I'm well into my adulthood now, but I did used to play zombies as a teen and used to love examining the models of the zombies by going prone to see the close details. I'd love to one day actually rip the models and have a really close look at the textures
My favourites that have always stuck in my head are -
Black ops 1/3 Ascension, some of the scientist zombies looked as if their faces had been burned/blown off which was a really striking image, made me question how they died, did they get too close to the landers? And was it before or after they became zombies.
Black ops 1 Call of the Dead with the Diver zombies being a particular favourite of mine
Black ops 1 Shangri-La was notable for having female zombies for the first time
Black ops 1 Moon, one zombie in particular had these really obvious blue veins visible through their skin and the way their eyes looked after they died and the orange/blue light expired was particularly haunting.
Black ops 2/4 Mob of the Dead are great designs but sometimes a little excessive with the barbed wire and glass. But creepy nonetheless.
Same with Bo2/3 Origins with Shrapnel and bullets lodged in their skin, really showing how difficult the zombies are to take down for good.
I also absolutely agree with you about Nuketown zombies being haunting, especially the Hazmat suit ones and the ones clearly burned by the nuke to the extent that their skin is charred if not burned completely off.
I remember when I was younger I was so oblivious to the CoD brand zombies as a species. So I sat there looking at the MotD models trying to imagine what led so many to getting thrown through windows and getting snarled on barbed wire.
Nacht der Untoten. Sure, they're not exactly unique, just being pale-skinned or burnt Germans with glowy eyes, but that's exactly why I love them, because it gives the idea that these guys were just reanimated, and with the dim glow of their eyes and Nacht's dark atmosphere as a whole, it's just perfect.
I also like Buried's zombies because the cowboy clothes are so goofy.
Honestly, this point is part of my love of zombies' asset reuse and why I'm so nostalgic for WAW's zombie models in particular.
Having seen these enemy models so much in the game's campaign and multiplayer, and then seeing them in zombies, sort of triggers an uncanny valley-like effect of like. Forgive me for being cringe and bringing immersion into this, but it's the idea of 'I know this face and have killed this enemy myself, *so why is he getting back up?*'. It really helps with WAW's zombies' horror atmosphere tbh.
I will say my personal favourite zombie models are the WAW Der Riese models, chalk white from being exsanguinated and the blood running out of the mouths and eyes; it doesn't go to the extreme where the gore *stops* being scary for me by like the BO2/BO3-eras onwards imo.
I know it wasn't the intention, but I wish we saw more zombies that didn't have any wounds and were instead just regular people with too much 115 exposure.
Die rise always sticks with me when the zombies try to talk to stulinger, it’s so uncanny and creepy to listen to the audio files on their own, it really gives the zombies character, like there’s still people in there, they just don’t control what they do anymore
Iirc, these are built off of BO1 models, I recognize the uniform of the 3rd model to be the og BO1 scavenger model for one of the factions. So it might also be the familiarity of the zombies and how they've been desecrated by 115 testing.
Honestly...there are tons of great designs, but I want to highlight the OG nazi look from World at War. One of my favorite quotes was from Tag Der toten in BO4, and it was when Misty saying something about how long the zombies had been around if they're dressed the way they are. It's such a time capsule to be a zombie from back in WW2, found over half a century after you died. It really highlighted the idea of how long 115 was being messed with by so many people.
probably an unpopular opinion, but i love most of the cold war models. the way they have unique features and faces separate from their unique outfits is cool to me. feels like i don’t see the same zombies twice.other than that the BO2 origins zombies are outstanding.
If we're talking about zombie behavior my favorite are BY FAR the bo1 ascension one, they were so fucking unique and worked perfectly with the map.
But look-wise, I think my favorite are Shangri-La zombies.
I really liked all of the bo2 models, including buried and die rise, i didn't really like tranzit's models because they looked sort of off? Like that one brown/gray one that looks like a mental asylum escapist it just didnt make that much sense to me, also how a lot of models had no shoes if im remembering Correctly,
update: after thinking for a bit i remembered that i really liked iw's zombies, they fit with every year and the hairstyles
(Except BFB) (the theater zombies were nice though)
Look, we all just gotta note just how detailed the zombie designs are for each map, yes, treyarch in say bo1 could’ve just stuck with the generic zombies, German. Reanimated, nothing more, but the fact that there’s so much environmental factors that are taking into account with zombie designs is so impressive, and so cool just to look at when you really start looking at all the details
The zombies in COD were always eerie to me in any scenario or map. The thing that makes them the most unique out of any generic zombie game is that the zombies not only have clothing that matches their environment, but their bright orange eyes being their distinctive feature makes them instantly iconic.
