Hands-on: bo7 bot lobbies multiplayer builds upon the foundations of previous versions, adding more tactical options and mobility than ever before to create a truly unique online mode.

Call of Duty Black Ops 7 just arrived and I can say that I am very excited about what we are in for this year. I'm currently at COD NEXT, getting an early look at the future of Call of Duty. I've tried the Black Ops 7 multiplayer beta and am impressed. Both by how Treyarch has built off the foundations from Black Ops 6 and the freshness of the new setting in 2035.

Call of Duty could have felt stale with back-to-back Black Ops releases. Activision Treyarch has really dialled in the elements that have made COD games legendary. Black Ops 7 is both a love-letter to the glory of Black Ops 2 while also being a worthy follow up to Black Ops 6 The combat is amazing, the scorestreaks are brutal and Omnimovement has improved. Here are my 10 key takeaways after playing Black Ops 7

10. It's the true sequel to buy bo7 accounts

Black Ops 7 takes place 40 years later than its predecessor but the game is more refined rather than revolutionary. Treyarch took great care to include new weaponry (30 in total, 16 of which are debuting in franchise history), new Scorestreaks that reflect the 2035 setting as well as new maps, modes and scorestreaks. Black Ops 7 feels like a re-focused version of Black Ops 6 in many ways. Treyarch worked on BO7 and Black Ops 6 simultaneously, and BO7 is a smart evolution of BO6 in some clear, but iterative ways.

9. The match pace is more tactical

Black Ops 7's multiplayer is more refined and tempered. Omnimovement's refinements have helped to deliver this more grounded feel, but global TTK also feels more balanced. Is there a problem with players having the ability to use sniper guns that have a higher utility (and firing speed) than shotguns? Certain things don't change. Treyarch seems to have taken a lot of lessons from the players over the past 12 months.

8. Controlling movement

Matt Scronce from Treyarch insists the Omnimovement in Black Ops 6 has not slowed down, but that something has changed. The game is more mellow, but that could be because Tactical Sprint was removed from the default movement options. Omnimovement remains outrageous. Being able to sprint, slide and dive in any directions still adds new dimensions to basic combat encounters. This is true until you experiment with the new loadout Perks that focus on mobility.

7. Some move tech from the past is now linked to perks

Tactical Sprint was not the only ability that has been removed from basic gameplay. You are also no longer able to use ADS for slides or dives. These abilities can be brought back to life through the Perks feature, but there are plenty of ways you can make Omnimovement more than it already is. The three Perk slots in every loadout (and a fourth slot if you use the Wildcard) can help fine-tune playstyles. I think the changes to Omnimovement have been made for the better. However, they can be partially reversed by equipping Tac Sprinter which reduces your sprint speed but enables Tactical Sprint.

6. Now, you can mix and match combat specialties to get special bonuses

Hybrid Combat Specialties are a new perk that I would like to highlight. Black Ops 6 added Combat Specialty. Three Perks in the same category could activate a certain bonus. A nice idea, albeit a little narrow. You can now activate Hybrid Combat Specialties by pairing Perks that are from different categories. You can hide from minimaps by using the Scout Perk, which is a combination of Red and Green Perks. Tactician Perks (Red Green Perks), will earn you bonus points for kills during 10 seconds if you provide an assist. Operative Perks (Blue Green Perks), will unlock a charge to upgrade your field when you stealth-kill. It's an excellent change. You can now lock down your favorite playstyles.