Black Ops 6 and Warzone Season 5 impressions — End of siege

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August 23, 2025

On August 23, 2025

I feel like I’m repeating myself a little bit. With Black Ops 7 getting shown to the world, we have moved into the “wait for the new game” cycle. Admittedly with Modern Warfare III, the seasonal content was outstanding, although with a final season that you could tell was duct taped together and didn’t work. I’m not sure I feel that way with Season 5 of Black Ops 6; with only a few good additions, I’m losing my drive to continue to play beyond the battle pass.

Starting with Warzone, this won’t take long. That’s because there has been one addition, the inside of Stadium. It’s a cool area with some fun spaces to utilize and good loot, but the main draw was available for only a week. A new Satellite Hijack contract allowed you to blow the hole in the top of the Stadium, with a few steps which weren’t complicated but made it satisfying. Sadly, it’s all done and over, leaving you to simply go to the locale – assuming your circle pull even makes it a viable drop. There are some limited time modes going on during the season like Stadium Resurgence, but this doesn’t feel as big a deal as last year’s introduction of Atlas Superstore on Urzikstan.

On the multiplayer side, the maps may not be perfect, but they are fun. World Motor Dynasty (W.M.D.) returns from the original Black Ops, but with a different aesthetic. I still miss the snow, but the flow is largely good at ground level. Where this map gets weird is the verticality, with a lot of windows and catwalks which make it tough to watch a lane. It’s not horrendous, but I’ve been killed many a time from an unknown direction. Still, the ability to largely play any way you want gives this map a leg up on recent drops.

Runway is an interesting idea that I almost thought was a Verdansk Airport rework, but is only guilty of stealing a bit of the aesthetic. This airport terminal featuring a bit of plane wreckage has an almost circular lane around it, with mini-lanes in the middle. My initial worry was the flow would be similar to Subsonic, but somehow it works for Runway. This is most likely due to more cover alongside better flanking lanes, allowing there to be a few tight spaces that accentuate the longer sightlines.

Exchange rounds out several really good recent small sized maps, as long as you don’t take it too seriously. This map can be chaotic, but the city market has plenty of power positions and tight corners for an all-out brawl. It feels like a great map for grinding camos or weapon levels, with tons of engagements to be found. I know it’s in the realm of those kinds of maps due to size, but the layout is incredibly well-done and respects your need to fly out and challenge a foe.

On the back of the maps come the weapons you’ll use on them, and boy, are these different guns. The ABR A1 assault rifle and PML 5.56 light machine gun offer very diverse gunplay, along with unique results when firing them. Starting with the ABR A1, this is essentially the AUG, and it begins as a burst shot weapon. While there’s a bit of initial recoil, this can be easily mitigated by a few attachments, allowing for easy control. The page 14 blueprint for it on the battle pass is nearly perfect, a great option to start with when leveling the gun up.

That said, it still feels underpowered to me. If you hit your shots, you generally still need a second burst to finish an opponent. Given most of us will miss a few or not get headshots, this makes it a horrible weapon for anyone on the move. The ABR A1 is at its best when you sit yourself on a heady and just monitor a lane. Even once you unlock the full auto attachment, it doesn’t reach the power or accuracy of the AMES, AMAX, and other top ARs. There does seem to be merit in a Warzone build, but that’s about it.

As for the PML 5.56, this new variant of the SAW just ain’t it. It has a fast fire rate, but feels like it lacks a punch. That’s if you can even hit your target, with some of the most egregious initial recoil I’ve ever seen. I’m pretty good with controlling a weapon after learning the recoil patterns, but this thing is all over the place even with a plethora of recoil-oriented attachments. Adding in a lengthy reload, I’m completely out on this LMG.

Zombies is arguably headliner for Season 5, with “The Reckoning” finishing up Black Ops 6’s map run. While the final main quest seems to be a topic of contention online, I’m a casual Zombies player, so my impressions are based on the map itself. Besides that, this quest is pretty intensive, so my run probably won’t occur until Directed Mode arrives.

The Reckoning takes place in Janus Towers, with three separate towers connected by teleporters and two levels to each tower with elevators to access them. Even though the animations for using the teleporters aren’t anything crazy, the idea is fantastic. Being able to make the jump is cool and is an opportunity to reset yourself if a mess of zombies are on your tail.

Map flow is as important in Zombies as it is in multiplayer, and this is another map where the devs understood the assignment. Given the separation factor of the floors and towers, the spaces you’ll find yourself in are tight, but not unforgiving. Most rooms have the lanes or halls to run through to train zombies along, and as mentioned before you can hit an elevator or teleporter to get out. The secret particle accelerator room also has a fun bonus of some anti-gravity, which can slow down the horde and give you a moment of respite.

All of this works so well because of the outstanding aesthetic. Something bad has obviously happened here, just like all Zombie maps. The decrepit atmosphere of the towers is inviting but intimidating, giving off a mysterious vibe that draws you in. It’s all pulled together even more by at the top of the tower housing the S.A.M. sphere, which is humongous and spouting lines into a microphone sitting in its chamber. This is A tier in art design, absolutely. Also, the new Klaus “dog rounds” are a great changeup.

After playing this final map, my rankings for Black Ops 6 are as follows. Shattered Veil and Liberty Falls are tied for first place, an easy 1A and 1B. Liberty Falls gets its flowers for ease of understanding and great flow, with Shattered Veil’s open spaces and old-school flair winning me over. Terminus and The Reckoning find themselves in the third and fourth spot, with Terminus’ huge playground and epic final boss giving it an edge here. Coming in last is Citadelle des Morts and The Tomb. Citadelle is such a cool concept, but the flow never clicked with me. While the five above are great to fine Zombie maps, The Tomb stinks. I didn’t like the claustrophobic lanes, and the quest steps were incredibly annoying.

Lastly, let’s touch on the battle pass and bundle situation. There are some awesome blueprints, like the “Infernous” Kilo 141 or the “Lead Poisoning” Baseball Bat (which is just a pipe but dope). The cream of the crop are the reactive “Dragon King” ABR A1, which is like a mossy gun you’d find in an Aztec tomb, and the BlackCell “Lore Accurate” Krig C, which is ornately gaudy in all the best ways. I’m happy that this season’s operators are more subdued, no over-the-top characters beyond possibly the Mortal Kombat-esque Toro: “TKO” skin. For the most part, the skins feel like they belong, which is appreciated after a few of the recent collaborations. A big highlight is Sims returning – you can check out my interview with him from years ago below.

Season 5 feels like more of a silent sendoff to Black Ops 6 than a grand finale. Sure, The Reckoning manages to do its part in making the quest epic, but outside of that this season is lacking. I say that as someone who wants to engage with this part of the game’s lifecycle, and while I understand that although all good things come to an end, the seasonal content overall for Black Ops 6 has been subpar outside of a fantastic Season 3. I’m hopeful after hearing about the commitment for Black Ops 7’s seasonal updates, but for now, I’m left to wait for them.