Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 (PS5) Review: A Pricy, No-Frills Port

If you were hoping for a polished, modern update to a classic, Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 on PlayStation 5 is going to be a massive disappointment. With an asking price of $40, this is a bare-bones port of a 14-year-old game that offers absolutely no technical enhancements. It earns a 5/10, and frankly, unless you are desperate to revisit its specific brand of multiplayer, it is a hard pass.

The Verdict on Performance

Let’s be clear: this is not a remaster. If you are expecting 4K textures, improved frame rates, or any modern quality-of-life adjustments, you won't find them here. It is a straight port of the 2012 original, and it shows. The visuals are clearly dated, and the lack of any meaningful effort to bring the experience up to current console standards makes the $40 price point feel comically high. To make matters worse, if you want the full experience, you’ll have to shell out even more cash, as all DLC is sold separately.

Why You Might Still Consider It

Despite the lazy nature of the port, Black Ops 2 remains a high-water mark for the franchise’s multiplayer. For those exhausted by modern live-service models and endless Battle Passes, the game’s core loop is a breath of fresh air. It introduced the “Pick 10” class system, which remains a fan favorite, and the map design is widely considered some of the best in the series' history. Matches are generally well-balanced, and it captures the essence of what made the series a global phenomenon during its online peak.

Campaign and Zombies

Beyond the multiplayer, the package includes the campaign and Zombies mode. The campaign is split across two timelines—the Cold War era and a futuristic 2025 setting. The future missions are still engaging, utilizing gadgets like wingsuits and grappling gloves to keep the pace up. It is a solid, albeit not perfect, single-player outing. The Zombies mode, meanwhile, leans heavily into complexity. Treyarch prioritized their hardcore audience here, so if you are a casual player, you may find the mechanics and progression a bit opaque.