Black Ops 6’s Squid Game Event Continues a Worrying Zombies Trend

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As a seasoned gamer, I’ve seen my fair share of ups and downs in the ever-evolving world of gaming. One area where Treyarch has shown both brilliance and room for improvement is their Zombies mode in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 (BO6).

The zombie mode of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 has been a refreshing success for Treyarch, serving as a comeback after the controversial experimental phase that included the poorly received Vanguard Zombies and the divisive MWZ open-world experience. With its return to the classic round-based format, a dedicated development team, and fresh resources used in map creation instead of heavily recycled assets, Black Ops 6 Zombies has satisfied many in the community. However, it’s still not without its problems, one of which persists in the Squid Game 2 event.

Black Ops 6 Zombies haven’t been as successful as desired. Let’s hope this trend doesn’t persist throughout the game’s entire lifespan.

Treyarch’s Zombies LTMs, Like Dead Light, Green Light, Haven’t Hit The Mark Yet

It seems Treyarch has yet to score a hit with their limited-time modes for Call of Duty: Black Ops 6. Jingle Hells was almost there, offering several appealing aspects. For instance, it allowed players to complete most side quest Easter Eggs on Liberty Falls, and the map underwent a substantial winter transformation, turning every undead enemy into holiday-themed characters. Additionally, unique features like ice storms that froze players outside of shelters and tossable snowballs that made undead enemies drop presents added to the festive feel. However, despite these positives, some issues with progression kept Jingle Hells from reaching its full potential.

In the game Jingle Hells (Black Ops 6), there was no option to salvage or recycle items, making it hard for players to upgrade their initial weapons and earn camouflages, which resulted in a laborious process known as “camo-grinding.” Additionally, the absence of salvage meant that players couldn’t buy armor, and with enemy drops being rare, many found themselves without any protection. Given that Black Ops 6 is balanced around the armor system, this decision made the holiday mode excessively challenging for casual players.

The collaboration between Call of Duty‘s Squid Game 2 offers Treyarch an opportunity to rectify issues from Jingle Hells, but regrettably, it seems to have even more problems. Numerous Call of Duty Zombies enthusiasts are voicing concerns about the following elements of the game mode:

  • A forced exfil: Players are forced to retreat on Round 10, meaning that as soon as they start to upgrade their weaponry and get a handle on the rules of the mode, they’re forced to leave instead of aiming for a high round.
  • Disabled quests: Not only can players not progress through the main quest in Dead Light, Green Light, but side quests like those for Citadelle Des Morts’ elemental swords are also disabled, meaning players cannot even use the map’s Wonder Weapons within the LTM.
  • A lack of depth: With only one positive effect in the form of Green Light’s double points and two negative ones via Dead Light’s buffed horde and Red Light’s movement penalties, players will see all there is to offer from the mode rather quickly. More Green Light and Red Light effects could have made the mode significantly deeper.
  • Limited map changes: Instead of giving Citadelle Des Morts fresh visuals to match the Squid Game-themed LTM players are experiencing, the only alterations made to the map are a few large statues of the Young-Hee doll spread throughout. This is a far cry from Jingle Hells, which gave Liberty Falls a major redesign. Zombies dressed like Soldiers or Squid Game players could have added to the uniqueness of the new mode as well.

Why LTMs Hitting The Mark Will Be Key For Call of Duty: Black Ops 6

In Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, it’s unlikely that a complete round-based Zombies map will be released in every season, nor is there an open-world mode like Outbreak to provide ongoing content. As such, the limited-time modes (LTMs) might continue to be the main draw for players during periods between map releases. However, if these LTMs fail to impress, Zombies enthusiasts could face prolonged content scarcities, which is a concern for any live-service game. For instance, Dead Light, Green Light had some intriguing elements, like the need to stand still or risk losing points, but its significant flaws reduce its replay value. Unfortunately, the current Zombies LTMs seem underdeveloped compared to the impressive Squid Game 2 multiplayer modes. Here’s hoping that future events improve the Zombies mode in Black Ops 6.

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2025-01-05 00:15