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Call of Duty: Black Ops III Reviews: Is It Still Worth Playing?

Critics generally liked Black Ops III, especially multiplayer and Zombies, but the campaign drew more mixed reactions. Platform edition and included DLC matter.
Length3 min Posted Quest giverVGSources Team
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Call of Duty: Black Ops III earned generally favorable critic reviews, especially for its competitive multiplayer and Zombies mode, while reactions to its campaign were more divided. Player ratings are less enthusiastic. Whether it is worth playing now depends on which mode you want, which platform edition you can get, and whether you need active online matchmaking—something the available review and store data does not establish.

What reviewers and players thought

Metacritic’s page snapshot, accessed in 2026, lists an overall score of 81 from 87 critic reviews, labeled “Generally Favorable.” Its user score is 5.6 from 3,468 ratings, labeled “Mixed or Average.” These are separate aggregates, not a single consensus, and Metacritic shows variation by platform; the figures should be read as a snapshot rather than a permanent rating. The page surfaced through a PC-filtered URL while displaying an all-platform summary.

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Steam’s PC listing showed 90% positive from 120,052 English-language reviews in a 2026 snapshot, labeled “Very Positive.” That is a volatile storefront rating, not a critic score, and it does not establish how active matchmaking is today. The broader pattern is that reviewers were most consistent in praising multiplayer and Zombies, while campaign reactions varied.

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How the three main modes hold up

Campaign

The campaign can be played solo or cooperatively online with up to four players, according to Activision’s original mode announcement. Review excerpts split on its story: some found it enjoyable, while others considered the plot difficult to follow. TIME also noted open levels with vertical routes and unlockable progression elements. If story clarity is your main reason for playing, expect a less consistent reception than the multiplayer and Zombies modes.

#1 Best Overall
Call of Duty: Black Ops III - Standard Edition - PlayStation 4 (Renewed)
  • INTRODUCING A NEW ERA OF BLACK OPS:Call of Duty is a dark, gritty future where a new breed of Black Ops soldier emerges and the lines are blurred between our own humanity and the cutting-edge military robotics that define the future of combat.
  • A CALL OF DUTY CAMPAIGN UNLIKE ANYTHING BEFORE IT: Treyarch elevates the Call of Duty social gaming experience by delivering a campaign with the ability to play cooperatively with up to four players online, using the same battle-tested network
  • PREPARE FOR A LEVELED-UP MULTIPLAYER With Black Ops III, Treyarch premieres a new momentum-based chained-movement system, allowing players to fluidly move through the environment with finesse, using controlled thrust jumps, slides, and mantlin
  • FIGHT THE UNDEAD IN AN ALL-NEW HORROR STORY No Treyarch title would be complete without its signature Zombies offering - a full-game experience with its own distinct storyline right out of the box. Black Ops 3 Zombies is the most immersive and

Competitive multiplayer

Multiplayer was a frequent highlight in review coverage. Activision describes its movement system as momentum-based, with thrust jumps, slides, wall runs, and mantling; a featured USgamer excerpt on Metacritic praised the polished competitive play. Those are assessments of the game and its design, not evidence about present-day matchmaking health.

Zombies

Zombies is a distinct mode with its own XP progression, described in publisher materials, and was another commonly praised part of the package. It is worth checking which edition or add-ons a listing includes: some Zombies content is tied to DLC rather than the base game.

Rank #2
Call of Duty Black Ops III Zombie Chronicles - PlayStation 4
  • Eight fully remastered Zombies maps
  • GobbleGum functionality for the very first time
  • Chew on 10 all new GobbleGums, including 2 new Whimsical GobbleGums

Which platform edition are you considering?

Activision’s current game page names PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. The wider storefront and review record also includes PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions, so confirm the exact edition before buying rather than assuming feature parity across generations. The overall Metacritic figures above should not be treated as the score for every platform.

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Online population, queue times, server quality, cross-play, and matchmaking by platform or region are not established by the cited review and storefront sources. If online play is central to your decision, check recent platform-specific reports and the relevant store or community information before purchasing.

Rank #3
Call of Duty Black OPS III Gold Edition (PS4)
  • Call of Duty: Black Ops III Gold Edition includes the full base game, DLC 1 Awakening for Black Ops III, plus the Nuk3town Multiplayer Map.
  • Call of Duty: Black Ops III combines three unique game modes: Campaign, Multiplayer, and Zombies, providing fans with the deepest and most ambitious Call of Duty ever.
  • Awakening features four Multiplayer maps and one Zombies map. Multiplayer showcases Gauntlet, Splash, Rise, and Skyjacked, a reimagined version of a fan-favorite Black Ops II Multiplayer Map Hijacked. Zombies introduces Der Eisendrache, the first chapter of Call of Duty: Black Ops III’s Zombies DLC adventure that takes players on an epic journey with the Origin characters Richtofen, Nikolai, Takeo, and Dempsey.
  • Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 deploys its players into a future where bio-technology has enabled a new breed of Black Ops soldier. Players are now always on and always connected to the intelligence grid and their fellow operatives during battle. In a world more divided than ever, this elite squad consists of men and women who have enhanced their combat capabilities to fight faster, stronger, and smarter.
  • Treyarch elevates the Call of Duty social gaming experience by delivering a campaign with the ability to play cooperatively with up to four players online, using the same battle-tested network infrastructure and social systems that support its world-class Multiplayer and Zombies game modes..
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Base game, map packs, and Zombies Chronicles

The base game and add-ons are not interchangeable. Activision says the Awakening DLC adds four multiplayer maps, including Skyjacked, a reimagining of Black Ops II’s Hijacked. Its announcement identifies Der Eisendrache as the first chapter in the Zombies DLC adventure. Steam’s PC product listing also includes a Zombies Chronicles Edition among associated content.

Those listings establish that add-on editions exist, not their current prices, regional eligibility, or availability on every console storefront. Check the listing for your platform and region and verify exactly which maps or Zombies content it includes.

Age rating and content

The ESRB rates Call of Duty: Black Ops III Mature 17+ for Blood and Gore, Drug Reference, Intense Violence, and Strong Language. Its rating summary describes frequent gunfire and explosions, blood-splatter effects, some dismemberment, and cutscenes involving beatings, torture, or stabbing. ESRB ratings do not cover online interactions.

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Quick Recap

Bestseller No. 2
Call of Duty Black Ops III Zombie Chronicles - PlayStation 4
Call of Duty Black Ops III Zombie Chronicles - PlayStation 4
Eight fully remastered Zombies maps; GobbleGum functionality for the very first time; Chew on 10 all new GobbleGums, including 2 new Whimsical GobbleGums
$48.99

Sources

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

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