..Call of Duty: Black Ops II..

PARTIAL REVIEW | ? Comments |

After the Nuketown Zombies release in December, Call of Duty: Black Ops II saw its first official map pack release with January's Revolution DLC pack. With four new standard multiplayer maps, a new Zombies map and gameplay mode, and a new weapon, the Peacekeeper SMG, the Revolution Map Pack has quite a bit of content, but the maps do leave a little to be desired.

The multiplayer maps included in Revolution are Mirage, Downhill, Grind and Hydro. All of the maps look pretty normal and compliment the standard maps. Mirage and Hydro are the most similar to the standard maps; nothing really separates them from the other maps. Set in the Gobi Desert, Mirage features a resort that is submerged in sand dunes, giving the map a lot of vertical space. It feels a lot like a dilapidated Raid, which is my least favorite of the default maps.  

Hydro is set in a damn facility located in Pakistan. It's filled with chokepoints and of note is a spillway that occasionally floods with water, destroying anything that might be in its way. Aside from the torrent, imagine a static version of Cargo focused on close range battles. Downhill is set near a ski slope, and it emphasizes its multiple vantage points for snipers to use and change the tide of a match. For those not paying too much attention, there are Gondolas that will instantly kill players by ramming them or provide cover for an opponent lurking in the shadows.

Grind is set in Venice, California, at a skate park, and it looks surprisingly bright. The level is entirely curved. I found it to be the most fun out of the four maps, with skating slopes guiding players to buildings where the majority of the gunfights will happen. There are also a few ideal spots for snipers here too, complementing all play styles.

The new Zombies map, Die Rise, is a very vertical map that takes players through three adjacent skyscrapers after an accident has all but destroyed them. In addition to being vertical, the weapons available are very widespread and not close to the starting point, forcing players to explore.  There are also plenty of paths throughout the map available, giving it tons of replay value based on that alone.

The new Zombies game mode, Turned, allows players to take control of the Zombies as they search for a cure. Once one player (sorry, only one vial is available) finds a cure, the match turns into a variant of Gun Game, with each Zombie kill getting the player a new and more powerful weapon. Meanwhile, the Zombie players are all vying to kill the human character and become human again. The mode is fun, and it's different from the rest of the Zombies mode, but it's currently only available in the Diner Map.

The Call of Duty Black Ops II Revolution DLC map pack packs in a lot of content, but as always, it's recommended to purchase the Season Pass to get all the downloads. Still, there is enough content to warrant an individual purchase if you must.

Akil Henry   Followakilshohen Akil is a big fan of video games and music, specifically fighting games and R&B. Other interests include game design, and comedy. His background in game design combined with his unique worldview and sense of humor makes him someone to follow.

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