How Long is the Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 Campaign?
The Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 campaign offers a multifaceted experience, and the time it takes to complete varies significantly depending on your playstyle. If you’re laser-focused on the main story objectives, you can expect to finish the campaign in roughly 7 hours. However, for those who aim for full completion, exploring all aspects of the game, including side missions, branching story paths, and different ending possibilities, the playtime will likely stretch to around 29 and a half hours. This discrepancy is due to the game’s unique branching narrative and the inclusion of optional challenges that encourage replayability.
Factors Influencing Playtime
Several factors contribute to the total playtime of the Black Ops 2 campaign:
Focusing on the Main Objectives
A straightforward playthrough, sticking strictly to the core story missions, will result in the quickest completion time, generally around 7 hours. This approach involves minimizing exploration and avoiding optional objectives.
Pursuing Full Completion
Players striving for 100% completion will dedicate much more time to the game. This includes:
- Exploring Branching Pathways: Black Ops 2 features multiple choices that affect the storyline and can significantly change mission objectives and end results, leading to varied playthroughs.
- Completing Optional Challenges: Each level features a selection of optional challenges that add to the replayability and offer minor perks to the player.
- Unlocking all Endings: Black Ops 2 boasts multiple endings, requiring players to make different in-game choices to unlock them. Experiencing each ending adds considerably to the total game time.
Individual Playstyle and Difficulty Setting
Your proficiency with first-person shooters and the chosen difficulty level will also affect playtime. Higher difficulty settings generally result in slower progression due to increased enemy health and damage output, while experienced players can often breeze through on lower settings.
Replaying Missions
The branching narrative and multiple endings encourage players to replay missions to see all possible outcomes. This desire to experience the entire story further extends the game’s overall playtime.
Why is Black Ops 2 So Replayable?
The replayability of Black Ops 2 stems from its innovative approach to storytelling within the Call of Duty franchise. Unlike its predecessors, Black Ops 2 features a branching narrative with several critical choices that influence the plot’s direction and the final outcome. This allows for multiple playthroughs, each with its distinct experience.
The addition of optional objectives further incentivizes repeat plays. Completing these challenges, while not always necessary for progression, adds to the player’s score and often provides interesting gameplay elements. The multitude of endings adds a layer of mystery and drives completionists to explore every possible path.
Is The Campaign Worth Your Time?
Absolutely. Even at a modest 7-hour runtime for a single playthrough, the Black Ops 2 campaign is considered a standout experience within the first-person shooter genre. Its gripping narrative, engaging characters, and unique branching structure provide a compelling reason to dedicate time to it. For those seeking a richer, more exhaustive experience, the potential 29 and a half hours offer substantial replay value. The game’s innovative mechanics and memorable moments make it a worthy title to revisit.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. How long is the average Call of Duty campaign?
The average Call of Duty campaign typically ranges from 5 to 7 hours for a single playthrough. Some entries can be shorter, while others may extend slightly longer. However, Black Ops 2 is unique due to its branching narrative.
2. Is the Black Ops 2 campaign considered good?
Yes, the Black Ops 2 campaign is widely considered one of the best in the Call of Duty series. It is praised for its compelling story, unique branching pathways, multiple endings, and engaging gameplay.
3. Does Black Ops 2 have a single-player campaign?
Yes, Black Ops 2 features a single-player campaign with two connected storylines. One is set during the First Cold War, and the other is set in 2025 during a Second Cold War.
4. How many endings are in Black Ops 2?
There are multiple endings in Call of Duty: Black Ops 2, with most sources citing 8 different endings, each determined by the player’s choices throughout the campaign.
5. When is Black Ops 2 set?
Black Ops 2 is set across two primary time periods: one from 1986 to 1989 during the final years of the First Cold War, and another in 2025, during a fictional Second Cold War.
6. Who is the antagonist in Black Ops 2?
The main antagonist in Black Ops 2 is Raul Menendez, a Nicaraguan revolutionary with a personal vendetta.
7. What is the shortest Call of Duty campaign?
The shortest Call of Duty campaign is generally considered to be Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019), which can be completed in just 3-4 hours.
8. What is the longest Call of Duty campaign?
Call of Duty: Black Ops III is often cited as having one of the longest campaigns, typically taking around 9 hours for a single playthrough.
9. Which Call of Duty game has no campaign?
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 is the first mainline Call of Duty title without a traditional single-player campaign mode. Instead, it features Specialist HQ, which focuses on multiplayer characters’ backstories.
10. Which Black Ops 2 ending is considered canon?
The canon ending of Black Ops 2 is generally considered to be the one where David shoots Menendez, making Menendez a martyr for Cordis Die.
11. How old is David Mason in Black Ops 2?
David Mason is 45 years old in the 2025 portion of Black Ops 2.
12. Why is Black Ops 2 still expensive?
Black Ops 2 remains expensive due to its popularity, being a backward-compatible game on Xbox One, and its overall quality. Its status as a critically acclaimed title also keeps the demand high.
13. Which Black Ops game has the best story?
Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 is often regarded as having one of the best stories in the entire series, thanks to its branching narrative and multiple endings.
14. What inspired the setting of Black Ops 2?
The 2025 setting of Black Ops 2 was influenced by predictions about the future and conflicts, particularly a fictional Second Cold War centered on rare earth elements.
15. Is Black Ops 2 still canon in the Call of Duty universe?
Yes, Black Ops 2 is still considered canon, and its story remains an important part of the broader Black Ops narrative.