Call of Duty: Black Ops II Xbox 360

Released on 13/11/2012

• Call of Duty: Black Ops II - Preview

  
  

  

  Future Warfare

  While it's no surprise that publisher Activision is releasing a new Call of Duty game this November - it will be the eighth core series entry in eight years - its identity had been intensely debated in the run-up to its announcement last month. As widely rumoured, the game will be a sequel to developer Treyarch's 2010 blockbuster hit Call of Duty: Black Ops, which has sold in excess of 25 million copies, making it one the best-selling entries in the series and one of the biggest games of all time.

  While past Call of Duty titles have taken place during World War II, the Cold War and modern day conflicts, Call of Duty: Black Ops II takes the series to the future for the first time. In the year 2025 wars are being waged not over oil but 'rare earth elements' - chemical elements used in the production of pretty much any modern piece of technology, from nuclear batteries to smartphones. China controls over 95% of the world's rare earth elements and the US feels its rival is strangling American commerce.

  In Black Ops II's near-future setting you'll likely be fighting machines as much as you will human opponents, with players taking on - and using - a variety of ground-based and airborne assault drones strapped with guns and rocket launchers. The game won't introduce over-the-top lasers or ray guns, but players can probably expect some advanced weaponry with fancy new attachments that allow them to dish out pain in fresh, exciting ways.

  

  Mixing It Up

  Black Ops II is a direct sequel and its story spans a 40-year time period kicking off in the mid-1980s. The only 80s environment revealed to date is Afghanistan, with early footage showing off horseback gunplay in a desert location. The majority of the single player game - and the entirety of its multiplayer component - will be set in the future, but it wouldn't be a stretch to imagine a number of levels taking place in the decades leading up to 2025. In the 80s-based levels, players will once again assume the role of Alex Mason, the CIA agent and former Marine Force Recon Captain who starred in the original Black Ops, while futuristic skirmishes will be played through the eyes of his son David.

  Shaking up the regular Call of Duty structure, Black Ops II will go beyond linear storytelling by introducing a branching plot that enables players to personalise the adventure based on their choices and actions. The path players choose at key points in the game will dictate the fate of those around them as well as their own, and multiple endings should offer plenty of replay value.

  The game also strays from the linear corridor shooter feel of some first person shooters with the introduction of new 'Strike Force' missions set in small, open-world sandbox levels. These task players with capturing and controlling three points on a map, and holding back waves of enemies until various story elements involving said checkpoints have run their course. Strike Force missions can be played from a number of different perspectives, allowing players to do battle in a traditional man-on-the-ground style, switch to take control of combat drones, or monitor and impact the battlefield from a strategic vantage point like a general, making use of cameras high above the site.

  

  Multiplayer Mayhem

  Black Ops II will also offer a host of multiplayer options, including competitive and co-operative game modes. While these are largely being kept under wraps for now, Treyarch has strongly hinted that multiplayer will be influenced by developments in the eSports scene as well as social media trends, so perhaps we can expect some form of interesting prize structure that rewards online play, as well as new ways in which to connect with and share experiences with fellow players.

  The fan-favourite Zombies survival mode, in which players are tasked with repelling wave after wave of increasingly deadly enemies, will also make a return. Quite where it can go next after taking players to locations including Nazi Germany, Shangri-La and the Moon in the original Black Ops is anyone's guess, but it will up the ante by doubling the number of shambling undead corpses, let eight participants play at once instead of four, and introduce new game modes.

  It may be early days, but from what we've seen of Black Ops II it's clear that Treyarch isn't resting on its laurels by playing things safe. It'll offer the cinematic single player action and accessible but competitive multiplayer gameplay that has earned the franchise a monthly active user base of 40 million players across all Call of Duty titles, but in a strategy that has plenty of potential to confound critics who argue the series hasn't evolved as much as it should have, the developer has also chosen to innovate and attempt plenty of new things that look set to freshen up the brand.
  

  Published: 31/05/2012

• Nintendo reckons Wii U could be the platform of choice for Call of Duty

  Keen to reach out to the hardcore gamers with its Wii U console, Nintendo has suggested that the new console - which uses an iPad style tablet as a second screen - may well become the preferred method of playing first-person shooters like Call of Duty.

  "Do we want to reach out to the core audience? Absolutely," said Nintendo of America marketing exec Scott Moffitt in a Gamespot interview. "They're very much part of our audience and the group of consumers we hope will find the way you can re-imagine games on the Wii U. The Wii U could become the preferred way to play those games for some of the core gamers."

  He went on to explain how the addition of a second screen could revolutionise the shooter experience. "The GamePad's touch screen could display maps and other HUD elements. You can imagine how a game like Call of Duty would work on the Wii U - the GamePad will allow you to declutter the TV and pull gaming items like maps down and not interrupt your interaction and enjoy the cinematic quality of the game on the TV. That's one application that could be exciting and could enhance gameplay for a core gamer."

  Moffitt also agreed that the move away from the simple Wiimote would make Wii U games more complex by default. "With a second screen controller, you need to see what's on the second screen," he explained, "So by nature it's a more complex system."

  The Wii U launches later this year. Call of Duty: Black Ops II, the next in the blockbuster series, has yet to be confirmed for the console, but it will appear on everything else. Even your microwave.
  

• Trent Reznor to score Call of Duty: Black Ops II

  Call Of Duty: Black Ops II will feature music composed by Nine Inch Nails frontman Trent Reznor, an interview has revealed.

  Speaking to USA Today, Reznor praised the first-person shooter series as "the cutting edge of what seemingly unlimited budgets and full-on not cutting any corners can do". He's currently putting the finishing touches on the new theme, opting against a gung-ho patriotic approach in favour of "aggressivley sounding" guitars and drums.

  Reznor is no stranger to video game music, having previously worked on Quake and Doom 3. He also scored David Fincher's The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo and won an Oscar for his music for The Social Network.

  Call of Duty: Black Ops II is released on 13th November for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC, set in the futuristic battles of 2025.
  

  Published: 11/07/2012

• Black Ops II theme to be composed by Nine Inch Nails' Trent Reznor

  James Bond has his famous theme tunes every time he saves the world, so why should the heroes of Call of Duty be any different? Aiming to redress the balance, Activision has announced that the main theme for Call of Duty: Black Ops II will be composed by Trent Reznor, erstwhile frontman of alt-rockers Nine Inch Nails.

  Known for his brooding industrial sound, clearly the odds of Reznor supplying an upbeat fist-pumping anthem are slim. "There is a lot of reservation and angst and sense of loss and regret and anger bubbling under the surface", Reznor told USA Today, perhaps giving us a little hint as to the narrative direction of the sequel. "It didn't make sense to have a gung ho, patriotic feeling theme song," he continued. "It has to feel weighty. There is a lot of remorse and apprehension here. So choosing to arrange it a bit more with guitars and drums and aggressively sounding, that struck a tone with them."

