Call of Duty: Black Ops II: Complete Guide

A guide to all three parts of Black Ops II on PC: the branching campaign and how to get the best ending, multiplayer (Pick 10, scorestreaks, strong loadouts, maps), and Zombies (maps, perks, survival basics), plus notes on playing the 2012 PC version in 2026.

Researched September 2026 — current as of the final retail PC build (no new official content in years). Live games change; check the linked sources if something differs.

Status note: Black Ops II came out on 12 November 2012 and hasn't had a content update in many years. On Steam, Campaign, Multiplayer and Zombies run as separate executables. Official PC multiplayer still has players but has a long history of cheaters and security concerns, so many PC players use the community Plutonium client (which requires owning the game) for moderated dedicated servers. Treat any third-party client as at your own risk, and read its documentation before installing.

Quick Start

1. The campaign branches. Choices during missions and the results of the optional Strike Force missions change the ending. Don't assume every outcome is final. Some are decided by whether you pull the trigger.
2. In multiplayer, Pick 10 gives you a budget. You get ten points for your whole class, spent on guns, attachments, perks, grenades and Wildcards.
3. Scorestreaks reward objective play. Captures, defuses and assists earn score toward streaks, not just kills.
4. Zombies has no end. Survive as many rounds as you can, open the map, get to the Pack-a-Punch, and buy the perks you need.
5. Play League Play for ranked matches. It was the first competitive ranked mode in Call of Duty, using MLG-style rules and skill-based placement.
6. Save your Wildcards for the right build. Overkill (two primaries), Perk Greed (a second perk in a tier) and Danger Close all change how a class plays.
7. In Zombies, learn one map at a time. Nuketown Zombies is compact and fast, while TranZit is huge and slow.

Campaign

Structure

The campaign alternates between the 1980s (Alex Mason and Frank Woods chasing Raul Menendez) and 2025 (David Mason). Along the way you'll find:

• Strike Force missions: Optional missions in 2025 where you command a squad, drones and turrets from above or take direct control. Units that die are permanently gone for that mission, and failing a Strike Force mission locks it off for the rest of the campaign. The outcome of these missions changes the world state at the end.
• Choices in the moment: Several scenes ask you to shoot or spare someone, or to complete or ignore a side objective. These decide who lives. Several campaign achievements are tied to them ("Dead or Alive", "Ultimate Sacrifice", "Dirty Business", "Family Reunion"), so a second run with different choices is worth it.
• Access Kits: Hidden spots in levels that you can only open with a specific piece of equipment in your loadout. They give you bonuses or alternate routes in that mission, so check the loadout screen for hints before each mission.
• Loadout picks: Before most missions you can pick your loadout. Unlock items by collecting intel and completing Challenges.

Getting the best ending

The ending is decided mainly by the fate of Menendez, Karma (Chloe Lynch), Alex Mason, and whether you completed the Strike Force missions. Earlier choices also decide who is alive at the end, including Farid and Harper. In general:

• Rescue Karma. If she dies or isn't rescued, Menendez escapes in the ending, whatever else you did.
• Capture rather than kill Menendez at the end ("Dead or Alive: Jailor or executioner"). Capturing him with Karma alive stops his cyberattack. Executing him triggers his posthumous video and the Cordis Die uprising.
• Keep Alex Mason alive. A choice in the 1980s missions decides whether he survives. Listen before you pull the trigger.
• Farid or Harper. In Achilles' Veil, Farid is ordered to shoot Harper ("Ultimate Sacrifice: Only one can survive"). Which one you save changes later scenes.
• Complete all Strike Force missions. Finishing them (including assassinating SDC Chairman Tian Zhao, "Art of War") leads to the ending where China and the U.S. become allies.

Guides and videos can walk you through the exact sequence. It's usually easiest to play normally first, then replay individual missions from the mission select to change specific outcomes.

Missions (campaign order)

Pyrrhic Victory, Celerium, Old Wounds, Time and Fate, Fallen Angel, Karma, Suffer with Me, Achilles' Veil, Odysseus, Cordis Die, Judgment Day. Strike Force missions unlock between main missions.

Difficulty

Recruit, Regular, Hardened and Veteran. Veteran is well known for grenade spam and long sightline fights. Go slowly, clear areas one at a time, and use cover. "Black Ops II Master" needs the campaign on Hardened or Veteran, and "Futurist" and "Old Fashioned" ask for Veteran clears of the 2025 missions and specific 1980s missions. Each mission also has its own challenges, which feed into "Mission Complete" and "Giant Accomplishment". Collecting all intel gives "High IQ".

Multiplayer

Pick 10

Every item costs one point from a budget of ten. That includes the primary, secondary, each attachment, each perk, each grenade and tactical, and each Wildcard.

Pick 10 lets you build strange classes. You can skip the secondary and grenades for more perks, or run no perks and load up your gun.

Perks

Common picks: Lightweight and Extreme Conditioning for fast SMG players, Ghost and Blind Eye against heavy scorestreak use, Flak Jacket and Tactical Mask for objective players, and Toughness for snipers.

Strong weapons

• SMGs: MSMC, Vector K10 and PDW-57 dominate close quarters. The Peacekeeper (from Revolution DLC) is a hybrid SMG and assault rifle.
• Assault rifles: AN-94, SCAR-H, M8A1, SWAT-556 and MTAR are strong mid-range choices.
• Snipers: DSR 50 and Ballista for quickscoping and long lanes.
• Shotguns: Remington 870 MCS for close-range play.
• Secondaries: Executioner, B23R and KAP-40 are useful sidearms. SMAW and FHJ-18 AA handle streaks.

