Those interested in Call of Duty: Vanguard Zombies were able to take a look at several leaks about the mode last week. Alongside a new experience that is supposedly a mix of Onslaught, round-based, and Outbreak, and a rumor that the first traditional map will drop in Season 1, the gameplay sounds very familiar. Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War features like Field Upgrades and armor will apparently be returning, with the Pack-A-Punch system supposedly being the same.
However, one thing that has not yet been mentioned about Call of Duty: Vanguard Zombies is its intel system. As such, there is still hope that the format can change significantly, as there are currently some big flaws with the way Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is telling its story. While radios were key in the early days of Zombies, and can still be a great storytelling device in moderation, they are becoming too hard to keep track of. As such, many players are missing out on the great story that is being told by Treyarch - something that Call of Duty: Vanguard should strive to change.
Why Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War’s Intel Is Missing The Mark
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War Zombies features a lot of intel to collect, which has been a double-edged sword for the mode. On the positive side, this means that there are hundreds of audio logs to go through, with minor and major characters alike being fleshed out. Zombies has never had this much intel to collect, meaning that those who enjoy the story are able to dissect a ton of hidden lore. Intel is constantly being added, too, meaning that the Dark Aether story is consistently progressing.
However, the downside to having so many collectible items is that they can be a chore to collect. For example, Outbreak now contains over 200 items to find, with the various Artifacts and Audio Logs being spread across all the mode’s regions. However, Outbreak’s unique gameplay loop means that not everyone will be interested in the mode. Some players prefer the classic Survival style from their Zombies experiences, so the open world approach may not be appealing to them. With so much intel in Outbreak, though, they will be forced to play it for several hours just to find the important story items.
Because of this, there are a lot of Zombies fans that have simply skipped the intel, which means they are missing out on some incredible storytelling. Teasers regarding a mole in Requiem have been prevalent, while other collectibles feature sweet moments like Samantha bonding with her dog Notso Fluffy. Fans who have been meticulous in their hunt for intel have gotten backstory for Klaus, teasers for the looming threat that is The Forsaken, and a fleshed-out backstory for Zykov.
Recently, the intel has only gotten better, with the logs that are focused on the Requiem Director torturing Sam being gut-wrenching. The performance from Julie Nathanson here is spectacular, and it deserves to be heard by more players instead of being kept in the background. Unfortunately, unless gamers are dedicated to finding the intel or care enough to look for the recordings on the internet, they are missing these important story moments completely. With the writing and performances being so strong, this needs to change, and Call of Duty: Vanguard provides the perfect opportunity to make an adjustment.
How Call of Duty: Vanguard Zombies Should Rework Intel And Storytelling
With Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War’s intel getting out of hand, Treyarch should rethink its approach to the system. First, players should get certain intel pieces automatically. Intel important to the overall story, like Maxis’ logs, should automatically be given to those that complete the main quest or certain side easter eggs on a map. This way, players who experience all the core gameplay of a certain location could keep up to date with the main story, unlocking intel as they go instead of needing to go on a collectible hunt.
New intel types should also be added to Zombies. While Call of Duty Zombies fans love radios and documents, as they were used often in the early days of the Aether story, they should not be the only ways the story is progressed. Video logs could be a ton of fun, for example. Seeing Sam and Weaver actually interact would be interesting, as would some extra cutscenes with the director acting shady. Some moments, like Sam being forced to use her powers, would be even better if they had a visual attached. With the initial teasers for Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War Zombies being so exciting, extra scenes of that quality would be great.
Not all the storytelling problems with the most recent iterations of Zombies can be fixed with intel, however. The removal of fully voiced characters in exchange for Operators meant one key form of storytelling was taken away, as dialogue between Primis, Ultimis, and Victis often breathed life into a map. Their conversations gave insight into how their stories and relationships were progressing, with conversations being incredibly meaningful. As such, Call of Duty: Vanguard should consider bringing these conversations back.
One great thing that Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War’s intel did do was give players the option to listen to it from the main menu. This allowed players to replay recordings that they did not get to fully listen to in the match, which is good news since it can be hard to hear them over the hordes of undead. If conversations did return, they could be added to this system. Back during the Aether story, players would have loved to replay a lengthy bit of dialogue between characters like Nikolai and Richtofen, something that this addition could allow for.
While it is nice to have so many bits and pieces of the story to dive into, collecting them all can be a tedious process. If Call of Duty: Vanguard wants to have as much intel as Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, it needs to be more accessible, with players not having to go on a scavenger hunt for every piece. More variety in the types of items would help as well, as video logs and replayable conversations would be welcome. With the issue being more with how the intel is acquired than the actual amount of intel, Call of Duty: Vanguard Zombies should make some small but meaningful adjustments to the collection process. With only smaller pieces being hidden as collectibles, Treyarch could its story to a larger audience.
Call of Duty: Vanguard launches November 5 on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.