  This isn't the first time Reznor has been involved in games. He previously penned the music for the original Quake, and had the Nine Inch Nails logo emblazoned on in-game crates as a thank you.

  Black Ops II is the follow up to the 2010 smash hit shooter. It introduces futuristic warfare to the Call of Duty series for the first time, with dual storylines taking place in the 1980s and the year 2025.

  It'll be out for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC on November 13th when it's expected to sell at least a squillion copies. And, yes, that's a real number.
  

• Call of Duty: Black Ops II - Preview

  
  

  

  Post-Modern Warfare

  Treyarch may have updated the setting for the second instalment in their take on the Call Of Duty shooter franchise, but its overriding mood remains the same: one of paranoia. The world presented to the player in Black Ops was one in which full-blown wars hid secret agendas, where allies and adversaries were interchangeable, and where the motivations and even the mental state of the character the player controlled was suspect.

  For Black Ops II a not-too-distant future replaces the Cold War theatre, but the doomsday clock's hand is still nearing midnight - probably because an easily hackable computer powers it. This is a world where robot drones, automatic defence systems and missile silos are one mouse-click away from being controlled by nefarious forces. It's up to the player - who takes on the role of a grizzled, tattooed, gun-toting Special Forces soldier - to protect the free world from terrorists hell-bent on its destruction.

  The other major aspect of the world presented in Call Of Duty: Black Ops, was the propensity for stuff to blow up really nicely and Black Ops II, if anything, ups the ante in this regard. In the brief ten-minute window of footage we were shown by the games developers, we were treated to a scenario in which it looked like the world was ending, one ruptured pixel at a time.

  

  All The President's Men

  The action kicked off on the freeway where the game's protagonist, Mason, is trying to get the President of the USA to safety in a Hummer, as UAV defence drones lay waste to the city around them. In no time at all, a missile hits the vehicle, and Mason and his compatriots are forced into a visceral gun battle on the LA Express Way. The usual blockbuster bombast associated with the COD franchise is present and correct throughout. The soundtrack booms with gunfire and explosions, the screen tosses a never-ending stream of adversaries and ordinance at the player, and the action comes so fast and thick that it's worth checking to see if the proverbial kitchen-sink hasn't been lobbed at the camera.

  As frenetic as this all sounds, it's also extremely exciting, and thanks to the heaps of variety that Treyarch has implemented in the level design, it never feels repetitive.
  As we watch the action on screen threaten to crack the glass monitor, Mason uses a battery of missiles to drop UAVs from the sky, and a sniper rifle with high-calibre rounds to punch holes in opponents who are hiding behind freeway support columns. He then jumps into a car and tears through the streets of LA, arriving at a shopping mall where another furious gun battle ensues.

  

  Strike Action

  Here, we're introduced to some of the hi-tech weaponry players can look forward to enjoying when the game is released this November. Mason uses rocket launchers to stop a walking armoured tank dead in its tracks, and a touchpad on his sleeve to call in a swarm of machine gun-toting drones that pepper opponents in cover with lead. The level ends with Mason leaping into a jump-jet and taking on UAVs above downtown LA in an explosive dogfight.

  So Black Ops II has action to burn and heaps of variety. It'll also boast, we're told, a fantastic multiplayer and a mode featuring zombies. We didn't get a look at either of these unfortunately. Instead, we were shown the new open-ended Strike Force missions. These are essentially a series of mini-games that run in tandem to the single-player plot. In them, players are tasked with securing objectives on multiplayer-style maps using a team of human and drone soldiers. The outcome of each Strike Force mission has some bearing on the game's main plot, although Treyarch is being cagey about the details. What they did tell us was there are no second tries; if you fail at a Strike Force mission, you're dumped back into the campaign until the next one starts.

  Black Ops II has a tough hill to climb. Not only does it have to stave off competition from Halo 4 and Medal Of Honor Warfighter in its release window, it also has to compete sales-wise with the original Black Ops. But if the past performance of this series proves one thing, it's that players are drawn in their droves to COD's high octane brand of action, and Black Ops II doesn't just set the bar in this regard, it obliterates it completely. Watch this space...

• Call of Duty Black Ops II Multiplayer Reveal

  
  

  

  Call of Duty Black Ops II re-imagines its own standard setting multiplayer to deliver the most ambitious Call of Duty title to date. You will be introduced to the most advanced weaponry and equipment the year 2025 will have to offer. So prepare yourself for an all-new Call of Duty online experience.

  All-New Create-a-Class

  Revitalised and recharged, the create-a-class now introduces players to the new "pick-10" allocation system. Instead of picking items from each category, players will be able to trade items from one category for other items in another - Almost anything is possible with any combination of 10 items.

  Every piece of content is worth one point, when you've got ten points that gives you nearly endless combinations. To encourage and promote a better individuality to play styles, you can spend your points however you like.

  WildCards

  Worth a point each, Wildcards allow you to configure more unique class configurations. You'll be able to use multiple perks from catergory, equip a primary with three attachments, carry two lethal and that's only scratching the surface.

  

  All-New Score Streaks

  Whether you're an all out attacker or the tactician of the team, anything you do that helps your team win the match will reward you with your Score Streak. Every action is worth a different amount but actions include Capturing the enemy flag, defending friendly's with assault shields and getting kills are examples of Score Streak actions.

  2025 comes to life

  A new age brings new weapons to Call of Duty Black Ops II. Such as the Microwave Turret, initially used for crowd control, this high-powered microwave turret emits a directed energy wave that can block navigation routes. First Dogs; now the Swarm, this demoralising entity is made up of Hunter Killer drones that will attack enemies and enemy equipment.

  A new Range of Features

  Call of Duty Black Ops II raises the bar with a host of new features that allow you to get more interactive than ever before. Commandeer Hellstorm Missiles and guide them in to annihilate enemies, or take control of VTOL aircraft and bring the pain from up high. Also you can select whether to control certain instruments of destruction or let the AI handle it for you. Instruments like AGR, Autonomous Ground Robot, a sentry drone that can be piloted by you or left to find its own prey.

  A new tool in the online battle for supremacy is the MQ-27 quad rotor drone, find a place to hide and control this remotely to use the light machine gun to cut down the opposition. You can still call in the heavy duty weaponry to cause mass destruction, such as the A10's Strafing run or the Lightning Strike that allows you to pinpoint three individual target areas to be subject to an aerial assault.

  But if you want to hold the destruction in your hand you'll be wanting the War Machine or the Death Machine. The War Machine makes all other grenade launchers feel like party poppers, and the Death Machine makes a welcome, and updated, return giving players shred on-site Gatling Gun.

