You know where you stand with Call of Duty maps. They're usually circular or oval, with neat flanking routes to the left and right, and often a structure or open space in the centre where those brave enough to cross it tend to get caught in the crossfire. Every map is based on design rules set in stone and laid out in a document by Treyarch, and Revolution is their first shot at breaking them.
Corner-strafing is a vital piece of COD strategy, but in the skatepark map Grind, curved surfaces make it a map with few hard angles and lots of exposure. Defensible window lookouts are a COD staple, but at Mirage's hotel sand banks have turned the windows into two-way doors. Snow map Downhill and the Hydro dam both use moving map elements - ski lifts offering mobile cover, and a corridor prone to sudden flooding.
Finally, Treyarch has meddled with the modes and the very nature of Call of Duty DLC. Turned is Black Ops' zombie-themed take on Tag, while the Peacekeeper SMG is the first downloadable weapon in COD history. It's an SMG with the range and stopping power of an assault rifle and is exactly as terrifying as it sounds, though seasoned players will still prefer their more specialised gear.
So Revolution is as much an experiment as it is a map bundle. It's Treyarch conceding that they don't know everything and a chance for them to work out how a few small twists will affect the game once a few million players are playtesting it. It's exactly what DLC should be about - but it isn't nearly radical enough. When Battlefield 3 received a set of heavy armour maps and another set of close-quarters infantry maps, that was a revolution. Black Ops 2's Revolution is a step in the right direction, but a small one.
Revolution is out now, for 1200 MP. You can download it from the game's menu if you're a Season Pass holder, or from here if you aren't.
6 comments so far...
Baryonyx on 29 Jan '13 said:
The new MP maps sound nice but the Zombie mode content is just fluff. It's an absolutely dire mode, an experiment that should have been put to bed long ago.
Metalrodent on 29 Jan '13 said:
this article and all the promotion makes it sound like this is a radical change to gaming and multiplayer in general, when its actually just CoD catching up with the times xD
deadfrog73 on 30 Jan '13 said:
Still a lack of hardcore game modes,wheres hardcore domination and headquarters???? I appreciate that a lot...probably more...people play core mode but there are plenty of us hardcore players out there. They seem to have offered us hardcore kill confirmed and that is all we are going to get. No hardcore league mode either.....come on treyarc....please sort this out. New maps are good and peacemaker is an interesting touch,but for me ...a hardcore player....this is NOT enough. I have been a loyal COD player since day one but I am losing faith. Thanks for reading.....rant over!
PaladinRonin on 30 Jan '13 said:
Damn, you beat me to it and so take all the glory.
bamozzy on 30 Jan '13 said:
Personally I like the new maps. I love the environmental 'hazards', the graphical look and the way they play too. For a Call of Duty game, Treyarchs Maps are a lot better in design and thought than Infinity Wards - certainly in the last few games!
The Peacekeeper is an 'interesting' weapon. Overall I do like it but all the matches I played were dominated by its use - I know it is early days and I certainly want more time with it before I make a final judgement.
I really enjoyed playing 'Die Rise' and I think this can easily become my favourite Zombie Map in BO2. It is much more like the DLC maps (Call of the Dead, Ascension, Moon etc.) I would rather play this than ANY of the 'Transit' maps! Turned is interesting but as it uses 'Diner' only and has only 4 people too so gets a bit boring quickly. It would be much more fun if they had AI zombies too. Maybe with 2 humans. I can see this being tweaked though as the weapon swap times are ridiculous. As soon as you kill a zombie you progress in weapons (like gun game) but it takes too long to change and more often than not you get killed whilst waiting for the next weapon. I would prefer it (maybe) if it was more like Survival where you can buy weapons from walls - maybe start off with a better pistol than the executioner - maybe the B23R
Overall (and compared to ALL previous CoD DLC) I think this represents the best value for money. he Previous Treyarch DLC pattern of 4 maps and a zombie map (excluding the Moon based Zombie pack) has been bettered because it now gives us the extra Weapon and Zombie game mode.
Whilst it may not be groundbreaking in terms of DLC in general, I do think it is quite revolutionary for CoD and for that I must give them credit. I just wish I could say the same for the team behind the lack of a 'Fix' for the problem with playing Local and online (losing CC slots, permanent unlock tokens, challenges, playercards emblems and having all your stats corrupted!!!
)
TippiestRook99 on 30 Jan '13 said:
Treyarch have changed things(for call of duty)theres no going back.But to Infinity Ward there just freaks like me.