Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is an incredibly interesting game to watch, as depending on what type of player is asked about its quality, one could end up with vastly different answers. A campaign enjoyer will likely criticize it heavily for its messy narrative and lack of setpieces, a multiplayer fan may call it one of the best CoD games in years, and a Zombies fan could fall into either camp depending on what exactly they want from the survival mode. Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 Season 2 is only muddying the waters even more, as Treyarch is showering multiplayer fans in over a half dozen maps (though some planned additions have drawn ire), while Zombies fans are concerned about what comes next. These fears are tied to a common Call of Duty debate: map remasters.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 may not have gone all in on remasters like Modern Warfare 3 (2023), but fans have still criticized Treyarch’s remaster choices for the game. To put it simply, players are tired of seeing the same exact maps ad nauseam; Hijacked, Standoff, Slums, and Firing Range keep on coming back, and while they are undoubtedly beloved maps, a lot of fans want to see more risks taken. Black Ops Cold War reviving Drive-In felt random, but it played perfectly in that game and felt new since it hadn't been remastered before. Perhaps BO7’s later Seasons will be more ambitious with map remasters, digging deep to find maps that fit the current gameplay best, but Season 2 bringing back Slums feels like more of the same. And there’s no greater example of repetitive, overly safe map remasters than Nuketown.
The lone map that comes close to Nuketown in terms of overuse is Shipment, which shows up in Infinity Ward and Sledgehammer games constantly. At least that map has had some slight layout changes, but even then, there are as many fans that are tired of seeing it as there are those who like to grind 24/7 playlists of it.
Like clockwork, every Black Ops game introduces at least one version of Nuketown, with multiple iterations being featured in each game being the norm as of late. Players have explored Nuketown as a museum and a frozen-over Russian base, they’ve seen how it would look in the Fallout universe thanks to the recent collab, and they’ve survived within multiple zombified versions of the map. And now, there will be a third (and potentially fourth) CoD Zombies experience set in the Nevada testing site, news that left the community frustrated when it first broke, as many hoped for something brand-new. Yet as tired as Nuketown has become, Treyarch has seemingly found a way to make the map look intriguing, as Paradox Junction puts a very interesting spin on Black Ops’ most recognizable map.
Paradox Junction Seemingly Takes Players to a Nuclear Explosion Frozen in Time
Since the latest version of Nuketown is set within the Dark Aether, Treyarch is free to make whatever bold, physics-breaking adjustments it sees fit. And it seems like it has taken full advantage of this potential, as players have recently been given a very brief glimpse at the upcoming map Paradox Junction. Seemingly included accidentally in an advertisement for the Free Trial running from February 5-February 9 (the map is not playable yet, as it doesn’t release until the midseason update), players can clearly see the iconic hodgepodge of vehicles that make up the center of the Nuketown cul-de-sac. However, it’s what looms above those cars and trucks that’s so exciting.
Black Ops 7 Zombies’ Season 2 launch content is a Survival version of the Mars area players visited during Astra Malorum’s main quest.
It seems like Paradox Junction will live up to its trippy name by featuring a massive nuclear cloud in the background that is frozen in time, never dissipating and always being at its maximum size. This makes for a genuinely stunning aesthetic that stands out from both Astra Malorum and Ashes of the Damned, with an orange skybox and the huge cloud from the bomb guaranteeing an appropriately hellish landscape. Black Ops 7 Zombies has been a huge return to form when it comes to map atmosphere, and though there were understandably concerns about an Alpha Omega re-imagining looking bland, it’s clear that this isn’t the case. Whereas Nuketown Zombies was just Nuketown at night, and Alpha Omega was just basic Nuketown ravaged by the infected, Paradox Junction has visuals working in its favor.
Name That Game
Paradox Junction Isn’t Out of the Woods Yet
This brief look at Paradox Junction’s visuals makes it clear that the map will at least look great, but gameplay remains an all-important question mark. Alpha Omega remains a strange choice for a reimagining given that it was fairly unpopular when it released in the ever-divisive Black Ops 4, and becomes even stranger when considering how many truly great maps (Der Eisendrache, Buried, Gorod Krovi, and Shadows of Evil) feel more deserving of a revisit. Given the kneejerk reaction fans have had to the plans for another iteration of Nuketown within Zombies, it's apparent that Treyarch has to do something to make Paradox Junction feel unique; making it more of the same could be disastrous, deflating the hype around the game much like The Tomb did when it launched in Black Ops 6 Season 2. Unfortunately, there’s now good reason to be concerned, at least if a recent leak is to be believed.
Exploring the desert outside, new underground areas via a revamped bunker, and altered buildings were all expected, but now, it’s unclear if any of that will even happen.
Reputable Call of Duty insider @TheGhostofHope, the same leaker that suggested an Alpha Omega reimagining and separate Nuketown survival map were on the way, has shared a concerning update about Paradox Junction. The leaker has stated that, despite their sources previously suggesting Paradox Junction would be a unique full-sized map where Nuketown is just a piece of a larger experience, the latest update is that Paradox Junction is just a reskinned version of Nuketown with no new areas. While the community was willing to give the map a fair shot, especially after seeing the neat image of the nuke cloud, the idea that there could be nothing new to the map is heartbreaking. Exploring the desert outside, new underground areas via a revamped bunker, and altered buildings were all expected, but now, it’s unclear if any of that will even happen.
Obviously, Paradox Junction just being Nuketown would be devastating, even more so than The Tomb was, as at least that was an original map to explore. It’s hard to imagine an engaging Wonder Weapon quest and satisfying main Easter egg on a map as small as Paradox Junction is now rumored to be. Still, it’s important to not get too negative before official details on Paradox Junction are shared by Treyarch. There’s always a chance the datamined info is incorrect, or that @TheGhostOfHope’s sources are wrong about Paradox Junction's lack of changes. Maybe it will be a full-sized map like Alpha Omega was, full of interesting ideas and new quests. This leak has certainly raised some concerns, but based on the single official image that fans have to go off of, Treyarch has successfully made a Nuketown map that looks exciting to play on thanks to the time loop. Whether it actually is enjoyable in practice remains to be seen, but artistically, it looks just as spectacular as the other maps in BO7 Zombies.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 65 /100 Critics Rec: 34%
- Released
- November 14, 2025
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Suggestive Themes, Use of Drugs
- Developer(s)
- Treyarch, Raven Software
- Publisher(s)
- Activision
WHERE TO PLAY
In Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, Treyarch and Raven Software are bringing players the most mind-bending Black Ops ever.
The year is 2035 and the world is on the brink of chaos, ravaged by violent conflict and psychological warfare. David Mason leads an elite JSOC team on a covert mission to the sprawling Mediterranean city of Avalon. While there, they discover a sophisticated plot that won’t just plunge the world into chaos, it will pull them into their own haunting pasts.
Squad up or go solo in an innovative Co-Op Campaign that redefines the Black Ops experience. Take on high-stakes challenges across a wide spectrum of environments, from the neon-lit rooftops of Japan to the Mediterranean coast, and even into the deepest corners of the human psyche.
Multiplayer explodes out of the gate with 16 electrifying 6v6 maps and two 20v20 maps at launch. From futuristic Tokyo vistas to the frozen, unforgiving wilds of Alaska, every environment is brimming with danger and opportunity. Master a cutting-edge arsenal and outmaneuver your enemies with an evolved Omnimovement system.
In Treyarch’s legendary Round-Based Zombies mode, the nightmare begins where reality ends. Trapped in the heart of the Dark Aether, the crew is thrust into a vast, ever-shifting hellscape. This isn’t just survival. It’s a descent into madness.
