best Call of Duty we’ve ever made.”
The game is not released for months but is already a success, with Amazon.com telling Joystiq: "Pre-orders from day one of Black Ops 2 were more than ten times the amount of pre-orders for the first Black Ops on its first day of availability.
"Black Ops 2 even out pre-ordered the first day of availability for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 by more than 30 percent. Modern Warfare 3 currently holds the record for the most pre-ordered game of all time and was amongst the top 20 pre-orders ever on Amazon.com, including books and movies."
Call of Duty: Black Ops II is set for a release on November 13.
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