Here at VGH no game has been more scrutinized and questioned than Call of Duty: Black Ops. Many of us feel that it will continue to go in the direction of Modern Warfare 2, the direction of cheap overpowered weapons, killstreaks, and perks. However, with each press release, Black Ops is looking more and more like an enjoyable game that will erase the memory of Modern Warfare 2.

Developer, Treyarch, has been making notable modifications to the multi-player scene that I'm sure all games will be able to celebrate. Things like theater mode, which will ensure that you never lose that ridiculous game winning throwing knife kill. What theater did for Halo 3, I am sure it will do for Black Ops.

Another interesting addition is player-model customization and gun personalization. The days of rotating between the same 4 player models is over, now you can choose what your player is wearing and how he is going to be seen on the battlefield. Gun personalization is a unique addition that many gamers are sure to enjoy. You can imprint your clan tag on your weapon, and even changes reticules to your liking. The level of customization you take is entirely up to how you want other players to see you.

Black Ops will keep the same experience points and style of leveling up, however brand new to the Call of Duty series is a currency system. This takes customization to a whole new level. Instead of unlocking weapons at a certain level, you will now be able to purchase what you want whenever you want. Obviously the first question arises, can I buy an AK-47 at level 5? That remains to be seen, but Treyarch has stated that purchasable items have been categorized into groups that can only be bought once that group has been unlocked based on your level.

This currency opens the door to Call Of Duty's newest and most creative game mode: Wager Matches.

Wager Matches takes this currency and lets you put it on the line in free-for-all matches with your friends. The possibilities are endless as Treyarch can experiment with so many new game types for the Wager Matches without effecting the online multi-player.

Another brilliant and attractive addition to the online multi-player is contracts. Online contracts will give you objectives that you must complete in a certain time-frame. If you successfully complete these contracts, you will be awarded that specific contract's payout. Some contracts might give only currency, some might give only experience, some both, it is all up to you. This is different from the challenges, but the challenges have not  gone anywhere.

How can you not love the RC car?

One of Online Multi-player's largest hurdles has been the gap in player skill. How many players have turned away from online multi-player because they simply aren't used to the difference in game mechanics and maps? Probably the same number of people that have turned away because they are sick of dying. Treyarch has addressed this with their newest game mode: combat training. Combat training lets you compete in against A.I. controlled players in the style of a multi-player match. There will be the same experience and leveling up to get newer players accustomed to the real deal. But, it isn't just for the newer players, experience gamers who want to enhance their skills with a certain weapon can turn to combat training rather than having their K/D ratio suffer.

All of these new additions has made me stop and think about my previous connotations of the game and Treyarch's ability to make a Call of Duty game. While no game will ever surpass the legendary Call of Duty 4, it looks as though Treyarch are doing everything they can to take a swing at it.

As the release date for Black Ops draws nearer, we will continue to keep a close eye what Treyarch gives us, as this writer is still not 100% convinced.