Call of Duty: Black Ops 7's campaign is online only, has no checkpoints or pauses, and will kick you if you're idle for too long
Blog Andrew Joseph 14 Nov , 2025 0
The story takes place in Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 Due to its always-on nature, there are many limitations, and there is no way to pause levels. You will also be logged out of the game if you are idle for too long.
As IGN just released a detailed introduction “Call of Duty: Black Ops 7” campaign review (The game is rated 6/10), the story experience (traditionally offered as a single-player game) is actually better played through online co-op play, with support for up to four players.
The downside, however, is that the game doesn't offer AI companions to fill if you're missing a spot in your four-player squad, there are no checkpoints, no difficulty options, and if you're playing solo you'll need to repeat missions that are explicitly designed to be completed by multiple players.
Our review noted that “playing the game alone is very tedious as you have to repeat multiple objectives, such as placing a C4 on a building four times, instead of splitting them up as intended.”
Black Ops 7's campaign is set in the year 2035 and features a stellar cast that includes “Gilmore Girls” and “This Is Us” star Milo Ventimiglia (playing the returning David Mason), as well as “Guardians of the Galaxy” hero Michael Rooker and “Sabrina the Teenage Witch” actor Kiernan Shipka.
Longtime Call of Duty fans may be surprised by some of the more fantastical settings presented in the mode, with psychedelic visuals and towering bosses more common in games like Activision's former stablemate Destiny. But here, too, the offerings offer some variety.
“Like you're dropped into a Looney Tunes cartoon, dodging giant falling machetes is as much a one-time delight as controlling a fancy luxury ship and crashing into the side of a building,” our review continued. “Moments like this feel like they were plucked from Christopher Nolan's back pocket and fit perfectly into the Call of Duty formula.”
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 launches just 12 months after last year's Black Ops 6, marking the first time the veteran shooter series has returned to its sub-brand for a second consecutive year. Immediately afterwards, EA's rival “Battlefield” series also ushered in its own huge returns, Turning up the pressure on Activision's new shooter.
IGN Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 Multiplayer Review So Far Still a work in progress, sounds more positive at least initially.
Tom Phillips is IGN's news editor. You can contact Tom at [email protected] or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social