  Upgraded Weapons, Attachments and Equipment

  With near-future combat comes near-future upgrades. Weapon perks are now built into your attachments Call of Duty Black Ops II will allow you to carry the latest Tech onto the battleground.

  Attachments like the Assault Shield that allows you create and move portable cover, which hides you and your teammates from incoming enemy fire. The Target Finder lets you identify friends and foes with greater ease whilst the Millimetre Wave Scanner shows stationary targets at close range, even if they're hiding behind something.

  

  eSPORTS

  Call of Duty Black Ops II introduces League Play, with it comes an all-new tool set of built in Shoutcasting capabilities. This takes the competitive essence of Call of Duty and brings it into the world of a spectator sport!

  A League of its own

  You don't need to be an Elite player to take part in the Call of Duty Black Ops II Leagues, these are made for everyone as competition at any level is fun! To take part in the right league all you need to do is take part in some preliminary matches that will assess your skill before then put you into the correct division with players of a similar skill level.

  But you don't have to stay there, by playing matches and winning, you'll start ranking up. When you've ranked enough you'll be moved into the upper divisions. Through this method of skill based match making, you'll see that you're never out-gunned, just challenged.

  

  CODcast

  Become the CODcaster and deliver the play-by-play coverage of whats happening in the match. You'll gain access to a host of functions that will allow you to commentate to a higher standard.

  Features like:

  • Picture-in-Picture - This view shows a list of everyone in the game, their current score streak, and their status.
  • Map View - This view shows both sides of the battle from a top-down perspective in an easy-to-read 2d graphic.
  • Score Panel - Similar to what currently exists in professional sports, this view shows the big picture of overall team scores and objective information.
  • Name Plate - Similar to the name on a player's jersey, easily identify the player being spotlighted.
  • Display Options - The commentator has the ability to turn on or off parts of the player HUD (this will not affect the players) to maximize the viewing experience.
  • Listen In - Drop in/out of player conversations and listen to the action as it happens.

  But that's not all, also on the way for Call of Duty Black Ops II:

  • Challenges - return with a twist.
  • Core & Party Game Modes - an evolution of Wager Match, a fun new way to play with friends.
  • Custom Games - deeper customization than ever, supporting both competitive and social gaming.
  • Combat Training - back and better than ever.
  • Theater Enhancements - returns with several new features.
  • Emblem Editor + Player Identity - will provide more creativity and artistry than before.
  • Prestige - integrated into the level progression system.

  Treyarch said they would try new things and there is no denying that have really gone all out for Call of Duty Black Ops II. With new weapons, new attachments and the League Call of Duty Black Ops II looks like it's on course to take online multiplayer to a whole new level.

  The Future arrives November 13th 2012 in Call of Duty Black Ops II, Order now.

  Published: 16/08/2012

• Big Changes Detailed For Call Of Duty Black Ops 2 Multiplayer

  
  

  Call of Duty developer Treyarch promised big changes to the blockbuster's multiplayer modes for Call Of Duty Black Ops 2, and as revealed at a preview event at the Games Developers Conference in Germany, they're not about to go back on that promise.

  Out go the kill streaks of old, replaced by new score streaks which will unlock perks for players who fulfil any number of objectives, not just those who are quick with the headshots. This is backed up by the new Pick 10 Loadout system, which frees you up to create your own ideal soldier kit by giving you the freedom to choose ten items, weapons or perks to take into battle. It'll be entirely up to you what those ten things are - you won't even need to take a gun, if you're feeling particularly contrary.

  The emphasis of the game is shifting to a more democratic e-sports model, with a new division structure that ensures only players who repeatedly win are able to move up the ranks and take part in higher skilled matches. That should ensure the best players are challenged, while newcomers aren't demolished by the hardcore. You'll also be able to livestream your game over the internet, so others can watch.

  Finally, those bored of standard team play will be pleased to hear about Multi Team. This is a new mode which allows for up to eighteen players to fill out six teams and play against each other on the same map.

  It all adds up to the biggest shake-up in recent COD history, improving the game for experts and noobs alike, and we can't wait to get our hands on it.
  

• Call Of Duty Black Ops II - Multiplayer Preview

  
  

  

  Return Of The King

  Each new Call of Duty game presents a major challenge for publisher Activision, which has to strike a balance between evolving the series to increase accessibility and ensure it doesn't become stale, while at the same time avoid alienating an existing fan base by messing too heavily with a formula that has been central to creating the biggest franchise, in gaming, this console generation.

  Call of Duty: Black Ops II's single player campaign aims to move beyond linear storytelling by introducing a branching plot that lets players personalise the adventure based on their choices and actions. The game's online component appears equally ambitious, with developer Treyarch innovating upon some of the core game systems in what could be the biggest overhaul to Call of Duty's online gameplay since the original Modern Warfare launched in 2007.

  Future Warfare

  While the game's campaign spans a number of decades, multiplayer is set solely in the year 2025. Many of the weapons will feel familiar to series fans, but there are plenty of new gun attachments and futuristic gadgets to get to grips with too. There's an X-ray scope that can see through walls, a turret that fries nearby enemies with microwave rays, and an upgraded riot shield that can be placed to provide cover while freeing up both hands for aiming.

  Call of Duty: Black Ops II's reworked create-a-class system lets players choose ten pieces of content - weapons, grenades, attachments that modify weapons and perks that modify character abilities - to take into each battle. There are only a certain number of slots that you can devote to each category but Wildcards, special choices that cost one slot to use, allow you to break the system in interesting ways. You can play with a rifle, no sidearm and extra claymores, for example, or with two rifles and no non-lethal grenades, or as a mad axe man with no guns, a tomahawk and a handful of perks.

  

  Scorestreaks

  Call of Duty: Black Ops II replaces Killstreaks with a new system called Scorestreaks. While the former granted players access to increasingly powerful military capabilities for chaining together successive kills, the latter rewards them for racking up points by completing actions that win games. So capturing a flag or planting a bomb, actions that benefit the team by contributing to the main game objective, will earn players more points than simply gunning down an opponent.

  The Scorestreak rewards are a great cocktail of real-world weapons and borderline sci-fi ones. Reliable old favourites like unmanned aerial vehicles, sentry guns, air support and attack dogs rub shoulders with new tools of destruction like the aforementioned microwave emitter, a remote-controlled aerial quadrotor helicopter with a machine gun, and a swarm of drones that search for and destroy enemies.

  

  New Frontiers

  Treyarch has showcased four multiplayer maps to date. Aftermath plays out in the ruins of LA, Yemen is a small-scale urban street fight, Turbine is a giant vertical map set around a collapsed windmill, and Cargo is a shipping yard off the coast of Singapore, complete with moving crates that alter the layout of the battlefield as you play.

