Black Ops 7 Zombies' new OSCAR Mini-Boss is something I've been waiting for for 14 years

Like most people Call of Duty Zombies fans, I hated fighting the zombified George Romero on Call of the Dead when I was younger. Prior to that map, the mode had never tried anything like George, who was a persistent mini-boss that followed the player around the entire game. Although he could eventually be killed – a process that took thousands of bullets and rewarded players with a Death Machine or a Wunderwaffe if they had already beaten the Easter Egg – he would return a few rounds later. As a result, it was best to lead him to the water, cool him down, and move to another area of the map to avoid him as much as possible. Being the boss of George saw me throw a lot of expletives in the direction of the late director, but as I got older I realized how he had actually made the map special. And it is for that reason that I am so grateful for the new OSCAR miniboss.

In the early days of Black Ops 7 map's release, I've seen a handful of complaints about OSCAR, some of which take me back to my first Call of the Dead sessions. These include the following phrases:

“He has too much health and is unkillable”
“He makes it too difficult to complete easter eggs and move around the map”
“He's Ruining TEDD Trials”
“He has no Ammo Mod weaknesses”
“His buffs to regular zombies are too extreme”

But as divisive as OSCAR seems to be, as someone who came to love Call of the Dead and George Romero's role within it, this new threat is actually a dream come true for me. I'd even go so far as to say he's the best thing about the map, and something that will help it age well over time.

OSCAR helps address one of the most common criticisms of modern CoD Zombies

One of the biggest complaints lately Cod Zombies experiences from old fans, and something that's hard to argue against, is that newer maps feel too similar. While older maps had unique gear like Spikemores or distinct buildables like the Subsurface Resonator, the same crafting table exists across every map released into play as Black Ops 7. Distinct HUDs for each map, map-exclusive bullet weapons, special rewards tied to only one map, like Silver Bullets in Dead of the Night – all of this is a thing of the past. Of course, one important improvement modern zombies can still make is making each map more distinct from the others in a given game, and OSCAR feels like a first step towards that.

While elites like Zursa and Uber-Klaus have different attacks and behavior patterns, they ultimately fall under the same pattern of players filling them with bullets the second they appear and then moving on until they respawn. However, OSCAR is like George in the sense that players have to think a little and approach him differently than a typical elite. While they can and should take him down to build the LGM-1 Wonder Weapon, beyond that, it's best to avoid him entirely, keeping an eye on where he patrols to move to a separate area of the map. This can feel off-putting to players unfamiliar with a boss from a map that's well over a decade old at this point, so they may stop shooting and engage OSCAR when it's not always the best way forward.

OSCAR is releasing a special Shiny Trinket that lets players tame a friendly Ravager, a fun mechanic that will hopefully remain exclusive to Astra Malorum so it feels more distinct.

George A. Romero emerges from the water — BAD George A. Romero

What once made Call of the Dead divisive is what has made it more special over time, as there really hasn't been anything like George anywhere else in Cod Zombies. Sure, the perk-stealing Astronauts on the Moon would slowly chase the player and could catch them off guard, but they died quickly and weren't as persistent as an angry George. Much like George required players to watch where they were shooting to avoid angering him, requiring an extra layer of attention and strategy if players wanted to survive, OSCAR shakes up every match of Astra Malorum by preventing players from getting too comfortable. If they want to stay in the same place for rounds on end, they have to earn it by killing OSCAR But if they're willing to keep an eye on him and move to different areas, they can go through dozens of rounds without even having an interaction with this machine resembling a Fall-out Protectron.

The OSCAR is not something to fight against … until you have to

All the complaints players have about OSCAR – whether it's Zombie fans where he turns them into super sprinters or his deep health pool – don't apply if he's not engaged. The best way to approach OSCAR is to avoid him, only engaging when absolutely necessary. If he's near a TEDD attempt, avoid doing it until he moves, or have another player lead him away until it's done. And if he blocks your spot from going to train, it's best to find an alternate spot to wait until he roams to another part of the map. IN Black Ops Cold War and Black Ops 6difficulty was something many called for, and BO7 has provided that via add-ons like Cursed mode as well as OSCAR While I understand he might not be everyone's favorite cup of tea – heck, I used to be a George hater on Call of the Dead before I realized how the distinct challenge he brought to the map was a good thing – OSCAR's design is as fair as it is bold.

Not only is he avoidable, but when he fights he doesn't do a ton of damage and telegraphs his enemy buffs via a slow UFO shot that players can easily dodge. Yes, he has tons of health, but that's to drive home the point that he's an endlessly patrolling threat that isn't meant to be fought unless necessary. Giving him ammo against weaknesses like any other miniboss would make him a breeze to kill, and completely defeat the purpose of a George successor. It's good that OSCAR is so tough, and it's even better that he goes from a slow, avoidable patrol bot to a fast stalker when players reach round 50. This speed buff drastically changes OSCAR's behavior to make high rounds distinctive, while high rounding in most other maps is exactly the same as nausea. Evolving OSCAR from an avoidable problem to something players have to face head-on is a great touch, and it's still fair since players will be equipped by turn 50 and can afford hand cannons to drain their health bar more easily.

Astra Malorum Easter Egg Walkthrough - CoD BO7

I would gladly die on the hill that OSCAR is a healthy thing for Astra Malorum and Black Ops 7 Zombies as a whole, as the mode could use more creative boss encounters like this one. If you're someone who initially hates OSCAR, you might love his presence like I did with George on Call of the Dead. To me, these bosses are a good kind of annoyance that keeps players on their toes and prevents any strategy from being too safe and easy. And even if this kind of addition turns some players away from Astra Malorum, I would still argue that it was a good idea, as it is important for Cod Zombies to keep trying new things even if they don't work – or in this case, digging up concepts that have been sitting on the shelf for years. OSCAR will ultimately be a love-it-or-hate-it figure, but I'm firmly in the first category of player.