Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is a direct sequel to the 2010 original Black Ops, and while the numbers have been long defeated, a new imminent threat seems to loom over this new Call of Duty. At the height of the Cold War in 1981, returning characters Alex Mason, Frank Woods, and Jason Hudson are back to track down the enigmatic Soviet spy Perseus--and former US President Ronald Reagan will be making an appearance, too.

　　Although no one really knows who Perseus is, they're said to have supplied Vietcong soldiers with a nuclear weapon and continues to be a threat amid rising tensions between the United States and Soviet Russia. There is a new character within the Black Ops crew who's the most familiar with Perseus, though: Russell Adler, played by Bruce Thomas (also Master Chief in Halo 4 through Infinite). And if I'm being honest, Adler straight up looks like Robert Redford.

　　You need a javascript enabled browser to watch videos.

　　Click To Unmute

　　Firearms Expert’s FAVORITE Weapons Of 2023

　　State Of Gaming Handhelds In 2023How Lies of P Cracked the Souls GenreLike a Dragon: Infinite Wealth - Official Ichiban Kasuga Character Spotlight TrailerLike a Dragon: Infinite Wealth - Official Chitose Fujinomiya Character Spotlight TrailerLike a Dragon: Infinite Wealth - Official Kazuma Kiryu Character Spotlight TrailerLike a Dragon: Infinite Wealth - Official Saeko Mukoda Character Spotlight TrailerLike a Dragon: Infinite Wealth - Official Eric Tomizawa Character Spotlight TrailerLike a Dragon: Infinite Wealth - Official Tianyou Zhao Character Spotlight TrailerLike a Dragon: Infinite Wealth - Official Seonhee Character Spotlight TrailerLike a Dragon: Infinite Wealth - Official Koichi Adachi Character Spotlight TrailerLike a Dragon: Infinite Wealth - Official Yu Nanba Character Spotlight Trailer

　　Share

　　LinkEmbed

　　Size:640 × 360480 × 270

　　Start at: End at: Autoplay Loop

　　Want us to remember this setting for all your devices?

　　Sign up or Sign in now!

　　Please use a html5 video capable browser to watch videos.

　　This video has an invalid file format.

　　00:00:00

　　HTML5

　　Auto HD High Low

　　Report a problem

　　Sorry, but you can't access this content!

Please enter your date of birth to view this video

　　By clicking 'enter', you agree to GameSpot's

　　Terms of Use and Privacy Policy

　　enter

　　Now Playing: Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War Full Presentation | Gamescom 2020

　　Adler is said to be a clandestine operations officer for the CIA and has this stoic, hard-to-read personality, and is the type to cross lines to accomplish missions. He seems to take the Perseus threat personally, and from what we know so far, it probably has to do with something that happened during the Vietnam War, in which Adler is a veteran.

　　During the cutscene in which all this information is unraveled as a top-secret meeting in the Situation Room, you have then-president Ronald Reagan bust into the room--and the character model and voice work is eerily close to the real person. This Black Ops version of Reagan then sets the tone of the meeting, telling General Haig (who was the real-world Secretary of State at the time) that he already knows of Mason, Hudson, Woods, and Adler, and that it was he who approved the last extra-legal military operation the crew went on. Video game Reagan then talks about how these covert ops are necessary to protect innocent lives and the free world, and that it's their virtuous duty. But I have a feeling there's something more shady lingering here as it'd be disappointing to reinforce the jingoistic tone set in the scene, which you can check out in the video above from Gamescom Opening Night Live.

　　Ronald Reagan is a character in Black Ops Cold War...It's a bit ham-fisted in how serious the characters take themselves, but the mystery is intriguing nonetheless, considering Black Ops' tendency to play into psychological thriller elements. Incorporating real-life figures isn't new for Black Ops either, since the original game messed with the events of President John F. Kennedy's assassination and involved Mason.

　　GameSpot Newsletters

　　Get the latest gaming news, reviews, and deals sent to your inbox, FREE!

　　Sign Up

　　Sign Up

　　By signing up to receive newsletters, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.

　　Thanks for signing up

　　As for other new characters, you have Lawrence Sims (Reggie Watkins), Lazar Azoulay (Damon Dayoub), and Helen Park (Lily Cowles)--note that actor Sam Worthington is not returning to play Alex Mason. Although we don't know much about the new characters yet, they are your allies in the campaign. So, you might be wondering who you play.

　　New character Russell Adler has a commanding presence in Black Ops Cold War and is the key to tracking down Perseus.Well, you create your own character and customize their background including military history, personality traits, and gender (he/she/they pronoun options included). With some open-ended missions, player choices throughout the story, and multiple endings included, the Black Ops Cold War campaign looks to be taking Call of Duty in a somewhat new direction with player freedom.

　　We'll be able to see for ourselves when the game launches on November 13 for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC, and for next-gen platforms during the Holiday 2020 release window as well. For all our stories and breakdowns for Black Ops Cold War, be sure to check our coverage below.

　　Call of Duty News

　　Best Call Of Duty: Vanguard Weapons And Loadouts How To Find All Der Anfang Intel In Call Of Duty: Vanguard Zombies Best Weapons And Tips For Der Anfang In Call Of Duty: Vanguard Zombies + Show More Call of Duty News Links (2) How To Unlock The Coveted Mastery Camos In Call Of Duty: Vanguard Call Of Duty: Vanguard And Warzone Season 1 Start Date And Details