It’s a desperate shame in our opinion too, as the PS Vita definitely deserved something special with the very first Call of Duty game to debut on the system. Instead we see all this negativity swirling around and although some people view it as very harsh towards developers Nihilistic Software, others view it as inexcusable and an early warning sign after similar reception for Resistance: Burning Skies – the company’s last game.

Where did it all go wrong though? One of the most recent reviews we’ve seen comes from GameSpot, who have awarded the game a 2.5/10, stating that Declassified is a huge disappointment which does nothing right. They add that the game is a sad excuse for a portable first person shooter and too much repetition and technical problems with multiplayer lead them to the conclusion that the game tarnishes the Call of Duty brand and was simply a cash in to release alongside Black Ops 2 on console.

You can read the review in full for more close your eyes material, while it’s not a pretty sight over at Metacritic either. So far, the game has an overall score of 32/10, with a user score of 5.3 from owners who have submitted their own reviews. There is a mixed reception from people who have uploaded a review defending the game against all of the hate, but overall – the reviews are generally unfavorable towards the game.

Which leads us on to our next question – what is next for the PS Vita in terms of Call of Duty? Declassified has arrived now, the reception has happened and it’s now in the past. Sony will obviously be aware of what has happened and even Activision no doubt, although they may not be too bothered about Sony’s bad fortune since Black Ops 2 continues to rake in crazy amounts of money for the company.

We would hate to think that this is the last Call of Duty to ever appear on the PS Vita, but will Sony will want to endure the criticism and embarrassment again? We still have no idea why Treyarch didn’t develop the game in the first place – did Activision not allow them or were Treyarch simply not interested?

Let us know what you think the future should be regarding Call of Duty on the PS Vita. Should Sony cut their losses, strike a deal with EA and have DICE develop a Battlefield 3 port to the Vita instead? – now there’s an exciting thought.

The Vita version of the classic Black Ops original is now available to buy or download from the PlayStation Store. Alarm bells were ringing with this game from the very start, as Sony and Activision stalled for months on any official information, only waiting until the last minute to inform us that Resistance Burning Skies developers Nihilistic Software were developing the game.

Now these fears have apparently been realized, with a new review published by Metro. In their no holds barred review in which they’ve awarded Black Ops Declassified with just a 3/10, they have said that the game is “insulting, shamefully undeveloped and a disgrace to the PS Vita hardware and the Call of Duty franchise” as a whole.

Talk about not holding back. We also hear how this game could spell the end for the PS Vita with Black Ops Declassified the ‘final straw’, and with Sony and publishers to blame for making the handheld ‘self-destruct’ – according to Metro. We love the PS Vita, but we do have to agree with them in the point where it does feel like Sony isn’t doing enough to get major console quality games out on the system.

There are also mentions of technical problems when trying to join a multiplayer match online, problems which Metro say ultimately save you from further upset and disappointment. We didn’t expect Black Ops: Declassified to be the savior of the PS Vita after finding out about all of the cut content – but is it actually much more damaging to Sony seeing reviews like this, in terms of the reputation of the Vita and attracting developers in the future?

If Activision had a good relationship with Sony, we still don’t see why a small division inside Treyarch couldn’t have made this game. We would have had zombies, a proper multiplayer mode and none of these complaints on it being a rehashed, watered down port of the original with little effort.

Instead, we have this frustrating DLC war where Sony favors EA and Microsoft favors Activision – with Black Ops: Declassified appearing to serve as nothing but cannon fodder. Have you picked up Black Ops: Declassified on the Vita? Read the full assessment from Metro here and let us know if they are being overly critical or not.

Answer us this hypothetical question: If Microsoft had a handheld system out, would we see this exact Black Ops: Declassified on their device, without zombies and an 8-man multiplayer and without Treyarch developing? It just wouldn’t happen.

It doesn’t actually look too bad to tell the truth. We admit that we were very skeptical on Declassified after witnessing a lot of delaying tactics from Activision and Sony, followed by the initial round of screenshots that didn’t really impress us that much. Having said that, we’re pleased to have changed our minds about the game as the weeks have gone on, with more recent gameplay suggesting that Declassified actually looks decent on the Vita and could be well worth taking a look at on November 13.

