Activision showed several maps during its Call of Duty: Ghosts Multiplayer reveal event, giving attendees a taste of the different sizes, layouts and environments that are in store when the game ships this November
Strikezone is a medium-sized map, which means it offers good opportunities to succeed in just about any of the game’s multiplayer mode. As with the Octane map and Whiteout map, the Strikezone map balances indoor and outdoor combat, with a slight edge toward indoor settings. Before you start thinking Strikezone is comprised of DOOM-like corridors, though, you should know that it actually feels like a downtrodden train station, so saying “indoor” is somewhat relative.
With vaulted ceilings and multiple floors in each structure, the Call of Duty: Ghosts Strikezone multiplayer map feels cavernous at times, even when the action is technically taking place indoors. Vines of lush ivy meander from the ground up the walls as if stretching for the sky. Glass ceilings shine light onto select areas of what appears to be train platforms. First and second floors seem to go on forever, offering tons of cover opportunities (and a handful of sniping ones) before giving way to a sort of post-bombing outdoor disaster area.
Once outdoors, steel girders jut from the ground, and fires burn near bullet-riddled planter boxes. Rubble from demolished (or blown-up) buildings is strewn about, providing cover as well as a sense of place. Collapsed walkways have created what appear to be impromptu tunnels and alternate routes to other corners of the map. There are even a few bombed-out vehicles and statues to provide cover outdoors as you try to stay out of harm’s way.
These World-War-3-esque outdoor sets mingle interestingly with the indoor “train station” areas to provide a surprisingly diverse map. The desolate barrenness of Strikezone’s outside sections meshes perfectly with the lush ivy-covered areas, delivering an odd mix of post-apocalyptic vibe and “forgotten world” design. And that’s before you activate the Care Package from Odin, which collapses much of the map and destroys the topography, making Strikezone feel much more subterranean.
Since it’s medium in size, the Call of Duty: Ghosts Strikezone multiplayer map feels appropriate for every game mode we played. When playing Cranked, people just gravitate toward the open in and near the train station to line up “easy” targets. When playing Team Deathmatch, players explore more of the interior hallways and smaller structures. When playing Domination, there’s really no preferred navigation, as the mode by its very nature just requires space, which Strikezone certainly has. I wouldn’t go so far as to say Strikezone is bland, but it doesn’t seem like it’s going to be as “classic” as Octane or Whiteout, the other two Call of Duty: Ghosts multiplayer maps we got to play.
Still, Strikezone provided plenty of opportunities to enjoy whichever multiplayer match we played, so that utility is bound to count for something. The mix of indoor and outdoor environs, cover-friendly obstacles and vantage-seeking platforms in Strikezone gives Infinity Ward an opportunity to showcase the different ways to play this game. Plus, much like the other three multiplayer maps we saw, Strikezone is drop-dead gorgeous on Xbox One. Strikezone is bound to be on gamers’ most-played leaderboards when COD: Ghosts first ships. I doubt it’ll be at the top of the list, but since it supports just about every gameplay mode, the Call of Duty: Ghosts Strikezone multiplayer map is destined to see plenty of playtime. Click the following link to pre-order Call of Duty: Ghosts from Amazon.
– Jonas Allen