  While the original Black Ops' 18-player count is retained, games are no longer capped at two team battles - you can now play with up to six competing teams of three. There's also a new game type called Hardpoint, in which players must capture a position on the map which moves every sixty seconds. On top of that, there's a new skill-based matchmaking system which will, over time, ensure you never play against anyone significantly higher or lower than your own level.

  Fully Loaded

  Treyarch's also pushing Call of Duty: Black Ops II as a community focused e-sport. A new feature will enable players to stream games to the internet with a single button click, and there's even a dedicated heads up display for commentators featuring camera controls, the ability to switch to any players' viewpoint, plus a picture-in-picture scoreboard and map for tracking the action.

  Amazingly Treyarch promises it still has plenty to reveal, including an improved combat training mode for new players and an expanded version of the highly popular Zombie co-operative game mode. Played globally by millions on a daily basis, Call of Duty's multiplayer component is the lifeblood of the franchise. On this first showing, Call of Duty: Black Ops II's feature-packed offering manages to be both accessible and challenging, and most importantly, an incredible amount of fun.
  

  Published: 17/08/2012

• League play in Black Ops II will bring back teamwork, says Treyarch

  David Vonderhaar, game design director on Call of Duty: Black Ops II has explained how he believes the multiplayer changes made to the massively popular online shooter will bring more people into matches, and encourage them to work as teams.

  Whereas previous Call of Duty games favoured fast, brutal headshot deathmatch gameplay, Black Ops II has reworked the existing system of streaks and perks to suit a more e-sports style of play and reward players for more than just constant slaughter.

  "Grabbing flags and capping them can give you score," Vonderhaar has told Eurogamer by way of example. "And then you can get a guy who maybe can't necessarily go on a big kill streak invested in the system and give him some rewards. Why doesn't he deserve rewards? He probably deserves them more than some guy just standing off somewhere just generating kills, and that's all he's doing."

  "I think players are going to start caring about winning and losing again, and are going to go out of their way to work together," he added. "That to me is what I found now we're coming into the home stretch. All these places in the game where we subconsciously did that: the League Play feature does it. Multi-team does the same thing. I just think this can be a team game again."

  Our Multiplayer Preview reveals a little bit more about all this. Call of Duty: Black Ops II will take aim at last year's sales records from November 13th, for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC.

  Published: 21/08/2012

• Call of Duty: Black ops II - Hands On at the GAME

  
  

  

  At this week's GAME Conference, the publishers were out to show off the big titles coming in the run up to Christmas and into 2013. One of the most anticipated games of the show was Call of Duty: Black Ops II, a sequel that promises some interesting changes to the traditional series gameplay.

  We've got plenty of seasoned Call of Duty veterans in the GAME team, and here's what one of the most hardcore thought of his hands-on with Call of Duty: Black Ops II...

  "As the resident Call of Duty player, I was a little sceptical. I was, of course, hoping for another great game in the series, but always had in the back of my mind that it would be hard to improve on or surpass the previous two games in the series.

  

  As I approached the controller, we were told we had two minutes before we started the match, so why not play around with the new 10 Point Create-a-Class. Right here is where I knew I would not be disappointed. The "Pick 10" system meant that I could mix up any 10 elements to make up my class. I choose the Scar-H, put on a thermal sight and gave myself extended mags. I didn't want a secondary gun, so opted to get extra perks instead, and before I knew it we were starting in Yemen. I actually could have spent a lot longer playing with this 10 Point Perks screen as the options give you so much more to cater to the type of player you are, and so much more freedom to build your ultimate Class set-up. But I only had two minutes and my time was up.

  Now was the moment of truth and... it was everything I wanted! The graphics look slicker and cleaner than ever. The line of sight and depth of the battlefield was fantastic and it played exactly as I wanted it to; within seconds, I felt right at home. The new weapons and gizmos (that I will not spoil for you, as you need to grin as much as I did!) gave everything I could have wished for.

  

  Plus, there was an extra layer that has not been present in previous games - I was playing in Team Three! That's right - there were three teams on the screen at once, but what that effectively meant was that it was four players against eight, as the opposing teams were all identified as red enemies. And it was Great! I loved the game, the sound, the perks, and the 2025 spin on all of it. Brilliant! From one Call of Duty player to another, you will not be disappointed."

  So, there we have it. Solid, slick and more customisable than ever with its new Pick 10 system, Call of Duty: Black Ops II fits like a comfortable glove. It's the running and gunning we all know and love but turned up to 11 and polished and buffed to the shiniest shine possible. The future is black indeed.

  Published: 14/09/2012

• Call of Duty: Black Ops II - Interview with David Vonderhaar

  
  

  

  At the Eurogamer Expo, we were lucky enough to grab some time to speak with David Vonderhaar, one of the designers responsible for Call of Duty: Black Ops II.

  David is very passionate about the game, and also remembered with some glee the midnight launch of the first Black Ops where he met with fans, signed autographs and even worked the tills!

  But anecdotes aside, we really wanted to pick his brain about what Call of Duty: Black Ops II has to offer...

  

  GAME: Call of Duty has always had a legacy of warfare from the past and the present day. So what made you decide it was time to create a futuristic shooter? Was it a case of this is a good place (or time) to tell a story, or to tell this story?

  David Vonderhaar: 2025 gives us a lot of great opportunities. There's a big portion of the campaign that takes place at the end of Black Ops and then we go to 2025. What 2025 does for us from a gameplay perspective... I'm a game designer, and the influence there lets us pretend to be futurists, so we get to imagine what warfare would be like. This is still plausible reality. This is still bullets and optics, things that you'd expect from a Call of Duty game. But, this technology that's going to exist is based on things that we can see being built right now as prototypes, and then as game designers, imagining what they would be like in the future.

  G: The setting isn't the only change, of course, with tweaks coming to both the campaign and the multiplayer mode. In terms of multiplayer, was there any nervousness when it came to announcing some of the changes? Any fear of backlash from the hardcore fans?

  DV: There's a lot of fans of the game, and you have to be very sensitive to everything that they like about the game. But you also have to innovate, you have to push forward, and you have to do that in a smart, great way so that players can take the step with you. And that's why Create-A-Class, and Pick 10, and Wild Cards are done the way that they're done so that we can take the players with us. We know there's a lot of passionate fans, but we like it that way, and with them, we can go together and do the right things.

  

  G:And what are those kinds of things?

  DV: All sorts of really important things are going on here. It really starts with a brand new feature that we call League Play. Now, League Play makes sure that the game is fun at any level. A great experience. Long-time Call of Duty fans like you're talking about? They're going to love League Play, because they're going to be playing with people who are also very experienced long-time Call of Duty fans, because that's when the competitive playing field is intense and fun. But, if you're a new player, you'll be matched up with players who are also new, who also need to not necessarily get their butt kicked! So, League Play makes sure that you get an experience that's appropriate for your skill level, so that you get these really intense battles.