We’re well aware that the game doesn’t come with zombies which is a major disappointment, but the 4v4 online multiplayer mode does look pretty fun, even if it isn’t the higher player count like traditional multiplayer on console. In a new gameplay video, we see a live online match on Nuketown (Nukehouse in game) going on, with the environment and screen text, almost exactly the same as we’re used to seeing on console.

There are notable differences in texture quality compared to the console version, although nothing too major to criticize. The famous killstreaks have made it into Declassified multiplayer as well we’re pleased to say, as you can see Care Packages and Sentry Guns being deployed, just to name a few.

With six players playing in this particular match, it does seem a little quiet than the usual carnage that we’re used to seeing on console. Two more players to make up the full 8 man match should improve the situation, but then again – playing with 3 other players on a handheld, against 4 enemies online is not a bad result on the PS Vita.

All in all, this looks pretty tasty. Do you still have doubts about Black Ops: Declassified, or have you now decided to pick up a copy this week? Have the developers Nihilistic actually done a good job on the game or not?

Let’s be honest – the initial reception for the game hasn’t been good so far. Maybe it’s slightly harsh on Nihilistic as they haven’t had a chance to release the game yet, but then at the same time it also needs to be said that no zombies and only an 8 man multiplayer are two massive omissions compared to the core experience on console.

Black Ops Declassified was once touted as the savior of the PS Vita, but at the moment it is in danger of being ‘just’ another mediocre Vita title and it will be a real shame if it ends up that way. We too can’t help but feel a little disappointed in the product seen so far, but thankfully we do have some new gameplay to show you which could help sway a few minds.

Gameplay from the online multiplayer mode has been captured and uploaded to YouTube. Graphics are actually looking pretty crisp from what we see in the video and it actually looks like a Call of Duty game this time – if that makes sense. We see added touchscreen interfaces for quick grenade throwing, while there’s also a handy in-game radar in the top left corner as well.

The gameplay is only brief, but it certainly looks a lot better than the ugly gameplay previews that we’ve seen in the past. Maybe it’s time to look past the fact that the game won’t have more than 8 players online or a zombie mode, and think about the possibilities of this still being a solid title, if Nihilistic has managed to perfect the 4v4 mode.

The lack of advertising from Sony is a bit worrying though – just how many of you honestly had no idea that this was launching alongside Black Ops 2 on November 13? Take a look at the new snippets of gameplay and let us know if you will be picking up the Vita version. For those wondering, yes that is a little peek at the Vita version of Nuketown.

We’ve told you in previous reports that the game won’t have any kind of zombies mode in the game, which for many is already a final nail in the coffin for those that were already unimpressed with the game’s multiplayer mode. Call of Duty also isn’t a game where you should expect cutting edge graphics either, but Black Ops: Declassified looks barely looks like a PS Vita game, and makes Uncharted Golden Abyss look like a Crysis title in comparison.

There is only going to be a 4v4 online mode in the game, and confirmation that many maps in the game will be watered down ports of existing maps from the first Black Ops game. If this wasn’t a direct sign that the game could be dead on arrival before even releasing, Activision has confirmed that the game is releasing on November 13 – the very same date that the console and PC versions of Black Ops 2 will be available.

That means that Activision clearly does not view Declassified as a big enough title for its own specialized launch date and we’d be very surprised if we see the same level of commercial advertising for Black Ops Declassified as its console counterpart as well – take the new Black Ops 2 launch trailer yesterday for example, which Activision stealthily planted in the middle of a World Cup qualifier between England and Poland.

Just to point out, there isn’t going to be the same Cross Buy incentive in place, in which you would get the PS Vita version of Declassified for free, after buying the PS3 version of Black Ops 2. With that in mind, is anyone still planning to pick this up on November 13?

Activision had the chance to change the perception of millions of PS Vita fans by making Declassified a defining title for the system, but instead we have a game with below par graphics, a shoddy port which has cut content in all areas and no zombie mode to play either.

