While the fun in Black doesn't last long, you should have an absolute blast while it lasts.
The Bad: Short campaign; Storyline is cut short and feels like it's missing something; No multiplayer.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Black was one of the most anticipated shooters to ever be released. Mostly because of the visceral action shown in trailers and previews. Now that it's out, people are wondering if it is any good. It is an intense experience, but not for long. That is because the game is short and there is no multiplayer. That being said, Black is still an experience that you should play through.
Explosions, destruction, and death. Those are the top priorities in Black. If you're not blowing something up, you're doing something wrong. Most of the time, enemies will be taking cover near something explosive. You're not exactly forced to destroy the explosives, but it really help a lot and it looks damn cool. In Black, almost anything can be destroyed. This allows you to get creative with your kills. If there is an enemy by a pillar, instead of shooting him, you can destroy the top of the pillar and make pieces of it fall on him in order to crush him. Shooting minefields near enemies can help take care of those guys with the shields and extra body armor. Another things that is possible is shooting grenades in order to make them blow up faster. This really helps against a large crowd of enemies.
The settings in the missions are pretty varied. You'll go from a city to the woods to a bridge and then even underground. Each has different things to explode and different tactics that you will have to use. You will also be required to find intel, blackmail, destroy objects, and find secret weapons as secondary objectives. The AI in Black isn't perfect, but it certainly isn't bad. Enemies usually know exactly where you are and when you're coming. It is hard to take them down because it requires so many rounds of ammuniton, again adding to why it is good to blow things up near them. There are times when you are given the option to use stealth and just take headshots, which is sometimes easier than just going through the entire mission getting into explosive shootouts. There is a decent variety of weapons, SMGs, Assault Rifles, a Sniper Rifle, 2 Shotguns, a Magnum, and an RPG. Each has their ups and downs, making each one different from the other. Ammo is never really an issue because there are so many enemies that you'll kill, you can just pickup their dropped weapons and ammo.
You're still probably wondering this, what's Black all about anyway? The truth is, not much. The game is very minimal on story. The game starts off as a cutscene where a member of the Black Operative, Sgt. Keller, is being interrogated. When he is asked questions he briefly explains a previous situation or plan and then you go ahead and play the mission in order to replay his memory. Basically the entire game is an interrogation scene. It ends with Keller thinking that he killed somebody when he didn't, and then the other man tells Keller that he is going to help him kill him. The storyline feels like a beginning scene of a movie and then it ends. This is rather disappointing and will probably leave you dying for a sequel.
The main thing that really hurts this game is its lasting appeal. The developers wanted the game to be all about the single-player, which it is thanks to the absence of multi-player. Almost all shooters have some form of multi-player nowadays, so not having it really hurts the game. In addition to no multi-player, the campaign is also short and can be beaten in 5-6 hours, no matter what difficulty level. At most you'll play through it twice, possibly 3 times, but that still doesn't make the fun last long.
As for the graphics and sound, this is probably the best game on the PS2. Everything is detailed, the explosions are amazing, and the environments are very realistic. I never thought that it was possible for the PS2 to look this good. Every moment looks like a postcard. There is some noticeable slowdown, though. This slowdown is different from any other game, and I mean that in a good way. It feels like unintentional slow-mo, similar to the slow-mo that you see in action movies. It looks very cool and adds to the intense feeling of the game. The sound is just on par. The gunshots, whether they are up close or out in the distance, they are perfect, so it is a sin not to play with surround sound. The music in he game sounds just like the music from action movies and it fits the game perfectly. Despite the disappointing story, the characters are voiced well, both in the cutscenes and during the mission.
Black is an intense, visceral, crazy, explosive, and short experience. There some action junkies that will want to play through it over and over, while most might only play through it once or twice. That being said, Black is still a game that everyone should experience. Similar to a rollercoaster ride, Black is a very fun moment that is very short.