Call of Duty: World at War has been going strong since its release. Though many were skeptical at first of its ability to match Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare in terms of fun or longevity, it’s proved itself time and time again. It’s even scored a new map pack on its own merits – its very first one, and the first Call of Duty map pack since the Variety pack released for Modern Warfare. After spending some time with the first Call of Duty: World at War map pack, I was pleasantly surprised. Proving that Treyarch’s entry into the series wasn’t just another pretty face, these maps are an impressive addition to the game’s explosive inventory.

Map Pack #1 (indicating that there will be more in the future) presents four new maps for the WWII shooter. For 800 MS points, you can score “Knee Deep,” “Nightfire,” “Station,” and a brand new map for use with the Nazi Zombies expansion, “Verrückt.” The new zombie map alone merited the 800-point price for me, as it’s the mode that receives the most play out of me.

“Station” is the smallest out of the three regular maps. You’re thrust into a small subway station in Berlin. It’s been massacred by bombs from the Allies, and its desolate presence lends a lonely, forlorn sort of feel to each match held within. Though it’s the smallest map included in the pack, it’s an extremely long maps in terms of space available to run within. The subway platforms located in the center of the map are dotted with empty cars along with their wreckage. Both sides of the map are filled with dizzying corners and small hideouts for snipers and campers to find refuge (joy!), and a set of steps leading up to a balcony overlooking the station provide even better cover for snipers. Since this is a small map, I found that more squad-based gametypes such as CTF, Domination, and Sabotage seemed to work well here. As with maps like Shipment on Call of Duty 4, the close quarters ensure that you’re never too far away from another player, meaning there’s near-constant action.

“Nightfire” may well be my favorite regular map out of the purchase, as it’s the most graphically gorgeous and it provides the most routes and different ways to approach establishing a lead. A scenario staged in moonlit Berlin offers many different buildings to weasel in and out of, each with different stories to hide out in. If you’re not lucky enough to find a quick hiding spot in one of the buildings, then you can count on finding plenty of suitable cover in the streets, such as wreckage and even small holes perfect for hanging out until your health recharges once again. This is the most versatile map out of the three, as its setup works well for most gametypes, namely the tried and true Team Deathmatch.

“Knee Deep” is a venture back into the Japanese environment that we saw a lot of in the actual campaign. Littered with small huts and scaffolds, this map provides a ton of cover and locations for players to hide, ensuring frustration if you’re trying to actually find someone. There are sniper nests ripe for the camping, but their positions are too out in the open for a player to rest on their haunches there for too long. This is arguably the biggest map out of the entire pack, as there are many different approaches gamers can take when figuring out how to best conquer it. Not every route is out in the open, so if you know your way around fairly easily, you might find yourself lost as to who to aim at or when to bother with it. I found this map works well with Search and Destroy, as the variety of routes ensure safe passage to where you need to defuse the bomb.

As for “Verruckt”, don’t fear – it still plays the same as the other Nacht der Untoten map, though it has a few surprises. It’s actually based on a Berlin asylum that you fought your way through early on in the single-player campaign. However, if you’ve gotten used to how small the previous map was, you’re in for a rude awakening. In this oval-shaped environment, there are a ton of different ways that the zombies can make their way within, be it open windows, cracks, or simply by slipping in an unguarded entrance unnoticed. The base gameplay remains unchanged. You still rack up points via taking down zombies, reviving teammates, and rebuilding the barriers.

However, new mechanics such as “Perk-A-Cola” machines have been added. When you’ve racked up enough points, you can purchase a speed or attack upgraded in order to more efficiently annihilate the undead. Not only this but now an electric barrier is available to keep the shambling hordes out. The catch? Both perks require electricty, which you’ll have to activate by reaching the opposite side of the map on the top of the building. To make this feat a little easier your team is paired off, if you’re playing with four players. The pair is cut off from the other by a sealed door that also needs power. This mechanic tosses some cunning strategy into the mix. Suddenly, it’s less about how many zombies you can drop to earn enough points for a random weapon, and more about working together to create an impenetrable defense. These new additions do come with a price, though. Depending on who is available to play, if you’re one player short the odd person out will have to take on arduous tasks alone. However, Verruckt is an excellent addition to Nacht der Untoten, and a fantastic option for those who like their zombie matches larger and more team-based.

The first map pack for World at War is an impressive showing, especially for 800 points. The zombie map more than makes up for the price point, as it adds a whole new side to the unlockable mode. The maps are varied and gorgeous, and provide new experiences for those who may have gotten a bit tired of playing through the old maps that were already available. This is a great first map pack release, and hopefully more are in the works.

Tags: Call of Duty: World at War, DLC, Review, Xbox 360

This entry was posted on Thursday, March 26th, 2009 at 1:45 pm and is filed under DLC, Featured, Reviews, Xbox 360. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.