Awakening adds a ton of fun content to the already entertaining Call of Duty: Black Ops III gameplay with four new multiplayer maps: Gauntlet, Splash, Rise and Skyjacked. Skyjacked is a reimagined and better version of the popular Black Ops II multiplayer map Hijacked.
On top of all the new multiplayer maps, Awakening also delivers brand-new twists for its exciting Zombies mode. The new chapter entitled Der Eisendrache in Zombies allows players to go on an incredible journey with the Origin characters Richtofen, Nikolai, Takeo, and Dempsey. The first thing that the new Call of Duty: Black Ops III Zombies DLC does is take players to a spooky medieval castle that lies on an ancient site with deposits of Element 115. The new storyline gives gamers great new content to explore with diverse environments styled in true Zombies tradition full of exciting twists and turns.
Call of Duty: Black Ops III was a refreshing release in the series and getting our hands on some new content added even more replayability to an already fun title. While the four new maps really added an entirely new level of immersion to the multiplayer portion, it was the new campaign for Zombies that really drew me in. The new content is a follow-up to the Giants campaign and has a very creepy feel with its haunting castle and Nazi zombies. Der Eisendrache is amazingly good with tons of Easter Eggs and secrets to uncover. If you a Zombies fan, then Der Eisendrache will definitely suck you in and keep you playing for hours on end.
Each new map added in Call of Duty: Black Ops III requires different strategies to master. Skyjacked takes place on a futuristic-type airship that is small and confining. While the design creates a closer and more chaotic experience, it still has it perks and can be fun. Next up you have Gauntlet, which has a nice open design alongside great aesthetics making it a favorite among die-hard players. The map has three separate sections in a military-type atmosphere. The areas offer up a ton of diversity where you can venture into a jungle, a snowy terrain or a rainy street.
Rise is one of the least entertaining maps in the new DLC release due to poor design. The map takes place with a lot of underwater areas but missed out on most of the potential it could have had due to its poor layout choices. However, the map promotes more of sneaking up on your enemies than facing them head on which might be appealing to some gamers. Finally we get to the most entertaining map, Splash, which takes place in a water park full of vibrant colors. Out of all of the new maps, I found that Splash was the most intriguing and offered the most replayability.
In the end, Awakening is a fantastic new addition of content for Call of Duty: Black Ops III. If you have been looking for more reasons to play the game, then look no further than Awakening. The new Zombies campaign is fantastic and while the multiplayer maps have their ups and downs, the content is a worthwhile purchase overall.
Reviewed for PS4