Black Ops 7 Zombies’ New O.S.C.A.R Mini-Boss is One thing I Waited 14 Years For

Like most Name of Obligation Zombies followers, I hated combating the zombified George Romero on Name of the Lifeless after I was youthful. Previous to that map, the mode had by no means tried something like George, who was a persistent mini-boss that adopted the participant round for your entire recreation. Whereas he may finally be killed — a course of that took 1000’s of bullets and rewarded gamers with a Demise Machine or a Wunderwaffe if that they had already overwhelmed the Easter egg — he’d return a number of rounds later. Consequently, it was finest to guide him to water, cool him down, and transfer to a different space of the map to keep away from him as a lot as potential. Managing George noticed me throwing many expletives within the path of the late director, however as I obtained older, I noticed how he had truly made the map particular. And it’s for that purpose that I’m so appreciative of the brand new O.S.C.A.R mini-boss.

Within the early days of the Black Ops 7 map’s launch, I’ve seen a handful of complaints about O.S.C.A.R, a number of of which l take me again to my first a number of Name of the Lifeless periods. These embrace the next phrases:

“He has too much health and is impossible to kill”
“He makes it too difficult to complete Easter eggs and move around the map”
“He ruins TEDD Trials”
“He has no Ammo Mod weaknesses”
“His buffs to regular Zombies are too extreme”

But as divisive as O.S.C.A.R appears to be, as somebody who got here to like Call of the Dead and George Romero’s position inside it, this new menace is definitely a dream come true for me. I’d even go so far as to say he’s the perfect factor in regards to the map, and one thing that can assist it age properly as time goes on.

O.S.C.A.R Helps Deal with One in all Fashionable CoD Zombies’ Most Frequent Criticisms

One of many greatest complaints about recent CoD Zombies experiences from old-school followers, and one thing that’s troublesome to argue towards, is that newer maps really feel too much like each other. Whereas older maps had distinctive gear like Spikemores or distinct buildables just like the Subsurface Resonator, the identical crafting desk exists throughout every map launched in video games like Black Ops 7. Distinct HUDs for every map, map-exclusive bullet weapons, particular rewards tied to at least one map solely, like Silver Bullets in Lifeless of the Evening – these are all issues of the previous. Naturally, a key enchancment trendy Zombies can nonetheless make is to make every map extra distinct from the others in a given recreation, and O.S.C.A.R appears like a primary step towards that.

Whereas Elites like Zursa and Uber-Klaus have totally different assaults and behavioral patterns, they in the end fall below the identical sample of gamers filling them with bullets the second they seem after which transferring on till they respawn. O.S.C.A.R, nevertheless, is like George within the sense that gamers have to do a little bit of considering and method him in a different way than a typical Elite. Whereas they’ll and may take him right down to construct the LGM-1 Wonder Weapon, past that, they’re finest off avoiding him fully, keeping track of the place he’s patrolling to maneuver to a separate space of the map. This might really feel off-putting to gamers who aren’t acquainted with a boss from a map that’s properly over a decade outdated by now, so they might find yourself taking pictures and fascinating O.S.C.A.R when it’s not at all times the perfect path ahead.

O.S.C.A.R drops a particular Shiny Trinket that enables gamers to tame a pleasant Ravager, a enjoyable mechanic that can hopefully stay unique to Astra Malorum in order that it feels extra distinct.

George A. Romero emerging from water — BAD George A. Romero

What as soon as made Name of the Lifeless divisive is what’s made it extra particular as time has gone on, as there’s actually been nothing like George elsewhere in CoD Zombies. Positive, the perk-stealing Astronauts on Moon would slowly chase the participant and will catch them off guard, however they died rapidly and weren’t as persistent as an indignant George. Very like George required gamers to look at the place they shoot to keep away from angering him, demanding an additional layer of consideration and technique if gamers wished to outlive, O.S.C.A.R shakes up each match of Astra Malorum by stopping gamers from getting too comfy. In the event that they need to keep in the identical spot for rounds on finish, they’ll must earn it by killing O.S.C.A.R. But when they’re prepared to control him and transfer to totally different areas, they’ll get by dozens of rounds with out even having an interplay with this machine resembling a Fallout Protectron.

O.S.C.A.R Isn’t One thing to Struggle… Till You Have To

All of the complaints gamers have about O.S.C.A.R — whether or not it’s the Zombie buffs the place he turns them into tremendous sprinters or his deep well being pool — don’t apply if he isn’t being engaged. One of the simplest ways to method O.S.C.A.R is to keep away from him, solely partaking when completely obligatory. If he’s close to a TEDD trial, keep away from doing it till he strikes, or have one other participant lead him away till it’s full. And if he’s blocking your go-to prepare spot, it’s finest to seek out another location to carry off till he roams to a different chunk of the map. In Black Ops Chilly Conflict and Black Ops 6, issue was one thing many referred to as for, and BO7 has supplied that by way of additions like Cursed mode in addition to O.S.C.A.R. Whereas I get that he might not be everybody’s favourite cup of tea — hell, I was a George hater on Name of the Lifeless earlier than I noticed how the distinct problem he dropped at the map was factor — O.S.C.A.R’s design is as truthful as it’s daring.

Not solely can he be prevented, however when he’s fought, he doesn’t do a ton of harm and telegraphs his enemy buffs by way of a gradual UFO shot gamers can simply dodge. Sure, he has a ton of well being, however that’s to drive house the purpose that he’s an endlessly patrolling menace that’s not meant to be fought until obligatory. Giving him ammo mod weaknesses like another mini-boss would make him a breeze to kill, fully defeating the aim of a George successor. It’s good that O.S.C.A.R is so powerful, and it’s even higher that he strikes from a gradual, avoidable patrol bot to a quick pursuer as soon as players hit spherical 50. This pace buff drastically alters O.S.C.A.R’s habits to make excessive rounds distinct, whereas in most different maps, excessive rounding is the very same factor advert nauseam. Evolving O.S.C.A.R from an avoidable downside to one thing gamers must face head-on is a good contact, and it’s nonetheless truthful since gamers might be kitted out at Spherical 50 and might afford Hand Cannons to deplete his well being bar extra simply.

Astra Malorum Easter Egg Walkthrough - CoD BO7

I’d gladly die on the hill that O.S.C.A.R is a wholesome factor for Astra Malorum and Black Ops 7 Zombies as a complete, because the mode can use extra artistic boss encounters like this one. In the event you’re somebody who initially hates O.S.C.A.R, maybe you’ll develop to like his presence like I did with George on Name of the Lifeless. To me, these bosses are type of annoying that retains gamers on their toes and prevents any technique from being too protected and simple. And even when this sort of addition places some gamers off Astra Malorum, I’d nonetheless argue it was a good suggestion, because it’s vital for CoD Zombies to maintain making an attempt new issues even when they do not work — or on this case, dig up ideas which have spent years on the shelf. O.S.C.A.R is in the end going to be a love-or-hate determine, however I’m firmly in that first class of gamers.