Black Ops 2 Revolution DLC Review – Be The Zombie

Game Reviewed: Call of Duty: Black Ops 2: Revolution DLC

Release Date: January 29, 2013

Developer: Treyarch

Publisher: Activision

Platform: [Reviewed: Xbox 360], PlayStation 3, PC

Genre: First Person Shooter

Rated: M for Mature

A day in the Revolution DLC has already felt revolutionary.  Call of Duty Black Ops II have turned the pages from the average experience  we’d receive year over year.  Some gamers knew what was on the horizon and graciously purchased a season pass, including all future Blaack Ops II DLC and Nuketown zombies mode. Others preferred to wait and see what’s in store through each, individual announcement.

The formula was a success last year, maps packs and a hence of zombies. And as the old saying goes, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Instead, Treyarch has decided to add to once was a mastermind creation.

First is the new weapon called the Peacemaker, a powerful new gun crossed between an SMG and an assault rifle. Best part of this new gun is that it’s immediately ready for use through DLC download. A lot of players in the Revolution game mode have used this gun and has only given it a fair ranking compared to having the ability to customize what’s already given to you. It’s nice to show off now, but may soon be forgotten.

It’s always fun to test out new maps for multiplayer sessions; and now we have four: Downhill, Hydro, Mirage and Grind.

Grind has every sense of the word in the map. Why? Because it’s a skate park! You’re in Venice Beach surrounded by ramps, half pipes, tubes and plenty of strategic opportunities. Hydro is a smaller map, but provides more than one way to die. You can proceed above or below ground to attempt your execution.

Downfall and Mirage are your average size funfest. These particular maps are where you’ll find trouble around almost any corner, especially in a game of domination. In the end, the first DLC MP maps feels more Modern Warfare-ish than BO2.

Not sure what the thought processed was with reversing the roles as zombies, but it didn’t work. “Turned” is a new zombie game mode allowing you to begin as the undead transitioning life for a life. Your objective is to kill the human-controlled player as a zombie. Once you kill the human, you will then transform into the human in a hazmat, with weaponss that change from each kill, similar to gun game. To win, you must end with the highest score through either slaying zombies or killing humans.

Turned feels unbalanced. It’s a fast-paced game, slightly resembling Left 4 Dead, but all in a confined area. Maybe if the map was a more opened environment, it would have been more interesting. Instead, you and other players will feel that backing yourself into a corner is your best, and possibly only strategy

Last is Der Rise. Again, some players may fully enjoy this map; some. The good would have to be the continuation of zombie invasions; The bad is the random spawning. That’s right, zombies can rise from areas in an instance, including un-boarded locations. There are elevator shafts that are unsupported and other opened areas where zombies will climb in, forcing you to strategize your every move. The ugly, that would have to be almost every game session that one player just has to figure out where that empty elevator shaft leads to.

Overall, Revolution is an average DLC. Expect to get a kick out of the new multiplayer maps and overlook the new zombie mode and map. Personally, invested to Black Ops as a huge zombies fans, I was completely let down for the first time. But on a good note, it can only go up from here.

The Scores

Gameplay: 4/5

Visuals: 4.5/5

Audio: 4/5

Controls: 4.5/5

Replay Value: 3.5/5

Overall Rating: 3.5/5