Balance changed with patches over the years. Players also argue about some weapons (the MSMC and Vector in particular), so treat any meta list as a starting point.

Scorestreaks

Low streaks like UAV, RC-XD, Counter-UAV, Hunter Killer and Care Package are easy to earn and help the whole team. Mid and high streaks include the Guardian, Hellstorm Missile, Lightning Strike, Sentry Gun, Death Machine, War Machine, Dragonfire, AGR, Stealth Chopper, Escort Drone, Orbital VSAT, EMP Systems, Warthog, Lodestar, VTOL Warship, K9 Unit and Swarm. Pick a set you can actually earn with your playstyle. A UAV plus Hunter Killer plus Lightning Strike is a reliable default.

Maps

• Base maps: Aftermath, Cargo, Carrier, Drone, Express, Hijacked, Meltdown, Overflow, Plaza, Raid, Slums, Standoff, Turbine, Yemen, plus Nuketown 2025.
• Revolution: Downhill, Grind, Hydro, Mirage (plus Die Rise, Turned and the Peacekeeper).
• Uprising: Encore, Magma, Studio, Vertigo (plus Mob of the Dead).
• Vengeance: Cove, Detour, Rush, Uplink (plus Buried).
• Apocalypse: Dig, Frost, Pod, Takeoff (plus Origins).

Progression

Level up to unlock gear, then choose whether to Prestige. That resets your level for a new emblem and an unlock token, which lets you keep an item permanently. Weapon levels and camos (up to Diamond) come from weapon challenges.

Zombies

Modes and maps

• TranZit (Green Run): A large open map linked by the bus. It has many buildables and a slow pace.
• Town, Farm and Bus Depot: Smaller survival maps using parts of TranZit.
• Nuketown Zombies: A small, intense map where perks drop randomly.
• Die Rise (Revolution): Vertical skyscrapers and elevators.
• Mob of the Dead (Uprising): Alcatraz. Afterlife mode and a strong Easter egg.
• Buried (Vengeance): An underground town with Leroy the giant and lots of buildables.
• Origins (Apocalypse): WWI France, with elemental staffs, giant robots and Panzer Soldats. Widely considered one of the best Zombies maps.
• Grief (two teams of four competing) and Turned (one human against three player zombies) are alternative modes.

Survival basics

• Open the map in stages. Buy doors as you need them rather than all at once.
• Get Juggernog early. More health is the biggest survival boost. Quick Revive, Speed Cola, Double Tap and Stamin-Up are also key depending on the map. Mule Kick, Who's Who, Electric Cherry, Vulture Aid, Deadshot Daiquiri and Tombstone appear on specific maps.
• Train the zombies. Gather zombies into a line and circle a big open area to control them. Shoot them from the front of the train.
• Pack-a-Punch upgrades a weapon's damage and ammo. Find it and power it up on each map.
• Mystery Box: Spin for wonder weapons like the Ray Gun, Ray Gun Mark II, and map-specific weapons.
• Buildables: Many maps have parts to collect and build shields, traps and utility items.
• Easter eggs: Most maps have big story quests. Look them up if you want to do one.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Using every point on attachments. A weak perk set can hurt more than a missing grip.
• Chasing kills in objective modes. Scorestreaks come faster from captures and plants.
• Ignoring enemy streaks. Bring Blind Eye or a launcher when the enemy team has air support.
• Opening every door in Zombies at once. You'll run out of points and get swarmed.
• Skipping Juggernog. Most early deaths in Zombies come from having too little health.
• Rushing Strike Force. It's optional, but failing it changes the ending, and you only get one attempt per campaign.
• Downloading random cheat or unlock tools. They're common vectors for malware, especially for older Call of Duty games on PC.

Advanced Tips

• Rebuild classes for each map. SMG and shotgun on small maps, assault rifles and snipers on large ones.
• Use Hardline with a scorestreak build to reach your big streak faster.
• In League Play, communicate. Voice chat and simple callouts win more games than raw aim.
• In Zombies, learn one strong strategy per map. For example, a training spot on each map or a good wonder weapon to use.
• Use mission select for alternate endings. The campaign runs on checkpoints rather than manual saves, so replay the specific mission with the choice you want to change.

FAQ

Is Black Ops II multiplayer still alive on PC? It still has players, but cheaters and security concerns are a known problem. Many PC players use the Plutonium community client, which requires owning the game.

How do I get the best ending? Rescue Karma, keep Alex Mason alive, capture Menendez instead of killing him, and complete all the Strike Force missions. Replay individual missions to change outcomes.

Which Zombies map should I start with? Nuketown Zombies or Town for quick survival practice. Mob of the Dead and Origins for the best full experience.

Does the Season Pass include everything? The Season Pass covers the four map packs: Revolution, Uprising, Vengeance and Apocalypse. They add multiplayer maps and Zombies maps.

What's the max level? Levels reset when you Prestige. Keep playing to reach Prestige Master.

Sources

• Call of Duty: Black Ops II on Wikipedia
• Call of Duty: Black Ops II on Steam
• Call of Duty: Black Ops II Steam achievements (campaign)