I’ve played every DLC released so far for Call of Duty: Ghosts and with each installment I hope there will be significant improvement over the preceding DLC. The maps could have a better overall design or maybe a nice new mode was added to keep things fresh. At the very least, I hope there is something new to occupy my precious time. Sadly that is not the case with Invasion. You could easily skip it and not feel like you’re missing out in any way.

The two previous DLCs Onslaught and Devastation came with weapons that would give you a slight advantage. Invasion doesn’t. Onslaught and Devastation also recreated an old Modern Warfare map updating it with new paths and making it fit into the Ghosts world. Again, Invasion does not. Even the Extinction level was far shorter and easier to beat than the last one. More on that all that later, for now, let’s get into the map details.

call of duty ghosts invasion dlc departed

The first map is Mutiny. A medium sized map that is mostly on a horizontal plane but with some lower passages to sneak by and one area up high to get a good bird’s-eye view. Clearly the best part about this map is the pirate theme. The whole area gives off that vibe that it was taken right out of the 1800’s…or Pirates of The Caribbean. There is a giant ship in the middle of the map and even a tavern that looks exactly like every pirate bar in a movie. Since many of the paths are narrow, there are countless fire-fights down the hallways depending on what mode you play. This makes for quick and intense battles without searching for people. One field order summons ghosts pirates to get some kills for you but it isn’t nearly as spectacular as one would hope. Luckily there is another field order. It is a canon barrage from a pirate ship that sails by. Essentially, it’s just mortar fire but a neat touch is the town exploding around you. Sadly it doesn’t change the map gameplay-wise, but it certainly looks cool.

A really spectacular setting is the Departed level. This takes place in Mexico on Dia de los Muertos otherwise known as the Festival of The Dead. A lot of work was put into the set decoration, and while that may not be what you’re paying attention to when you’re unloading your weapon it is still nice to appreciate it. Besides all the festive decorations and colors, the map is designed well enough. There are open areas and skinny areas with lots of square shops to run through. There are multiple paths running throughout the level, but only a few spots where you can get up high for a better view. The map was built for run-and-gunners with lots of tight corridors and close combat with an opening towards the center for everyone to head towards. I should state that a lot of people hide in corners and buildings on this map. The best part of this map is the field order which turns you into duel-wielding dead mariachi member and every person you kill becomes a teammate to help you fight.

call of duty ghosts invasion dlc pharaoh

Pharaoh is a long map that has big open spaces with some corridors. The outside section is for the snipers and any long-ranged weapon users. The inside has the corridors that are more suited to run-and-gunners, but even those corridors are still pretty lengthy. This is probably my least favorite map in this pack and I always try to avoid it when possible. As I just stated snipers will enjoy this level, but it is far to open with enormous sight-lines that can funnel people unfairly. There is a cool feature on this level that involves turning three torches to open a secret room. In that room there is a free random killstreak, but you better get out fast or you’ll find yourself buried with the mummies. The field order grants you all the perks in the game for a limited time.

The redesigned—err I mean the same map from Modern Warfare II is Favela. Nothing has changed on it (besides graphical update of course) and while I find it annoying I paid money for a map that wasn’t changed in any real way. I can’t be too mad because of how much I love this level. This goes back to the days of well-built, creative, intricate – and best of all – fair map design. There are plenty of paths to take, buildings to go in, and vertical heights to get an advantage with. However, there are multiple entrances to every room so people can’t hide, and anyone who is on a roof may have a good view but are seriously exposed themselves. The sight lines are designed so you cannot see across the entire map from one location, and no perch is impenetrable. Fans of Modern Warfare II will feel right at home with this map, and people who haven’t played it yet will see what a truly well-designed map is. The field order also brings back a classic and lets you control a Y-8 gunship which is very similar to the AC-130 from MW2.

cod ghosts extinction

The extinction level mixed it up a little bit to keep it refreshing, but it wasn’t nearly as challenging as past maps. This time you take the fight to the aliens and find yourself on a planet with low gravity. Call of Duty felt a little more like Halo with all the low gravity jumping, but it was fun to experience. Like the rest of the levels, you progress through waves of enemies as you lay down the drill to destroy whatever needs destroying. There are multiple stages in the game where someone controls an airborne drone to destroy obelisks and everyone needs to defend the drone. The ending gets a little hectic, and unlike the previous two DLCs, you do not fight a boss but need to run back to the beginning fighting off endless waves of creatures.

Admittedly this level was not nearly as difficult as the last level. That could be due to a number of reasons, but the fact remains that the very first time I attempted this level I beat it. Generally, it takes at least several tries, if not more. The entire time through this level I never felt overwhelmed or in trouble. Granted, there were a couple of hectic moments, but I never felt that moment where I was screwed with no hope. The Gargoyles didn’t pose nearly as much as a threat as the Seekers in the last one, and that alone could have been the difference. Don’t get me wrong, it was still fun and it was the main reason I purchased this DLC. I enjoyed the twists with the low gravity and controlling the air drone. Fighting the final waves of enemies and running all the way back had my blood-pumping. The lack of challenge is noticeable; however, and that made this level far less enticing as previous installments.

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Compared to the other DLCs this is the worst of them. There is no extra weapon, the maps aren’t anything incredible, and the extinction mode was short and lacked any real challenge. I only really enjoy two of the maps, and one of those was a complete copy-and-paste. This DLC feels a little pricey for what you actually get. If you need more maps to occupy your time and love Ghosts, then you will undoubtedly enjoy Invasion the same reason you love any COD DLC. For those who are not die-hard Call of Duty fans, this is a skip-able DLC that doesn’t offer anything that’s a must buy.

This review is based off a retail copy of the Playstation 4 version of the Call of Duty: Ghosts Invasion DLC developed by Infinity Ward and Published by Activision. 

Passable Warfare | Call of Duty: Ghosts - Invasion DLC Review
Overall Score6.5
Positives
  • Nicely Themed Maps and Field Orders
  • Brings Back Great Original MW2 Map
  • Extinction Mode Still Fun...
Negatives
  • ...But Not Challenging Enough
  • No New Weapon
  • Not Really Worth Price
6.5Overall Score
Reader Rating: (0 Votes)
0.0

About The Author

Neil has had a passion for video games ever since the Atari entered his life so many years ago. He's been writing about them for over two years and sees no end in sight. Reach out to him on twitter @nconnors13