Introduction
The latest installment in the iconic Call of Duty franchise, Black Ops 6, has recently opened its doors to a select group of players for an early access multiplayer beta. As someone who hasn’t played a CoD game since Ghosts, I was eager to dive in and experience the latest iteration of this beloved shooter series. After spending several hours immersed in the beta, I’m here to share my first impressions of the multiplayer experience.
Hardware and Performance
I had the opportunity to test Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 on slightly older hardware consisting of an AMD Ryzen 7 3700X processor, 16GB of RAM, and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 graphics card. Despite the game’s hefty size, which requires around 150GB of storage, I was pleasantly surprised by its smooth generally smooth performance at 1440p resolution with the quality preset to Ultra.
As with any early release title, there are bound to be some hiccups here and there. First off, the game suddenly crashed out of nowhere while I was in the middle of a match, there is some occasional lag at the very start of a match, and the loading screen for the match can sometimes be consistently dark without showing the map.
Launcher and User Interface
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 utilizes a dedicated launcher, which some may find slightly inconvenient compared to a more streamlined implementation. However, the user interface itself is clean and intuitive, making it easy for newcomers and seasoned veterans alike to navigate the various modes and customization options.
The home screen provides a clear overview of your daily challenges, party information, and access to essential elements such as the operator selection, weapon customization, and progression tracking.
Speaking of which, there are some nice permanent rewards when you reach level 20, which is the level cap for this phase of the beta.
For the beta, there are 10 guns that you can use (some you’ll have to progress to unlock), varying from Assault Rifles to Sniper Rifles.
The weaponsmith feature for example, has been refined, allowing you to create and save multiple loadouts tailored to different playstyles and map conditions.
You can also create custom loadouts that you can quickly equip to suit a particular map or game mode.
For your guns, you can change the way they look with stickers, camos, charms, decals, and even custom reticles.
Gameplay Modes and Maps
For the beta, players were given access to the Core Moshpit mode, which is a mix of classic game modes like Domination, Hardpoint, and Team Deathmatch, as well as the new Kill Order mode. Kill Order tasks players with identifying and eliminating the opposing team’s designated High Value Target, adding a fresh strategic element to the gameplay.
The four available maps – Skyline, SCUD, Rewind, and Derelict – each present their own unique challenges and encourage different approaches based on the game mode. The maps are visually pleasing and offer a decent variety of environments, though I would have appreciated more destructible elements to further shape the battlefield.
Gunplay and Movement
The gunplay in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 feels familiar, with a good balance of precision and fast-paced action. Players are able to engage enemies from a distance without too much difficulty in controlling their weapon’s recoil. The addition of omnidirectional movement, including diving, sliding, and sprinting in any direction, adds a layer of dynamism to the combat, allowing for more strategic and flashy maneuvers.
The tutorial does a commendable job of introducing these new movement mechanics and mastering them in actual matches can be a satisfying challenge.
Early Verdict
Overall, my experience with the Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 multiplayer early access beta has been quite positive. The game delivers a familiar yet refined shooter experience, with a focus on fast-paced action, strategic play, and rewarding progression.
While there is room for improvement in certain areas, the foundation laid by the developers suggests a promising step, and I can’t wait to try out the more complete experience when the game officially launches sometime in October.
Tip: If you’re a PC Game Pass subscriber, you can play the current early access beta. For more information, you may visit the Call of Duty official website.
Emman has been writing technical and feature articles since 2010. Prior to this, he became one of the instructors at Asia Pacific College in 2008, and eventually landed a job as Business Analyst and Technical Writer at Integrated Open Source Solutions for almost 3 years.
