Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 Zombies is finally here, and as expected from the lead-up to release, the response has been a bit mixed. While critics have praised Black Ops 7’s Zombies mode, fans of the old-school modes haven’t been impressed, citing its numerous gameplay similarities to Black Ops 6. Essentially, if someone liked BO6, they’ll appreciate the latest iteration of the mode, as it feels like a refined version of that title. However, while Black Ops 7 does feel much like BO6 year two, only with several quality-of-life upgrades such as Gobblegum crushing, it can actually be compared to the original Black Ops as well. Unfortunately, this isn’t a good comparison, as like BO1 Zombies, Black Ops 7 is proving to be a frustrating experience with randoms. In particular, things get tedious when it comes to the all-important Pack-a-Punch machine.
Black Ops 1 Zombies’ Approach to Pack-a-Punch Made Public Matches a Chore
In the original Black Ops, Call of Duty Zombies fully came into its own, as maps like Kino Der Toten reached huge levels of popularity and are permanently engraved in the minds of those who played them when they were younger. However, since many may look back at their core memories in the Black Ops 1 Zombies maps with rose-tinted glasses, they’ll likely forget all their horrible experiences with the Pack-a-Punch machine. Three specific maps stand out as having a problematic Pack-a-Punch unlock process, those being:
- Kino Der Toten — While not as frustrating as the next two examples, Kino’s Pack-a-Punch was still problematic since players could essentially block access to the projector room. A selfish player could link the teleporter pads and use the machine before their allies join them, leaving them with weak or ammoless guns. Communication through voice chat helped circumvent this, but couldn’t be guaranteed in public matches, leading to frustration from time to time.
- Shangri-La — After Ascension’s simple rocket launch activation and Call of the Dead’s simple moving Pack-a-Punch, Shangri-La felt like a big step back in regard to the upgrade machine. To briefly turn off the waterfall and unlock the steps to PaP, players had to stand on 1–4 pressure plates (depending on the number of players in the match). While this is simple enough in theory, things became hopeless when one of the players in the match just wouldn’t get on a plate to help open Pack-a-Punch. Sometimes, these unhelpful players would be trolling, while other times, they would be new and had no idea what was required to open Pack-a-Punch.
- Moon — The third and final example of frustrating Pack-a-Punch mechanics is Moon, as though the idea of teleporting back to Earth was incredible, the execution left something to be desired. This is because all players in the lobby had to stand on the teleportation pad at the top of the excavation site, and gathering random players all together at the same time while the undead leap down at those on the pad was easier said than done. If someone already got their upgrade, they could refuse to get on the pad, effectively ruining the match for those who still had to visit Groom Lake. This saw players sabotaging frustrating teammates and trying to get them killed so that they could reach PaP without them, which feels hugely unnecessary.
Moon’s “all players needed to teleport” requirement was potentially due to the hardware of the time, as splitting the players between Area 51 and the Moon could have been too taxing for the PS3 and Xbox 360. At the same time, this could have just been a design choice, as the Zombies Chronicles version of Moon in Black Ops 3 left the requirement unchanged.
To be clear, for certain groups of players, these issues have always been easy to ignore. If you only play with friends, for instance, communicating about when to Pack-a-Punch is simple. Similarly, solo players will have had no issue upgrading the best CoD Zombies guns on any of these maps. However, there are gamers who enjoy public matches. Perhaps they want to experience co-op, but lack friends to play with. Alternatively, maybe they like the challenge of teaching and reviving bad players. Either way, these old maps were a nightmare for public matches in Black Ops 1, and to a slightly lesser extent, Ashes of the Damned seems poised to be an annoying public match experience as well.
Though Manageable, Ashes of the Damned’s Pack-a-Punch Process is Problematic
Though Treyarch deserves praise for introducing the most unique Pack-a-Punch system since Black Ops 4, as the machine following players since it’s a part of Ol’ Tessie is very clever, the problems with this mechanic quickly become clear. It’s frustratingly easy for players to get left behind, as while players being in complete control of Ol’ Tessie should make it easier to navigate the map than relying on the automated TranZit bus was, there’s nothing stopping random players from taking the vehicle (and it’s attached Pack-a-Punch) on whatever adventure they feel like going on. This essentially leaves players who weren’t in the car stuck. Either they have to risk running through the dangerous zones between the maps, or they have to spend points to bounce around on jump pads in chase of the car.
The one saving grace in the case of Ol’ Tessie is that players have access to a special teleport pad in Ashwood that will take them right to the Wonder Vehicle no matter where it is, which stops unsavory players from trolling and playing keepaway for long. Still, Ashes of the Damned is a huge map, so if players are far from Ashwood, they will have to spend points on multiple jump pads and the teleportation to the car, cutting into the points they had set aside for perks, the Mystery Box, or Pack-a-Punch. Perhaps Treyarch could fix this issue by adding vehicle spawn points like the ones for the boats on Terminus, teleporting the vehicle to a set spawn point within each zone so long as other players are not inside it. For now, though, Ol’ Tessie is both the definitive trait of Ashes of the Damned and its most frustrating aspect, depending on how one prefers to play. Though there’s plenty to love about the latest map, from its stellar new Wonder Weapon and memorable character quotes to its visuals and Easter eggs, its Pack-a-Punch is the wrong kind of Black Ops 1 throwback.
- Released
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November 14, 2025
- ESRB
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Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Suggestive Themes, Use of Drugs
