Call of Duty: Warzonefans have been patiently waiting for The Haunting event to return, as the one that took place last year was a massive hit. Fortunately, it does not seem like this year’s version will disappoint. Not only isCall of Duty: Black Ops Cold Wargetting a spooky version of Nuketown, Infected, and a Halloween-focused Outbreak variant, butCall of Duty: Warzonewill be getting a thrilling new game mode based entirely on ghosts.
Essentially the stand-in forCall of Duty: Warzone’s popular Zombie Royale mode, Ghosts of Verdansk sees players controlling and playing against some spooky specters. The mode features some interesting mechanics that separate it from the other experiences that are available in the battle royale title, ensuring that Ghosts of Verdansk is just as exciting as The Haunting’s new cosmetics.
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Ghosts of Verdansk’s Setting And Announcer
Described as a spiritual successor to Zombie Royale, players will once again be entering into a spookier version ofCall of Duty: Warzone’s Verdansk map. This time around, the play space will be completely covered in fog, giving players a setting that keeps them on edge. However, that is not the only thing that makes the mode memorable, as a special announcer guides players through each Ghosts of Verdansk match.
Instead of the usual announcer, Scream’s Ghostface will provide voiceover as the match progresses. Instead of just having a few generic lines, though, there is a huge amount of dialogue tied to the iconic movie character. He will talk directly to the Operator players are controlling, with Ghostface threatening Mara or yelling atAlex Masondue to his obsession with The Numbers. This dialogue is funny and scary, as players feel like they are being watched by the masked killer. It makes Ghosts of Verdansk feel more special as well, which is always great to see in a limited time mode.
Explaining Ghosts of Verdansk’s Fear System
While hearingGhostfaceprovide commentary is a ton of fun, the most unique thing about Ghosts of Verdansk is undoubtedly its Fear meter. This mechanic sees players having an entirely new thing to manage as their match progresses, with players beginning a match with no Fear points. They will want to avoid accumulating points and letting the meter get too high, as failure to do so will see players having some severe hallucinations. Aside from jumpscares, FOV will be adjusted, and players will have their screen blocked with bullet holes and scary faces, making it harder to see. Heavy breathing will also be heard, which makes it tough to listen for enemy footsteps.
Gamers will see their fear increasing if they are engaging incowardlyCall of Dutycampingor if they watch dead bodies transform into Ghosts. Squadmates dying will also raise fear, as will being shot at by enemies or being near killstreaks. Obviously, avoiding all these things will be difficult to new players, so gamers need to come up with different strategies to find success in this battle royale variant. With time, players will likely master the mechanics of the mode.
For those who end up with high fear meters, there are ways that they can be lowered soCall of Duty: Warzoneplayerscan avoid the hallucinations. Killing a player or a ghost will do the trick, taking a large chunk of fear away. The meter can also be dropped by reviving a teammate or completing a contract, giving players a few ways to escape insanity. Finally, gamers can stand on Sacred Ground to lower their meters. Marked on the mini map and identified by glowing blue circles across Verdansk, these magical areas cannot be reached by ghosts. The ghosts can damage the circles by ramming into them enough times, though, eventually destroying the Sacred Ground. As such, players will want to kill them if they get close.
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What It’s Like To Play As A Verdansk Ghost
However, much like Zombie Royale thrived because it let players controlCall of Duty’s iconic zombies, the playable ghosts are where Ghosts of Verdansk truly shine. The mode being described as a spiritual successor makes sense once players take control of a ghost, as two of the abilities are very reminiscent of 2020’s playable zombies. However, the other ability stands out a bit more, as it is a fresh power that fits the ghost theme very well.
When it comes to the familiar,Call of Duty: Warzoneplayers should be happy to know that they will once again be leaping through the Verdansk skies. Super jump is back, with gamers able to fly high into the air and cross long distances in seconds. A neat touch sees this version of the jumps being less weighty, with ghosts able to float and glide in ways that the zombies could not. As for the other returning ability, players can unleash a Spectral Blast to stun enemies and disableCall of Duty: Warzone’s vehicles. Aside from the new name, this is the exact same as the EMP blast from Zombie Royale.
The final ability is also movement-based, with ghosts able to teleport short distances to get close toCall of Duty: Warzone’s Operators. However, this ability has a slow cooldown, meaning that it cannot be spammed against a whole group. Ghosts can teleport through human enemies and appear on the other side of them, though, which is a nice benefit. Ghosts can only use melee attacks to injure their prey, but players have a great reason to go for some kills when stuck in this state.
If ghosts pick up three souls (one drops from each dead human), they can respawn as a normal player just like they could with the Zombie Royale vials. They can also respawn by performing a flashy finishing move, which is tough to do since it can be interrupted. With the goal of the mode seeing players fight to be the last surviving human, respawning as quickly as possible will be important. Given how much thislimited timeCall of Duty: Warzonemodeis doing different, and how much it resembles the previous Haunting mode, it could end up being a huge hit with fans.
Call of Duty: Warzoneis available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
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