The long-awaited return of Verdansk in Warzone isn’t an instant fix for all of the game’s problems, but, crucially, it has made it fun again for the first time in forever.

After years of rumors, speculation, and teasers, it finally happened. Verdansk is back in all its glory, complete with all the iconic locations we’ve committed to memory, and a number of classic guns that are enough to make even the most jaded player misty-eyed.

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But this is more than a trip down memory lane. After years of ropey updates and baffling gameplay changes, prior to its return, Verdansk was seen as the last chance to salvage what was left of the Call of Duty Battle Royale.

So, is Warzone saved? Not exactly. But it’s the best it’s been since 2021.

You’re as beautiful as the day I lost you

Let’s get one thing out of the way: Verdansk was and remains the best battle royale map that Call of Duty has ever produced (sorry Blackout fans). That much was clear within seconds of touching down in my first match, as I realized just how easy it is to get around and how awkwardly designed latter-day POIs have been.

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Activision

Every location, from the sprawling Downtown to the more scattered Farmland, is distinct and intuitive, making it a breeze to navigate and setting the stage for interesting gunfights that favor those with high ground, but offer plenty of opportunities to flank.

The odd lack of ziplines (which return mid-season) to quickly get up to rooftops does swing the power a little too far in the direction of squads who camp out on skyscrapers, but plotting a way to escape their sniper’s glint or get the drop on them is a constantly engaging puzzle.

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The team has done a great job of touching up the old map too. Everything is brighter and cleaner to look at, removing the visual fogginess that has occasionally made long-range fights in Warzone a nightmare. Throw in the additional cover added to make open areas less of a death sentence, and you’re left with a version of Verdansk that’s actually better than the original.

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Warzone is finally a battle royale again

It’s not just the map itself that makes Season 3 a breath of fresh air. After multiple integrations and a host of unnecessary features that diluted what made a COD BR special in the first place, Verdansk has taken the game back to basics.

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Every Black Ops 6 weapon (with the rest coming later) has been given a huge damage buff, speeding up the time-to-kill to make fights faster and more punishing. Positioning and awareness are everything, as the rapid TTK will send you back to the lobby if you get caught from behind.

Most of the redeployment options have been stripped away too. If you die, the only way back into the action is by winning a 1v1 in the Gulag or waiting for a teammate to buy you back, and that’s exactly how it should be.

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It’s brutal and occasionally frustrating, but it adds a tension to each encounter that’s been sorely missing in recent years, as you know that no matter how powerful your loadout or accurate your aim, one wrong move is fatal.

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Activision

A strong foundation

Of course, it’s no surprise that simply stepping foot back onto Verdansk is enough to get players back onside for the time being. The real question is whether it’s enough to give Warzone the jumpstart it desperately needs once the nostalgia wears off.

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Based on what I’ve seen so far, it definitely could. The OG map and back to back-to-basics approach have made Season 3 the most fun I’ve had with the game since its initial launch. It took a long time to get here, but we’re finally in a position where Warzone has a solid foundation to build upon.

However, in order for Warzone to truly be ‘saved,’ we need a steady stream of updates that take this starting point and improve on it in meaningful ways, with new guns, features, and events that don’t taint that core experience.

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I have no idea if that’ll happen, but like every other Call of Duty fan, I really hope it does. But if there’s one thing that this update has brought back – it’s hope.

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