Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare Ascendance DLC Review (Xbox One)

Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare launched back in November of last year across PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One platforms, bringing forth quite a few different multiplayer game modes, not to mention many online maps and, of course, the stellar Exo Zombies cooperative experience, all in addition to the star-studded story campaign.

Since then, developer Sledgehammer Games has already released multiple, small DLC packs to add more content to the game, but also the full-fledged Havoc expansion that brought four new maps, an Exo Zombies co-op mode, and other such things.

Now, the second planned expansion for Advanced Warfare is live, in the form of the Ascendance add-on, which is available for download on the Xbox One and Xbox 360 platforms starting today, March 31.

Does the new DLC manage to live up to Advanced Warfare's pedigree or should Sledgehammer keep working on the content? Let's find out.

Competitive Multiplayer

First up, in terms of content for the competitive aspect, the Ascendance multiplayer expansion brings four new maps, a special Exo Grapple playlist, and a fresh gun.

When it comes to maps, the offering is extremely varied and feels quite fresh when it comes to the maps in the regular game or even in the Havoc expansion. Activision and Sledgehammer boast that the levels have been built from the ground up with Exo abilities in mind, and things become apparent very soon, as even the smaller maps require boosts and jumps to get around them quickly.

First up, and by far one of the most interesting in terms of design, is Perplex, which takes place in a modular apartment complex from Sydney. Vibrant colors decorate the buildings but blood soon paints everything, as you can engage with foes both on the actual ground but even more on the rooftops. The map-based scorestreak summons drones to shift the apartment modules, creating new routes and positions in which to take cover.

The map caters well to both those that favor close quarters and those who want long-range warfare. The tight and twisted corridors also serve to keep the people on the ground safe from sneaky snipers.

Another really interesting map is Site 244, which is located at Mount Rushmore but throws in a crashed alien vessel. Just like in Perplex, you can fight from close up or from afar, although here things are a bit more tilted in the favor of snipers with keen reflexes. Those who want to avoid them will have to enter the ship's fuselage and fight in its tight confines. The scorestreak of this level has a pretty big impact on gameplay, as a special alien spore enhances your perks and exo abilities so, provided you have a good loadout, you can totally wreak havoc on everyone on the map.

Climate is the third map and offers a sort of biosphere experience as players must make their way through land and water routes while reaching a central complex that's home to even more warfare. There are also water-filled tunnels and rock formations but the scorestreak turns that water into acid, so staying in it isn't that advised.

Last but not least, there's Chop Shop, a mid-size map set in an industrial complex that's suited for pure Exo combat. The confines cater more to close quarters combat and hectic brawls, so bring lightweight weapons and make sure you try to get the scorestreak that triggers a microwave EMP that locks down specific areas. Unfortunately, its key areas aren't that well designed and you'll soon end up getting lost or confused with all the action that's going on.

Besides the actual maps, the Ascendance DLC brings forth a new hybrid weapon called the OHM, which can turn from a light machine gun to a shotgun. This makes it perfect for the aforementioned levels, as it can facilitate both close quarters combat and long-range engagements.

The expansion also brings access to a new Exo Grapple ability and a special playlist dedicated to the new feature. It allows you to traverse environments even quicker than before by firing your grapple to where you want to go. Sneaky players can also target the grapple at enemies for a quick and stylish kill. This new experience takes some time to get used to, but once you start employing the gadget, moving around the maps never feels the same again. You can even hang from a grapple for a certain time, similar to Titanfall, and get the jump on foes.

Use a turret in Advanced Warfare

Cooperative Multiplayer

Of course, another big aspect of the Ascendance expansion for Advanced Warfare is the new Exo Zombies scenario called Infected. This time, the crew of four survivors must fight through the undead horde on the outskirts of an old ATLAS facility. Modern Warfare 2 fans will instantly recognize the Burgertown fast food joint, which is a part of the level.

However, you won't have time for sightseeing, as this episode of Exo Zombies brings a wide array of new and much more challenging undead. There's even an armored zombie that uses a shield and riot gear to withstand a lot of damage.

Fortunately, you also have access to a few new traps and weapons to the undead down, but getting to use them requires some great teamwork, provided you want to survive the onslaught. Unfortunately, the layout is convoluted and takes a very long time to figure out where you have to go and pinpoint where 3D printers and Exo suit dispensers are located.

Like in the first scenario, certain waves bring special zombies that can infest you too. Unfortunately, this time around the zone that can disinfect you is tough to access and hold in front of the rampaging horde.

Reach Burgertown in Advanced Warfare

Visuals and Sound

The new maps look quite good and boast plenty of distinctive visual features and effects to keep things interesting. Some of the textures don't really impress in a few areas, but across the board, there's plenty of eye candy in the add-on.

The soundtrack is also quite good and matches the general theme of the gameplay. Of course, the voice acting in the Exo Zombies mode, provided by Hollywood actors in the form of John Malkovich (or "Red" or "Being John Malkovich" fame), Bill Paxton ("Aliens," "Edge of Tomorrow"), Rose McGowan ("Grindhouse," "Charmed"), and Jon Bernthal ("The Walking Dead," "The Wolf of Wall Street"), impresses.

The Good

The Bad

Conclusion

Ascendance brings plenty of good new elements to Advanced Warfare. While most maps are fun, Chop Shop is by far the least interesting and most generic. Fortunately, the Exo Grapple ability and playlist make up for it. On the other hand, the new Exo Zombies scenario takes a long time to get used to, due to its convoluted layout, and you might not have so much fun with it.

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