Call of Duty Zombieshas continued to innovate and evolve with every new map that is released into the community. Whether it’s with interesting lore, incredible map design and aesthetics, or just a really cool wonder weapon, each ofCall of Duty Zombies’ maps tries to go above and beyond to deliver an exciting experience, especially when it comes to the finale.
DLC 4 maps inCall of Duty Zombiesare usually seen as the finale of each game they feature in, leaving fans with an attempt at an instant classic that will be remembered fondly in the years to come. Yet, which of Treyarch’sCOD ZombiesDLC 4 maps will feature as thebest of the bunch?
Only Treyarch’s Call of Duty Zombies maps will be considered for this list.
With the end of Black Ops 4, it was time for a new beginning asCall of Dutyattempted to reinvent itself. Treyarch’s response to the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X hardware was further enhancements to gameplay with smoother movement, but it seemed they had played it too safe to make for memorable experiences withCall of Duty Zombies, as Forsaken was an average map that simply existed to conclude the Dark Aether storyline.
While Forsaken isn’t a bad map, it’s not exactly memorable. The square layout and wide open areas leave little room for alarm when it comes to fighting the undead, and it continues the trend of being too easy to navigate,and not too funto explore, which can be said about most ofBlack Ops Cold War’s Zombies maps.
The development cycle ofBlack Ops 4was one that didn’t exactly go to plan, and that’s something that will be factored into this ranking. WhileBlack Ops 4hadso many great concepts, the maps for the Aether story involving Primis and Ultimis were underwhelming, and it all ended with a whimper in Tag der Toten. Tag der Toten was yet another remake, except this time it was a remake of the most chilling map of all, Call of the Dead. With no George Romero to hunt the players, Tag der Toten feels a little empty, even if his lack of inclusion was an honorable homage to the director’s passing.
Tag der Toten doesn’t feel like a finale, and there’s something quite bleak and emotional about exploring this vast map. It’s beautiful in aesthetics, but it’s a tad too big to continuously explore without getting sore legs. Plus, with the abundance of weapons inBlack Ops 4,trying to get a Wonder Weaponfrom the Mystery Box is a true pain.
The first DLC 4 map forCOD Zombieswas Der Riese, a map that takes players toGroup 935’s facility, and involves a vitally important new concept that would continue through all maps going forward. Der Riese gets bonus points simply for having the Pack-a-Punch, a tool that everyone will be familiar with due to how it upgrades the firepower of guns. Der Riese doesn’t just win fans over with this novel concept, but it also wins for its nostalgic elements, and how sometimes, a memorable map doesn’t have to be huge to be loved.
Der Riese is relatively small, but there is still plenty of space for multiple players to navigate at once. Whether it’s a daring attempt to survive for as long as possible at the catwalk with LMGs and Ray Guns, or an attempted train run by Double Tap Root Beer, Der Riese has many spots that some might call home, and as the first DLC 4 map, it’s a lovely time for all.
Der Riese is technically DLC 3, but considering World at War did not have a DLC 4, it’s been counted as one.
Black Ops 3is seen as the pinnacle of Call of Duty Zombies for a multitude of reasons, but the two most important aspects involve both the map designs and aesthetics. The art direction of this title was incredible, and both the scale and scope were something to marvel at, which is why Revelations goes above and beyond to deliver breathtaking visuals, overwhelming map designs, and an effort to celebrate the very best of the series so far.
Revelations might not be the most original map, considering it’s just a mashup ofCOD Zombies’ greatest hits by combining previous maps into sections for players to travel across, but that doesn’t mean it’s not an absolute nostalgic blast. Revelations is an overloaded map in terms of weapons, easter egg steps, hats, and locations to explore, but that’s what makes it so fun. It’s a thrilling power trip that can last near-endless hours.
The finale forCall of Duty: Black Ops’ Zombiesmode was Moon, which quite literally took the series to new heights by allowing them to ascend to Earth’s moon. The sheer environment surrounding the moon is breathtaking, yet terrifying. To explore the abandoned facilities of a secret Nazi base on the moon, while being endlessly chased by undead hordes, is exhilarating, especially with concepts that have players always on the move like the excavators that can destroy certain sections of the map, and the fact that windows can be smashed with grenades to destroy the pressured oxygen within.
Moon can be a challenge due to how careful players must be within the inside areas of the map, but it’s such a thrill to run around, low-gravity hop around, and shoot zombies in outer space. The map design is a blast to run through, and Moon remains a nostalgic classic for its exciting easter egg story where players not only get to meet themain antagonist of the franchise, but also get to blow up the Earth.
Origins is perhaps the pinnacle blueprint when it comes toCOD Zombiesmap designs. The aesthetic is like no other, with roaring storms swarming the skies along with planes trapped in an endless dogfight, while on the ground, players must be cautious of the tight trenches of slowing mud and crushing giant robot boots that can swoop down at any moment. Origins isoverwhelming in scale, and entirely exciting to play through, whether it’s a first-time run or a thousandth.
Where Origins excels isn’t just in the layout of the map, providing countless areas to try and survive, run, and train zombies in. Origins has a list of engaging easter eggs to play through, including the task of crafting the four Elemental Staffs that unleash greater power into the hands of the player. Origins really was a new beginning for the series, with a story for familiar characters with alternate dimensions to them, and tasks to keep the loop of round-based gameplay fun.
