Review: Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 – A Great shooter with room to grow on Accessibility

The image is a promotional graphic for Call of Duty: Black Ops 6." It features a central figure of a soldier in tactical gear, seated and holding a weapon. The soldier's face is partially obscured by digital glitch effects, contributing to a sense of mystery and intensity. The background is predominantly dark, with contrasting orange and black glitch-like visual elements. The game's title, "Call of Duty: Black Ops 6," is prominently displayed in bold lettering across the center of the image, with the number "6" highlighted in orange, drawing attention to the latest installment in the series. The overall composition conveys a theme of action and intrigue.

Best Black Ops yet

Hello, dear readers! My name is Victor, and I am a totally blind gaming, technology, and entertainment journalist. I am also an ambassador for universal design, an accessibility consultant, advocate, tester, and public speaker.

As a long-time Call of Duty fan and a blind gamer, I couldn’t help but hope for an accessible Black Ops 6. After years of highs and lows, it’s safe to say this game delivers one of the best call of duty campaigns the series has seen in a long time, but sadly one that is not yet accessible for those who can’t see. Set against the tension of the early 1990s, with missions spanning desolate bunkers, European casinos, and the Iraqi desert, the story pulls you into a thrilling world of espionage and danger. Each mission feels like a scene out of a classic espionage thriller, with a fresh sense of urgency and high-stakes action. Although I couldn’t play it myself, I loved every minute of it.

Black Ops 6 – Gameplay Reveal Trailer

The story in Black Ops 6 is excellent, thanks to a grounded yet intense narrative that keeps you on the edge of your seat. The tension is palpable, with each mission designed to make you feel like you’re part of a larger conspiracy unfolding across the globe. The pace is relentless in the best way, combining carefully orchestrated stealth moments with explosive combat sequences. For players who enjoy the series’ signature mix of action and intrigue, this campaign doesn’t disappoint. It’s not just a story; it’s a cinematic experience that holds your attention from start to finish. This intensity reminded me why I fell in love with the series in the first place.

If you’re playing on the PlayStation 5, you’re in for an even richer experience. The DualSense controller’s haptics and adaptive triggers make each weapon feel unique—whether it’s the heavy kick of a shotgun or the quick burst of a submachine gun. Explosions and impacts resonate through the controller, adding a physical depth to every firefight that truly enhances immersion. It’s the kind of detail that makes you feel more in tune with the game, especially during intense combat. Every gunfight and explosion reverberates through your hands, making you feel like you’re right there in the chaos. This layer of tactile feedback adds a satisfying level of realism that heightens the intensity of each encounter. I find it very strange though that the development team decided to have the haptics turned off by default on PlayStation. I wonder why…

Nuketown Launch Trailer | Call of Duty: Black Ops 6

The Multiplayer and Zombies mode are packed with new features designed to keep you on your toes. Omnimovement is a big addition, allowing you to sprint, slide, and dive in any direction. If you’re a fan of fast-paced gameplay, this feature opens up all kinds of new tactical options, letting you adapt on the fly. Multiplayer is packed with 16 fresh maps, each designed to keep the action flowing with the classic three-lane map style that Black Ops fans know and love. Zombies mode is another highlight, bringing back the beloved round-based setup with new maps and a convenient solo save feature. For solo players who want to take a break and come back, this change makes all the difference.

Black Ops 6 also takes a step forward in accessibility. It introduces options like asymmetrical hearing compensation and high contrast mode, which are welcome updates for players with hearing or visual impairments. The menu even has HUD presets for layout customization. But as a blind player, I found that the game still lacks essential accessibility features for a fully inclusive experience. Text-to-speech for navigating menus and audio descriptions for cinematics are standard accessibility features, yet still missing here. Without them, blind players miss out on important visual details in the story and struggle to navigate independently.

Another huge challenge for blind players is the absence of navigation assistance during missions. Without directional audio cues or camera guidance, I couldn’t experience the campaign firsthand. Instead, I followed along as my wife, Alina, played through it, which allowed me to enjoy the story in a way but kept me as a passive observer. This lack of support is a missed opportunity, especially when Call of Duty has already made strides in accessibility for other player needs. While other franchises have started incorporating robust accessibility options, Black Ops 6 remains limited in this area.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 – Global Launch Gameplay Trailer copied to clipboard

In conclusion, Black Ops 6 has a lot going for it. The campaign was definitely the high point for us delivering a story full of suspense and action across some truly unique locations. Multiplayer feels fresh, and the new Zombies mode adds just the right amount of nostalgia with smart updates. But for blind players like myself, the lack of assistive features holds the game back from being fully accessible. While the series has made some great improvements, it still has a way to go in reaching all players. For anyone who can navigate it, though, Black Ops 6 is a memorable experience that brings intensity and immersion to a whole new level.

Black Ops 6 pushes boundaries in many ways, yet leaves some players behind. But for those who can engage fully, it’s a journey worth every pulse-pounding second.

Review copy provided by Activision 

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Victor Dima

Owner and Founder at victordima.net
Victor Dima is a Blind Gaming Journalist and Accessibility Ambassador, Living in Oslo with his wife Alina. Victor was the first journalist in Romania to receive the PS5 & the PS VR2 from PlayStation. He is also working closely with Xbox Nordic and other game publishers such as Ubisoft, Ea, Bungie, Activision, blizzard, square Enix, Capcom, Rockstar Games, Sega, PlayStation studios, WB Games, Bethesda and many others. With over 12 years of experience covering the Gaming Industry, he started victordima.net in 2013 and since February 2022 all his articles are posted in English in order to reach a more global audience. He is the owner and founder of the highly successful PlayStation Fans Romania Facebook Community, the largest independent source for PlayStation News in Romania, on social media with almost 35.000 followers. Victor is also running theAudiobookBlog.com. You can reach Victor at contact@victordima.net

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