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

good
key review info
  • Game: Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare Reckoning
  • Platform: Xbox One
  • Show system requirements
  • Reviewed on:
Reckoning review on Xbox One

The Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare DLC schedule has finally come to an end, at least on the Xbox One and Xbox 360, as the final map pack for the first-person shooter - Reckoning - is available for download via the Xbox Live online service.

It's been a long journey and developer Sledgehammer Games has certainly made an effort to support the title with plenty of free and premium content. Reckoning is no exception, as it once again brings four competitive multiplayer maps, a new Exo Zombies co-op chapter, not to mention a new gun and a few other surprises.

Does Reckoning manage to conclude Advanced Warfare's post-launch support with a bang or should fans just skip it and save money for Black Ops 3? Let's find out.

Competitive multiplayer

Just like with the last three expansions for Advanced Warfare, Reckoning features four fresh levels designed for the competitive multiplayer mode. They're split into several playlists, some allowing the use of the special Exo Grapple system, while others keeping things as plain as possible.

Fracture is one of the most interesting maps included in the new DLC, as it takes players to an Arctic research station that's cool not just due to the icy conditions but also due to its sharp design that promotes battles in open areas.

However, things get really exciting when the actual ice sheet starts cracking up, sending portions of the map into the frozen ocean. This quickly turns the battle into one for survival, as you must escape the crumbling ground, while staying away from enemies.

Overload is the second map of the add-on and takes players to New Baghdad. The visual design is once again top-notch, as it blends Middle-Eastern philosophy with high-tech gadgets and technologies. Unfortunately, it's also a bit too convoluted for its own good, especially when you venture into its buildings. Outside, the long-sight lines benefit snipers, for better or worse, so make sure you always move around.

You should also try to hit the plasma lamps when they activate, as they can explode and deal plenty of area-of-effect damage to nearby enemies. However, due to the already-hectic nature of the Call of Duty multiplayer experience in general, you might forget about the lamps and get surprised by the fatal explosions.

Quarantine is the most forgettable entry in the map pack. It takes place on an island used for virus testing and its overall design is lackluster. The special event sees the floor pull away from a portion of the map, while the scorestreak calls in a missile strike from a nearby ship.

While it certainly promotes close quarter encounters through its tight and twisted paths, the overall feeling isn't that great, as the buildings are a bit convoluted and the central area is a bit too easy to defend by 2 or more players.

Swarm is the final competitive map in Reckoning and takes players to the streets of Seoul's commercial district. Players can roam across the stores as well as on the actual streets, but things get quite dangerous due to the scorestreak, which calls in a deadly swarm of drones, as seen in the opening of Advanced Warfare's story.

The map manages to strike a fairly good balance between interior and exterior battles but the swarm scorestreak can feel a bit too powerful, especially if an opponent gets his or her hands on it. Even so, the design is decent, although it's similar to other existing maps.

Fight in Seoul in Advanced Warfare
Fight in Seoul in Advanced Warfare

Cooperative multiplayer

Reckoning also concludes the Exo Zombies saga with the final episode - Descent. It's been a wild ride for the survivors during the last three chapters, and after reaching the Atlas aircraft carrier in the last episode, they must escape an Atlas testing facility in the middle of the ocean once and for all.

Fans of the narrative will get to enjoy a great return of an old friend, while those who prefer just the gameplay will be met with some imposing new zombies, including the Fused type.

Luckily, the game also helps the survivors out with a few other new things, such as the Trident Reflect Energy weapon, which can prove downright lethal for the Zombies in tight spaces.

While the last chapter suffered a bit in terms of general layout, Descent fairs slightly better and manages to bring environments that don't feel as confusing as previous adventures did. Some portions tend to look quite similar to one another, but others have unique designs, and after a bit of practice, you'll easily figure out the layout. Things get a bit awry when the teleportation system starts activating, so stay on your guard at all times.

Battle zombies in Advanced Warfare
Battle zombies in Advanced Warfare

Visuals and sound

As mentioned above, some of the maps, such as Fracture or Overload, look great in terms of visuals, but others, like Quarantine, feel bland and uninspired. The Descent Exo Zombies experience also manages to skirt this line, as some portions look quite great, while others feel like they've been copied and pasted from past chapters.

The soundtrack is decent but things get elevated by the main protagonists of Descent, in the form of Hollywood actors like Bill Paxton, Rose McGowan, Jon Bernthal, and Bruce Campbell, who also get to interact a bit more with one another, in between the zombie-slaying.


The Good

  • Great visuals and effects for some maps
  • Surprising environmental interactions
  • A few great areas in Exo Zombies

The Bad

  • Quarantine feels and looks lackluster
  • Some Exo Zombies areas still feel confusing
  • Swarm and Quarantine's scorestreaks are a bit too powerful

Conclusion

The Reckoning DLC for Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare offers a decent experience. While not all of the maps manage to live up to expectations, those that do offer a great time and are certainly going to keep fans busy until Black Ops 3 rolls out in November.
story 7
gameplay 8
concept 8
graphics 8
audio 7
multiplayer 7
final rating 7.5
Editor's review
good
 
NEXT REVIEW: Nom Nom Galaxy

Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare Reckoning (12 Images)

Reckoning review on Xbox OneProtect allies in Advanced WarfareFight in great areas in Advanced WarfareShoot plasma lamps in Advanced WarfareMiddle-Eastern design in Advanced Warfare
+7more