“Seaside” is one of the most gorgeous maps in Call of Duty: Black Ops 4. Though COD is known for bombed-out cities and soon-to-be-bombed-out nuclear test sites, “Seaside” takes a more colorful approach. The result is a map that feels like it could be in Overwatch. That’s fitting, given that Black Ops 4’s team-based multiplayer wouldn’t be out of place in Blizzard’s shooter.
How does “Seaside” facilitate that kind of team-based play? Where are the choke points, the corridors and the arenas? Below, we take an in-depth look at what makes Call of Duty: Black Ops 4’s “Seaside” map tick.
How is Call of Duty: Black Ops 4’s “Seaside” Map Structured?
For starters, “Seaside” is built, more or less, like a snowman. As the match begins, opposing teams spawn in wide-open areas at the north and south sides of the map. Those teams frequently meet in the brightly colored plaza that forms the snowman’s stomach. While the plaza is central, you shouldn’t plan on spending much time there. The central area is accessible from three different directions, and a perch at the top of the bombed-out church to the north gives snipers easy access.
Strangely enough, “Seaside” has a lot in common with a 2-D Sonic the Hedgehog stage. Like many levels in Sega’s flagship series, “Seaside” has multiple parallel routes running through it. From either starting arena, players have three or four options as they begin their sprint across the map. There’s a central corridor that leads through all three arenas, and a bevy of smaller paths. If you’re playing Nomad or Torque, these corridors are a great place to set trip wire or razor wire traps.
Where the Action Happens
Ultimately, three enclosed areas facilitate the fast, frantic shootouts that define “Seaside”: the wine cellar, the visitor center and the church.
Firstly, the wine cellar is a dimly lit, twisty room on the east side of the map that forces close combat encounters. During Search and Destroy, the smoke in the air gets heavy as players fight to defuse a bomb in this area. The twists and turns provide plenty of cover, but also mean that you’ll potentially be blindsided by a sprinting combatant.
Likewise, it’s hard to feel safe while holding down the visitor center on the west side. With four entrances, and a kiosk in the middle of the area, enemies can easily sneak up from behind. But, the map is used for Control, which means that it’s necessary to master the art of locking it down.
Finally, the church draws much of the attention in many matches. A common objective point, teams are frequently tasked with holding the church. Given that a large section of the north wall was taken out by the tank that resides at the center of the room, and that entrances lead in from all four sides, that’s not always easy. However, the church’s steeple provides a vital sniper nest to take down any soldier foolish enough to dawdle in the plaza.
“Seaside” is one of the best maps in the game, and is fast becoming one of my favorites in the series. It’s ample proof that bombed-out can still be beautiful; a “Seaside” vacation that’s anything but relaxing.