  G: And the return of multiplayer of course means the return of Zombies. But how will zombie battles work with the new three-team system?

  DV: The first rule of Zombies is that you do not talk about Zombies (laughs)! But - Zombies - absolutely, there's this experience, the co-op one that you like, the survival aspects of Zombies and getting through those waves. But there's also a type of Zombies that's a team of players trying to creep another team of players, but if you want Zombie secrets you've come to the wrong place - you have to play Zombies for yourself!

  

  G: Switching to the campaign, with new features like sandbox-style Strike Force missions and the choices you make affecting the outcome of the game. Which addition to the single player experience are you most excited for players to experience?

  DV: We hear it all the time - what are we going to do to bring the campaign experience to the next level? And being able to challenge the assumptions about what a campaign Call of Duty experience should be like is very much part of the Treyarch DNA, and that's what you see in these Strike Force missions. These are RTS-style mechanics, dead-smack in the middle of your campaign! Why not? What this does for you is this gives you this different kind of way of thinking about the game. Now you can take over different aspects - you can still be the soldier on the ground if you want, or you can fly out and actually take over one of the drones and pilot that through the mission. And whether you win or fail these missions has consequences on how the game plays out. So just a great new way that Treyarch wants to make sure that you have the most robust game experience imaginable when you're playing this way.

  G: On a very different tack now - what's the most exciting part of a game development cycle?

  DV: The most exciting part is that actual day that you get to play the game! There's a lot of stuff that goes in, and every part's really exciting. It depends on where you are, and what kind of developer that you are. As a designer we like both the design phase but we also like to see the designs come to life, so we get to have fun the entire time.

  

  G: So... DLC, which seems almost inevitable for a title like Black Ops II. We saw some interesting new takes on the missions and maps coming for Modern Warfare 3; is there anything you can say about what we might expect for additional content drops for Black Ops II?

  DV: Right now I'm just trying to make it to November 13th! And once I do, I'm sure that we'll be out letting you know. But here's what I'll say - we're going to do some really cool things here, we're kicking around some ideas, I think people are going to be really happy with what we do with Call of Duty and the support that we'll provide for Black Ops II

  G: One last question - is there anything that you've seen in another game that made you think 'I wish I'd thought of that!'? Anything that's really inspired you?

  DV: We have to draw inspiration - and do draw inspiration - from all types of media. games, films, TV, books - these things all play a big part of where we're going and what it gives us for creative inspiration. But really, truly, the biggest source of inspiration that we have actually comes directly from the fans. It's so great to be here at Eurogamer where we get to interact with all these people playing the game. They tell us exactly what they think about the game and that's actually really helpful for us as developers.

  

  Call of Duty: Black Ops II is out on November 13th on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC, and November 30th for Wii U. You can also grab the Hardened Edition and the GAME Exclusive Care Package on Xbox 360 and PS3. You can also sign up for our exciting Perks Programme when you preorder your copy for some cool exclusive extras.

  Published: 09/10/2012

• Preorder Call of Duty Black Ops II to access double XP weekend

  Just in case you weren't planning on picking up Call of Duty Black Ops II the very minute it goes on sale, Activision has confirmed that the first weekend - November 16 to 18 - will be a bonanza of double XP for everyone who preordered the game.

  That's not the only perk available to early adopters. A bonus multiplayer map, Nuketown 2025, will also be exclusive to those who preordered, or anyone who buys the Hardened or Care Package special editions. The map, based on the ever-popular Nuketown map from the first Black Ops, reimagines the war-ravaged American small town as an eerie 1950s style model town used for bomb tests, complete with spooky mannequins. It'll be just like the start of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, but you won't be able to hide in a fridge.

  Also on offer for those very same players is the Nuketown Zombies map, for use in the returning Zombies Mode. The combination of creepy Atomic Age location and flesh-eating ghouls sounds pretty good to us.

  Call of Duty Black Ops II goes on sale for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC on November 13th. It'll also be a launch title for the Wii U from November 30th.

  Published: 09/10/2012

• Call Of Duty Elite service will be free for Black Ops II

  Call of Duty Elite, the subscription service that gives fans access to extra statistics and game features, will be returning for the upcoming Call of Duty: Black Ops II, but with a twist: it'll now be completely free.

  Elite launched alongside Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 last year. A basic free version of the service allowed players to track their in-game stats both online and using a console app. The paid version added clan features, Elite TV videos and regular challenges and contests offering real and digital prizes.

  All of that will now be free to everyone, when Black Ops II launches next month. You'll be able to carry across your details and Elite will track your progress through more than one COD title at a time.

  This does mean that the downloadable maps, which were included in the cost of the Elite subscription, will now only be available as separate downloads. You'll be able to buy a £34.99 Season Pass granting access to all four map expansions, which will include content for both traditional multiplayer and the ever-popular Zombies mode. So when you pre-order your copy of Black Ops II, you might want to add some download points cards to your basket as well.

  Call of Duty: Black Ops II is out for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC on November 13th, when it will no doubt become the biggest game ever since the last Call of Duty game. A Wii U version will follow shortly after.

  Published: 16/10/2012

• Black Ops II introduces Boot Camp for new players

  One of the problems with any game that relies heavily on multiplayer for its long term appeal is the differing ability levels of new players when pitted against skilled veterans. As the most popular online shooter around, Call of Duty has a big responsibility to ensure that fresh recruits aren't driven away by ruthless snipers in their first few matches.

  The upcoming Call of Duty: Black Ops II will take big strides in this direction with the introduction of a boot camp mode where new players can find their feet and level up without being crushed by the hardcore. "Boot Camp is a mix of human and AI players versus a mix of human and AI players for full XP credit for the first ten levels," John Rafacz, of developer Treyarch, told Kotaku. "You are actually ranking up. Beyond level 10, once you pass that threshold, you start earning half XP. Then there's bug stomp which is just you and your buddies wailing on the AI. If you mix in those three modes of play, you find a real safety zone. You can play with your load outs, figure out what kind of player you are, hone your skills."

  The online gameplay has also been tweaked to make it more welcoming and satisfying for players who aren't great at those instant headshots, but may have useful skills in other styles of play. "If you are the high K/D player, there's still a place for you in the Call of Duty tent," Rafacz reassures us. "We still love you. Rewards for that skill will be available. But if you apply that skill to the benefit of your team? We'll reward you even more. We're trying to make sure people are focusing toward a more co-operative style of game."

  Call of Duty: Black Ops II lays down a targeted strike on UK shops from November 13th, when it'll be available for PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. The game will also be a launch title for the Wii U on November 30th.

  Published: 18/10/2012

• Far Cry 3 isn't afraid of the Big Bad COD

  It takes serious bravado to launch a shooter in the same month as genre behemoth Call of Duty, but that's exactly what Ubisoft will do when it releases Far Cry 3 in November, shortly after Black Ops II. Madness? Apparently not, according to Ubisoft brand manager Henri Guay.

