So, we are all bedded in with Black Ops, we are all familiar with the maps, choke points, camping areas and in general enjoying the experience?

Good, we thought you would be too after our review of the title considered it a welcome back to form.  But the thing that has always left a little sour taste in gamers mouths appeared during Modern Warfare 2 when map packs were priced at 1200 points and you felt let down at the pricing.  You still bought them by the millions though so Activision achieved what they set out to do.  Create map packs that prey on the gaming instinct of “If my friend has it, then i’ll need it too as I cannot miss out” and therefore push the pricing envelope to a point that make investors a little happier.

Yup, as consumers we are sucker punched every time but we come back for more and love it.  All they need is that first pin to fall and everyone will follow.  So as the First Strike map pack hits Xbox Live as an exclusive for a month or so I find the same pricing complaints being made with everyone saying, “Well I better get it anyway” but this time after playing the 4 multiplayer maps and 1 zombie map that are included I can honestly say that it is 1200 microsoft points well spent.

The First Strike map pack consists of 4 multiplayer maps and a zombie one to boot.  The multiplayer maps offer medium to large areas with enough zip and sparkle to satisfy even the harshest critic and vary from the snowbound lands of Discovery to the east, west divide of the Berlin Wall.  All with enough choke points, buildings and levels to bring out the best of fragging for Black Ops gamers experienced and new.

Berlin Wall as I said before is a medium map that caters well for the sniper.  Separated in the middle by “No Man’s Land ” or as we have started to call it, “The Dead Zone” the Berlin Wall map offers a sturdy test to try and break ranks to the other side to control the map.  Fierce choke points, but plenty of places to hole up and lay down fire strategically make this dark and dingy map great fun to play.  Trust me, there is nothing like dropping a crate into the middle of the Dead Zone and watching new players run to it and get chopped down by the automated machine gun fire from turrets that overlook the zone for any defectors.

Discovery is a very open and beautiful map to play on, not that you’ll spend too much time admiring the view.  A snowbound canvas of scientific buildings offer a couple of levels of depth with which to hunt down your prey and some nasty ravines to fall down for the too adventurous.  This map offers a lot of running around but setting up points of attack bodes very well for strategic games like domination etc.

Kowloon is set amongst rooftops with areas to fall off a plenty.  The map offers a variety of buildings at different heights and a lot of clambering and exploring is a must to try and achieve the best advantage.  Kowloon is really a map that sets its stall out for snipers so be wary when you first start to learn it.  The map maybe better explored via combat training tan going head first into a ranked game as you may struggle at first.  The variety of buildings, various heights, lots of climbing and open areas serves this as one of the best maps in the pack.  Did I mention that the remote car et all will have problems being deployed here with decent effect?  A definite plus in our book!  Last but not least is the zip line that is accessible here.  Although you may feel it is a lot of fun to try you may find the experience quickly goes sour as a bullet through the dome a few times in a row will be enough to put anybody off trying it again.

The last of the multiplayer maps brings with it a sense of old school run and gunning to the mix.  Stadium, although classed as medium sized is quite small with nowhere to run to and nowhere to hide properly.  mainly open areas with the Ice Hockey stadium set as an internal point of attack, Stadium offers pure unadulterated adrenaline rushes as you try to find that spot to at least attempt to control the match.  It is just a pity that the interior of the stadium is not utilised a little more as most of it has been blocked off.  If you have ever played the map Broadcast from Modern Warfare then you will start to see a few familiarities.

Last but not least is the zombie map, Ascention.  A crazy map with plenty to offer in the zany world of the zombie gametype.  Crazy monkeys, flesh eating soviets trying to eat you and steal your perks adds another dimension to proceedings.

So there you have it.  Four muliplayer maps, one zombie map and  whole lot of fun to be had in arenas that have been beautifully detailed and optimised for performance in the Call Of Duty online world.  The only problem with this pack is the pricing and if you can justify the cost.  If you have worries then let me put it a little into perspective.  Each map, when broken down into price will cost you just under 250 points.  A Rock Band song to download can cost 160 points each, a piece of clothing for an avatar can cost anywhere between 40 and 320 + points so now the map pack doesn’t look that unattractive.

If you can afford it, it is a must buy.  If you cannot or feel that you should not you will buy it anyway as everybody else will!

Call Of Duty: Black Ops – First Strike map pack is available now on Xbox Live priced at 1200 Microsoft points.

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Review Code supplied by the Publisher