Skip to main content
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+ The Games, Movies, TV & Comics You Love
UK EditionUK US EditionUS CA EditionCanada AU EditionAustralia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Games
    • Game Insights
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • The Big Preview
      • On The Radar
      • Indie Spotlight
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
    • Genres
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
    • Franchises
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Hardware
    • Insights
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
    • Computing
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
    • Accessories & Tech
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Game Deals
    • Tech Deals
    • TV Deals
    • Buying Guides
  • Video
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Total Film
Total Film
  • home
  • Games
    • View Games
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • The Big Preview
      • On The Radar
      • Indie Spotlight
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • View Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • View Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • View TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • View Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • View Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • View Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Hardware
    • View Hardware
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • View Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • View Deals
    • Game Deals
    • Tech Deals
    • TV Deals
    • Buying Guides
  • Video
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Total Film
Total Film
Gaming Magazines
Gaming Magazines
Why subscribe?
  • Subscribe from just £3
  • Takes you closer to the games, movies and TV you love
  • Try a single issue or save on a subscription
  • Issues delivered straight to your door or device
From$12
Subscribe now
Don't miss these
Arc Raiders best weapons
Third Person Shooters "Will this blow up the server?": Arc Raiders players are so good at killing Arc that Embark eyes ways to "escalate" PvE
Arc Raiders screenshot of a helmet lying in sand
Third Person Shooters Arc Raiders dev teases 2026 roadmap, and maybe some new maps "even grander than what we've got now"
Gears of War: E-Day gameplay screenshot showing a blood soaked Marcus and Dom
Gears of War The Coalition believes that Gears of War: E-Day "has the potential to be one of the best stories in the Gears franchise"
Helldivers 2 Redacted Regiment Warbond two helldivers fighting automaton robots in a base
Third Person Shooters The stealth-focused Helldivers 2 Redacted Regiment Warbond is back on the menu so here's everything you can unlock
Upcoming Xbox Series Games banner image showing Jason from GTA 6, Marcus from Gears of War E-Day, a steampunk robotic figure in Clockwork Revolution, and Fable's protagonist speaking with a man who has a sword
FPS Games Upcoming Xbox Series X games for 2026 and beyond
Resident Evil Requiem protagonist Leon sitting in the driver's seat of a dark car
Resident Evil Resident Evil Requiem's dual protagonists aim to marry "the most terrifying horror and the most thrilling action"
Best FPS games: A screenshot of the Doom Slayer shooting a Cyberdemon in the game Doom Eternal.
FPS Games The 25 best FPS games to play in 2025
Key art for Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War 4 showing a Blood Raven Space Marine in front of a montage of other factions including orks, necrons, and the adeptus mechanicus - with the GamesRadar+ Big in 2026 frame branding
Real Time Strategy Games Dawn of War 4 has its sights set on "gameplay that feels authentic to the fantasy of each faction" in Warhammer 40k
PUBG Blindspot BI26
Third Person Shooters PUBG's first spin-off is a top-down shooter shaped by Valorant, Counter-Strike, and a hardcore military MMO
Two Helldivers pull a classic fart gag
Co-op Games Helldivers 2 grunts vote on which planet to fire our shiny new laser beam at
Beyond good and Evil 2
Action Games Upcoming Ubisoft games: Every new Ubisoft game in development
Dispatch screenshots
Adventure Games Dispatch season 2 isn't even confirmed, but I'm wondering how it could handle the battle of the best girl
Marathon screenshots
FPS Games Bungie shows off Marathon's reworked "Runner Shell" classes, and I'm still worried about invisibility and wall hacks
Arc Raiders Abyss armor screenshots
Third Person Shooters Arc Raiders players finally get a cool new skin but are dismayed to realize it comes with leather "BDSM knee pads"
A screenshot of two robots during the upcoming PSVR 2 game AUTOMA
Games Upcoming PSVR 2 Games: New PlayStation VR2 games for 2026 and beyond
Trending
  • New Games for 2026
  • CES 2026
  • 2026 Preview
  • The Forge codes
  1. Games
  2. Action

Black Ops 2 vs. Ghost Recon - Comparing two visions of the future

Features
By Lorenzo Veloria published 16 May 2012

Will we be using wrist mounted iPads or wearing holographic sunglasses in the future?

