Call of Duty: Vanguard Zombies is certainly going to be interesting, as it serves as a bold step away from the mode’s traditional style. The game’s launch experience, Der Anfang, is not a round-based Survival map. Instead, it will be Outbreak-like in the sense that there are objectives to complete in different regions, only without the vehicles and large-scale focus. This is not the only new thing that is being introduced, however.
Alongside visual redesigns for perks in Call of Duty: Vanguard, players will be able to get special buffs through a brand-new system. While it may not be the same as something like Gobblegum from Call of Duty: Black Ops 3, it could prove to be just as useful, as the buffs will be added on top of the perks that players can purchase in each match. The system also functions like upgrades in a roguelike, with every match bringing different upgrades and guaranteeing a variety of builds. This could add a lot of replayability to Der Anfang, giving each match the potential to be more enjoyable.
What Is Call of Duty: Vanguard’s Altar of Covenants?
Call of Duty: Vanguard’s Altar of Covenants is a special upgrade station that will be unlock part way through a match of Der Anfang. After each objective is complete, players will return to the Stalingrad hub area to find that it has expanded. Each new area will allow players to purchase more Zombies perks and upgrades, with one of the opened sections containing the Altar. To interact with it, players will need a special currency.
The Altar of Covenants upgrades are purchased with Sacrificial Hearts, a currency that players get from completing objectives. Once players leave Shi No Numa or Hotel Royal, they will want to come to this Altar to grab a new upgrade. The order of these upgrades will be different every game, and they will also change whenever players come back to the Altar following the completion of an objective.
This is a big deal for Call of Duty Zombies. In past Zombies maps, players would work on getting the same setup every match. They would build the Wonder Weapon, buy all their perks, and fully upgrade their weaponry. From there, they would start training or camping in one of the same areas until they died or chose to stop. With the Altar of Covenants, however, every match should feel different. Players could end up with a build that makes camping extremely effective, dictating how they should play in the rest of the match. Another build could improve training while making camping weaker, while yet another could make someone a great medic. There is lots of potential in this system, as it could push players to want “one more run” like with a roguelike game.
The Altar Of Covenants Upgrades Revealed Thus Far
Thus far, players still have a limited idea of what upgrades will feature inside of Call of Duty: Vanguard Zombies. However, there are a handful that have been revealed, and they certainly look like they will be beneficial. These upgrades are as follows.
- Cryofreeze: Just like the ammo mod from Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War Zombies, this has a chance to freeze and slow enemies.
- Brain Rot: Again, this works just like the ammo mod, with players turning undead enemies into allies.
- Bloodlust: Melee attacks will do more damage with this buff, and they will also heal the player.
- Dead Accurate: Hitting multiple shots on the same enemy will do more damage, something that could be great for handling the machine gun-wielding mini bosses.
- Ammo Gremlin: Stowed weapons refill ammo from the stock quickly. This is just like the Modifier from the Bandolier Bandit perk seen in Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 Zombies.
- Splatterfest: Enemies killed by explosions have a chance to explode themselves, making an explosive chain.
- Resurrectionist: This lets players auto revive allies by standing near them, and they will revive much quicker. This could be hugely beneficial in co-op play.
- Death Below: Critical kills return a bullet to the clip. This could essentially give players infinite ammo with Sniper Rifles.
While players have only seen eight upgrades thus far, the known items reveal a lot about how the system will work. For starters, it seems like Pack-A-Punch will not provide ammo mods, as these have been made into buffs at the Altar. If ammo mods are available, some entirely new ones would be needed. Further, the a rarity system is visible, with the one Legendary buff revealed thus far being the revive-focused Resurrectionist. It can be assumed that these items will appear at the Altar less often, so players will want to grab them when they do appear.
Why The Altar of Covenants Is Great For Call of Duty’s Seasonal Model
Perhaps the most exciting thing about the Altar of Covenants is that it can be added to with each new Call of Duty Season. A system like this works best if there is a large variety of boosts to choose from, with games like Hades showing the benefits of varied upgrade paths. With newer Call of Duty titles featuring six Seasons of content, and Call of Duty: Vanguard likely to do the same, there are six possible windows to add new upgrades - twelve if counting the midseason Reloaded updates.
With so many opportunities, Treyarch could expand the Altar constantly, giving players new upgrades to acquire and creating opportunities for even more varied matches. If several upgrades are added each Season, the Altar can end up with dozens of potential buffs by the end of the game’s lifespan. As such, every single match could play completely different from the last. There could eventually be so many upgrades that Call of Duty Zombies fans never even see some in their games, which would be very healthy for Der Anfang and give players a reason to return to it often.
If Treyarch wants to have even more fun with the Altar, it could pull from Call of Duty: Black Ops 3’s Gobblegum system and the Whimsical category. Players could enable Whimsical upgrades at the altar, guaranteeing that all their rewards are silly instead of useful. Call of Duty: Black Ops 3’s flying zombie bodies could be one upgrade, while another could be Call of Duty: Black Ops 4’s duck float zombies. At the end of the day, having a good time is the most important thing, and working in this option could make for an entertaining game between friends. With so much potential, this system is easily one of the most promising things about Call of Duty: Vanguard’s take on Zombies.
Call of Duty: Vanguard launches November 5 on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.