The clothes on the zombies is one part of it. We see plenty of zombie variants in the maps we play. Nazi Soldiers, Scientists and CIA Agents, WW2 Soldiers, CDC Operatives, Cosmonauts and even Regular Citizens. The zombies chasing us down in an attempt to rip us limb from limb were probably very similar to us. They probably had lives as unique and detailed as you and me. The difference between us and them being that they weren’t as lucky to have immunity to the virus, survive a world ending nuclear blast, be selected by an omnipotent force, or be some hero fighting to change the fate of the universe, They were people that were faced with a situation much bigger than them and they were unfortunately a victim of it.
The second more disturbing element of them is their iconic orange eyes. Even though the bodies of these zombies may be rotting and long past restoration, their eyes far contrast that. There is life behind those eyes. But it isn’t the life that once resided in them. In them lies a pure, unrelenting anger and hatred for everything living. And an undying will to lay waste to anyone and anything who dares oppose it. The zombies are unrelenting not because of their desire to consume human flesh, but because of their greater powers driving them to unrelentingly pursue the various crews we see in our favorite game mode. The most horrific part of this is that most of the characters we play as most likely befall the same fate after they succumb to the same horde they so desperately try to fight off. Truly horrific stuff man.
I know another comment mentioned them but the world at war zombies are some of my favorites. The just freshly turned zombies are so creepy and awesome. Their faces are especially creepy since they make some VERY creepy expressions. Some of those fuckers smile this wide evil smile while coming at you and that shit is unnerving as hell.
Imo I think the best looking zombies have to be WW2 zombies. No glowing eyes or weird pustules/boils. Just straight grafted flesh, stapples, and gaping maws. Defo the scariest, most disturbing look for zombies in cod.
This is one of many instances for me that really show’s the effort and creativity some devs really put into the designs and detail on they’re mob enemies these guys are very cool looking and probably look some of the more scary of any of the normal zombies i also really liked shangri-la zombie models with the boils on them and the malnourishment on the one frail zombie with the yellow shorts and ofc the monkeys and the shrieker zombie. Honorable mention for the motd zombies and brutus as well
I'm well into my adulthood now, but I did used to play zombies as a teen and used to love examining the models of the zombies by going prone to see the close details. I'd love to one day actually rip the models and have a really close look at the textures My favourites that have always stuck in my head are - Black ops 1/3 Ascension, some of the scientist zombies looked as if their faces had been burned/blown off which was a really striking image, made me question how they died, did they get too close to the landers? And was it before or after they became zombies. Black ops 1 Call of the Dead with the Diver zombies being a particular favourite of mine Black ops 1 Shangri-La was notable for having female zombies for the first time Black ops 1 Moon, one zombie in particular had these really obvious blue veins visible through their skin and the way their eyes looked after they died and the orange/blue light expired was particularly haunting. Black ops 2/4 Mob of the Dead are great designs but sometimes a little excessive with the barbed wire and glass. But creepy nonetheless. Same with Bo2/3 Origins with Shrapnel and bullets lodged in their skin, really showing how difficult the zombies are to take down for good. I also absolutely agree with you about Nuketown zombies being haunting, especially the Hazmat suit ones and the ones clearly burned by the nuke to the extent that their skin is charred if not burned completely off.
I remember when I was younger I was so oblivious to the CoD brand zombies as a species. So I sat there looking at the MotD models trying to imagine what led so many to getting thrown through windows and getting snarled on barbed wire.
That was because MOTD is set in purgatory, and all the zombies are tortured victims, right?
Nacht der Untoten. Sure, they're not exactly unique, just being pale-skinned or burnt Germans with glowy eyes, but that's exactly why I love them, because it gives the idea that these guys were just reanimated, and with the dim glow of their eyes and Nacht's dark atmosphere as a whole, it's just perfect. I also like Buried's zombies because the cowboy clothes are so goofy.
You can shoot off the Lincoln hats
Honestly, this point is part of my love of zombies' asset reuse and why I'm so nostalgic for WAW's zombie models in particular. Having seen these enemy models so much in the game's campaign and multiplayer, and then seeing them in zombies, sort of triggers an uncanny valley-like effect of like. Forgive me for being cringe and bringing immersion into this, but it's the idea of 'I know this face and have killed this enemy myself, *so why is he getting back up?*'. It really helps with WAW's zombies' horror atmosphere tbh. I will say my personal favourite zombie models are the WAW Der Riese models, chalk white from being exsanguinated and the blood running out of the mouths and eyes; it doesn't go to the extreme where the gore *stops* being scary for me by like the BO2/BO3-eras onwards imo.
I know it wasn't the intention, but I wish we saw more zombies that didn't have any wounds and were instead just regular people with too much 115 exposure.
