Call Of Duty: Black Ops II

Developer Treyarch Publisher Activision Format PC, PS3, Wii U, Xbox 360 Release 2012

For a firstperson shooter, there’s no greater honour than a musical theme from Trent Reznor. It’s only ever been bestowed on two games: Id Software’s , and Treyarch’s . Both were studios at the peak of their pop cultural powers, commanding the kind of crossover appeal that publishers dream of but rarely achieve. In 2012, a new campaign was still a catalyst for water-cooler conversation, including one in Reznor’s studio. “I think I have played them all,” he told USA Today at the time, “with the exception of one or two that may have come out when I was on long touring jaunts.” The theme Reznor composed for is a muted, bass-led mood piece. It growls more than it barks, and when it finally bites – with teeth, to use the language of Nine Inch Nails – it comes as a shock. “There is a lot of reservation and angst and sense of loss and regret and anger bubbling