A DIFFERENT KIND OF BLACK OPS

GAME BLACK / FORMAT PS2 / RELEASED 24 FEB 2006 PUB EA GAMES / DEV CRITERION GAMES / WHERE TO BUY EBAY, AMAZON

Black was perhaps an odd project for developer Criterion Games to take on. Previously known for crafting racing games, the studio had seen success with its Burnout franchise. Then came Black. This Hollywood-military shooter was a kind of experiment which would take advantage of the PlayStation 2 hardware and add a burst of energy to the genre.

Black was a commercial success and well-received by critics (despite its short campaign), yet it rarely features in conversation nowadays. But 15 years on from release, the game still holds up. Why? Primarily because everything it does, it does really well. From the shooting mechanics to the sound design, it was a clear attempt to create a game which would rival Hollywood’s bombastic action flicks.

Just as Die Hard is so easy to rewatch, Black is easy to replay. The story