The release of Call of Duty: Black Ops 1 and 2 on PS4 and PS5 has generated massive interest, with a combined 11 million digital sales in just the first month. Developed by Treyarch and ported by Iron Galaxy, these titles solve the long-standing absence of classic COD on modern PlayStation hardware - but unfortunately, they do so in a way that underserves these nailed-on classics.

There is some good news in that the core of the experience remains intact. The campaign, the iconic Zombies mode and the stand-out multiplayer are all present and correct, maintaining that signature style that made the original games so compelling. The inclusion of offline modes, LAN support and (increasingly rare) four-player split-screen is welcome too, especially for those that used these features back in the day.

However, the technical reality of these ports is where things go astray, with the PS4 being relatively passable but the PS5 version sitting at a frame-rate and resolution well below what the platform is capable of. To wit, both games are locked to a native 1080p resolution at 60fps on both PS4 and PS5. Despite the vast difference in raw power between the two consoles, the PS5 version fails to offer any graphical enhancements or higher resolution outputs beyond higher quality shadows, mostly around characters. It is a huge missed opportunity for a platform capable of 4K and even 120Hz output.

The visual fidelity itself is also lacking when compared to what is currently achievable. The absence of anti-aliasing results in visible pixel crawl and moire patterns on complex geometry like fencing, while gun shaders are prone to flickering. Furthermore, the texture filtering quality on PS5 is notably subpar and dated. While these issues are understandable on base PS4 hardware, they are difficult to justify on a console as powerful as the PS5, especially when compared to the crisp, maxed-out experience available on PC.

When measured against the existing Xbox Series X version, there is a minor advantage for PlayStation players. The Xbox ports are essentially the original 360 code running at a 600p resolution. While the PlayStation ports offer a sharper 1080p image, they share some of the same underlying visual limitations. The PC version remains the clear winner of course, allowing for 4K resolutions, 16x anisotropic filtering, vastly higher frame-rates and superior shadow detail.

The multiplayer experience has been a particular source of frustration for players. While the lobbies are bustling with new activity, the underlying infrastructure relies on peer-to-peer connections rather than dedicated servers. This has led to persistent technical issues, even for users that are on fibre connections that are an order of magnitude faster than the internet available the first time Black Ops rolled out. Disconnections during matches remain a common and aggravating occurrence that hampers the competitive experience.

Certain legacy features have also been stripped out of the PlayStation release. The Wager Matches from the original Black Ops are missing entirely - likely to avoid frustration since they are non-functional on other platforms anyway. Furthermore, the removal of Theatre Mode and the lack of leaderboards in Zombies are disappointing omissions. While these changes might have been made to address security exploits or server stability, they nevertheless leave the ports feeling like incomplete versions of the original experiences.

Attempts to improve the visual presentation using the PS5 Pro's image enhancement toggle for PS4 titles was well worth a try, but produced mixed results in our testing. While the feature successfully sharpened text and HUD elements, it also unfortunately exaggerated the underlying aliasing, noise, and flicker already present in the ports. Given that the native PS5 version provides a more stable foundation, using the enhanced PS4 mode does not offer a significant enough benefit to warrant switching, leaving the game in a suboptimal state.

Ultimately, these ports represent a missed opportunity. At £35 per game for non-PS+ users, many players are paying a decent chunk of change for games that fail to capitalise on modern hardware capabilities or address long-standing online stability issues. While the success of these releases proves that there is a massive appetite for legacy Call of Duty titles, it remains to be seen whether Activision will take this feedback to heart and improve their approach to updating their classic library for modern audiences.