Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare 'Sabotage' DLC review

Although Xbox One gamers had to wait a little longer than we'd have liked, Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare's first DLC pack 'Sabotage' is here at last. We've played all four new multiplayer maps and the summer camp-themed Zombies level to bring you this full review.

Multiplayer Maps

'Sabotage' adds four new competitive multiplayer maps to the Infinite Warfare. These maps can be accessed through three new matchmaking queues:

Sabotage Team Deathmatch: Two teams compete for kills on the new maps.
Sabotage Moshpit: Play a variety of game types on the new maps.
HC Sabotage Moshpit: A variety of gametypes with 'Hardcore' settings for additional challenge.

If you've played Infinite Warfare, you already know how fast and fun its multiplayer mode can be. But what about those new maps?

Renaissance

Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare 'Sabotage' DLC

Renaissance is the most traditional map in its appearance. Set in Venice, Italy, the map features classical architecture, boat-filled canals, and a church and other buildings in which to fight. Futuristic details are kept to a minimum – apparently, Venice hasn't changed too much in Infinite Warfare's futuristic setting.

This is the smallest and tightest map in the 'Sabotage' pack, so you won't go too far without encountering the enemy.

Noir

This night-time map features a futuristic noir theme, much like the movie Blade Runner and its upcoming sequel. Brooklyn of the future looks much like it does now, only with glowing sci-fi billboards and other advanced touches here and there. Off in the distance, New York lights up the sky with familiar lights and the occasional brilliant neon colors.

Noir is a little larger than Renaissance, but still manages to funnel players into choke points around the outskirts and a courtyard area in the center. Quite a fun map to play.

Neon

The most futuristic 'Sabotage' map, Neon takes place in a virtual training center for urban warfare. Think of it as one of those obstacle courses police have to go through, mixed with an Apple Store.

Rounded white buildings, futuristic cars, and imposing police vehicles dot the area. Shoot a car and it vanishes, turning out to be a holographic construction. You can see the edges of the map trail off into nothingness, also a cool effect.

Although I appreciate Neon's sci-fi touches, it's probably the map I struggled with the most. The tall buildings and white and gray color scheme don't make for terrific visibility.

Dominion

Sure to be a fan favorite of this release, Dominion is a new version of the Afghan map from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. The big change: now it's set on Mars.

All the same landmarks are there, including the crashed ship that shattered into pieces when it hit the ground. Only now, it looks like you're fighting in the movie The Martian. Infinite Warfare happens much farther into the future though, so you'll witness massive warships fighting in the distance.

Dominion is my favorite of the new maps. Not only does it look great, but the layout is easy to grasp.

Zombies: Rave in the Redwoods

Zombies is the traditional Call of Duty co-op mode, but Infinite Warfare's gets much more creative than usual. This time, the Zombies levels are actually set within a horror movies. Four young actors show up to audition and are unwittingly sucked into this magical movie by a crazy director voiced by Paul Reubens.

The main game includes a single Zombies level set within a haunted 1980s theme park. 'Sabotage' adds one new co-op level of its own. 'Rave in the Redwoods' moves forwards to the nineties, at a Friday the 13th-style summer camp. A rave at the abandoned camp has gone seriously wrong, and now everybody but our heroes have become zombies.

The level starts out in a wooden camp building with a large patio area outside. Players don't start with weapons here, so you'll need to scramble to find one. I grabbed a golf club from a couch, with proved quite effective at one-hit killing zombies during the early waves. As with 'Zombies in Spaceland,' you'll also need to board up windows to slow down zombies while building up funds to buy guns and open up new areas.

Before long, we opened up a new area where I spent most of my time: a musical stage surrounded by tents and vendors' stands. Zombies levels usually have unique mechanics, and that definitely applies here.

Find a "sack" and you can throw it in the nearby campfire. When you do, the area suddenly becomes flooded with hallucinogenic neon vapors. This makes the zombies and your fellow campers look especially trippy. While the sack burns, you can also stop to 'listen to the fairies.' Communing with these ghostly fairies imparts an XP bonus. Just don't let the zombies get you while you're tripping.

Whereas the 'Zombies in Spaceland' map featured special waves with killer clown attacks, 'Rave in the Redwoods' goes with a more natural enemy for the setting: rabid sasquatches! These hairy apes are big, mean, and their eyes glow a frightening color in the dark. I find them scarier than the clowns, really.

Eventually, my team reached a lakeside pier in which a couple of us managed to escape into a boat while the others stayed on land. The zombies weren't far behind – they become fiercer with each wave, eventually dealing so much damage that you'll be downed in one or two hits.

'Rave in the Redwoods' suffers the same problem as the previous Zombies level: it gets annoyingly hard as the game progresses. The developers do this to extend the life of the game, but the earlier waves are just so much more fun the later ones.

Players who get far enough and complete enough objectives will meet this level's celebrity guest star: notorious director Kevin Smith. Just like David Hasselhoff in the last level, Smith plays himself. He can even be unlocked as a playable character, but only if you manage to beat the final boss and reach the ending. Playing as Kevin Smith sounds more like a punishment than a reward, but that's just me.

All 10 of the 'Sabotage' DLC's Achievements are tied to 'The Rave in the Redwoods.' They add a total of 150 Gamerscore to Infinite Warfare.

Overall Impression

You always know what you're getting with a Call of Duty DLC: a selection of competitive maps and one cooperative Zombies map. This batch of maps is quite strong, with Dominion and Noir the clear standouts. I look forward to playing more of them in the weeks to come.

I find 'The Rave in the Redwoods' a little darker and less appealing than 'Zombies in Spaceland,' but I've never been a big fan of the slasher movies that inspired the new setting. It still offers a challenging time for up to four players, with loads of objectives and secrets to discover. Where will the next Zombies map take place, I wonder?

The 'Sabotage' DLC costs $14.99 on its own, or you can get it with the $49.99 Infinite Warfare Season Pass. If you play Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare online, consider this DLC a must-buy. Don't have the game yet? Be sure to read our full review.

Xbox One review code provided by the publisher.