  Speaking to games industry trade magazine MCV, he explained that Far Cry 3's open world design and tropical location sets it apart from the shooter crowd, and makes it the perfect choice for players looking for something different.

  "Far Cry has always been a little bit off the map in terms of the offer that it gives," he said. "People are going to continue to play Call of Duty and people are going to look for experiences that give them something a little bit different. We feel we're in a comfortable spot."

  Ubisoft has supported the title all the way, he says, to the extent that features that were in danger of being cut ended up staying in the game because the team wanted people to see them.

  "Far Cry 3 is a big game and there's an expectation," adds Dan Hay, the game's product manager. "We wanted to make it as great as it absolutely can be. There were a couple of things we were talking about cutting from the game that I just couldn't bear to take away from the consumer."

  Far Cry 3 is out for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 on November 30th. Call of Duty: Black Ops II comes to PS3, Xbox 360 and PC on November 13th.

  Published: 22/10/2012

• Festive Gaming Getaways

  
  

  Five games ideal for escaping the Christmas madness

  

  As you'll no doubt be aware if you've walked down the high street recently, Christmas is coming. The season of hearty cheer, peace and goodwill to all. Except it never really works out like that, does it? Christmas can also be a hellish scrum of last-minute present shopping, fraught family get-togethers and children driven to insanity by toxic levels of sugar and chocolate.

  But don't fret! As gamers we have the perfect escape route at our fingertips. Fire up your console or computer, wedge a chair under the door handle and lose yourself in a game immersive enough to blot out the Yuletide yahoos outside. Thankfully, this season's blockbuster crop offers plenty of games with the sort of long term gameplay and enduring appeal needed to keep you sane until January kicks the door in. Here's our pick of the top five festive gaming getaways.

  

  Assassin's Creed III

  Formats: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC, Wii U
  Out: Now (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360), November 24th (PC), November 30th (Wii U)

  It's hard to believe the Assassin's Creed series has only been around for five years but it's quickly grown into a gaming giant, in gameplay as well as sales. This year's trilogy-capping epic promises to the be the biggest yet, an open-world romp through the American War of Independence that also brings to a close the modern day story of history-hopping hero Desmond Miles and his battle to escape the clutches of the Templars. With a vibrant rural community to build and upgrade, not to mention the prospect of commanding your own frigate in naval battles, this is a game with far more to do than just hiding in haystacks and stabbing people. And once you polish off the single-player story, there's the fantastic multiplayer modes - now so large they demand their own disc. Whether you want to roam the forests or battle online, this is a game that will keep you busy well into 2013.

  

  Football Manager 2013

  Formats: PC, Mac
  Out: Now

  Sports Interactive's evergreen soccer simulation has long been the gaming getaway of choice for footy fans everywhere. With its deep, intricate systems and canny knack for capturing the highs and lows, ebbs and flows of the beautiful game, it not only offers months of brilliant gameplay but also creates a compelling alternate reality where your sofa-bound frustration at real-world performance can be transformed into a vindicating "this is how you should do it!" sandbox, as you kick out the manager whose decisions cause you so much anguish and see if you can do a better job. This year's edition is even more detailed, but also comes with the much-praised Classic Mode, stripping the game down to the absolute basics and letting you power through a season in a few days. Perfect for some special alone-time while you wait for that turkey to digest.

  

  Halo 4

  Format: Xbox 360
  Out: November 6th

  We haven't been starved of Halo games, what with Halo: Reach in 2010 and the remastered Halo: Anniversary Edition last year, but the encroaching dark winter nights just haven't been the same without Master Chief, last seen drifting off into deep space at the end of Halo 3 in 2007. Well, he's back, and bigger and better than ever. Halo 4 marks the start of a new story arc - the Reclaimer Trilogy - and it offers multiple ways to spend those awkward hours between opening presents and trudging to bed full of pudding and sweets. A robust single-player campaign is also playable in four-player co-op, and the new Spartan Ops offers even more co-operative goodness, offering regular downloadable spin-off missions in a TV box-set style. And, of course, there's the multiplayer - one of the most rewarding and balanced online games around, now perfected and polished to keep pace with modern multiplayer expectations. This won't just keep you playing over Christmas, it'll keep you playing until Halo 5.

  

  ZombiU

  Format: Wii U
  Out: November 30th

  There's something grimly ironic about the fact that Nintendo's latest console is launching with a gruelling survival horror game alongside the expected cheery and colourful fare. After so many years of the Wii being the default family gaming system, fiendish souls looking to clear the lounge will certainly appreciate the ominous tone and brutal violence that ZombiU offers. Set in London after an undead apocalypse, the game uses the Wii U's tablet controller as a handheld inventory and survival kit, your only lifeline against the shambling, flesh-eating horde. The sight of brain-chomping British bobbies outside Buckingham Palace will scare grandparents away nice and quickly, but gory-minded youngsters may prove harder to shake off. The game's unforgiving difficulty - which includes permanent character death and the need to return to the scene of your demise and battle your zombified body to retrieve your backpack - should send them scurrying for something less taxing, leaving you free to endure the end of the world in blissful peace and quiet.

  

  Call of Duty: Black Ops II

  Formats: Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC, Wii U
  Out: November 13th (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC), November 30th (Wii U)

  November is Call of Duty month in the gaming calendar, and this year's offering isn't short of new ideas. The single-player campaign is split between flashback missions set in the 1980s, and stages set in the technologically advanced combat zones of 2025. In these futuristic sections, you'll undertake Strike Force missions which will impact the direction of the story. The horrific co-operative Zombies mode now has its own campaign and supports eight players rather than four. It's in multiplayer where COD has earned its stripes, however, and Black Ops II promises to shake up the enormously popular formula more than any previous game in the series. In come multi-team matches, pitting three or four forces against each other rather than the traditional two-sided battles. Combat classes have been made more fluid, allowing you to pick and choose the abilities and loadouts that suit your play style, while the scoring system has been tweaked to encourage more teamwork and objective-based success, rather than lone wolf soldiers and constant headshots. It's shaping up to be the pinnacle of an already enormously successful series, and if you're planning on sneaking away for a few hours of digital carnage on Christmas Day, you certainly won't be alone.

  Published: 02/11/2012

• GAME goes to the Call of Duty: Black Ops II Community Event!

  
  

  

  Answering The Call

  It's here! By the time you read this, Call of Duty: Black Ops II will be out. The long wait for Treyarch gaming-goodness will finally be over, and to coincide with a week of launch celebrations, Activision staged a special Call of Duty: Black Ops II Community event for the weekend beginning Friday, 9th November. GAME was invited and attended on the Friday night... and we can confirm that the wait has been well worth it.

