Black Ops 7 adds even more layers to CoD's already bloated loadout system

While a memorable campaign and addictive Zombies action is all well and good, Black Ops 7's multiplayer offering is what I'm laser-focused on right now. Black Ops 6's multiplayer gameplay is, in my view, some of the best we've seen since the 'Warzone era' of CoD began, and I've been incredibly optimistic that Black Ops 7 will enhance it even further. With today's reveal trailer, I now stand equal parts hopeful and fatigued. While a huge array of maps, an intriguing new mode, and a new wall-run mechanic all sound great, I'm less enamored with the fact that Call of Duty's already bloated loadout system is growing even larger.

Finding the perfect loadout can already be a time-consuming endeavor in Call of Duty games - you've got weapons, equipment, field upgrades, perks, and wildcards to choose from, plus its now infamous array of what feels like a bazillion attachments for each gun. In Black Ops 7, there's another new layer to contend with - Overclock upgrades. As you successfully use pieces of equipment and field upgrades in the FPS game, you'll gradually earn a couple of Overclock modifiers. You can pick one to enhance the particular piece of gear or slightly change how it performs. For example, a humble trophy system can be improved with an Overclock that gives it a faster charge time, or one that gives it two extra ammo charges for intercepting explosives.

If this was an added element for just field upgrades, I wouldn't mind this so much. But it extends all equipment - gear like frag grenades, stim shots, smokes, and C4s can now be upgraded with Overclock modifiers. Even scorestreaks have been rolled into this system. I understand the desire to give players lots of loadout freedom, but we weren't exactly lacking that to begin with, and is upgrading your smoke grenade the most satisfying way to achieve that? It doesn't feel like it, to me.

Even if this means more time lingering in loadout menus trying to get things just-so, Black Ops 7 does at least provide some respite in the form of Build Codes. Every weapon build will now be given a share code that you can send to friends, allowing them to instantly copy over your combination of attachments on a given gun. This will speed up the process of applying builds recommended to you by friends or expert guides (like the ones you'll inevitably find here on PCGamesN once the Black Ops 7 release date arrives).

Elsewhere, the 18-strong launch lineup of maps looks pretty tasty. 16 of them are core, 6v6 multiplayer maps, which is music to my ears. Treyarch hasn't leaned too heavily on remakes either, with just three Black Ops 2 maps being recreated at launch. They're bangers, by the way: Raid, Express, and Hijacked.

A brand new game mode has also piqued my interest. Overload sounds like a mixture of Hardpoint, Control, and Capture the Flag, as it involves ferrying a device into one of two enemy control zones to 'overload' it, but the device's position will be constantly displayed on the opposition's HUD. This will involve safely moving the device, defending it, and keeping players away from the objective zone.

The new Wall Jump mechanic, that sees you briefly scale a wall to get a dynamic height advantage, looks like good fun as well, adding to the Omnimovement system. "Wall Jumps can be 'chained' together up to three times, but with a loss of inertia each time to keep the momentum balanced. Expect to use Wall Jumps to reach higher vantage points, leap over dangerous gaps in a map, or to find different routes to take," Treyarch says in its new deep dive into Black Ops 7 multiplayer.

Next week is going to be a big one, too, with the CoD Next showcase on Tuesday, September 30 and the Black Ops 7 beta getting underway on Thursday, October 2. That'll be your first chance to get hands-on, but in the meantime, read up on what's happening with the Black Ops 7 carry forward system to see if your current guns and cosmetics will be shifting across.

Also be sure to head over to the PCGamesN Discord server, where you can chat about Black Ops 7, its big rival Battlefield 6, or any other FPS games that you're hyped for.