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

A decade or so isnt too far away, but the theories on advances in military technology between the two development studios share some similarities but quite a few differences. Gaze into the crystal ball and peer into the future, as we take a close look at Black Ops 2s and Ghost Recons visions of tomorrow.

Page 1 of 16
Page 1 of 16
Black Ops 2's future has lots of robots

Black Ops 2's future has lots of robots

There's even some Star Wars inspired AT-AT style walkers...

Page 2 of 16
Page 2 of 16
That armor's too strong for blas... bullets!

That armor's too strong for blas... bullets!

Armored ground drones are no strangers to Blops future world. They even come in two varieties (at least, of what weve seen so far), the four legged CLAW and the speedy ASD (which rolls on treads rather than legs). These guys come mounted with heavy machine guns and grenade launchers. That's all you need to clear out dug-in infantry.

Page 3 of 16
Page 3 of 16
Ghost Recon has its own robots too

Ghost Recon has its own robots too

In the Ghost's world, drones don't make an appearance in as large a scale as in Black Ops 2, but remote controlled robots do show up on these future soldiers battlefield. The small, flying, quad-rotor drone used by the Ghosts is a little more advanced than the Blops counterpart. This little guy transforms from a flyer to a remote-controlled car making stealth infiltrations all the more sneaky. Also, in GRFSs multiplayer, the quad drone can be equipped with low impact rockets, which comes in handy for taking out infantry from above. But these are only a small part of the Ghosts' arsenal.

Page 4 of 16
Page 4 of 16
The Warhound is a Ghost's best friend

The Warhound is a Ghost's best friend

The Ghosts have their own walking quadroped, the Warhound, which is more advanced than the CLAW. Instead of being completely controlled by remote (weapon targets are designated by a Ghost) the Warhound follows mission objectives on its own. This armored artillery also packs quite a punch, with its onboard mortar launcher and guided missiles.

Page 5 of 16
Page 5 of 16
Black Ops 2 sticks to traditional camouflage

Black Ops 2 sticks to traditional camouflage

Granted, we havent seen everything the COD soldiers have up their sleeves, but so far it looks like they will be relying on traditional fatigues as their camouflage. A fairly low-tech solution compared to the Ghosts

Page 6 of 16
Page 6 of 16
You can't see Ghosts

You can't see Ghosts

Now these guys have it going on when it comes to staying hidden. They are called ghosts after all. They employ an optical camouflage that bends light around them, rendering the soldier nearly invisible. This does seem like it strays more toward the sci-fi side, but whos to say the Predator-like invisibility wont be completely possible in the next few decades.

Page 7 of 16
Page 7 of 16
Black Ops: battle ready tablets

Black Ops: battle ready tablets

Undoubtedly, theyll be able to get real-time info on the battlefield, city maps, building schematics, and maybe the ability to hack drones (judging by the titles emphasis on cyber warfare). Hopefully, Mason thought to install Zork before heading out into the field.

Page 8 of 16
Page 8 of 16
Ghost Recon: a heads up display for real first person shooting

Ghost Recon: a heads up display for real first person shooting

It's funny to think our current military already uses Xbox 360 controllers to control robots. Ubisoft just ran with that "gamers as soldiers" idea with the personal HUD. All those hours gamers spend in team deathmatch might prove to be excellent military experience in the future.

Page 9 of 16
Page 9 of 16
Black Ops 2: Get to the Chopp... uh, hover jet

Black Ops 2: Get to the Chopp... uh, hover jet

There are still helicopters in Blops 2's future world (remember, there's police chopper crashing in the trailer), but we also saw what looked like transport jets. The engines on the ends of the wings rotate, presumably making helicopter-type maneuvers. So, perhaps the military decommissioned choppers for faster moving hover jets.

Page 10 of 16
Page 10 of 16
Ghost Recon: If it ain't broke...