  So what was on offer on this Friday we speak of? Well, aside from a chance to play Call of Duty: Black Ops II four days prior to its release, there was also the chance to play through the Nuketown 2025 preorder map and, for four very lucky people, the first chance in the UK to sample the much anticipated Zombies feature of the game. Throw in a Black Ops-themed diner (complete with jukebox!) and the bright orange lights of the 'War Room' tournament table (ready to showcase some of the finest gamers in the Community), and the stage truly was set.

  

  The Stars Line Up

  After a short period of time allowing for introductions and early practice to take place, the evening's centre-piece demonstration confirmed some of the great new features which will make Call of Duty: Black Ops II the definitive multiplayer experience gamers have been waiting for. After a short chat with none other than Black Ops II star Michael Rooker (screen legend and one of the cast of TV's 'The Walking Dead' - check out our video interview), the evening's emcee, Xbox LIVE legend Graham Boyd (aka 'Acey Bongos') and professional gaming great Mike "hastr0" Rufail got down to it and guided eager attendees through the multiplayer of Black Ops II.

  Further to these new options, "hastr0" spoke about the way the games will work, explaining that whilst KDRs and KDR scoring remain important, the "score streaks" awarded for fulfilling objectives will mean that players will be rewarded for playing for both the objectives of the game and playing for their team. Another exciting new feature of multiplayer is the new "Hardpoint" mode (think of it as a 'King of The Hill' style game mode), where players focus on domination and control of one area - amidst chaos and competition.

  

  Watch And Learn

  For those of you that love to watch (and learn), there's the all-new "COD Casting", which will allow people to watch in on games. With the game objective & a score that remains present in the corner, alongside the ability to jump from player to player - viewing player streaks and the optional mini-map - spectators can keep up with the action and keep their finger on the pulse at all times. And for those that want their action as authentic as possible, there's also the option to remove the HUD completely. COD Casting once again proves that Treyarch are keeping the multiplayer focus of the game as paramount as ever.

  Actually having the opportunity to play Call of Duty: Black Ops II brought it all together. The customisation allows you to play things your way, but the rounded and refined experience is where the multiplayer shines. It feels slicker and smoother than Black Ops, with the sheen and visual polish going hand-in-hand with the updated era of the maps. Control for Black Ops veterans will come instantly, but new players will be able to pick it up too as the controls remain intuitive and in keeping with what you'd expect from a multiplayer experience. The ultra smooth feel takes a bit of getting used to, but it's worth it and it makes Call of Duty: Black Ops II the complete multiplayer package.

  The Community launch event was a great success and was a fantastic opportunity for Black Ops fans to come together. Now, who's up for some Call of Duty: Black Ops II?

  Want to see more? Check out our Flickr photos and video highlights of the event!

  Published: 14/11/2012

• Review Roundup: Call of Duty Black Ops II

  It's sure to be the biggest game of the year, but is Black Ops II worth your time and money? According to the critics, the answer is a big sweaty "yes", with praise for Treyarch's shooter raining down from all sides.

  "Not just a fantastic Call of Duty game, but one of the best shooters of the last decade," says IGN in a 9.3/10 review that points to the numerous tweaks and changes to the COD formula as highlights. "The most ambitious and exciting Call of Duty ever made" is their conclusion.

  "Zombies drops you into an intense, expansive world with untold secrets to discover, multiplayer's Pick 10 system and Scorestreaks open up new strategies to exploit, and the single-player campaign warrants repeat visits from its captivating, branching storyline" says GamesRadar's glowing four and a half star review.

  Across all of the reviews, much of the praise centres around the decision to lavish attention on the single player campaign, an element that some had felt was becoming irrelevant as Activision capitalised on COD's multiplayer modes. "The elastic story provides plenty of incentive to replay the campaign" reads the 94% review from GameTrailers, concluding that "shooters simply don't get much more deep, varied, surprising, or rewarding than this."

  Even if everyone was going to buy Black Ops II anyway, it's great to see that the game itself goes out of its way to deliver value for money.

  Call of Duty: Black Ops II is out now for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC. A Wii U version will launch on November 30th, alongside Nintendo's new console.

  Published: 14/11/2012

• Call of Duty: Black Ops II - Review

  
  

  

  Ready Up

  Is it that time of year already? No, not the annual rush to plaster Christmas all over every shopping centre as soon as the last embers of Bonfire Night have died down, but the traditional November release of a new Call of Duty game. Turning out a new title in a series every twelve months should lead to creative inertia but against the odds, in Black Ops II developer Treyarch has delivered the most invigorated and interesting COD in years.

  Fight The Future

  As always, the game is divided neatly between its single player campaign and multiplayer modes, with each offering familiar pleasures alongside exciting new flourishes. The story mode, for instance, splits itself between past and future. Some of the missions are told in flashbacks to the 1980s as previous Black Ops heroes Frank Woods and Alex Mason chase down a dangerous terrorist called Raul Menendez against a backdrop of Cold War paranoia. The other missions are set in 2025, and follow David Mason, Alex's son, as he continues the pursuit, with Menendez now older and more calculating, pitching himself as an anti-capitalist cult leader.

  All the Call of Duty bombast you expect is here, from the grungy punchiness of the retro missions to the sci-fi tinged thrills of the future levels. There are reliable old weapons here, as well as brilliant new toys that allow you to see and shoot through walls, track enemy heat signatures and more. Fancy adding some spark to your melee attacks? Grab the electric knuckledusters that leave enemies vomiting themselves to death. Nice.

  

  Choose Your Own Adventure

  There are changes afoot in the campaign structure as well. There are now six different endings, depending on your choices and actions. Don't worry, COD hasn't gone RPG, but moments of moral choice as well as mission objectives now carry greater weight as you know they can shift the course of the story. This also adds much-needed replay value to the single player side of the game, as do level-specific challenges and leaderboards that track your performance in each stage against your friends. In previous COD games, the campaign was something to bash through on Veteran before sinking into multiplayer. In Black Ops II, Treyarch offers a campaign that you'll come back to more than once.

  The maps, too, are more ambitious than before. The old corridor construction still rears its head, along with some annoying checkpoints and a few too many showboating scenes that play out without your input, but frequently there are multiple routes to be found, as well as hidden caches of weapons and intel that genuinely change the way battles play out.

  There's even a splash of real-time strategy in the form of Strike Force missions, optional levels that put you in charge of squads, vehicles and turrets. You can hop between each for the personal touch, or issue orders from an overhead tactical map. The AI isn't really up to the task, but as a change of pace and a halfway house between single and multiplayer, they're a welcome addition.

  Boot Camp

  The changes to multiplayer are less dramatic, but no less noticeable. Matches are still fast and brutal, and the maps follow the tight COD template that fans love. What's changed are the systems around the matches. You can now completely customise your loadout, choosing any ten weapons, items, perks and attachments, freeing players from the rigid confines of combat classes (though those are still here).

