The Epic Journey of Call of Duty Zombies' Untold Campaign Mode Unveiled!

Highlights

Call of Duty Zombies fans appreciate the deep and complex story of the game, which explores time travel, aliens, dragons, and alternate dimensions.

A Call of Duty Zombies campaign has been attempted in the past but failed to meet expectations. While a traditional campaign with cutscenes and missions heavy on setpieces could be refreshing, fans need to be aware of the previous disappointment. Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 introduced a bonus mode called Nightmares, which was essentially a reskinned version of the BO3 campaign with a separate story. However, it didn't gain much popularity due to a lack of original characters and unique content. It is important to learn from the shortcomings of Nightmares in order to improve future attempts at a Zombies campaign.

The Call of Duty Zombies mode is often seen as a fun co-op experience by casual fans, but dedicated players understand the depth of its story. The Chaos story remains unfinished, while the Dark Aether narrative has simplified things. However, the Aether timeline is incredibly complex, involving time travel, aliens, dragons, and alternate dimensions. The mode also introduces a wide range of characters, from United States presidents to mad Nazi scientists. Despite its convoluted nature, the mode has become beloved, leading many to desire a clearer storytelling format.

Given the difficulty in following the complete Call of Duty Zombies timeline and the unanswered questions it leaves, a traditional campaign with cutscenes and setpiece-heavy missions could be seen as a positive addition. While maintaining the round-based survival experiences, introducing a solo or co-op campaign that showcases the amazing 10-year story told by Treyarch in Zombies could offer a refreshing change of pace. It's worth noting that a Call of Duty Zombies campaign has been attempted before, although it didn't meet fans' expectations. Nonetheless, it could serve as a learning experience for Treyarch if they decide to revisit the concept.

What Was Nightmares in Call of Duty: Black Ops 3?

Call of Duty: Black Ops 3's campaign offered a unique and engaging storyline unlike any other in the series. It featured skill trees that allowed players to experience explosive, futuristic abilities, along with a strong emphasis on co-op gameplay. The narrative was equally innovative, presenting the story out of order and introducing a second "real" story through briefing texts at the beginning of each mission. This unconventional approach may not have appealed to everyone, but it was a bold and daring move for a Call of Duty game. As if that weren't enough, the campaign missions were repurposed to tell a third story in a bonus mode called Nightmares. This mode featured the same mission areas and cutscenes but with new dialogue, focusing on different characters. While it didn't offer the intense action of Zombies maps, players were rewarded with new weapons from a Mystery Box as they progressed through the alternate missions.

Nightmares failed to gain popularity due to several reasons. Initially, players had to complete the campaign or enter a special code, similar to the original Black Ops' secret terminal, to unlock Nightmares. Moreover, the mode lacked original content and characters, with the cutscenes being poorly received and the missions feeling like inferior versions of the main campaign levels. Most importantly, fans were always craving a Zombies campaign centered around familiar characters like Richtofen and Maxis. The concept of a trippy story featuring demigods and a random female soldier caught between life and death could have been intriguing if it had proper resources and unique assets. However, it still fell short compared to the successful Aether story.

Considering the numerous challenges that hindered this bonus mode, it is unsurprising that Nightmares was swiftly forgotten, assuming players even knew about its existence. Nevertheless, this setback should not discourage Treyarch from attempting a Zombies campaign in the future, especially if a standalone Call of Duty Zombies game is released. Valuable lessons can be learned from Nightmares. The next Zombies campaign should offer distinctive missions, cutscenes, and locations, prioritize beloved characters, and be easily accessible from the start. By incorporating these elements, it could transcend Nightmares' status as a mere bonus mode and become a significant feature that truly captivates Zombies fans.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 is available now on PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One.