Ghost Recon: If it ain't broke...

Rather than sticking high powered jet engines to the side of a fuselage, the Ghost's future military has stuck to the tried an true helicopter. They don't look much different than the Black Hawk helicopters used today.

Page 11 of 16
Page 11 of 16
Black Ops: today's weapon prototypes are the future's standard

Black Ops: today's weapon prototypes are the future's standard

Not every weapon is as unfamiliar as the KARD though. The XMD assault rifle and SAW light machine gun have also made appearances, so if you were looking forward to ray guns, remember, it's not that far in the future.

Page 12 of 16
Page 12 of 16
Ghost Recon has advanced ballistics

Ghost Recon has advanced ballistics

There are some familiar guns like ACR assault rifles and even the KARD pistol available to the Ghosts, but things get real fancy when you take a closer look at their bullets. Besides armor piercing and incendiary rounds, they have homing sniper rounds. Used in conjunction with a special targeting scope, the bullets lock on to a target's head and can change trajectory mid-flight to meet it's target. It seems pretty unfair, but that's pretty much the point of creating advanced weapons.

Page 13 of 16
Page 13 of 16
Black Ops 2: There's no use hiding behind walls

Black Ops 2: There's no use hiding behind walls

We know the image above is just a guy walking behind what looks like the x-ray machine from Total Recall, but the spec ops soldiers will also be able to see hidden enemies with special x-ray scopes and blast them with cover-penetrating ballistics systems.

Page 14 of 16
Page 14 of 16
Ghost Recon: X-ray vision gives the Ghosts the advantage

Ghost Recon: X-ray vision gives the Ghosts the advantage

The Ghosts don't play by the rules either. Their high tech sunglasses have magnetic and thermal vision modes and the soldiers are equipped with a number of sensor probes which also highlight enemy locations - meaning there aren't many places for the bad guys to hide. This is wall hacks at its best.

Page 15 of 16
Page 15 of 16

Which game captures the future setting better? Which do you think is more realistic? Let us know what you think about shooters set in the future in the comments below.

Page 16 of 16
Page 16 of 16
CATEGORIES
PC Gaming PlayStation Xbox Platforms
PRODUCTS
Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Future Soldier Call of Duty PC Xbox 360
Lorenzo Veloria
Lorenzo Veloria
Social Links Navigation

Many years ago, Lorenzo Veloria was a Senior Editor here at GamesRadar+ helping to shape content strategy. Since then, Lorenzo has shifted his attention to Future Plc's broader video game portfolio, working as a Senior Brand Marketing Manager to oversee the development of advertising pitches and marketing strategies for the department. He might not have all that much time to write about games anymore, but he's still focused on making sure the latest and greatest end up in front of your eyes one way or another.

Share by:
  • Facebook
  • X
  • Whatsapp
  • Pinterest
  • Flipboard
  • Email
Share this article
Join the conversation
Follow us
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Read more
Escape from Tarkov screenshot of a player holding a gun from the first person perspective with another man holding a weapon in front of him
From Borderlands 4 to Battlefield 6, the best FPS games of 2025 are high-octane, frenetic experiences
 
 
Call of Duty Black Ops 7 Endgame mode fighting zombies while VTOL aircraft flies in
Black Ops 7's Endgame can't decide if it wants to be Destiny 2 or Call of Duty, and it's a muddy addition that makes me miss simpler co-op campaigns
 
 
Arc Raiders best weapons
"Will this blow up the server?": Arc Raiders players are so good at killing Arc that Embark eyes ways to "escalate" PvE
 
 
Black Ops games in order: A group of soldiers holding guns during Black Ops 7.
Once annualized royalty, Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 makes it clear CoD campaigns can't keep up with the pace – like Modern Warfare 3, this feels like another 'point five' release
 
 
Battlefield 6
Battlefield 6 gets Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 comparison amid AI accusations against "hollow and low effort" new artwork
 
 
Key art of Kagan squatting with a gun in Call of Duty: Black Ops 7
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 review: "I respect Treyarch's attempt to make the weirdest Call of Duty possible, but it results in a campaign misfire and multiplayer that's hardly revolutionary"
 
