Second Story Gamer

Inifinity Ward and Activision released the highly anticipated and much needed Variety Map Pack for the the highest sold game of 2007, Call of Duty 4. There are four maps in this pack that is available for 800 MS Points (about $10).  The PS3 version is scheduled to release in three to four weeks.

This map pack is different because Infinity Ward had an unusual main objective for this pack: they needed more variety in their multiplayer maps. Critics of Call of Duty 4’s multiplayer constantly cite the fact that many of the maps are very, very similar in their arguments, ahem forum wars, about why some other game has better multiplayer than COD 4 (it’s better than Halo’s though). And I’m sorry to say it but they are right. Some of the original COD 4 maps look like clones of each other. Most of them have nearly identical sandy color palettes that make differentiating between them difficult. But there are very distinct differences in these maps that make COD 4’s map portfolio much more interesting. Let’s start out with Broadcast.

Broadcast is a map that is strongly based on the “Charlie Don’t Surf” level in the single player where you have to raid the TV Station to see if Al-Asad is broadcasting from there. It has the main room with all of the monitors and computers playing Al-Asad’s message and the room where you discover he’s gone. That being said, there are some different things from the actual single player level like a part of the level that’s outside. It is a very fast-paced map and you probably should use an assault rifle or LMG through it.

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Creek is exactly what it sounds like: a level with a creek running through it. This level is much bigger than average COD 4 levels, which makes it a sniper haven. There are plenty of spots to just hide in short grass and take out opponents running around below. It is possible to use a long range assault rifle like the M16 or G3 and still do decent. but a sniper rifle is definitely recommended.

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Chinatown is my least favorite map of the pack because of the fact that it feels like a mix of Wetwork and District from the maps that were packaged with the game. There are plenty of places to go around the side of buildings like you do in Wetwork and the map structure is designed like District. Even the color palette is reminiscent of Wetwork’s black tones, except Chinatown has more random bright colors throughout. The best weapon on this map is an SMG or an automatic assault rifle.

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Killhouse has a style similar to that of the training level in the single player campaign. It is a smaller map that is designed for close quarters combat with plenty of obstacles to duck around. So far, it is only available in the Team Tactical and Cage Match game types, probably because it is smaller than average COD 4 map. An SMG or shotgun would be great on this map.

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These maps not only excel in their objective to add variety to the game, they are also very fun to play. If you are anything of a Call of Duty 4 online fan, these maps are a must buy for you. Even if you only play COD 4 occasionally, they are still very good maps. And I’m sure you could resist going to McDonald’s for a couple days to find the money to get them.

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