Treyarch made some significant changes to Call of Duty: Black Ops 4’s Zombies mode, but the gamble paid off with the result being one of the most intense and adaptable Zombies experiences in recent memory.
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Shifting from the horror and jump scare effects of Call of Duty: WWII and more towards the fantastical with different period settings and timelines, Black Ops 4 starts players off with three different scenarios, four if you have the Black Ops Pass. Divided the maps into half for new characters and half for classic protagonists, the maps and stories that take place within them provide something for Zombies veterans and newcomers.
Take “IX” for example, a map that puts the four new characters in a Roman coliseum setting filled with tigers and chosen champions. There are still secrets to be uncovered, but the map’s simple layout provides the most easygoing Zombies experience in Black Ops 4 and is perfect for those getting their bearings. “Blood of the Dead,” however, would be considered one of the more advanced maps of the options, and though it can be tackled by new Zombies players, it’s sprawling layout and web of Easter eggs are something that classic Zombies players will gravitate towards.
There is a tutorial at the start of the Zombies mode now, a more robust walkthrough than what’s been seen before. It explains both the basics and advanced workings of Zombies and is worth a play through even if you think you know everything about the game mode. With how many secrets, terms, and tactics there are that have accumulated over the years, it still barely scrapes the surface of how dense Zombies has become. It’s a welcome “how-to” attempt for players, but the overwhelming Zombies intricacies persist and wait for players to discover them on their own.
Perhaps the biggest change Zombies is the removal of the traditional perk system, a change met with hesitation by many of the community’s longstanding members. Zombies has evolved over the years to be much more than just several players shooting out of a boarded-up house at the undead, but perks like Juggernog and Speed Cola have remained constants, until Black Ops 4. These perks and others like Double Tap Root Beer are out, replaced by new perks with some of the less classic parks like the effect of Electric Cherry making a return. Players can now pick what perks they want to spawn from different idols around the maps with different perks unlockable as they level up. You can still plan to work your way towards different idols at the start of the match just like you would work towards a perk machine before, but there’s now the new advantage of deciding exactly what perk should be held by that idol before you even get there.
Joining the new perks are more elixirs, special abilities that can be set before the match and used for different results. Players can also choose a special weapon to build up to and use with dramatic results as they slash through Zombies and heal teammates. These features aren’t hard to wrap your head around, but when all three are pieced together, it makes for a Zombies game mode that feels truly customizable, almost RPG-like in its “class” system. By using the Scepter of Ra weapon that also heals and revives teammates and abilities like the Nowhere but There elixir that transports players to downed allies, you can easily craft a support-like class that keeps your teammates chugging along. WWII touched on this with different classes having certain abilities, but Black Ops 4 provides the most personalized mechanics yet.
One of Call of Duty’s standard Zombies features does make a return in Black Ops 4, but it’s disheartening to see how it performs. Split-screen modes are something that other games and series have ditched by now, but Activision continues to add the feature with it even making an appearance in Blackout, the battle royale mode. But for someone who enjoys local co-op Zombies nearly as much as playing online, it was frustrating to experience issues in the former that weren’t seen when playing with others. A moment of lag or two online is understandable, but private matches played in the split-screen mode were peppered with lag, framerate drops, and stutters that marred the experience. Even when one of two players died and had to watch the other, a brief period of time where you’d expect the burden on the PlayStation 4 Pro to be lessened, the stuttering was almost more pronounced. It’s a joy to see split-screen implemented again, and although it’s a shame to see it not work well at the start, Treyarch seems tuned-in to the Zombies community and committed to updates, so there’s hope for it to improve.
Black Ops 4’s Zombies mode may not be what everyone was expecting – and for those who have stuck with Zombies for the past 10 years, it may not be the preferred outcome – but it feels like a culmination of many years of Zombies development. It’s customizable and as difficult as players want to make it, and with four extra maps already planned for the future, the launch of Call of Duty: Black Ops 4’s Zombies mode and the week of playtime following it make for a promising, engaging future.
