There was a time when the Call of Duty franchise ran through rather calm waters with the Black Ops series. Now, the Water War 7 seems to be revving up all the razz with the latest tempering regarding the Body Shield. Insane! An enemy can now be taken down by explosives should the player wish to do so, provided that enemy is using a Body Shield. The announcement for the update came via a tweet showing off the infamous new brutal finishing move, blowing the minds of fans.
At the online front, in the beginning, the reception has been as varied as fire and water. Some gamers are hyped up about it, calling it “sick” and raving about how cool this Body Shield mechanic is. Others, though, pointed out that this is not entirely new. Like, not at all. The comment section soon turned into a history class, with many people-double treating it with that one-word reference: Gears of War. One person had written: “Gears of war type shit,” with another following up with, “I remember when Gears of War added this nearly 20 years ago.” Ouch, throwing that backside nostalgia really drenches one in age.”
How funny it is, really. Here we are in the future of gaming, and a new feature from such a massive title as Black Ops 7 is sitting eyelid-to-eyelid with another feature from two decades past. If anything, this goes to show how in game development sometimes what is old is new again. Perhaps this is just a solid mechanic worthy of a comeback. Who knows? But the comparison is simply unavoidable, and it is getting people talking about whether this counts as innovation or more so recycling.
More colorful responses came along the way. One replied, “Why was the suppressor on in the gun heating up?” which is so randomly specific and nitpicky that I love it. Little things like these get always spotted by the community. Another user joked, “Backshots are back eh?” Let’s just say that phrasing definitely obtained several chuckles in the replies. The conversation grew even weirder when someone replied to it, saying, “Everyone needs backshots in their life.” Okay then!
Among all the memes and comparisons, someone remains genuinely curious about how the changes will affect the game. One of the most prominent kinds of equipment at the moment is the Body Shield, which grants players protection in critical times. Enabling just a small counter for it like a grenade finish completely flips the script. It puts in an extra layer of toolsets for the player to win over opponents who thought themselves safe behind their shields. It promotes ability since it forces one to think about how to use grenades other than for simple area denial and killing in close quarters. That can really bring focus to the game, especially in objective modes where every second counts.
The riotous pundits will have a field day, for sure. While one player sarcastically commented, “This is some breakthrough stuff we’re seeing here 😴”, the sleeping emoji says it all. To some, it might just feel like a minor addition, something that sounds cool on paper but won’t fundamentally alter how they play. Another user chimed in with an admission, “Till this day I have never used this feature,” which might hint that the Body Shield itself isn’t everyone’s go-to choice, so a new way to destroy it might not register as a big deal for a portion of the player base.
So that very reliable source, CharlieINTEL armed with a “More on this” link, was probably to an even-lengthier dissection of the patch notes or a video explanation. That’s usually when it gets good—with specific damage values, throw animation time, any potential drawbacks for the player trying to attempt the finish. Because you know they can’t just let anyone chuck a nade without consequence. There has got to be a trade-off, like being vulnerable during the throw animation. That’s the kind of detail that distinguishes a well-balanced feature from an overpowered one.
A tweet about one mechanic inspired an entire mess of different conversations. The history buffs, hype beasts, critics, and meme lords found themselves sharing the same digital space. This really sums up the Call of Duty community—it is passionate and scandalously opinionated, never shy about sharing their thoughts.
Whether this grenade finisher is going to turn out to be adored or regarded as a passing gimmick is being debated, which is almost always a good sign for the health of a game. This means, keep an eye out for the update; it might very well shift how you approach that last player hiding behind their shield in the final circle. Or, it could just be one very cool clip to pop onto your TikTok. Either way, new horizons await.
