- "In the hidden heart of ancient Delphi, Scarlett, Diego, Bruno and Shaw must rescue the fabled Oracle. But who is the Undead Warlord standing in their way?"
- — Mission Briefing
Ancient Evil is the sixth Zombies map featured in Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, and the thirtieth map overall. Chronologically, it is the fourth and final map in the Chaos story. The map was released on March 26th, 2019 on PlayStation 4, and was released on April 2nd, 2019 for Xbox One and PC.
The map takes place in Delphi, Greece, and serves as the finale to the Chaos storyline in Call of Duty: Black Ops 4. It features the return of the "Chaos" crew featured in Voyage of Despair and IX.
Overview[]
- "“Ancient Evil” beckons the intrepid foursome from the Chaos Storyline – Bruno, Diego, Scarlett and Shaw – in a brand-new adventure into an underground Greek city to face off against new varieties of the undead. Featuring signature Call of Duty Zombies combat, Ancient Evil will test players’ skills as they fight new Zombies and enemies against the backdrop of a gargantuan cavern colossal enough to hold a sprawling city."
- — Official Description
Ancient Evil is set in the underground city of Delphi, Greece; the Delphi aboveground is a red herring, a decoy according to Shaw in order to hide the real city's presence from its enemies. A Sentinel Artifact has already been activated within the city, and the trial contained within it has been going on for thousands of years, leaving the ancient city frozen in time and littered with the undead.
The map is divided into two major parts; the first part is set within the city of Delphi itself, featuring many temples and monuments dedicated to Greek legends. The map's Sentinel Artifact is located in the Amphitheater, and will allow access to the lower parts of the city after it is activated. The player can also ride Pegasus, a mystical horse that will initially transport players to the other half of the map. However, in order to ride Pegasus, the player must first locate the Golden Bridle, which can be found somewhere within the city.
When all of the players board Pegasus at the Spartan Monument area of the map, Pegasus will fly the players to the "Dark Side" part of the map. There, the players will be trapped in this area until the Pack-a-Punch Machine at the Center of the World area is unlocked, which can be achieved by unlocking the two eagle cages with a Special Weapon and later defending the Center of the World area while the eagles reveal the Pack-a-Punch Machine. This Dark Side area features four key areas; the River of Sorrows, where players enter the area from with Pegasus, the Cliff Ruins, where the Pegasus Strike can be crafted, the Python Pass, an area located inside a massive dead snake, and the Center of the World, where the Pack-a-Punch Machine is located. Once Pack-a-Punch is unlocked, a few portals will spawn at certain areas, allowing for fast travel between the two halves of the map.
The map features two new enemies; the Gegenees and Spartoi. Returning from Voyage of Despair and IX, the Blightfathers appear as well.
Features[]
Weapons[]
| Starting Weapons |
|---|
 Welling (player-determined)  Strife (player-determined)  RK 7 Garrison (player-determined)  Saug 9mm (player-determined)  Essex Model 07 (player-determined)  MOG 12 (player-determined)  Frag (player-determined)  Acid Bomb (player-determined)  Claymore (player-determined)  Wraith Fire (player-determined)  Sentry (player-determined) |
| Special Weapons |
|---|
 Chakrams of Vengeance (player-determined)  Hammer of Valhalla (player-determined)  Scepter of Ra (player-determined)  Viper and Dragon (player-determined) |
| Off-Wall Weapons |
|---|
|
Strife - 500 points (Temple of Apollo) Essex Model 07 - 500 points (Temple of Apollo) Saug 9mm - 750 points (Marketplace) MOG 12 - 1000 points (Temple Terrace)  Spitfire - 1150 points (River of Sorrow)  Swordfish - 1200 points (Upper Road)  Mozu - 1300 points (Intersection of Treasuries)  MX9 - 1300 points (Offering of the Attalids)  GKS - 1300 points (Monument of Craterus)  M1897 Trebuchet - 1400 points (Gymnasium Bathhouse)  Maddox RFB - 1400 points (Stoa of Athenians)  KN-57 - 1450 points (Amphitheater)  ICR-7 - 1550 points (Spartan Monument)  Vapr-XKG - 1550 points (River of Sorrow)  Auger DMR - 1550 points (Intersection of Treasuries)  Bowie Knife - 3000 points (Amphitheater)  Titan - 3750 points (Python Pass)  Koshka - 4500 points (Cliff Ruins) |
| Mystery Box |
|---|
 Pegasus Strike (available after being built) |
| Primordial Weapons |
|---|
| Buildables |
|---|
Cutscenes[]
Intro Cutscene[]
| Transcript |
|---|
|
Diego: Agh! Diego, Scarlett, Shaw and Bruno awaken from the hallucination, their pupils going from solid black back to their original colors. Scarlett gets up and walks towards another part of the room. Bruno also stands while Shaw and Diego continue to recover. Bruno: Scarlett? Scarlett approaches a stone door. Oracle (voice): Did you find what you were looking for? Scarlett examines the door and begins to press her fingers on symbols etched onto the sides of the door, each symbol she presses becomes highlighted in blue and appears above the door. Diego simultaneously joins Scarlett's side. Scarlett: Damn right we found it. Bruno walks over to Shaw, placing his hand on his shoulder. Shaw gets up. Scarlett then finishes spelling out the word "Poseidon" in Alchemy with the symbols she's pressed. The stone door opens, revealing another part of the cavern. Oracle (voice): You... are worthy. Scarlett, Diego and Bruno begin to walk into the newly opened passage. Shaw pauses before pulling out a small vial. Bruno stops momentarily to watch Shaw. Shaw: Um, we may need this. Shaw scoops up some of the water in the large ritual bowl with the vial before putting a cork on it. Shaw: After all, who knows where we're going. Bruno looks back towards the bowl before leaving with Shaw, shortly catching up with Scarlett and Diego. The four pass through a mist before finding themselves on a ledge