I used to play a lot of Battle Royale games. Despite being hopeless at them, they’re infinitely replayable and a great laugh if you squad up with your friends.
Some of my fondest gaming memories have been grouping up with some buddies and playing games like PUBG, Apex Legends, and the precursor to Warzone, Call of Duty: Black Ops 4’s BR mode, Blackout.
Unlike many, through the pandemic and beyond I actually drifted away from this type of game, and multiplayer shooters in general. It was only Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 that drew me back in after several years of disinterest.
Warzone is still coupled to the main game in some ways, but it’s still a different proposition. Going back in this year, I couldn’t find a way to really enjoy it. Be it the cheaters, the boring meta of everyone using the same loadout, or the uninspiring map design.
Let’s face it, folks, Urzikstan was a terrible map. But now it’s gone, and dare I say, the reintroduction of Verdansk has me actually enjoying Warzone for probably the first time ever.
What’s old is new again
This isn’t a post waxing lyrical about how magic Verdansk is and filling your feed with misty eyed nostalgia. I don’t actually have any for Verdansk. I’d forgotten even that I’d played it at all until I loaded in and got the ‘Veteran’ rewards.
I do recall some parts of the map, such as the Stadium, and the Airport POIs, but mostly, it’s fairly fresh to me.
But I’ll say this… Verdansk never should have gone away.
The map is so much better than Urzikstan. It feels bigger, more interesting, more engaging. It’s packed with variety, from tight built-up areas to massive open spaces just begging for someone to headshot you.
While I’m running around Verdansk I actually feel on edge, compared to, well, boredom with Urzikstan.
Verdansk has made me change how I play, rather than feeling like I need to copy everyone else. The go-to of old was an AR and an SMG, but now I’m more often than not running a sniper, and not hating it.
Sometimes, less is more
The developers have already addressed the availability of loot, and in particular, armor plates, but on the whole I love what they’ve done.
Sure, the best way to have a chance is still to get your loadout down as quickly as possible. But the reduction in loot, the higher cost to redeploy, the fact you can’t carry as many plates anymore, the fact you might have to hunt for cash, it’s how a Battle Royale should be.
This type of game should place emphasis on finding loot, on building your way out of a problem, not simply dropping on a buy station and continually buying gear. The last game I played, my squad finished second (so close!) and I was mentally sweating.
We had some great tactical play, fun gunfights, trips to the Gulag, hunting desperately for loot, it really did take me back to the early days of Battle Royale games. Intensity mixed with patience and some actual tactics.
With that also comes some of the oldest plays in the book. Encountering campers just sitting in a corner waiting. Ring huggers who will literally run just in front of the gas that make for easy pickings if you set yourself up right.
The movement has been tweaked a little, too, and I think they got it right. It’s still that fast flowing Omnimovement introduced with Black Ops 6, but toned down ever so slightly. It feels really good.
Oh, and a shoutout for the “Return to Verdansk” event. I’d very much like more of these linked to actually doing something on the map rather than hitting an arbitrary number of eliminations, or collecting tokens.
More work to do but, Verdansk gives a great foundation
While I think Activision has done a great job here, and it seems to be resonating with the player base, it’s by no means perfect.
What the return of Verdansk has done, though, is put a solid foundation back in place. As we’ve seen with the success of Fortnite OG, newer doesn’t always mean better.
I really hope that whatever big map plans there are for Warzone, Activision seriously thinks about keeping Verdansk around as an “OG” type mode.
There are things to work on, though. Obviously the loot, in particular the armor, has already been addressed. The TTK also needs a little tweak, I think, but nothing too drastic. Either that or a round of weapon balancing.
Initially, I hated it, because it felt like you were getting wiped out faster than in multiplayer. Having got used to it a little, I don’t hate it anymore, but I think there’s some balance needed. At risk of the “git gud” crowd commenting, some low tier weapons feel way too powerful.
The Gulag could use a little tweak as well, I think. With no armor at all, unless you get the first shot off, it’s very hard to finesse your way out of there with your life. Either a longer TTK or just give us some plates, please.
But overall, I think this was a good move for Warzone, and it’s been surprisingly well executed. Nothing seems obviously broken.
Now we wait for Ranked Play, which I think could be enjoyable at last.
