Black Ops 6 Black Ops 6

Gaming

Call of Duty Black Ops 6 review: Ambitious but reliably good

Thanks to a refreshingly experimental campaign

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There is only so much you can do with the first-person shooter genre before it all boils down to just shooting at targets. With decades of experience under its belt, it’s easy – or perhaps, expected – to assume that the Call of Duty series has reached the end of its bag of tricks. Black Ops 6 can prove this assumption wrong, though. But it’s not so much a reinvention as it is a loving tribute to the greatest hits of the genre.

A campaign to (shoot, sneak, survive, and) die for

As someone who’s played the original campaigns of the very first Call of Duty games, the franchise relies on a few strategies to set each game apart from one another. They can tell a compelling story, design intricate maps, or – as is common in today’s game – showcase what players can do in multiplayer mode.

Black Ops 6, on the other hand, takes a more experimental approach, rather than going for the traditional run-and-gun levels. After a brief prologue of the latter, the campaign opens up to a cornucopia of variety. One level has players stealthily infiltrate a political event hosted by Bill Clinton. The next chapter then takes players to the front door of Saddam Hussein’s palace in a Halo-like open-world map. Each level is fundamentally different from the rest. But, if you miss the old run-and-guns, every level usually ends in a straight-up gunfight.

This is definitely a bold approach for a very traditional series. The campaign effectively borrows its ideas from the best of the genre: the aforementioned Halo, Bioshock, and Dishonored, for example. Amid its boldness, it’s also refreshing after years trudging through similar-looking shooting levels.

Black Ops 6

What makes Black Ops 6 a Call of Duty game?

Though Black Ops 6’s campaign is easily the most fun I’ve had in a Call of Duty campaign, it’s a bit difficult to sniff out its essence as a Call of Duty game. A lot of times, I kept forgetting that I was playing one.

It’s not a knock on Black Ops 6, to be fair. Rather, it’s a comment on the entire series. The game could have been tighter if it had a stronger fiber that bridges levels together into one cohesive unit.

Now, the campaign does have a few ways of doing this. The story, for one, has the makings of a traditional political thriller, as is expected from the Black Ops series. Another way is the safe house in between missions, a hub world stylized as “The Rook”. This is where the game can do a bit more.

The Rook is a safe house where the main crew rests in between missions. It’s where you, the playable character named Case, can learn more about your teammates. Additionally, it also offers upgrades you can take for missions, purchasable through collectible currency, which is difficult to obtain through the campaign.

While these are all what you would expect from a hub world, it doesn’t feel valuable in the overall game. Each upgrade, offered by improving the safehouse, offers only marginal benefits like reducing recoil by a small percentage. All of them are just tiny adjustments that can make the campaign a tad bit better but are ultimately unnecessary. Plus, since the game goes through different genres, an upgrade tree that focuses mainly on shooting doesn’t seem as useful.

Black Ops 6

Where do zombies go?

Leaving the campaign aside, it’s time to look at another Black Ops classic, the Zombies mode. Much like its previous iteration, Black Ops 6’s Zombies is an arcade mode that has players fight through never-ending hordes of ghouls.

As I’ve played over the years, the Zombies mode is always an enjoyable time, especially with friends. Black Ops 6 is no different. The game currently has two different maps: Terminus and Liberty Falls. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it doesn’t really need to. The formula is still tried-and-tested for a coop experience.

It’s still a difficult journey for solo players, though. If you’re playing the mode without much experience of the maps, finding where to go is almost impossible. A guide was practically a necessity when I tried the new maps alone for the first time.

Black Ops 6

A multiplayer so fast, your head spins

As I mentioned, I played through the original Call of Duty a lifetime ago, which automatically puts me in an age group whose reflexes trail behind today’s younger players. Climbing through the leaderboard is more difficult. That said, Black Ops 6’s multiplayer mode retains the same trait that makes it popular year after year: being easy to pick up.

A multiplayer match rarely needs an introduction. Just click “Multiplayer” and fly immediately into a lobby. On-screen prompts and a voiceover tell you what to do, but the flow is simple enough to follow even without instructions.

Yes, I died a lot more often than I got a kill, but there was never any frustration of losing. The fun was always present, whether it’s watching others get amazing kills or getting the occasional one yourself.

Also, though I’ve waxed poetic about this before, it bears repeating that the new omnidirectional movement plays so fluidly on Black Ops 6’s system. The new maps are also fun to discover as they add more verticality in king-of-the-mountain-style layouts. Finally, the current map rotation includes an almost-identical recreation of Nuketown, the classic map from the original Black Ops.

Is this your GaMeMatch?

The Black Ops series is a bright spot for the entire Call of Duty franchise. The original featured the franchise’s most memorable story and other game modes to keep you playing for some time. Now, more than a decade later, Black Ops 6 regains the series its reputation as the most ambitious title to date. The game’s singleplayer experiments combines seamlessly with tried-and-tested multiplayer and zombie modes, making it worth playing for the whole year.

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Gaming

Civilization VII coming to Apple Arcade this February 5th

Features optimized for iPhone, iPad

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January 16, 2026

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Sid Meier’s Civilization VII is getting an Apple Arcade Edition, dropping this February 5th on the gaming subscription service.

Developed by Behaviour Interactive and Firaxis Games, the latest entry to the Civilization series will now be enjoyed by those on Apple devices.

It will enable them to experience the strategic depth of building an empire to stand the test of time.

In Sid Meier’s Civilization VII, strategic decisions shape the identity of an evolving empire. Players rule as one of many legendary leaders from throughout history.

