Since it debuted in 2008, Call of Duty Zombies has regularly introduced iconic Wonder Weapons for players to wield against the undead. Given that some of these weapons have become fan favorites, it is no surprise that they have made appearances outside their original map. The Ray Gun has shown up time and time again, as has its successor the Ray Gun Mark 2. The Thunder Gun has made multiple appearances, and Edward Richtofen’s custom-made lightning weapon the Wunderwaffe DG-2 is found on multiple maps. Black Ops 6 has kept the trend alive, bringing back the aforementioned Wunderwaffe and the Ray Guns, as well as the Ice Staff from Origins. However, there is a Wonder Weapon that has only appeared once in Treyarch’s Zombies mode, and it is undoubtedly deserving of a comeback: the CRBR-S from Mauer Der Toten.
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What Makes the CRBR-S So Special?
The CRBR-S was one of the many things that made Mauer Der Toten the standout map of Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, as it genuinely felt like something worth chasing every game. An energy pistol with a high damage output, a solid ammo capacity, and a flashy visual design all contributed to the gun’s high quality, but it was its unique mechanic that made the CRBR-S both balanced and special. As opposed to something like the Wave Gun from Moon, which saw players switching between its two forms whenever they wish, the CRBR-S offered three variants that randomly dropped from the hordes of Zombies. These variants were as follows:
- The Diffuser variant fires four shots at a time
- The Blazer variant is essentially a laser beam
- The Swarm variant fired a barrage of micromissiles
Because the alternate forms dropped at random, players were forced to kill with the base weapon to create the drops, ensuring that they still had to manage their ammunition. Each drop felt genuinely exciting, as it meant that players got to experience a change to their method of killing while still feeling immensely powerful. Instead of needing to run to a crafting table to change the form like with Shattered Veil’s Ray Gun Mark 2, or complete lengthy quests for each variant, players had access to the four forms by default, meaning that casual CoD Zombies fans could enjoy the CRBR-S to its fullest. For quest lovers, they had a pathway to get the weapon without spinning the Mystery Box, ensuring that everyone was satisfied with the CRBR-S.
Due to firing patterns like the Swarm variant, it did not take long for the CRBR-S to be compared to the wacky weapons of Borderlands, a notion that was further supported by the different voices players would hear when using the CRBR-S. Unlike any other Call of Duty Zombies Wonder Weapon (not counting gadgets like the Monkey Bomb), the CRBR-S spoke to the player, being voiced by Carver, Grey, and Strauss. Hearing the gun itself quip while killing Zombies was a nice band-aid for the Operator problem Black Ops Cold War suffered with, and it’s yet another strength of the CRBR-S that makes it one of the best Wonder Weapons the mode has ever seen.
Treyarch Has to Choose the Right Time For the CRBR-S’ Second Coming
Considering that the largely unpopular Winter’s Howl has made multiple appearances, there is no reason that the CRBR-S should stay on the bench for long. However, Treyarch may not want to feature it within DLC 4, as fans are desperate for Janus Towers to have a new Wonder Weapon after The Tomb and Shattered Veil both brought back old ones. Additionally, a weapon with multiple forms will be less appealing after players just experienced the Ray Gun Mark 2 variants, so giving the CRBR-S some breathing room would be wise.
At the same time, with Call of Duty 2025 rumored to be bringing back the old characters, Treyarch should not wait too long to revive the CRBR-S. After all, one of the most interesting opportunities the weapon could provide would be characters like Grey and Carver reacting to a weapon that sounds just like them, essentially having conversations with themselves through hugely entertaining dialogue. Hopefully, the current Dark Aether crew has a chance to wield the CRBR-S before they meet the ominous fate that was lined up for them in MWZ. Whatever map follows Janus Towers in Black Ops 6 - assuming that there is such a map - would be the ideal time to bring the CRBR-S back. Given how much depth it provides, it’s a weapon that is simply too good to be a one-hit Wonder.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 83 /100 Critics Rec: 91%
- Released
- October 25, 2024
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Suggestive Themes, Strong Language, Use of Drugs
- Developer(s)
- Treyarch, Raven Software
- Publisher(s)
- Activision
- Engine
- IW 9.0
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer, Online Co-Op
- Cross-Platform Play
- Yes - PlayStation, Xbox, PC
WHERE TO PLAY
Forced to go rogue. Hunted from within. This is Call of Duty: Black Ops 6.
Developed by Treyarch and Raven, Black Ops 6 is a spy action thriller set in the early 90s, a period of transition and upheaval in global politics, characterized by the end of the Cold War and the rise of the United States as a single superpower. With a mind-bending narrative, and unbound by the rules of engagement, this is signature Black Ops.
The Black Ops 6 Campaign provides dynamic moment-to-moment gameplay that includes a variety of play spaces with blockbuster set pieces and action-packed moments, high-stakes heists, and cloak-and-dagger spy activity.
In a best-in-class Multiplayer experience, players will test their skills across 16 new maps at launch, including 12 core 6v6 maps and 4 Strike maps that can be played 2v2 or 6v6.
Black Ops 6 also marks the epic return of Round-Based Zombies, the fan-favorite mode where players will take down hordes of the undead in two brand-new maps at launch. Post-launch, players can look forward to even more exciting maps and groundbreaking experiences dropping into both Multiplayer and Zombies.
- Genre(s)
- FPS
