Competitive multiplayer is the girl that everybody wants to dance with, no? The most anticipated component of Black Ops II isn't going to blow anyone's head of their shoulders with innovative new game-play, but that's not what people wanted. We're not saying multiplayer is identical to previous titles at all. If the Sharper Image and the NRA got drunk at the Christmas party, the arsenal of new gadgets found in multiplayer would be the end result. Tons of new maps, weapons, and content are all in place to get your killstreak on. Speaking of killstreaks, they're not calling it that anymore.

The old chestnut of killstreaks has been replaced with scorestreaks. What this means is that you'll get points for participating in all manner of destructive behavior, not just kills. Blowing up equipment, assists, and the like will all go toward your scorestreak total. This total ultimately goes towards claiming a reward, which can range from drone strikes to any other manner of not-yet-invented future death that you've chosen before the match starts.

The biggest shift in multiplayer will come in the form of the new 'Pick 10' system. The 'Pick 10' is essentially a class-creation system. Allowing players full control over any 10 items that they wish to bring to the fight. Want to do your best John Rambo and run around with a knife and amped to gills with perks? Go right ahead. It's a near endless way to tweak your loadout that best reflects your play-style.

The 'Pick 10' system combined with the new 'Wild Card' allow you to further perk out your abilities. Secondary perks are handled with 'Wild Card', but you will most likely be spending the bulk of your time tweaking your 'Pick 10' decisions. Weapons are also given their own progression system to get lost in. Added scopes, grips, stocks, and barrels will all give your sidearm bonuses of its own. All of the content we expect to make an appearance show up to the party. Deathmatch, dominion, and the modes all players expect to see are packaged in the game. What really sets multiplayer in Black Ops II apart from earlier entries is the level of customization now available to players.

Competitive multiplayer doesn't break form, and that can be a good or a bad thing, depending on who you ask. The strength and loyalty found in the COD community is what will keep the franchise afloat, like it has in the past. All of the new features all combine to give the multiplayer experience a shot in the arm, but Activision can't possibly hope to keep moving units on the strength of new sniper rifles or EMP grenades. The multiplayer experience is balanced and engaging. Veteran players that know what they wanted out of the game will get exactly that, and players new to the game will get an experience that feels dynamic and full of future death.

The game doesn't rely on any one mode to carry the game, instead all three modes of gameplay reinforce one another and make the game the wildly popular juggernaut that it is.

Overall Call of Duty: Black Ops II is a lot like Mexican food. It's comforting, filling, you're always somehow in the mood for it, and you pretty much know what you're going to get. You can move the ingredients around all you want, and call it something different by adding chives or mole, but in the end it's still rice, beans, and meat. 

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