Top 10 All-New Things You Need To Try In Call of Duty: Black Ops 3

Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 is jam-packed with stuff to do. From competitive multiplayer and co-op zombies to story missions and top-down arcade games, there’s a lot to explore in the latest shooter from Treyarch.

Now, we know what you’re thinking. As soon as you get your hands on the game, it’s probably right off to “NUK3TOWN 24/7” with you faster than you can switch to your sidearm. (Because it’s quicker than reloading, remember?) But once you’ve gotten all that launch day hype out of your system, we’ve picked out the top 10 things you need to try that are brand new to the series, some lesser-known than others, and that also weren’t in the Black Ops 3 Beta.

In no particular order, here they are:

1

EXPLORE THE SAFEHOUSE

Early on in Black Ops 3’s Campaign, you’ll be introduced to the many features found within the Safehouse, including combat training, Cyber Core customization, loadout editing, and more. You can even read up on everything there is to know about the the Black Ops 3 universe through the Codex at your Data Vault. Here’s a brief tour:

[youtube id=”GfLSdSZ-QSs”]

2

BEAT THE CAMPAIGN AND PLAY NIGHTMARES

We’ll keep this as spoiler free as possible, but upon completing Black Ops 3’s Campaign, you’ll unlock a brand new mode called “Nightmares” which continues the Black Ops 3 Zombies story line via mission-based scenarios. Like the Campaign, it can also be played solo or co-operatively.

3

VISIT THE BLACK MARKET

As you earn Cryptokeys by playing matches in Black Ops 3 multiplayer, you can use them to purchase and unlock Common or Rare Supply Drops from this shady character at the Black Market. Supply Drops offer a wide range of random rewards, including emblems, calling cards, paint decals, weapon camos, and attachment variants. There are also Specialist customization items like helmets, armor, taunts, and gestures. For 10 Cryptokeys, a Common Supply Drop has the chance to drop a Rare item or better. For 30 Cryptokeys, a Rare Supply Drop is Guaranteed to drop a Rare item or better.

Call of Duty. Black Ops 3 Screen Shot 2015-11-05, 1.08 PM 1

4

CUSTOMIZE A WEAPON AT THE GUNSMITH

At the Gunsmith, which can be accessed via the “Identity” menu, you can assemble your weapon any way you like and save the preset to take with you into multiplayer. In addition to paint jobs and camo patterns, you can even fiddle with attachment variations to really make your weapon stand out. When you’re all done, you can take a snapshot and save it to your media storage.

[youtube id=”1thuPTWi0FA”]

5

CUSTOMIZE YOUR SPECIALIST

Like your Campaign character, you can customize the look of your Multiplayer Specialist with different head, body, and gesture options. You can even flip over each Specialist card to learn more about the history and abilities of each character.

[youtube id=”aXqN3GZ18sg”]

6

PLAY FREERUN

Time yourself on four different obstacle courses in Black Ops 3’s new Freerun mode. Each one presents a different set of challenges at varying difficulty levels. Here’s a look at the Intermediate course, Sidewinder.

[youtube id=”VgvwHxJpoo4″]

7

DISCOVER DARK OPS

In Multiplayer and Zombies, there are classified Dark Ops challenges that are only revealed as you earn them. Our guess is that they’re pretty rare and difficult to achieve, as their completion does not count towards your Operations progress. You’ll find them under “Menu” and “Challenges.” Good luck figuring them out!

Multiplayer Dark Ops

Call of Duty. Black Ops 3 Screen Shot 2015-11-05, 1.07 PM

Zombies Dark Ops

Call of Duty. Black Ops 3 Screen Shot 2015-11-05, 1.08 PM

8

MAKE GOBBLEGUM AT DR. MONTY’S FACTORY

As you learn to survive Black Ops 3’s new Shadows of Evil Zombies mode, you’ll find new ways to power your character up with various Perk-like abilities by chewing up some GobbleGum from any GobbleGum machine. You can customize the set of GobbleGums you’ll take with you in-game which you’ll earn randomly from these machines. Some unlock as you level up while others must be created at Monty’s Factory using Liquid Divinium.

Call of Duty. Black Ops 3 Screen Shot 2015-11-05, 3.17 PM

 

9

UNLOCK DEAD OPS ARCADE 2

This one’s easy. From your Data Vault in the Safehouse, click on the option in the upper-rightmost corner on the homescreen. Welcome to Dead Ops Arcade 2, a top-down, twin-stick arcade shooter with a modern twist.

[youtube id=”AIVwWzL1cgY”]

10

TRY OUT THIS NEAT EASTER EGG ON NUK3TOWN

Here’s what happens when you piss off those innocent-looking mannequins scattered around NUK3TOWN. Video courtesy of MrDalekJD.

[youtube id=”C8IpIExLoD0″]

As if there wasn’t already a plethora of things to keep you busy, we hope this list brought to your attention a few of the game’s new activities and features that you might have missed.

Stay tuned for our full review next week. Until then, happy Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 launch day!

Top Games and Upcoming Releases