Are we being harsh, or are there any Vita owners out there who are as disappointed as we are about this game?

Before the event, details on the game were shrouded in mystery as we didn’t even know who was developing the game and we had no indication on what the graphics and gameplay quality would look like on that lovely 5-inch OLED screen.

The good news, is that both those questions have been answered, but the bad news is that you may not like what you’re about to hear. The game is being developed by Nihilistic Software, who you may be very familiar with if you have already picked up Resistance Burning Skies.

Truth be told, that game didn’t really fair well with review scores and the game came under considerable criticism for its below par graphics. There was a lot of hope that Declassified would end up looking on par with console versions of Call of Duty, but after watching the trailer we can safely say that this won’t be the case.

While the game will feature true online multiplayer over WiFi for up to 8 players in 4v4 matchups, the graphics are looking a little suspect already and are obviously not a true representation of what the Vita can produce. It actually looks like a step backwards in graphics quality and it’s a big shame, since this aspect may end up taking the gloss away from what could still turn out to be a solid title, in gameplay terms.

Sony also announced Killzone Mercenary for the Vita and it’s not a stretch to say that the game looks better than Declassified from a graphical standpoint. One sole reason for this is that Guerilla Games are also developing this, with Sony not drafting in a different developmental team as we often see with Activision.

Activision should have rehired Neversoft to remake the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater HD game and they probably should have hired a small unit inside Treyarch to work on Black Ops: Declassified instead. Watch the debut gameplay trailer below and let us know what you think of the graphics for Declassified.

Are you a bit shocked at the level of quality as well, or is it just us? We’ve seen iOS games looking better than this.

Luckily, GamesCom 2012 is just around the corner and we’ve just heard that Black Ops: Declassified is finally set for a proper reveal. If you watched Sony’s E3 presser in June you were probably just as unimpressed as we were when Activision decided to reveal a logo for the game and nothing else.

We didn’t get a release date and we certainly didn’t get a gameplay trailer or a single screenshot. Meanwhile, we were promised at the time that Declassified was going to offer a ‘true’ Call of Duty experience similar to console, which obviously implies that Vita owners are going to get a fully fledged multiplayer mode.

In a recent statement to MCV, Activision has again been bigging up the game, with Michael Sportouch, Activision’s European VP and GM offering up a few encouraging words. When talking about the upcoming game, he again said that it is going to offer a ‘true Call of Duty experience’ and that they are excited about ‘connecting with a new audience’.

The most important thing to note though, is that the game is going to be on show at GamesCom, so we can only assume that we’ll finally get a look at how the game is shaping up and how it compares to console. After the delay for the game, will you expect nothing less than a multiplayer mode that plays almost the same as on console?

This is going to be the main selling point of the game we feel and if it just turns out to be a shoddy port, there’s going to be a lot of angry Vita owners. If you have a Vita let us know how important this game is to you and what you are expecting to see. Resistance and Unit 13 didn’t exactly set the world on fire did they?

We say ‘do not know’, but there is probably a element of suspicion to that claim as you would think it would be highly unlikely that one of the core developers for Call of Duty, simply ‘do not know’ who is extending the franchise on Sony’s new handheld.

That’s what Treyarch’s Director of Communications John Rafacz told VideoGamer in a recent interview though. He was apparently asked a direct question on whether Neversoft will be developing Declassified in conjunction with recent speculation online and Neversoft’s own omission that they are working on a Call of Duty game.

The whole project seems a bit disappointing at the moment though, based on the fact that we didn’t even get a sniff of gameplay at E3, or even an indication on when the game will be releasing other than ‘Fall 2012′. Since the PlayStation Meeting in 2011 when the game was first unveiled (for the then NGP), we haven’t really had any key details on the game which you have to say is a bit worrying.

What are Activision waiting for we wonder? We all know that the publisher likes to keep their reveals until the very last moment possible, but they could at least tell us who will be developing the game to give gamers an idea. It’s obviously not going to be Treyarch or Infinity Ward, so does that narrow it down to either Neversoft or Sledgehammer Games?