 
Latest in Action
Marcus and Dom looking at the fallen city of Kalona during the Gears of War: E-Day trailer.
Gears of War: E-Day is set in one city as it's both "a rich environment" and "the best gameplay playground"
 
 
Gears of War: E-Day gameplay screenshot showing a blood soaked Marcus and Dom
The Coalition believes that Gears of War: E-Day "has the potential to be one of the best stories in the Gears franchise"
 
 
Pragmata screenshot showing Diana, an android who looks like a little girl with long blonde hair, using what appears to be a hacking ability
In a games industry dominated by safe bets, Capcom keeps getting weird with it
 
 
Lara Croft holding two guns while smiling during the teaser for Tomb Raider: Catalyst.
Tomb Raider's co-creator "really didn't want to alter" her, even after a whole new model was created for Japan
 
 
Assassin's Creed Codename Hexe
Assassin's Creed Hexe's new lead scriptwriter is actually "guiding another team on other content"
 
 
GTA 6
GTA 6 studio "open and operational" following boiler malfunction, Rockstar confirms
 
 
Latest in Features
Clockwork Revolution
With Clockwork Revolution, inXile aims to "bring the level of reactivity from our isometric titles into something first-person"
 
 
Pathologic 3
Pathologic 3 dials into the psychological horror that makes this the most punishing franchise ever
 
 
A cat on the front basket of a bike, which is riding down a road towards a strange purple sky
There Are No Ghosts at the Grand's developer "tried to follow where the fun was," resulting in a very strange Steam demo
 
 
Siggi Wilzig in Fallout season 1
Fallout season 2 episode 6 explained: What is the Enclave?
 
 
Life is Strange Reunion screenshot showing Chloe back in the Blackwell bathroom as an adult
As Life is Strange Reunion brings Max and Chloe back, Deck Nine promises it "isn't just for people who sacrificed Arcadia Bay"
 
 
Tom Nook from Animal Crossing New Horizons on the GamesRadar+ On the Radar hub branding
On the Radar with Animal Crossing: New Horizons
 
 
  1. Origin Story box and cards laid out on a wooden surface
    1
    Looking for a good 2-player board game? This superhero adventure is worth suiting up for
  2. 2
    Trails Beyond the Horizon review: "This JRPG's thrilling real-time and turn-based combat evolves Metaphor ReFantazio's hybrid battles, making up for a poorly paced adventure"
  3. 3
    Scythe review: "This alt-history board game is still a gold standard for modern strategy"
  4. 4
    Skate Story review: "A beautiful and unique skateboarding game with great, stylized visuals set in a grungy underworld"
  5. 5
    Octopath Traveler 0 review: "The strongest entry in this retro-styled JRPG series yet, I love the greater focus on tactical battles"
  1. Return to Silent Hill protagonist James Sunderland
    1
    Return to Silent Hill review: "Neither an impressive adaptation nor coherent enough to act as a standalone film"
  2. 2
    28 Years Later: The Bone Temple review: "The wildest and weirdest entry into the franchise yet"
  3. 3
    Avatar: Fire and Ash review: "Still a technical marvel, with some of the year's best action filmmaking"
  4. 4
    Five Nights at Freddy's 2 review: "We have waited two years for a Five Nights at Freddy's 1.5"
  5. 5
    Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery review: "Brings Knives Out back to its roots for a sequel that's almost on a par with the original"
  1. Holly Hunter as Captain Ake in Starfleet Academy.
    1
    Starfleet Academy review: "It may feel a little different to what we're used to, but this is Star Trek through and through"
  2. 2
    A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms review: "This Game of Thrones spin-off is a surprisingly heartfelt and fun return to Westeros"
  3. 3
    Stranger Things season 5 finale review: “Shows off both the best and the worst of Hawkins”
  4. 4
    Stranger Things season 5, Volume 2 review: “All set up for a finale that has so much to deliver”
  5. 5
    Fallout season 2 review: "A hell of a lot of fun despite being overcrowded and convoluted"

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google
  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...