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Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 – Apocalypse Review for Xbox 360

Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 – Apocalypse Review for Xbox 360

Origins Saves an Otherwise Predictable DLC Release

When I sat down with Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 – Apocalypse , I wasn’t expecting a whole lot. It’s not that I have a problem with DLC packs, because I don’t. I just couldn’t see how this particular release was going to be anything different than what I’ve seen countless times over. And as far as the multiplayer maps go, it was a good thing I went in with low expectations, because while there are no technical issues with the maps, they are, as I thought, the same old Call of Duty expansion add-ons. However, this final installment of Black Ops 2 content has one saving grace–the new Zombies mode, “Origins.” But I’ll get into that more a little bit later.

As I said before, the multiplayer maps in Apocalypse are pretty much what you have come to expect from any DLC release: a variety of maps from different locations that are split pretty evenly between tight spaces and open atmospheres, and also between single-level and multi-level verticality. In this respect, Apocalypse should have a little something for all Call of Duty fans, rehashed or not. Though, at this point, I’m not entirely sure if there is anywhere left to go with CoD multiplayer maps as far as unique layouts, so this isn’t completely unexpected. Evidence of this could be drawn from the fact that half of the multiplayer maps in this release are “inspired” by levels from previous Call of Duty games.

“Takeoff,” for example, is directly modeled after the map “Stadium” from the first Call of Duty: Black Ops . Although it’s basically a remake, this map seems to be the most diverse of the newly released content. Simply described, “Takeoff” is a courtyard surrounded by buildings on all sides with a multi-level layout that’s prevalent throughout. Each building also has smaller, more “intimate” areas inside for fans of close-quarters combat. Never mind the fact that a damn space shuttle takes off at the end of the round, making this map the most enjoyable (if not original) of the quartet.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 - Apocalypse Screenshot

The other past- CoD -inspired map, “Dig,” doesn’t set its sights quite as high as “Takeoff.” It’s drab; it’s boring, and it’s wholly uninspired, unless you count the “inspiration” from the Call of Duty: World at War map, “Courtyard.” This dusty archaeological dig site in Afghanistan hosts frantic gunplay, but the excitement isn’t a direct result of the map design. “Dig” is basically a square, with two small courtyards in the middle. Outside of that, there are crumbling walls and minor changes in elevation, but the deciding factor in this map is its size, which keeps the match moving at a considerable pace. Quick gunfights and twitch reflexes will be prevalent here for the foreseeable future.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 - Apocalypse Screenshot

For the first of our completely new maps we have “Frost.” It’s another snow level (who would’ve guessed with a name like “Frost?”) and is cut in two by a frozen canal. This seems to be where most of the action takes place, although you can skirt the edges of the map to flank your enemies. The map is billed as multi-tiered, but aside from a few elevated rooms and the ability to walk on the frozen water of the canal, it is mostly single-level. Close-quarters combat is king here, with only one truly open-firefight corridor and the ability to fight inside the buildings of the town.

The last map in the multiplayer package is “Pod,” which oddly reminds me of a MOBA (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena) map. From each spawn point, you essentially have three options–left, middle, or right. Although each path is slightly skewed from being this basic, they are undeniably laid out this way. The failed utopian community that once existed here is green with overgrowth and not much else. The open pods serve as bunkers, while other obstacles keep you on one of your three tracks. However, the simple design of this map, coupled with the strategic placement of shortcuts to other lanes, makes this map the most frenetic of the bunch.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 - Apocalypse Screenshot

But enough of the same old multiplayer, let’s talk about zombies! The new Zombie mode included with Apocalypse is called “Origins.” Most likely because it brings back the original cast from the very first Zombies map on Call of Duty: World at War , and possibly because this installation in Treyarch’s Zombies goes back to explain the origination of the zombie threat. But either way, “Origins” is by far the best reason to give Activision fifteen bucks of your hard-earned cash for this DLC. In my opinion, this is the definitive Zombies experience within CoD . This chapter in zombie lore has Nazi zombies, Templar Knight zombies, trench warfare, huge outdoor environments, weather effects, a tank to ride on, and giant robots that can squash you if you’re not careful. This is the biggest Zombies yet, and it doesn’t disappoint. Just don’t forget to get your Jugger-Nog before wave 8!

So, is Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 – Apocalypse worth it? Well, that depends. Are you looking for fresh, new, and exciting multiplayer maps? If so, you won’t find them here. But are you looking for the most complete and sprawling Zombies experience ever to come out of Treyarch? If you answered yes, stop what you’re doing and get it. Now.

RATING OUT OF 5 RATING DESCRIPTION 4.0 Graphics
All new content is on par with the visuals of the core game. 4.0 Control
Nothing new here. Tried-and-true CoD control scheme. 4.0 Music / Sound FX / Voice Acting
The audio is just as clean as previous installments. 3.0 Play Value
The four multiplayer maps are nothing to write home about, but “Origins,” all by itself, makes the DLC pack worth buying. 3.5 Overall Rating – Good
Not an average. See Rating legend below for a final score breakdown.

Review Rating Legend
0.1 – 1.9 = Avoid 2.5 – 2.9 = Average 3.5 – 3.9 = Good 4.5 – 4.9 = Must Buy
2.0 – 2.4 = Poor 3.0 – 3.4 = Fair 4.0 – 4.4 = Great 5.0 = The Best

Game Features:

  • ”Pod”: A failed utopian community from the 70s has left stacks of dilapidated residential pods nestled into an abandoned cliff side. Its residents long gone, the modernist compound now hosts frenetic combat as players must run atop the pods and navigate their multi-tiered interiors for a strategic edge.
  • ”Frost”: Fresh snow meets explosive gunpowder in this snow-capped European city, where the bridge over a frozen canal separates it into two sides, requiring players to employ multi-level traversal strategies to outsmart and ultimately outshoot their enemies.
  • ”Takeoff”: Though marooned in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, this remote launch site is all about the close-quarters combat, combining tight corners with open spaces for combat encounters reminiscent of the multiplayer map “Stadium” from Call of Duty®: Black Ops First Strike .
  • ”Dig”: Two archeological dig sites in Afghanistan have unearthed the perfect playground for combatants eager for hectic, unceasing battle, as this re-imagining of the fan-favorite Call of Duty®: World at War map “Courtyard” delivers two major chokepoints, a wide-open layout, and raised platforms.
  • ”Origins”: The most horrifying and imaginative Zombies experience yet. Players will be deployed to Dieselpunk-stylized World War I-era France where they will encounter the return of the four original heroes from the very first Zombies map, as well as hordes of zombies that have overrun trenches and fields, as well as the ruins of a mysterious and ancient location.

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