In the process, they will steer the course of their story by choosing a new civilization to represent their empire in each age of human advancement.

Players will construct cities and architectural wonders to expand territory. They will also improve civilization with technological breakthroughs, and conquer or cooperate with rival civilizations.

The Apple Arcade Edition of the game comes with new features. These include an exclusive mobile experience and intuitive touch controls optimized for iPhone and iPad.

For those interested, the Civilization VII Apple Arcade Edition’s App Store page is available here.

Earlier last year, the strategy title also released for VR, providing players with a new perspective on how to build their empire.

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Gaming

The Switch 2 is getting its first Joy-Con color variant

It’s not as showy as the first Switch’s Joy-Cons.

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January 9, 2026

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When the Nintendo Switch 2 and its almost-all-black Joy-Cons launched, you might have wondered about how the dual controllers will rock other colors. After all, the original Switch’s ecosystem constantly tempted users with quirky color options. Because the Switch 2 uses a black shell, will future Joy-Cons look just as tempting? Now, we have our answer.

Today, Nintendo has announced its first color variant for the Switch 2 Joy-Con. We should have seen this coming, but the new variant will not have a completely redesigned shell. Instead, the controller will change the colors of the inner rails and the rings around the joysticks. This pair will rock light purple for the left Joy-Con and light green for the right one.

It’s a tad bit disappointing, especially when you’re comparing it to the previous model. It’s practically impossible to rep the new colors out in public because the inner rails are hidden by the Switch 2. It also doesn’t help that the console itself will still have its red and blue colors, clashing with the new variant.

That said, the Joy-Cons still look pretty cool when separated from the console. But it all depends on when the console gets more games that use only a single Joy-Con.

Thankfully, that’s coming soon. The color variant will launch alongside the upcoming Mario Tennis Fever, the perfect game for single Joy-Cons. Both will come out on February 12.

The new colors will sell for an eye-watering US$ 99.99.

SEE ALSO: Yes, someone made a fries holder for your Nintendo Switch 2

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CES 2026

Lenovo Legion Pro Rollable Concept was possible thanks to TCL

Also responsible behind the foldable display of the new motorola razr fold

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January 8, 2026

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TCL CSOT x Lenovo
Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

At this year’s CES 2026 in Las Vegas, TCL CSOT (China Star Optoelectronics Technology) and Lenovo have further proved their long-term partnership. The newest Lenovo Legion Pro Rollable Concept and the motorola razr fold are equipped with displays by TCL CSOT.

Lenovo Legion Pro Rollable Concept

The continuous collaboration of the two mighty Chinese companies bring out something that has been envisioned in laptops for quite a while now.

Ever imagined of a conventional laptop with standard 16:9 display that can instantly stretch into a 21:9 widescreen monitor? Well, the Lenovo Legion Pro Rollable Concept proves it’s more than possible.

Lenovo Legion Pro Rollable Concept

Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

Pioneering this partnership starts with TCL CSOT’s rollable display. Dubbed as the Lenovo PureSight OLED Gaming display. From a regular 16-inch 16:9 display, it completely transforms into an ultra-wide screen — stretching between 21.5 all the way to 24 inches.

For gamers and even e-sports athletes who seek visual flexibility (literally and figuratively), the display adapts to three (3) different training phases.

  • Focus Mode (16 inches) for honing reflexes
  • Tactical Mode (21.5 inches) for enhanced situational awareness
  • Arena Mode (24 inches) for full-scale competitive simulation

Behind that rollable display tech by TCL CSOT lies a dual-motor, tension-based system. This not only means that the rollable display can unroll smoothly, the expansion is not just controlled, its contraction also delivers minimal vibration and noise.

There’s also a dedicated tensioning mechanism that ensures consistent tautness across the OLED panel. Low-friction materials then secures durability throughout the rolling cycle.

motorola razr fold

Finally, after a long wait, motorola finally unveils their first ever book-style foldable.

The motorola razr fold headlines TCL CSOT’s 8.1-inch 2K LTPO flexible inner display. And unlike most foldable offerings in the market today, it supports a stylus!

motorola razr fold

When closed, its 6.6-inch external display delivers the familiarity of a candy-bar smartphone. Furthermore, its sleek, striking, and slim silhouette will feel comfortable in one’s hands.

Not much has been shared but more details will soon be unfolded by motorola.

The Co-Innovation Legacy

The steady legacy of TCL CSOT and Lenovo has already delivered consumer-ready products past the convention center show floor showcase.

Those include the Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i with a flexible 4K OLED display unveiled at CES 2025. Even the motorola razr 60 series flip-style foldables launched last July 2025 was not missed.

And, with the introduction of the Legion Pro Rollable Concept and the motorola razr fold, both companies continue to turn advanced display research into practical, user-focused products — setting new standards for performance, comfort, and sustainability.

motorola razr fold

With past display innovations, these newer advancements offer a more immersive viewing experience, better eye comfort, and flexiblility across various user applications.

This continuous collaboration highlights the companies shared commitment to advancing display technology and elevating the visual experience for users worldwide.

TCL CSOT’s constant strive for innovation is mainly driven by their APEX values:

  • A-mazing Display Experience
  • P-rotective of Eye Health
  • E-co-Friendly to build and use; and
  • X-Unlimited Imaginative Potential

Jun Zhao, the Senior Vice President of TCL Technology and CEO of TCL CSOT, states that the company is dedicated in providing Lenovo high-quality displays and custom diplay solutions that turn advanced technology into something  “We are dedicated to providing Lenovo with high-quality, custom display solutions that turn advanced technology into everyday excellence, and

He also says “they look forward to exploring new frontiers together.”

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