Call of Duty: Black Ops 1

Call of Duty: Black Ops 1 transported gamers to the paranoid and tense atmosphere of the Cold War. It not only featured a brain-twisting, cinematic story mode, but it also redefined the multiplayer experience of the franchise with its highly iconic combat training and zombie-slaying madness. In the single-player storyline, you play as Alex Mason, a CIA agent, who has to unlock the mystery of a lethal conspiracy through his fragmented memories. At the same time, the player is being interrogated harshly in an unknown place. The gameplay flawlessly alternates between fast-paced action and psychological fear, placing the player in legendary, eerie locations around the world, from escaping from a Soviet prison to the intense Huey helicopter raid in the Vietnam War with the song "Fortunate Son", and also the last stand in the arms of a wildly out-of-control SR-71 Blackbird.

One of the most important features was the "Zombies" mode, which became a complete multiplayer experience, the famous "Kino der Toten" map that kept players fighting against never-ending, increasingly difficult waves of zombies. In addition, it featured the mysterious box, perk-a-colas and a complex narrative of Easter eggs. Multiplayer was changed forever thanks to the "Create-a-Class 2.0" feature, which brought many new options for players to personalize their gameplay.

Besides different weapon attachments and camouflage unlocks, players also had access to the very popular "Wager Matches" such as Gun Game and One in the Chamber, which provided a thrilling competitive format. The story's dramatic turns, like the iconic secret code "(Numbers)" transmission and the discovery of the person who was interrogating Mason, really established Black Ops as a narrative work of art. At the same time, the multiplayer and Zombies modes made sure it would be remembered as an all-inclusive, iconic game of the generation.