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A co-operative, schlock-horror Zombies mode is making its return to 2018’s “Call of Duty: Black Ops 4,” though this time with three different missions to engage with.
“Black Ops 4” is investing heavily in online multiplayer, to the extent that a traditional solo campaign is absent.
Instead, fans are being asked to consider a range of multiplayer modes that involve story elements in one way or another.
As well as a twist on the popular last-person-standing battle royale formula, a first for the “Call of Duty” franchise, there will be the series’ traditional multiplayer and the “Black Ops” sub-series’ Zombies mode.
Typically gory, three Zombies modes are being packaged with “Call of Duty: Black Ops 4” rather than the usual one, each with different characters and taking place during a different time period.
The “Black Ops” co-operative four-player Zombies mode is being expanded upon, with three distinct missions to embark upon, all tied together with a supernatural, ancient Egyptian theme.
A theme of Egyptian supernatural power connects them, with the same staff and pendant seen in cinematic trailers for Zombies modes IX and Voyage of Despair.
Appearing to take place in ancient Egypt, IX ushers its quartet of fearsome warriors into a gladiatorial arena to do battle with bloodthirsty zombies and then a monstrous creature.
The cinematic for Voyage of Despair, which takes place on the infamously doomed Titanic, emphasizes team-based puzzle-solving, according to each character’s particular skills and abilities, and then combat against hordes of undead crew and passengers.
Finally, Blood of the Dead continues the supernatural thread. As the least detailed of all three previews, it managed to indicate that it would take place in more modern times.
“Call of Duty: Black Ops 4” launches October 12 for PlayStation 4, Windows PC and Xbox One.
Rather than debuting in early November, as previous franchise entries have done, it releases two weeks before the ambitious wild west epic, “Red Dead Redemption 2,” from the studio behind “Grand Theft Auto.”
Traditional rival “Battlefield” is expected to launch with both multiplayer and single-player, adding a battle royale at some point post-release; publicity for “Red Dead Redemption 2” has been leaning on setting and storyline so far, though a multiplayer counterpart to “Grand Theft Auto Online” is also anticipated. NVG
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