In a time where Call of Duty sometimes takes undeserved flak, I have been a huge supporter of the series' efforts to stay fresh every year. Over the past decade, we've seen the franchise visit modern day, World War II, Vietnam, and various futuristic settings. We've seen it be a traditional "boots on the ground" shooter, an over-the-top military blockbuster, a psychological thriller, and a "what if?" sci-fi doomsday tale, complete with rocket boosters and exoskeletons.
Last year, we were told Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare was "the wrong game at the wrong time," with the implication being that audiences were sick of futuristic warfare (after three games in a row set beyond the present day). That made it an odd decision, then, for Call of Duty: WWII's successor to once again head back to the future with Call of Duty: Black Ops 4.
In what is presumably an attempt to ground the game in a way Black Ops IIIdid not, the latest in the sub-series omits its predecessor's double jumps and heads, once again, back to basics. Sort of. While Black Ops 4's futuristic agility powers may have been scrapped, the somewhat generic near-future setting has been preserved.