overlooking the underground city of Delphi. Oracle (voice): Behold, the great and mighty city of Delphi. Diego: I... I thought Delphi was the city aboveground. Shaw: Red herring. The three look towards Shaw. Shaw: The one up there was a decoy, intended to protect the real Delphi from its enemies. The camera begins to pan through the ancient city. Oracle (voice): Please help me. I am trapped in the Temple of Apollo. Scarlett spots four ropes along the ledge below them. Scarlett: These ropes... we're not the first ones in here. Scarlett then begins to descend down a rope. The camera goes black for a moment, returning just as the four reach the bottom of the ropes. Shaw backs up, turning around just as he comes face to face with a zombie. Bruno rushes up to aid him. Oracle (voice): I cannot hold them forever... The camera pans through the idle zombie horde, all of whom show no interest in attacking the four. Scarlett: Let's take this nice and easy. The four slowly walk through the horde. Diego is holding two knives, ready to attack just in case. Bruno looks at a couple of zombies as he walks pass them. Oracle (voice): The unclean wretches... have tormented me for centuries. Shaw: Look... I know coming here was my idea and all, but I'm starting to have some second thoughts... (stops in front of a zombie) third even. Bruno: You just faced death, Shaw. What could possibly scare you now, huh? The zombie in front of Shaw snarls, spooking Shaw as he continues on, leaving Bruno to stare down the zombie as they continue on. Advancing up a small set of stairs, Diego spots Greek writing on a wall, which changes to English to read "Know Thy Self". Diego: Know thy self? (exhales) I hope you know what you are doing, Scarlett. The four enter the Temple of Apollo, where a few more zombies are found. As a green mist at the end of the hall clears away, the Oracle can be seen bound in a chair. Scarlett walks up to her while the other three stand guard. Scarlett: Where is my father? Where is Alistair Rhodes? Oracle: Just like your father... I too am a prisoner. These bonds prevent me from freeing him. Please... I beg of you. Scarlett notices a dead Order member next to the chair, his mask has fallen off to reveal his face. Oracle: Set us free! The Oracle loses consciousness, causing her to lose her grip on keeping the undead horde at bay. The four turn around to face the undead as a couple zombies charges towards the camera, causing it to go black. |
Outro Cutscene[]
| Transcript |
|---|
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Diego, Scarlett, Shaw and Bruno return to the Temple of Apollo, with Scarlett holding the Oracle Key. Oracle: Thank you... But I fear... it may be too late. If I die, They will return. Scarlett unlocks one of the bonds. Oracle: But your father... The Oracle lifts her arm and releases Prima Materia. The Prima Materia opens and enters a secret passage inside the Temple. Oracle (voice): He... is released. Scarlett: No... stay with me. Scarlett turns towards Diego, Shaw and Bruno. Scarlett: She's DYING! Go! Get my father! Diego picks up a torch and the three enter the secret passage while Scarlett opens the other bonds with the key. Diego: Alistair! Diego, Shaw and Bruno arrive in a chamber. Oracle: Even though, you do not yet know what you are, Scarlett... Diego: ....No.... It can't be. Realizing what happened, Diego runs back towards the Temple. Now freed, the Oracle falls in Scarlett's arms. Oracle: There is still so much... The eyes of the Oracle turn yellow and she stares at Scarlett. Oracle: That you can teach me... Scarlett's eyes turn yellow. The Oracle leans closer to Scarlett's face keeping eye contact with her. Several images appear, the Mask of Tutankhamun, several egyptian symbols and hieroglyphs, a catapult, the Tower of Pisa, a printing press, the United States Declaration of Independence, Benjamin Franklin, a hot air balloon, George Washington, the Battle of New Orleans, Ludwig van Beethoven, a Penny-farthing, the destruction of the USS Missouri, the CSS Virginia and the Queen Victoria. Inside the chamber, Shaw and Bruno, both having a red mark shining on their forehead, look at Alistair Rhodes and three members of The Order turned into stone. The Oracle's hood falls to the ground and Diego arrives inside the Temple. Diego: No! The Oracle looks over Scarlett's shoulder, revealing herself as Medusa. Diego hides behind a pillar before Medusa can attack him. Medusa releases Scarlett, who lost consciousness, picks up a cultist mask and walks towards the Eternal Flame of Apollo. Before the Eternal Flame, she put the mask on her face while Diego is hiding Scarlett. Oracle: I will open the library. The world will be mine. The statues of Alistair and the cultists turn into Prima Materia. Some Prima Materia rushes towards Medusa but stops in front of her. Medusa turns back and looks at a blue shape who appeared above the Eternal Flame. She then leaves the Temple while Diego is holding Scarlett in his arms behind a pillar. |
Scrolls[]
- Main article: Ancient Evil/Scrolls
Oracle Tales[]
- Main article: Ancient Evil/Oracle Tales
Gallery[]
Videos[]
Trivia[]
- The map's structure is based on the structure of the city of Delphi. For example, the theatre area within the map is the same as the actual theatre ruins of Delphi.
- The map's name "Ancient Evil" has been used as a phrase prior to the map's launch, specifically in the map Origins where it was extensively used to describe the Crusader Zombies. Examples are:
- In the beginning cutscene of Origins, Samantha says: "As an ancient evil ravaged the front lines, the hopes of the Allies rested on three soldiers set to stop it."
- In the map's description: "Witness the origins of Group 935, as an ancient evil is unleashed upon the battlefields of World War I."
- In Primis Richtofen's journal, released prior to the map: "The ancient evil unleashed from the mound has carved a path of terror and destruction across the entirety of the camp."
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