Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War recently released the Firebase Z map, and apart from a few frustrating bugs, fans have been thoroughly enjoying the new location. The mode introduces major new characters as it spins a tale centered on Samantha Maxis, giving players returning and new enemies to face off against. The RAI K-84 Wonder Weapon turns the mode’s most iconic weapon into an assault rifle, and the reimagined Tombstone perk joins the game’s growing lineup. While all of this is exciting, one new feature truly shines.
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War Zombies’ latest map sees an expansion of Gorod Krovi’s lockdown feature, with players needing to hold off the undead in a specific area until their forces are depleted. Mixing in the use of scorestreaks, different enemy types, and even a special boss Zombie, the new Assault Rounds set Firebase Z apart from Die Maschine and other Zombies maps. Beyond this, though, they could be expanded upon to make for a perfect secondary game mode.
Revealed shortly before Firebase Z released, Assault Rounds see players heading to one of three sets of trenches outside the main map. Able to stand back or maneuver down by the Dark Aether portals that spawn in dozens of Zombies at once, players can fight the undead in whichever way they see fit. Instead of just having to kill all the Zombies that spawn in, though, players also need to protect a machine from being destroyed by the hordes — adding an extra layer of intensity to the fighting.
Mimics, Russian Manglers, Hellhounds, and regular Zombies all rush toward the players and the location they need to protect, with each trench having a purchasable scorestreak. Players can use the artillery, napalm strikes, chopper gunners, and other streaks to barrage the zombie spawns, making for a different kind of gameplay that is more like a tower defense game and less like the traditional round-based survival the mode is known for. While Assault rounds make for a fun change-up in normal Firebase Z games, they would also serve as a terrific new game mode.
Like Zombies Onslaught, Cranked, and Jingle Hells, Zombies Assault could become a secondary playlist for Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War in Season 2. With the current version of the rounds already strong, Treyarch would only need to make some smart changes to help it function as a standalone game mode. For starters, the jump pads linking each set of trenches to one another should be used, forcing players to switch between the different defense areas and the scorestreaks they offer. The rest of the map can be locked off, with players only having the various trenches as playable areas — making the mode a true tower defense challenge.
Next, Mystery Boxes can be active in all areas. Giving Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War players the ability to change weapons at any time, with the risk coming from not defending the machine while the box is hit. Players can be forced to strategize with their teammates, having one person hit the box at a time while the rest hold the line. Zombies could drop armor and equipment at an increased rate as well, with players forced to rely on their drops as opposed to crafting tables for an added layer of challenge.
One other addition could see Call of Duty Zombies’ trial system implemented into the Tower Defense mode, giving players challenges to complete while they defend an area. One challenge could see players unable to fire their weapons, forced to rely on scorestreaks for the duration of the Assault round. Another could see the reverse happening, with streaks disabled entirely. With other possibilities including player weapons having their Pack-A-Punch level removed for a round, using trials in an already intense game mode could make Zombies Assault even more fun to play. The challenges could also provide players with some much-needed tools to help on their fight, like free RAI K-84 wonder weapons.
Currently, one of the coolest things about Assault rounds doubles as one of its most disappointing. On players’ third Assault round, usually taking place around Round 30, a skyscraper-sized boss Zombie spawns into the map. Boasting several different attacks and looking like the most intimidating foe Call of Duty Zombies players have ever encountered, Orda (Russian for Horde) seems like it will take plenty of effort to bring down. However, instead of maintaining its imposing nature from the Firebase Z reveal trailer, its bark is far worse than its bite, as the Elder God dies in a few clips from the RAI K-84 — or even a few accurate tomahawk throws.
Given how much the Elder God was hyped up in Die Maschine, seeing it get obliterated in seconds is a bit disappointing. Only scary to newcomers, Orda quickly becomes an afterthought, requiring minimal attention from the players. This can be improved upon in both the base version of Firebase Z and a Zombies Assault spinoff mode, though, with only small adjustments needing to be made. His stomps, laser eye, and bug shots are all solid attacks that only need to be given a larger damage output. A far more important change would be giving Orda a lot more health, as an enemy as big as the Elder God should require focused fire from all players.
Next, Treyarch should consider adding two or even three Elder Gods into the arenas at the same time — with the number depending on how many rounds players have progressed through. Different names and colors can help players coordinate attacks and differentiate between which Elder God is which, and Zombie spawns can be toned down to let players focus on having a fair fight with the Dark Aether’s largest inhabitants. Orda-only rounds could serve as checkpoints in a standalone mode, with Zombies Assault getting harder after each of these exciting clashes.
By buffing the boss of the Assault rounds and expanding on some of the gameplay systems, Treyarch has a guaranteed recipe for success on its hands. While Cranked and Jingle Hells both offered a good bit of fun, Zombies Assault could become far more popular if enough care is put into it, giving players a side game mode that is worth playing for extended periods of time.
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
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