Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 Zombies Chronicles Review

Nearly two years after releasing, Black Ops 3 has received new DLC; Zombies Chronicles.

Fetch me their souls…

Nacht der Untoten. The original Zombies map that was never intended to release, and was simply an Easter Egg that players received upon completing the World at War Campaign. There was no official Activision backing, and assets had to be reused (men on fire were used to create shambling zombies). There was also no voice acting, although it has now been implemented for Zombies Chronicles. There is no way that Treyarch could’ve predicted that their passion project would turn into a staple of the series, one which Call of Duty: WW2 developer Sledgehammer Games is keeping for their upcoming title.

Reach for Juggernog tonight!

Zombies has come so far as to now become a whole other beast, a spin-off from the main game, with Treyarch even implementing Zombies into the Campaign and Multiplayer of Black Ops 3. 

What started as a simple game mode, which took roughly 30 minutes to fully explore, has transformed into a time-sink where players can get lost for hours. Players can now unlock secret Easter Eggs, build map-specific items, obtain ‘wonder weapons’, and try to decipher hidden codes. Yes it really goes that deep. Studio head Jason Blundell has even stated on multiple occasions that the community is yet to unravel all of the secrets locked away inside Zombies.

So, in a way it makes sense that Treyarch would eventually go back to the game and provide eight classic maps for players to relive. The levels include; Nacht der Untoten, Verruckt, Shi No Numa, Kino der Toten, Ascension, Shangri-La, Moon, and Origins. The DLC also sees the original cast of Dempsey, Richtofen, Nikolai, and Takeo reprise their roles to take on the zombie army.

Pack-a-Punched

All of the maps have been updated completely, changing the way that some players may want to approach them.

What’s new is the addition of life-saving GobbleGums, which can be as strong as to reward players with all of the perks in the game instantly. Perks have also been altered to reflect what is included in Black Ops 3. This is seen via the random perk machine (Der Wunderfizz), as it makes an appearance in the remastered maps. The addition of this, however, has resulted in no PhD Flopper. Weapons are also different from the originals, although some classics do make their way in, with Treyarch saying that they will be adding some more in the near future.

There are many comparisons between Raven Software’s remaster of Modern Warefare and Treyarch’s efforts with this latest expansion. Both have been done to high standards, and this has resulted in quality experiences. These updates to the games have added vastly improved graphics, new sounds, lighting, and visual effects, as well as a whole host of other things. All the maps in Zombies Chronicles simply look beautiful, with or without zombie guts spewing everywhere.

Everything has lead to this moment

Overall, Zombies Chronicles offers a ‘best-of’ collection of fan-favourite maps, carefully remastered for the current generation of consoles, as well as PC. Some players may be put off by the price tag, however, this is one DLC pack that isn’t just a cash-grab, and actually offers great fan service.

Zombies Chronicles allows veterans and greenhorns alike to experience classic Zombies maps that will forever be associated with the series.

The map pack can be picked up for £24.99 ($29.99) and comes with other bonuses. Included are twenty vials of Liquid Divinium (used to make GobbleGums), two new Whimsical GobbleGums, and five ‘Der Eisendrache’ Pack-a-Punch weapon camos.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 Zombies Chronicles is now available on PS4, Xbox One, and Steam.

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