  

  Killstreaks are gone, replaced by Scorestreaks which reward consistent good play rather than simply the player who is best at headshots. If you're more of a slow and steady player, better suited to meeting objectives and supporting teammates, Black Ops II finally recognises your contribution. Also making the often daunting conflicts more approachable are Combat Training playlists, which mix low level players and AI bots, allowing for an easier climb for new players up to Level 10, after which you'll have unlocked enough features and toys to slip into the main public matches. Think of it as the nursery slopes of multiplayer shooting.

  Rise From Your Grave!

  Even Zombies mode has been built up into something more substantial. Once a throwaway extra at the end of the single player game, it's rapidly becoming an entire game in its own right. Here, you travel between different locations on a bus, fighting off waves of the undead, unlocking buildings and weapons as you go. It's not quite as robust as the other two sections of Black Ops II, but it's much more than the trivial distraction of old. The best new feature is Grief mode, in which two teams of four players fight the zombies in the same area - but only one human team can leave. Frantic and ruthless, it won't be a surprise to see this branch out into its own title soon.

  What's most impressive is how much effort Treyarch has put into addressing long-standing criticisms of the COD formula, and how it's managed to broaden the game's appeal without sacrificing the hardcore on the altar of mainstream gaming. It really is the strongest and most surprising Call of Duty game since the first Modern Warfare, and comes highly recommended to both fans and newcomers alike.

  GAME's Verdict

  The Good:

  • Vastly improved single player campaign
  • Zombies mode is seriously meaty
  • Smart, subtle multiplayer tweaks make it fun for everyone

  The Bad:

  • Strike Force missions could be better
  • Some balancing required for multiplayer
  • A couple of frustrating single player checkpoints

  Published: 15/11/2012

• The Best of 2012: Xbox 360

  
  

  And so another year gallops to a close, thundering through the ribbon into January on a wave of good cheer and over-eating. And what a cracker of a year it's been for gaming, with all the major platforms delivering some absolutely stonking exclusives along with some truly spectacular blockbusters spread across all formats, like warm butter on the crumpet you're hopefully eating right now to ward off the December chills.

  

  For Xbox 360 owners, it's been the year in which Master Chief finally returned to the gaming stage. Absent for five years - an eternity in games terms - his triumphant return in Halo 4 not only kickstarted the new Reclaimer Trilogy, but also introduced new developer 343 Studios to the series. 343 immediately put its stamp on Bungie's universe, crafting a game with sumptuous visuals and a distinctly personal spin on storytelling, as Chief battles not just to save the galaxy, but his AI companion Cortana, whose code is deteriorating. Add in an exhaustive suite of multiplayer modes, a full co-op campaign, and the ongoing Spartan Ops bonus missions and you've got one of the best games of the series, and of this year.

  

  Halo wasn't the only Microsoft legend getting a makeover in 2012. Forza Horizon took the imposing racing simulation and gave it a funky mainstream twist, combining developer Turn 10's impeccable vehicle physics with an open world underground racing vibe. Everything from drift racing to hardcore rallying is covered as you roar around a virtual Colorado racing festival, looking for events and opportunities to show off your talent behind the wheel.

  

  The wonderful land of Albion also showed off a new perspective in Fable: The Journey. This Kinect-fuelled spin-off from the superb RPG series puts you right into the action as a young boy, separated from his tribe and forced to travel across this magical land alone as dark forces gather against him. Using precision motion control, you steer your wagon, fire off spells and even look after your loyal horse. It's an unusual game, offering an experience far removed from the other Fable titles, yet it's also one of the best Kinect games. Immersive and packed with genuine challenge, it's a good sign that motion gaming doesn't have to just mean simple mini-games for little kids.

  

  Definitely not suitable for little kids was The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings. Previously a well-deserved smash hit on the PC, the game crossed over to consoles exclusively for Xbox 360. This was no mere half-hearted port either. Czech developer CD Projekt went out of its way to recreate the game specifically for a console audience, adding four hours of fresh questing content, as well as new cinematics. The result was one of the best role-playing games, not just of 2012, but of all time. A thorny, challenging adventure set in a bawdy, complex world torn apart by racism, political strife and class war.

  

  On the digital frontline, the Xbox continued to thrill. World conquering epic Minecraft came to consoles just for the 360, allowing a whole new audience to experience the genius of Mojang's communal block bashing and building. No surprise that it quickly became one of the most popular online games, challenging even the heavyweight shooters. Indie hit Fez got critics hot under the collar too with its mind-bending puzzle platforming action, and knockabout motocross romp Trials Evolution offered gamers the chance to punish their ragdoll rider in the year's biggest highs and most hilarious fails.

  

  Xbox owners weren't left out when it came to multi-format releases either. The brilliant Borderlands 2, with its lunatic mix of co-op action and loot-swapping mayhem, is what your Xbox LIVE Friends List was invented for, while the online action of hits such as FIFA 13 and Need for Speed: Most Wanted made the most of Microsoft's ever-evolving digital community. Even the biggest game of the year had something extra special for Xbox players, as Activision announced that all the DLC maps for Call of Duty: Black Ops II will be exclusive to Xbox 360 for a limited time.

  And that's just this year. Where will Xbox be in another twelve months? Will there be a new console to save up for? How long will we have to wait for Halo 5? And what will developers do next with the controller-free Kinect? One thing's for sure, it's going to be an amazing ride finding out.

  Published: 13/12/2012

• Dishonored takes home Best Game BAFTA

  The BAFTA Video Game Awards took place last night, with 53 games nominated for prestigious prizes across 17 categories. The winners are an eclectic bunch as well, handily illustrating the variety and scope of games as a creative medium.

  Bethesda's rich and rewarding steampunk stealth-em-up Dishonored walked away with the evening's most coveted prize, voted Best Game by the BAFTA panel, but the big winner was Sony's digital gem Journey, nominated in eight categories. Jenova Chen's chilled out game of exploration and contemplation won five of the awards, getting the nod for game design, artistic achievement, audio achievement, original music and, in one of the evening's nicest surprises, online multiplayer.

  Journey allows two players to explore together, but partners are placed together at random, cannot speak directly to each other and have no idea who they're playing with. For such a bold approach to co-operative play to snatch the multiplayer prize from the likes of Call of Duty and Assassin's Creed raised more than a few eyebrows.

  Telltale's gripping episodic Walking Dead adventure also dominated the event, winning two of the seven awards it was up for, winning for Best Story and Best Mobile or Handheld game. Far Cry 3 was crowned Best Action Game, while XCOM: Enemy Unknown won for Best Strategy. Lego Batman 2: DC Superheroes claimed the prize for Best Family Game.

  Published: 06/03/2013

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