Comparison between Black Ops Cold War Express remake & original Black Ops 2 map

Nicholas Sakadelis

Black Ops Cold War has brought back the signature Express map from Black Ops 2. Let’s go over some similarities and changes.

The Black Ops Cold War Express map remaster is a true recreation of the classic Black Ops 2 map, beloved by fans. The map remains completely untouched in layout, with minimal retheming for the 80’s theme of the game.

The map is sure to attract the eyes of many old school Call of Duty fans, and even more so the competitive esports scene. With League Play coming soon, now has never been a better time to play on this map.

With that being said, let’s take a look at some of the similarities and differences.

On your first playthrough, you’ll notice the fresh coat of paint and color palette immediately. Express looks much more clear, with better lighting and less contrast. The scale is exact to the original map, so you’ll feel right at home.

While the map may still feel like Black Ops 2, that hasn’t stopped Treyarch from scaling back the technology on the map to better fit the era. Computers are replaced with older CRT monitors, and Flat Screen TV’s are replaced with box TV’s.

The main terminal has also had a bit of a change to its color palette. We can’t help but feel the new map has a bit of a glossy feeling to it with its fresh coat of paint. This will surely something players will feel divided over. On one hand, the lighting is toned down, on the other hand, its a bit visually bland in comparison to the classic.

Last up, we have the iconic departure and arrivals board in the terminal. The computerized Black Ops 2 board has been replaced with a less advanced board, more fit for the era. If you look closely, you’ll notice that all of the train departures and arrivals are the exact same as the classic map.

Last up, we have the iconic train interior in the middle of the map. Black Ops Cold War’s design and lighting really adds some extra warmth to a familiar set piece from Black Ops 2.

Which map do you prefer? Be sure to let us know on Twitter @CharlieIntel.