Activision hasn’t even unveiled any multiplayer footage yet for Black Ops 2. There’s teasing and then there is taking things a little too far. Are you starting to get a little frustrated on the lack of knowledge for Declassified on the Vita? If you had to take a guess – who do you think will be developing this game?

Firstly, behold the box art above! It looks pretty good in our opinion and dare we say it – even better than the Black Ops 2 box art? You can see the full thing over at Amazon and Walmart, but the main point here is that both retailers have now posted some blurb about the game’s campaign mode.

It appears that Black Ops: Declassified will be set in the middle of Black Ops 1 and 2, with an ‘exclusive’ Vita story mode possibly leading up to events of Black Ops 2. The important part to pick out from the text is that Declassified is set to be comprised of a series of ‘Special Ops missions’, while we also get a written confirmation that multiplayer will be included as well.

Would you be satisfied with short Spec Ops missions though? It seems to have worked very well for Unit 13 in our opinion, but obviously all eyes are on that multiplayer mode and whether it will be as good and similar to how console and PC multiplayer plays out.

Interestingly, there is also no developer listed yet so it remains to be seen if Treyarch will be developing, or another team like Neversoft (THPS2) who recently said that they are working on a Call of Duty game. We doubt it will be Treyarch though, as they have their hands full with Black Ops 2 and they would have announced this at E3 if they were developing.

Another major point of observation is the price. Both Amazon and Walmart have slapped a $50 price on the game, making it one of the most expensive Vita games ever and just $10 short of a full blown console game. With this in mind, should gamers be expecting a zombie mode as well to make the game more value for the price, or are gamers just paying for the fact that this is Call of Duty on a handheld?

So many questions still need to be answered on this game – we hope Sony has more for us at GamesCom. Let us know your initial thoughts on Declassified. Will you pay $50 for just Spec Ops missions and multiplayer, or are you expecting a zombie mode as well?

Some gameplay after months of waiting would have been nice, but we’re guessing that the game is still not ready to be shown in public yet, despite the fact that Sony announced a Holiday 2012 release at E3. What they did say though to possibly make up for the lack of gameplay, is that Call of Duty on the Vita will offer ‘the full experience’.

Those three words right there should be enough for most of you to start throwing your money at the screen, since it is now likely that Black Ops: Declassified will feature a full online multiplayer experience similar to that on console. It means that you’ll be able to take your Vita out of home and compete online say on Gun Game whilst on a WiFi connection – very cool indeed.

Will the game be a port of the hugely successful Black Ops game though, or will it be a spin off version, or maybe even a prequel before Black Ops 1 and 2? From our point of view, we don’t really mind what direction the game goes in, as a port would give users an indication of the standard that the Vita version will have being based on the console version.

One thing that really needs to be discussed though is the idea of an accompanying zombie mode. Jack Tretton clearly said in black and white that Declassified will offer the full COD experience correct? If so, then it may be safe to assume that this includes zombies as well, and imagining online zombies on the Vita on the same scale as we’ve seen on console could reap fantastic benefits for both consumers and Sony.

If Sony and whichever developer behind the game manage to bring zombies to the Vita, then Sony surely has their nailed down system seller right there. Everyone will love the idea of zombies on the go over a 3G or WiFi connection and it could go on to spawn multiple zombie games in the future on the Vita.

It is definitely possible as well from a hardware point of view. There may be some doubts that the Vita won’t be able to handle a full online zombie mode as seen on console, but you may be forgetting one thing. Sony also unveiled that the PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale game on Vita will feature online cross-platform play with PS3, so if the system can handle that it can also handle Treyarch’s zombie mode online as well.

Again, we wouldn’t mind if it is the same zombie maps that featured on console either. If we were to picture a ‘dream’ scenario, zombie mode on PS Vita would have cross platform support with zombies on the PS3, letting Vita players join PS3 servers to play together. It is early days yet of course, but imagine if they could pull something off like that.

What are your early impressions of Black Ops Declassified? Would you like to see a complete port of the original, or a brand new spin off game?