For the better part of a decade, I’ve felt as though Call of Duty’s multiplayer experience had lost its charm. Sure, sales were great but I missed the good old days when grinding public matches for hours on end was fun. I saw glimpses of that with Vanguard and more recently Modern Warfare III, but they always fell a bit short for reasons I still struggle to explain. But after pouring 11 hours straight into the Black Ops 6 (BO6) Open Beta, I think I can safely say that BO6 may have rekindled that spark that I’ve been looking for. Maybe that’s because Treyarch’s at the helm this year, or maybe it’s with the introduction of omnimovement. Regardless, BO6’s Open Beta leaves me looking cautiously optimistic about Black Ops 6’s release.

I like to omni-move it

Alright, let’s dive into the whole omnimovement thing. Now, I’ll admit upfront—I’m not covering this from a mouse-and-keyboard perspective. Why? Because I was so locked into the beta that I completely forgot to test it out that way. Oops. But based on what I’ve read from others, the consensus seems pretty clear: omnimovement feels way better on a controller. That lines up with my experience too. After spending some time with it, all I could think was, ‘Where the hell has this been?’ If you’ve played recent Call of Duty titles, the movement mechanics in omnimovement just click. It makes you wonder why it wasn’t a thing sooner.

When tactical sprint was introduced in Modern Warfare (2019), I felt like something was missing. I just didn’t know it at the time. Omnimovement is that missing piece. Together, they give CoD’s movement system the smooth, fast-paced feel it’s been lacking. It’s not that tactical sprint was bad before, but after trying it with omnimovement, I can’t help but see it as incomplete without it. Now, I’m curious how quickly new players will adapt, but one thing’s for sure—the potential to exploit this system is off the charts. With pros like OpTic Shotzzy in the mix, no CoD is safe, and this one is definitely going to see some wild plays.

From a spectator’s point of view, it’s wild watching someone dive sideways mid-fight, guns blazing. It’s actually pretty epic. And once you get the hang of the movement, especially the sliding, words cannot describe how satisfying it is. There’s nothing quite like sliding around and shooting in every direction.

On another note, the gunsmith and loadout customisation are satisfactory. While the interface can be a bit clunky at times, I find it a lot more intuitive than previous iterations. One feature that I love is that if you’re equipping a certain build of a gun, say a pistol that’s in the first class, into your second class, and you haven’t saved the loadout as a mod, it will automatically select the same version of the pistol in your first class, which helps with having to remake the entire loadout especially if you don’t want to save it as a mod because it’s incomplete or something. One gripe I did have with the interface, has to do with the attachments. Say you want to select an optic, it’s tough to tell what’s unlocked unless you spot the small lock icon, which can be a hassle, especially for those with visual impairments. But otherwise, I’m satisfied.

As there were no camos to be unlocked, gun customisation was extremely limited during the beta, unfortunately. Which so it’s hard to say how the camo grind, so we’ll have to wait until the game officially releases. Speaking of grind, I also am cautious about commenting on the levelling experience as, for the most part, Double XP was enabled. It took me roughly, seven hours to reach the level cap which was Level 30. As per previous iterations of Black Ops that had the traditional prestige system, we can safely assume that Level 55 will be the official level cap when the full game releases.

Gunplay

Let’s dive into the heart of any Call of Duty game—the gunplay. In a word? It’s really solid. Like really solid. Treyarch sticks with their usual 150 health points disguised as 100 HP, but this time around, the time-to-kill (TTK) feels quicker than in Black Ops Cold War, which, honestly, is a win in my book. Sure, some pros prefer a longer TTK to flex their skill, but in BO6, that slower pace doesn’t feel as necessary, especially with aim assist toned down, particularly in those up-close encounters.

Now, about the Early Access Beta—the SMG meta was all about the Jackal PDW, which was basically broken across the board. It was so powerful that it practically rendered the Assault Rifle (AR) class useless. Treyarch did mention they’d nerf it for the Open Beta, but truth be told, the Jackal PDW was still kind of ridiculous. The other SMGs like the C9 and Tanto .22 were decent, sure, but the Jackal was still the king.

The real surprise in the Open Beta? ARs finally got their shine. The XM4 felt great for fast-paced, aggressive play, while the AMES 85 was your go-to if you liked to hang back and hold positions—basically a throwback to the Krig 6 from Cold War. Personally, I leaned toward the AMES 85. With the right setup, you could laser someone off a head glitch from across the map. The recoil control was just that good.

One gun I only had a quick go with before the beta wrapped up was the marksman rifle, SWAT 5.56, which could drop you with a single burst. Playing against it? Super frustrating. Even with all my omnimovement tricks, it still shredded me, so I wouldn’t be surprised if it gets a nerf before the full release. If not, I can already see pros wanting it banned in competitive play.

As for the sniping fans out there, BO6’s snipers are more forgiving, but compared to Modern Warfare III, they feel a little slower to aim down sights (ADS). That said, if you’re even in the general direction of an enemy with the LR 7.62, you’re probably getting a one-shot kill. Snipers in multiplayer are typically “baby guns for babies”—unless I’m using them, in which case they’re awesome. On maps like Babylon, the SVD sniper shines, and both it and the LR 7.62 are perfect for SCUD, the biggest map in the beta.

New Additions

Field Upgrades are making a comeback in Black Ops 6, with a game-changing new twist: the Sleeper Agent upgrade. This ability lets you “defect” to the enemy team, and it led to some seriously unforgettable moments. It’s like going undercover – you blend right in with the enemy for a short while, and the longer you survive and rack up kills, the longer you stay hidden in plain sight. During one match, I casually strolled past enemy players without a hitch, only to turn around and pull off a 21-kill streak. Even though you technically show up on their radar, the chaos of battle keeps them distracted. It’s absolute madness, but so satisfying.

As for the Open Beta, it had six maps divided between Core Moshpit and Faceoff modes. Gunfight got added toward the end of the weekend, though I didn’t have a chance to dive into it. Core offered four larger maps with a mix of game modes, while Faceoff shrank those modes into smaller, more intense battlegrounds. To be honest, none of the maps blew me away. SCUD, in particular, was an eyesore and way too open for my liking. It works for casual play, but as an esports fan, it just didn’t cut it for me. As a diehard SMG player, I had a blast on the tighter maps like Babylon and Rewind—nonstop action, perfect for public matches. But from a competitive angle, they’re too small and narrow to have much impact. Derelict and Skyline, however, stood out as the most competitive-ready maps. Their balanced three-lane layout strikes the perfect middle ground, making it feel just right for high-level play.

Call of Duty: Black Cop or Drop?

In a nutshell, the Black Ops 6 Open Beta feels like a step in the right direction for the series. For the first time in years, I found myself truly enjoying grinding out matches again. The new additions, like omnimovement and the Sleeper Agent Field Upgrade, inject some much-needed freshness into the gameplay, while the solid gunplay and loadout customisation keep the experience familiar yet refined. Sure, the maps were hit or miss, and balancing issues with weapons like the Jackal PDW still need work, but these are minor gripes in what otherwise looks like a promising entry. With Treyarch at the wheel and innovative mechanics at play, Black Ops 6 could very well be the CoD title that brings back the glory days for me—and many others. Here’s hoping the full release delivers on this early potential.