Black Ops III is a perfectly entertaining FPS, but it's not a masterpiece. In fact, fans of the previous BLOPS games will be disappointed that it isn't a conclusion to the Alex Mason story. It is, however, loaded to the gills with plenty of content and most of it is solid. Surprisingly, this game doesn't resemble its Cold War-set predecessors or even the Michael Bay-influenced "Modern Warfare" games. Instead, it is a bleak and violent cyberpunk adventure that blends elements of "Ghost In the Shell" with "Deux Ex" and "Metal Gear Solid 4". Adult anime is an obvious influence.
Story-wise, it is a flash forward to the dark future hinted in "Black Ops II". With a convoluted story and a bizarre ending, this game is the "Bioshock Infinite" of the franchise except without the subtlety. Graphically violent and dark to the extreme, the campaign will be remembered for its ambitions, if not for its storytelling. The franchise's trademark of Hollywood setpieces is still present, but you'll most likely remember the endless shootouts with drones and robots. It can get a little boring, even with fellow players. The campaign can be played with four others, but it is easily one of Treyarch's worst despite the addition of "Bioshock"-like powers.
While the story mode is distinguished with its graphic content and future setting, the multiplayer stays true to the COD online formula with a few changes. Call it the "Destiny" influence, but Activision seems to have placed some elements of their newest IP into "Black Ops III". Multiplayer now includes 8 different classes of soldiers each with their own special attacks and abilities. Also, you can now purchase chests from a "Gunsmith" with "Cryptocoins" (a form of currency earned). These chests include Common and Rare weapons, skins, attachments and various goodies. Of course, Treyarch's "Zombies" has returned and is now spread into three different modes; "Shadow of Evil" (an evolution of past Zombie maps), "Dead Ops II" (a retro 2D shooter) and "Nightmare" (a remixed campaign featuring zombies). Treyarch has also included deep weapon customization, a few "Mirror's Edge"-inspired race challenges and a combat training arena that recalls the VR missions from "Metal Gear Solid".
Overall, "Black Ops III" is a monster when it comes to content. It's an even more ambitious game than the surprisingly good "Advanced Warfare". But with a muddy narrative, a forgettable campaign and a pointless split-screen option (the graphics resemble a PS3 game), it's not as good as it could've been. However, multiplayer is still strong and the amount of quality content Treyarch packed into the disc is somewhat astounding. It may not be the best in the franchise, but I'd rank this latest COD with an 8.4 out of 10.