Operation Apocalypse Z has been out for a couple weeks now in Black Ops 4, and I’m still not used to it. The summer update prior to this had given Blackout fantastic lighting, crisp graphics, and a breezy feeling that is sorely missed. While I appreciate Treyarch for churning out new content so readily, the new atmosphere in the battle royale map is grim, and the ambiance distracts from the matter at hand. Namely killing everyone else off before they kill you.

Faint hisses and undead groans drift through the wind, and I keep twisting my heading, looking for the vehicle that I thought was approaching or the equipment that I swore was being deployed. Nope. Just the ol’ apocalypse doing its own thing. When the Days of Summer update was active, you would leap from the helicopters, survey the gorgeous ground beneath you, and scan for a suitable place to drop. The different sections of the map could be seen with ease, and your opponents were visible as they streaked across the sky.

No longer! Now you descend into the murky depths. And you swivel from side to side, wondering if you’re hearing other players or the latest zombie growl to whisper through your headset. I want the sun back. I want the scattered remnants of the barbecue. I want to be able to see the map without straining my eyes. I want the water to not look like an eighteen-wheeler full of red Kool-Aid crashed upstream. It’s July, Treyarch. Turn the lights back on!