So four new maps are being released for Call of Duty 4 on April 3th, and i myself think this is great timing. The old maps have had just enough time to become almost completely memorized by everyone, and the new maps should definitely breathe new life into the online play, especially because of the unique atmosphere each embodies. Here are the new maps (they will cost 800 microsoft points).

Broadcast


Finally, the first of two predominately indoor maps. I was raised on Goldeneye multiplayer, and as we all remember, the best of those maps were "indoor" (although temple still feels like a damn rat maze). Broadcast takes place in an expanded version of the tail end of the "Charlie Don't Surf" single player mission. The main TV room is easily recognizeable and it is nice to have all the other doors open as well.



The best part of this map hands down is the tactical nature of it. Now of course Call of Duty and tactical together are only a loose description, but the indoor fighting environment coupled with the two story nature of the building brings up many possibilities. Would you prefer to take the high ground and try to hold it although your shooting angles are not as good, or would you prefer the low ground and it's lack of cover? This is a perfect map for Headquarters/Sabotage because you can either assault/defend from either floor, and if i remember from some write up, one of the sabotage points has a skylight above it, which offers an interesting defensive high point or an easy way to get the drop.

The only downside to this map is definitely Martyrdom. But really, that's always an annoying perk, so that won't change.

Creek


On the opposite end of the spectrum, more of a jungle/environment map with a few buildings thrown in. Sure, there is Overgrown, but that basically is nothing more than a wider Downpour during the day. From what i can tell, this map seems to have alot more open spaces, which could be a boon for snipers. More importantly, this seems like a perfect hardcore map with overkill, because you could just go sniper for the camo, and then another weapon as your main gun to help blend in.



Although probably not my type of map (i prefer Crash and Crossfire), it is nice to see that the developers are trying to add some uniqueness to the maps instead of just making four more bombed out city landscapes. I don't know how well this map would work for the objective based gametypes, but it is definitely a solid Hardcore/Team Deathmatch level.

Killhouse


I will admit, when i first heard the title of this map, i thought somehow Activision got the rights from Ubisoft to use their Vegas 2 map. Although not as cool as that, this map is definitely awesome. It is basically an uber version of the training you run through in the first mission of single player. Pretty much everything can be shot through, and there lies little in the way of protection.



This of course presents a few problems. This map is definitely a free-for-all style map. It is a bit hard on a smaller map with less cover to really host a large out and out brawl. A deathmatch will work, but it will be one of those annoying dying quite soon after your deaths, so you better carry a RPD with hip-fire to cause some damage (AKA Shipment clone). Another major problem is i can definitely see some 3x Frag + sonic boom abuse going down. This might actually be the easiest and most efficient way to get kills. Maybe my view of the place is a bit small, but I could definitely see this as an awesome every man for himself style play.

Chinatown


This map is based on the Carentan map in Call of Duty 2. I must say I am partially amused that a map based on one of the pivotal battles in the D-Day+ advancement in Normandy could be reimagined as a cultural district in San Francisco. It seems similar to the normal building house to house style gameplay we have come to know and love for the game, although the map seems a bit darker (literally) and less bombed (but no less fabulous!) than the currently offered fair.



although it seems a bit of the same old recipe, that recipe is extremely satisfying. Plus, it will provide a respite for about a week before people have the whole place memorized and have already found three spots where a sniper can run-tap A - jump on a window sill to reach the best sniper spot ever on the map.

In the end, the only thing I could ask for more out of Activision would be to change some of the maps to game type specific. There are always some obvious ones, but maps like Downpour are too narrow to be headquarters map, and Vacant is too decentralized to be a search and destroy. I am not saying ban those maps for those game types, but maybe changing the algorithm so that maps that do work well for game types appear more (Wetworks/Downpour for Sabotage, Crash/Strike for Headquarters).

Although nothing beats Crossfire