There’s been a lot of hype surrounding the new Call of Duty Warzone mode coming to Modern Warfare and it finally dropped yesterday. After a few hours of playing, it’s clear that Infinity Ward has created something special with this new installment to the Battle Royale genre, and we’re loving every bit of it.

What is Call of Duty Warzone?

Call of Duty Warzone is the new Battle Royale mode for Call of Duty Modern Warfare. Most Battle Royale games put you in a lobby with about 100 people, but Warzone up’s the ante with up to 150 players.

You start off in a plane with a squad of up to 3 people and parachute into the battlefield below in typical Battle Royale fashion. The difference between Warzone and most Battle Royale games is that Warzone tries to stay as grounded in realism as possible without sacrificing the usual Battle Royale mechanics. Think of it as a cross between PUBG and Apex Legends as it perfectly blends realism and action into a standalone experience.

What’s Different About Call of Duty Warzone?

It’s clear that Infinity Ward has paid close attention to the Battle Royale craze. With each new installment to the Battle Royale Genre, developers have an opportunity to improve upon its predecessors, which holds true for Infinity Ward and Warzone.

Warzone manages to innovate on the genre and has solved many of the complaints people have had about Battle Royale games. For starters, when you land, you aren’t completely unarmed and scrambling for weapons or armor. You start off with a pistol and two armor plates in the beginning so you at least have a fighting chance.

Call of Duty Warzone Loadout

Warzone keeps the loadout simple as you’re able to equip two guns and a lethal and nonlethal item. You also have a slot for a special perk that gives you a slight advantage in battle. That’s it, you won’t find yourself in your menu trying to equip attachments or perks for your weapons, which saves you those precious seconds you can use in battle. If you want a weapon that is decked out with the best attachments, you’ll have to find one in a chest or get it from a loadout dropbox.

There are blue and gold chests laid out throughout the map that emit a slight hum when you’re near them. You’ll have to find these if you want to have extra perks and better weapons.

Call of Duty Warzone Challenges

Within Warzone, there are challenges that you can complete that give you an opportunity to earn some extra cash when completed. You can find these challenges in loot boxes and they give you a time limit to either take out a bounty (which is another player), secure a location, or search a few pre-designated loot boxes. These challenges almost always reap generous rewards making it easier for you to survive.

Call of Duty Warzone Map

The Warzone game mode boasts a pretty decent sized map, which is needed to support a lobby of 150. When you fly in, one member of your squad is appointed the squad leader and the team can choose whether or not they want to listen to them.

Outlined on the Map when you first drop in you’ll see which areas will get blanketed by the gas first, but, as usual, you will have a few minutes before this happens. Unlike most Battle Royale games, if you find yourself in the gas, you won’t survive for a long time, unless you have a gas mask that is. Gas masks are found in chests so be sure to get one as soon as possible to maximize your chances for survival.

Call of Duty Warzone Vehicles

A huge map will need vehicles to navigate at times, which Warzone offers from the beginning. You have Cargo Trucks, ATVs, Helicopters, and SUVs to help traverse the terrain at a faster rate. Warzone does a good job of giving you something to take out the people who are in vehicles a lot. For instance, if you think you’ll cheese your way to victory by flying around in a helicopter all day, think again. There are plenty of RPGs on the ground for other players to use to take you out, plus, you’re just making yourself a huge target decreasing your chances for survival.

Call of Duty Warzone Gulag

The Gulag is probably my favorite thing that Infinity Ward did with Warzone. Upon your first death, you will be captured by the enemy and thrown into a jail cell where you will have to fight against another player in a one on one battle.

Playing on one of Modern Warfare’s most popular modes, you are basically in a high stake 1v1 gunfight match. If you defeat your opponent, you will come back to the lobby with a pistol and a fraction of the cash you had before you died earlier. If you lose the gunfight match, you will either have to spectate or wait until your team can bring you back using the cart.

Call of Duty Warzone Cash

Cash plays a huge role in Warzone. As you explore the map, you’ll come across piles of cash either freely laying around, inside loot boxes, or around dead enemies. Be sure to grab as much as you can as it will help with your survival or even bring back your teammates.

So how do you spend your cash?

You can use your cash at shopping carts throughout the area and they are marked on your map. You can buy UAV’s, armor plates, airstrikes and more from the carts. Also, if a teammate has died, you can use the carts to bring him back for $4500.

So far, Warzone is amazing. How do you like it so far? Do you think there are a lot of things Infinity Ward could have done better? Let us know in the comments below.

Thanks for reading. As always, Stay Gritty, Gamers!