Somewhere between the Greatest Generation and Generation X lies a vast expanse of American history. Though World War II is safely enough in the past to explore freely, and our current war on terror close enough to inspire (occasionally uncomfortable) ripped-from-the-headlines games (and plenty of movies, books, and television), that great middle section has been largely unexplored by interactive entertainment--until now.

While a mighty stroke of the virtual pen, the Call of Duty series has single-handedly brought everyone's attention to the Cold War era. But this is not the Cold War of John le Carre or James Bond' instead the brutal small-arms firefights and squad skirmishes feel more like today's unconventional warfare in Iraq and Afghanistan, just redesigned for a different decade. It's modern warfare, just in a slightly less modern package.

Not that there's anything wrong with that. Often, the most effective way to tell a story is through time-shifting and indirect symbolism' it's pretty much the foundation of the narrative experience. Interestingly, this particular setting is uniquely underused in video games--compared even with the Civil War or various ancient conflicts. I'm not sure there's an adequate explanation as to why there have been so few Vietnam-era games (and even fewer Korean War games)' perhaps the baby boom generation controlling the purse strings of game developers and publishers felt it off-limits, or inaccessible to younger gamers who had not lived through the tumultuous era.

In this case, however, it makes perfect sense. While the Modern Warfare games (also part of this Call of Duty series) managed to walk the line between cartoon action and potentially offensive realism, a somewhat similar game from earlier in 2010, Medal of Honor, generated a lot of negative heat for its portrayal of U.S. forces engaged in all-too-real modern-day shoot-outs with the Taliban.

In comparison, this is no "Apocalypse Now" or "Platoon" (or even "The Green Berets")' it's Cold War action in the Michael Bay mold, as big and explosive as games get, with all the telltale signs of big budgets and focus groups. At the same time, one has only to see a brutal torture scene early in the game to feel its connection to current events. Unlike the black-and-white patriotism of the WWII-era Call of Duty games, there are shades of gray here which, while historically appropriate for the era, also clearly reflect current-day sensibilities.

No doubt, many players will remain unaware of these threads, happy instead to lose themselves for a few hours in both the cinematic story and the separate-but-equal online competitive game, which comes off much more like a futuristic sports league than actual military combat.

The gameplay mechanics don't feel that much different than other recent Call of Duty entries, which is more of a compliment than anything else. The actual running and shooting (and occasional driving and flying) is sharp and responsive, and even the interactive menus are a treat, with Easter eggs and in-the-know jokes. If this is your kind of thing, you already know it, and likely already have logged significant game time within 24 hours of Black Ops' release.

Have the Call of Duty games become a highly commoditized formula Of course they have, but that doesn't mean it's not still a well-made piece of consumer entertainment, and one of the slickest, most engaging games of the year. What's your take Sound off in the comments section below, or vote in our poll.