In a stark contrast to the game’s launch, Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War players now have a fair bit of content to enjoy. Alongside the usual multiplayer modes, unique options like Fireteam and Multi-Team are seen. Gunfight recently saw Tournaments added, while Prop Hunt is constantly being updated alongside the other party mode offerings like Gun Game. For Zombies, players not only have the traditional Survival game mode to choose from, but also the quickly growing open world mode called Outbreak.
With so much to play, some Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War modes are sadly ignored by most fans. Two clear examples of this are seen with Dead Ops Arcade 3 and Zombies Onslaught, as both have failed to pick up the steam that the other game modes have. This is truly unfortunate, as players are missing out on some unique and deep experiences from the pair. With both modes only getting better with time as well, fans should consider giving them a chance next time they load up Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War.
The Growth Of Zombies Onslaught
When Zombies Onslaught launched alongside Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, it was a major letdown with fans. Not only did the mode feel slow, as Zombies took ages to spawn in during the earliest Surges of a match. After the sluggish start, the match would take a sudden turn into being overly difficult. Mini bosses and regular Zombies quickly became bullet sponges once players reached Surge 12, and gamers had few tools in their arsenal to combat them. With no armor system in place beyond Level 1 vests and no options for Pack-A-Punch, the mode felt either too slow or too difficult.
Since then, though, that has changed. Not only are the undead speedier in the early Surges, but players now have a better system in place to combat them. Mini bosses now have a chance to drop Pack-A-Punch chalices onto the ground, giving players a way to continue dealing damage further into a match. On top of that, support for Level 2 and Level 3 armor has been added, making things fairer for those that play the game mode. Zombies Onslaught’s Containment mode has also been a breath of fresh air, giving players access to more intense gameplay on the 2v2 maps.
A Zombies mode designed around two players is unique for Call of Duty, and while it did get off on the wrong foot, Treyarch has done the work to turn the game mode around. Making fine use of reused assets, fighting Zombies on the Miami map can be surprisingly entertaining. Further, the mode does a fine job of detailing the effects of the outbreak in other areas of the world via some special Zombies intel that is exclusive to Onslaught. Learning how characters like Raul Menendez reacted to seeing walking corpses may not be essential information for the Zombies story, but for those that love to consume every bit of lore possible, it is a fine touch.
The Strengths Of Dead Ops Arcade 3
While Onslaught had its struggles, Dead Ops Arcade 3 has proven to be entertaining from day one. A natural evolution from the past two arcade games, this latest iteration is incredibly deep. Offering a complex key system, randomly generated dungeons, and fresh enemies and bosses, those that enjoy top-down gameplay have a lot to love. Beyond that, plenty of Calling Card challenges await those that are truly dedicated, adding more replayabilty to the mode. Incredibly difficult with a small but passionate community, Dead Ops Arcade 3 has done some new things that make it worthy of players’ time.
The first version of Dead Ops to get some expansive post-launch support, the game has seen some great additions made in recent months. A new Silverback Slideways level has been added, making the hidden side scroller levels of the mode a bit more diverse. For those that are a bit less skilled at Dead Ops, a Solo Advanced Start playlist was added as well. This allowed players to start from the last location they reached when playing solo, giving them a chance to become a bit more experienced with Dead Ops Arcade 3’s stages and mechanics. The achievement for finishing Dead Ops Arcade 3 can be unlocked in this mode as well, giving trophy hunters a proper chance at success.
However, the best addition made to the mode thus far is undoubtedly Dead Ops Arcade 3’s first person playlist. While a first person drop appeared in Dead Ops Arcade 2, there was never an option to play an entire match in this mode. Now there finally is, and it is a terrific change of pace from the usual Dead Ops experience. Not only can players see everything from a new angle, but it makes the mode easier to master for those used to a first-person perspective in Call of Duty. As such, while many have been turned off by the top-down shooter mechanics of Dead Ops, there is now an option to play the game like a normal Zombies mode. With unique areas like a Pirate Cove and the Blood Pools to explore, this was a great move on Treyarch’s end.
Why Onslaught And Dead Ops Are Less Popular
Despite these improvements, the modes have yet to pick up steam, and there are a few likely reasons as to why. For Zombies Onslaught, the PlayStation exclusivity of the game mode is proving to be a major detriment to its success. While it has been noticeably improved via the gameplay changes and Containment game mode, the fact that only those on the PS4 and PS5 have access to the mode is a huge hype killer. With the other modes being cross-play and packed with original content, it is even more clear why Onslaught’s player count is on the low end, as improvements matter little when only a third of the player base can access the mode.
As for Dead Ops Arcade 3, the game mode is simply too different from the style usually seen in the Call of Duty series. Its very nature ensures that it will likely stay niche, though some attempts could be made to build interest in it. While the mode has received incredible support, it is always treated as an afterthought when it comes to advertising and hype. As such, seeing something like Dead Ops getting a free-to-play period would be an awesome move, as it could allow an entirely new audience to try out the game. More blog posts, community events, and overall appreciation for the work Treyarch has put in with Dead Ops would help as well.
Hopefully, Zombies Onslaught grows more popular once the mode arrives on Xbox platforms and PC. A larger audience for the mode would be hugely beneficial, as the major improvements that came as part of Season 2 have ensured that the mode deserves a fair chance. As for Dead Ops Arcade 3, it needs a larger spotlight placed on all the content that it has to offer. The first-person playlist is deserving of a trailer, while traditional Dead Ops could attract new fans if the mode went free-to-play. While Onslaught and Dead Ops will never come close to the popularity of 6v6 multiplayer or classic Zombies survival, they should get more appreciation from Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War fans than they currently do.
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.