Common Sense Media Review
By Paul Semel
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Violent but exciting shooter takes bold new step for series.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 18+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Play
Videos and Photos
Call of Duty: Black Ops III
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 74 parent reviews
Parents say that while this game has a reputation for violence and strong language, many reviews highlight that it includes settings to disable blood, gore, and swearing, making it more appropriate for younger players. Several parents express surprise at the game's positive aspects, including its potential to inspire critical thinking and teamwork among children, and agree that it can be enjoyed by teens and pre-teens when certain content filters are used.
- - customizable settings
- - not as violent
- - educational aspects
- - suitable for teens
- - parental discretion advised
- - zombies mode concerns
Summarized with AI
Based on 189 kid reviews
Kids say this game is enjoyable and engaging, particularly praising its multiplayer and Zombies modes, though opinions vary about the campaign's narrative and intensity. Many reviewers emphasize the option to turn off graphic content and swearing, suggesting it can be suitable for children 10 and up if they are mature enough to handle the themes involved.
- fun gameplay
- graphic content filter
- suitable for 10+
- mixed campaign views
- acceptable for mature kids
Summarized with AI
What's It About?
In CALL OF DUTY: BLACK OPS III -- the story mode isn't available in the PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360 versions -- you play as a cybernetically enhanced special-ops soldier on the hunt for a former commander gone rogue and a criminal organization trying to kill all of you. But unlike in previous games, you're not only fighting terrorists but also Terminator-like robots. This is fitting because not only does the game's story mode have all the explosive action and plot twists of a great action movie, but it also has a lot of sci-fi flavor. Along with the regular campaign, there's a second version that swaps the terrorists for zombies, as well as a second zombie mode that has four criminals trying to escape a city overrun by the undead.
Is It Any Good?
By adding cyberpunk seasonings to this series' patented mix of smooth controls, frantic firefights, cinematic action, and addictive multiplayer, this first-person shooter takes a bold new step. Though you're still shooting terrorists during missions that feel like scenes from a big-budget action movie, you also use an arsenal of futuristic weapons against autonomous robots. You also have a variety of cyberweapons that allow you to hack drones or auto-turrets, scan the environment to tag enemies, dispatch a swarm of tiny killer robots, and run along walls like a certain Persian prince used to do. And these new abilities come into play whether you're playing the story-driven campaign, its zombie version that you unlock after you've beaten the story, another co-op mode where you and three pals fight zombies, or any of the game's numerous competitive multiplayer modes. But while this makes Call of Duty: Black Ops III the most radically different Call of Duty game ever, it also makes it the least Call of Duty-esque as well. This feels more like a cross between a great Terminator game and a cool Ghost in the Shell game when you're using your cybertech to kill robots and a great Walking Dead game when you're facing zombies.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about violence in video games. Is there any difference between earlier Call of Duty games, in which you only shot other people, and this one, where you're shooting zombies and robots just as often?
Discuss the depiction of women in games. Since the hero of this game can be a man or a woman, does this inclusion empower women?
Talk about humanity and technology. At what point does augmenting our bodies make us less human? Is our humanity less about what we're made of and more about what we do?
Game Details
- Platforms : PlayStation 3 , PlayStation 4 , Windows , Xbox 360 , Xbox One
- Pricing structure : Paid
- Available online? : Not available online
- Publisher : Activision
- Release date : November 9, 2015
- Genre : First-Person Shooter
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , Adventures
- ESRB rating :
- Last updated : February 5, 2026
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate