Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 has arrived with the onset of BO3 zombies.
After Call of Duty: Ghosts alien invasion and Advanced Warfare’s take on the zombie survival mode, it’s refreshing to have Treyarch’s classic zombies return.
The zombie series that fans have grown to love since Treyarch’s World at War installment have been resurrected with new changes to spice things up, including a new ranking system and perks.
Zombies now have a ranking system similar to multiplayer. This new feature is greatly satisfying because a game of zombies is no longer a waste of time, if you don't survive many rounds. You can grind your way to higher ranks simply by playing, but of course the better you perform, the faster you’ll level up. Get kills and complete challenges to reach higher levels for better rewards.
So what are these benefits?
You’ll likely see some new features on the menu of the zombies campaign.
Gobblegum: A new machine that provides random temporary perks. You start with a loadout of five standard gumballs which you might receive from one of the Gobblegum machines scattered around the maps. As you level up in zombies you can score more options and customize your Gobblegum loadout.
Weapon Kits: As you gain a higher rank in zombies, you will acquire upgrades to customize the guns of your choosing with attachments. It will be a great advantage being able to grab your favourite gun off the wall with a set of attachments tailored to your play style.
Dr. Monty’s Factory: The factory is another new feature which ties into the new Gobblegum machines. You can use Liquid Divinium — a rare drop on the zombie maps — to purchase vats from Dr Monty in hopes of receiving rare Gobblegum. These special created Gobblegums are found under the “Mega” tab in your Gobblegum section. These mega gums offer temporary perks such as being able to buy yourself an extra perk, electrocuting zombies with melee strikes and more.
Liquid Divinium are glowing blue tubes and the drops are random and pretty rare, so spend your collection wisely. The drops seem to be obtained randomly by your actions in game such as opening doors, using the mystery box, or buying guns off the wall. So far, all of my Liquid Divinium was received by using the mystery box.
Now that I’ve covered the new additions, here are the breakdowns of options for zombie modes:
Giant Size (for those with the bonus map), Treyarch’s given new life to classic Der Riese zombie map from World at War with the original and loveable team of Dempsey, Nikolai, Richtofen, and Takeo. Aim carefully because the dangers have increased as the zombies are a little stronger this time and the hit markers have been removed. The weapon and perk locations have also been randomized, so you’ll never know where your favourite gun will be.
Shadows of Evil combines film noir with an H.P. Lovecraft vibe as a magician, a boxer, a cop, and a burlesque dancer try to survive and solve the mysteries of their location. This new zombie story provides a far greater challenge than its predecessors.
To start, you can’t simply turn on the power, instead you have to find and collect fuses. Juggernog usually spawns in some sneaky places, and there are new threats besides the classic undead. You’ll now face giant tentacle creatures and collect parts to build even better weapons than what the walls of the mystery box have to offer. You’ll need to use the new Shadows of Evil campaign ability called “Unleash the Beast” in order to achieve many of your goals.
Still haven’t reached your zombie fix?
Dead Ops Arcade 2, the sequel to the Black Ops zombie arcade mode, lies hidden in the game. You must complete at least the first two missions of the campaign to unlock the safe house. Once unlocked, you’ll have a new option when you start the campaign. Just choose the safe house, and you’ll find access to the classic twin stick zombie shooter within the Data Vault.
But wait, there’s more!
If you beat the campaign, you’ll have the option to replay with zombies instead of the regular campaign threat. This was an option I haven’t been able to try out yet, as I haven’t finished my campaign play through.
Overall, zombies have returned with a vengeance. Treyarch has offered greater challenges with a plentiful amount of content. This is a must play for zombie fans, but don’t expect to solo this latest installment, you’ll need to bring your friends.
Images courtesy of mp1st
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