Call of Duty Black Ops 2: Zombies

From Tranzit to Origins: My Epic Journey Through Black Ops 2 Zombies

Whether you love the franchise, hate the franchise, or used to love the franchise, there’s little doubt that at some point, you’ve probably picked up a Call of Duty game.

My introduction to the series came all the way back in 2011 with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. I didn’t even own the game myself—my playtime came courtesy of my dad’s PlayStation 3, where we’d play split-screen 1v1s (sometimes with my brother) or hop into the 3v3 game mode. Still, that was my first time putting more than just a couple of hours into a Call of Duty title.

But my full dive into the franchise happened the following year, in 2012, with the release of one of the most iconic games of all time—and my personal favorite—Call of Duty: Black Ops 2.

The Zombies Hook

As a kid, the trailers and commercials instantly drew me in. Around the same time, I’d also started watching gaming content on YouTube, and the more I saw of the game, the more I needed it. Eventually, I begged my mom to buy it for me. One thing, in particular, stood out more than anything else: the Zombies mode.

Having recently gotten into The Walking Dead, the idea of a full-blown zombie mode in a Call of Duty game was the ultimate deal-breaker—in a good way. So, the moment I got my hands on Black Ops 2, the first thing I did was load up the map Tranzit.

Now, if you’ve played this map, it’s no secret that Tranzit is often ranked among the worst Zombies maps of all time. Still, I poured countless hours into it. And when I say countless, I mean don’t-leave-my-room-for-three-days levels of countless. Zombies was new, fresh, scary, and insanely fun—especially with friends.

The best of Black Ops 2 Zombies, however, would come months later in the form of Mob of the Dead, Buried, and Origins.

Mob of the Dead - Zombies on Another Level

Set on Alcatraz Island, Mob of the Dead is my third favorite Zombies map of all time. The atmosphere is arguably the best we’ve ever seen. Maybe it’s the real-world history of the prison, or maybe it’s the fact that you can build a plane and fly to the Golden Gate Bridge.

Gameplay-wise, it was naturally smooth, and the innovations were outstanding. From feeding dog heads with zombie souls, collecting plane parts, and unlocking the Blundergat Wonder Weapon, to fighting off the prison’s Warden—everything about the map felt one-of-a-kind. I can still hop on and enjoy it like it’s day one.

If I had to rate it formally, I’d give it a 9.5/10. A few things could have pushed it even higher for me: the addition of PhD Flopper or Stamin-Up, or a slight buff to the base Blundergat. Still, Electric Cherry and the Acid Gat upgrade were phenomenal additions. And let’s not forget the star-studded celebrity cast as the playable crew—an unforgettable touch.

Buried – GOATED

This might be controversial to some, but in my opinion, Buried is the greatest Zombies map of all time.

The map took risks, and every single one paid off. Set in an underground Old Western town, it introduced a ton of new mechanics and features, including the Paralyzer Wonder Weapon, Ray Gun Mark II, Time Bomb, and the infamous Leroy (aka Arthur). Using Leroy to unlock areas or secure the mystery box was a phenomenal design.

We also got Vulture Aid, a perk that made its only appearance in this map until Black Ops 6. The Witch's House leading to Pack-a-Punch was a perfect risk-reward system: avoid getting hit and earn a free perk—get hit, and you lose 2000 points.

The maze following the house was a bit chaotic, but it added an extra layer of difficulty that made reaching Pack-a-Punch feel earned.

My one downside? High-round strategies revolved too heavily around buildables, especially after the Paralyzer got nerfed. Still, I’d give Buried a near-perfect 9.75/10.

Origins – Cinematic beauty

To complete the trifecta, my second favorite map of all time is Origins—the final Zombies map of Black Ops 2, set in France. It brought back the beloved Black Ops 1 crew in a new form and marked the first time I cared about the storyline, not just the gameplay.

The Call of Duty Zombies narrative is one of the most complex storylines in gaming, but I’ve grown to love it. Origins played a huge role in that.

Gameplay-wise, Origins introduced the Elemental Staffs—Ice, Wind, Fire, and Lightning. Each required its own set of parts and unique upgrade quests, which gave the map insane replayability (and some pretty heated debates over who got which staff).

The Panzersoldat boss was terrifying—especially if you didn’t have a staff by Round 8. (Side note: my top three round-based bosses are the Moon Spaceman, Mob of the Dead’s Brutus, and the Origins Panzer.)

Visually, the map was stunning, with one of the best skyboxes in Zombies, dynamic weather, and giant robots stomping through the battlefield.

On the story side, this was the first Easter Egg quest I ever completed—solo, no less. It gave me chills and was the perfect setup for what was to come in Black Ops 3. (For those unaware: an "Easter Egg" is basically the main story quest of a Zombies map.)

My only gripe? The best high-round strategy requires you to spam the Ice Staff on the floor. Still, Origins gets a beyond solid 9.5/10.

Die Rise, Survival Maps, and Game Modes

Eventually, I went back and played Die Rise, the map that came after Tranzit but before Mob of the Dead. Looking back, it’s clear that Black Ops 2 Zombies had a huge turnaround—because Die Rise (like Tranzit) is one of my least-played maps ever, and if I had to rate them, I would probably give those maps a 3 or 4/10. That said, I did love the Sliquifier, and the Die Rise remake on Black Ops 3 Customs is genuinely enjoyable.

The Survival Maps were also a cool addition. In fact, I found playing solo survival maps to be more fun than revisiting Tranzit or Die Rise.

Black Ops 2 also experimented with new modes like Turned and Grief. While limited to only a few maps, Grief was a decently fun mode with some chaotic moments.

Final Thoughts

Black Ops 2 was my first introduction to a game mode that I still love and play to this day. I hold this game close to my heart—and always will.

Zombies, to me, isn’t just a game mode. It’s become a part of my life. Thousands of hours of gameplay, hundreds of hours of YouTube content—I’ve poured so much time into becoming a part of the Zombies community.

With two terrible maps and three all-time greats, Black Ops 2 Zombies earns a nice 8.5/10 from me.