Call of Duty: Black Ops II Zombies Detailed, Features New Game Modes

What started out as an easter egg in Call of Duty: World at War has since become a reason to justify a game purchase. Realizing this, Treyarch has set out to make Call of Duty: Black Ops II‘s Zombies mode the most ambitious yet in the series.

The largest addition to Zombies is the inclusion of a story-focused campaign, known as Tranzit. In Tranzit, up to four players can explore an open world, going hand-in-hand with the main campaign’s freedom of choice. Players will find materials which can be used to craft new weapons and items for use, such as riot shields. The Zombies mode in Black Ops II also features some of the futuristic weaponry seen in the game’s single player and multiplayer modes, as well as new Wonder Weapons, Perk-a-Colas, and zombie types. The mode’s story is said to be influenced by the events of the Zombies story that began in World at War and continued in Black Ops, though it will feature four brand-new playable characters.

While Tranzit features an open world that gives players the freedom of exploration, it does have a basic structure. The world is divided into several zones, with each zone connected by roads. Players can board a bus to go from area to area, or travel on-foot; however, each has advantages and disadvantages. While the bus may seem to be the safer option, zombies can still attack the bus, which can be a problem due to the limited space inside. Meanwhile, players who choose not to ride it will be even more vulnerable to zombies, but will have the advantage of wide open spaces. They can also find new items to use.

In addition to Tranzit, Treyarch has added a new competitive mode known as Grief. In this mode, which is nicknamed “4z4,” two teams of four players each fight against each other in indirect ways; while players can’t attack the other team, they can use various methods to make more zombies go after them, with the ultimate goal being to eliminate the other team. Similar to Tranzit, this mode features new characters, with one team representing CIA agents, and the other representing members of the CDC.

The previous Zombies mode, now known as Survival, returns in Black Ops II. Survival utilizes maps comprised of the zones seen in Tranzit, each of which is sectioned off to make a complete map similar to those seen in World at War and Black Ops.

Due to the Zombies modes now running on Black Ops II‘s multiplayer engine, Treyarch will be implementing improved leaderboard support, as well as improved matchmaking for each mode. The various modes will also be customizable, with settings such as the starting round, available Perk-a-Colas, and the use of mystery boxes and Pack-a-Punch machines able to be changed.

Call of Duty: Black Ops II releases November 13 for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC. A Wii U version is set for release alongside the console on November 18. Those who pre-order the game on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC will receive the Nuketown 2025 multiplayer map.

Source: The Verge