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Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 – Uprising Review for Xbox 360

Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 – Uprising Review for Xbox 360

Who Needs To Be Different?

The Call of Duty machine has churned out an endless line of DLC content packs ever since they discovered that gamers will pay for them. Each year, the newest Call of Duty game has about five DLC packs. With this level of standardization, how can they hope to make anything innovative? Honestly, they can’t. Not being innovative doesn’t matter as long as what is released is fun. And is Treyarch’s new map pack fun? Absolutely!

Let’s get something out of the way immediately. Uprising doesn’t change Call of Duty’s control scheme, graphical capabilities, or sound. It’s not worth complaining about. The game already functions amazingly well. With that out of the way we can move on to the good stuff.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 - Uprising Screenshot

So what did we pay 15 bucks for? Content, pure and simple. In this map pack you will find four all-new maps: Magma, Studio, Encore, and Vertigo. There’s also a new zombie experience called Mob of the Dead.

The new multiplayer maps play exactly like the previous releases. What makes these maps different and fresh is the integration of the environments into gameplay. Read on and you’ll understand what I mean.

Magma is set in a Japanese village at the base of a volcano. Clearly this village didn’t have a city planner. The strange events that led to having an epic fire fight over streets flowing red with lava doesn’t interest me. What matters is that it’s happening, and it’s awesome.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 - Uprising Screenshot

The lava doesn’t flow freely throughout Magma, but it does add an environmental hazard that must be carefully skirted. The ruined landscape also forces players into positions that restrict their movement options. Normally a village or city environment would allow for unrestricted movement, letting you switch tactically between the open streets and covered buildings. In Magma, many of the paths have been compromised, blocking you from that perfect bit of cover. This creates a unique and fun experience.

Encore is set in an amphitheater following a concert in London. It consists of a series of walkways circling a central stage. This stage can be used as a platform to dominate the map from all directions if properly executed. The action can extend into the walkways too. The walled off concession areas make for great defendable positions. Even without a natural hazard, Encore entertains with a unique level design that encourages frantic firefights.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 - Uprising Screenshot

Vertigo feels like the most traditional of the Uprising additions. It contains the standard CoD map structure and gameplay while adding the possibility of plummeting to your death. Vertigo’s architecture consists of open areas enclosing a small, central, indoor structure. This map is an amalgamation of old-school designs mixed with Uprising’s fetish for flashy environments.

Studio, set in an L.A. movie studio back-lot, is my favorite map of this release. Normally each map has a theme that influences the style. Studio, however, manages to compile several different locales into one package. Whilst pumping lead into your enemies, you can stomp through the streets of a miniature city, visit the wild-west, or storm a medieval castle. And this is all in one match. Although the environment doesn’t add any danger to the mix, it does deliver a varied and enjoyable experience.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 - Uprising Screenshot

The fifth and final part of Uprising is the new Zombie map, Mob of the Dead. Set on the infamous prison island of Alcatraz, you play one of four mobsters voiced by Michael Madsen, Joe Pantoliano, Chazz Palminteri, or Ray Liotta. Although core gameplay doesn’t change, hearing the voices of mobster genre heavyweights like Ray Liotta or Michael Madsen enhances the experience.

There is one cool gameplay addition to Mob of the Dead. When you die, you turn into a lightning-wielding apparition. This invulnerable form is good for frying zombies and floating through walls to reveal previously unavailable paths. Unfortunately, this only lasts until your meter runs out. You can also resurrect yourself once, which is a welcome addition. Cool voices and the ability to hurl lightning bolts make this the best Call of Duty Zombies experience to date.

Even though Activision hasn’t really changed much of their formula, Uprising succeeds at delivering a complete package that almost any multiplayer shooter fan can enjoy. Between the four varied multiplayer maps and Mob of the Dead, Treyarch has managed, yet again, to create something valuable despite its recycled gameplay. Definitely worth the 15 dollars.

RATING OUT OF 5 RATING DESCRIPTION 4.0 Graphics
As with the full version of the game, the visuals are excellent, even with the aging hardware 4.0 Control
The tried and true CoD control scheme has withstood another DLC pack without any changes, not that it needed any. 4.5 Music / Sound FX / Voice Acting
The soundscape is still intact. The all-star voice acting cast from Mob of the Dead deserves a mention as well. 4.2 Play Value
Call of Duty remains dominant among the FPS genre with this fun addition. 4.0 Overall Rating – Great
Not an average. See Rating legend below for a final score breakdown.

Review Rating Legend
0.1 – 1.9 = Avoid 2.5 – 2.9 = Average 3.5 – 3.9 = Good 4.5 – 4.9 = Must Buy
2.0 – 2.4 = Poor 3.0 – 3.4 = Fair 4.0 – 4.4 = Great 5.0 = The Best

Game Features:

  • Explore four all-new multiplayer maps: Magma, Vertigo, Studio, and Encore.
  • An all-new zombie experience, Mob of the Dead, starring Michael Madsen, Joe Pantoliano, Chazz Palminteri, and Ray Liotta.
  • Team up with friends to survive Alcatraz, or betray them to save your own skin.

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