Metareview: Call of Duty: Black Ops

A new entry in the Call of Duty franchise is like a large cauldron of rich, hearty stew -- everyone's going to find something different to say about it. Whether it's comments on the complex flavor of the broth, the freshness of the vegetables, or the depth of the zombified multiplayer component, no two reviews could possibly be the same. This metaphor went off the rails very, very quickly.

Anyway, now that you've read our review of Call of Duty: Black Ops, why not see what the rest of the peanut gallery has to say?

• GamePro (5/5 Stars): "The good news is that the game is absolutely worth the investment, and even if you find yourself disagreeing with some of the changes Treyarch instituted or you run into a bunch of morons who are hell bent on ruining a particular mode for you, you have plenty of other options to keep you engaged for a good long time."

• GameTrailers (9.3/10): "Treyarch has closed the gap between its games and the Modern Warfare franchise with boundless customization, a keen sense of what makes the formula a success, and listening to fans."

• 1UP (A-): "When examining this seventh (and therefore odd-numbered) Treyarch installment beside the studio's history, it's apparent that not only does Black Ops show how much Treyarch has grown as a developer, but that it's easily their best title yet."

• IGN (8.5/10): "Call of Duty: Black Ops is a great overall package that has a ton of content to enjoy. The multiplayer modes are largely based on what was established by Modern Warfare, but the twists that Treyarch throws in work well."

• Giant Bomb (4/5 Stars): "Do you want to play more Call of Duty? I'm guessing the answer is yes, and by all means, Black Ops is worth playing. But for all its ambitious steps to set itself apart from the previous games, it flounders in a few too many of those areas to be a total success."