Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 review – a battle royale with military precision

It's weird to think of Call of Duty as an underdog. It was once the world's biggest entertainment franchise, earning billions of dollars every year for its publisher Activision. But in recent times the military shooter has fallen out of favour, usurped by the bright, glossy thrills of Overwatch and Destiny and the more family-friendly multiplayer charms of Minecraft and Fortnite. At first glance, Black Ops 4 looks like a sad anachronism, desperate for relevance. The single-player campaign has been jettisoned, leaving us with just the multiplayer experience.