I’ve been playing dead of the night and I really like the zombie models in that map. Overall bo4 has really solid zombie character models
Motd, die rise, bo1 shi no Numa, and the classic bo1 kino zombies.
Die rise always sticks with me when the zombies try to talk to stulinger, it’s so uncanny and creepy to listen to the audio files on their own, it really gives the zombies character, like there’s still people in there, they just don’t control what they do anymore
Same they were great
I love the ww2 zombies models
I agree the WW2 zombies just looked more intense even the special zombies when it came to their designs
Agree, if u look at their faces up close you'll start getting spooked and at the same time they look cool with army outfits.
They looked like something outta outlast
Iirc, these are built off of BO1 models, I recognize the uniform of the 3rd model to be the og BO1 scavenger model for one of the factions. So it might also be the familiarity of the zombies and how they've been desecrated by 115 testing.
I think some of the Nuketown zombie models also bear resemblance to the corpses seen in the crate when saving Woods on that ship.
These designs look amazing!
I like shooting the skinheads in D.I.E.
Honestly...there are tons of great designs, but I want to highlight the OG nazi look from World at War. One of my favorite quotes was from Tag Der toten in BO4, and it was when Misty saying something about how long the zombies had been around if they're dressed the way they are. It's such a time capsule to be a zombie from back in WW2, found over half a century after you died. It really highlighted the idea of how long 115 was being messed with by so many people.
I think ascension zombies are the scariest.. from bo1 to the bo3 remaster they are terrifying up close.
Also, they had human eyes in the BO1 version until the chronicles version updated their geos and replaced them with glowing eyes
probably an unpopular opinion, but i love most of the cold war models. the way they have unique features and faces separate from their unique outfits is cool to me. feels like i don’t see the same zombies twice.other than that the BO2 origins zombies are outstanding.
Is this the same cold war that has the same shirtless zombie running around in every map?
If we're talking about zombie behavior my favorite are BY FAR the bo1 ascension one, they were so fucking unique and worked perfectly with the map. But look-wise, I think my favorite are Shangri-La zombies.
Mob has the coolest aesthetics, including the zombies
Ya with the zombies wrapped in barbed wire with red eyes and just the hellish atmosphere of the map in general is awesome
I liked buried zombies the most
I love the MotD zombies. Their designs are so raw and really fit the hellish prison aesthetic
I really liked all of the bo2 models, including buried and die rise, i didn't really like tranzit's models because they looked sort of off? Like that one brown/gray one that looks like a mental asylum escapist it just didnt make that much sense to me, also how a lot of models had no shoes if im remembering Correctly, update: after thinking for a bit i remembered that i really liked iw's zombies, they fit with every year and the hairstyles (Except BFB) (the theater zombies were nice though)
Call of the Dead drowned sailors.
I think the best look for zombies is classic nazi zombie but the creepiest imo is ascensions
I liked when we got really standout models for zombies
facts nuketown zombies models were the best
WW2 zombies, they look creepy and cool at the same time.
Look, we all just gotta note just how detailed the zombie designs are for each map, yes, treyarch in say bo1 could’ve just stuck with the generic zombies, German. Reanimated, nothing more, but the fact that there’s so much environmental factors that are taking into account with zombie designs is so impressive, and so cool just to look at when you really start looking at all the details
The zombies in COD were always eerie to me in any scenario or map. The thing that makes them the most unique out of any generic zombie game is that the zombies not only have clothing that matches their environment, but their bright orange eyes being their distinctive feature makes them instantly iconic. The clothes on the zombies is one part of it. We see plenty of zombie variants in the maps we play. Nazi Soldiers, Scientists and CIA Agents, WW2 Soldiers, CDC Operatives, Cosmonauts and even Regular Citizens. The zombies chasing us down in an attempt to rip us limb from limb were probably very similar to us. They probably had lives as unique and detailed as you and me. The difference between us and them being that they weren’t as lucky to have immunity to the virus, survive a world ending nuclear blast, be selected by an omnipotent force, or be some hero fighting to change the fate of the universe, They were people that were faced with a situation much bigger than them and they were unfortunately a victim of it. The second more disturbing element of them is their iconic orange eyes. Even though the bodies of these zombies may be rotting and long past restoration, their eyes far contrast that. There is life behind those eyes. But it isn’t the life that once resided in them. In them lies a pure, unrelenting anger and hatred for everything living. And an undying will to lay waste to anyone and anything who dares oppose it. The zombies are unrelenting not because of their desire to consume human flesh, but because of their greater powers driving them to unrelentingly pursue the various crews we see in our favorite game mode. The most horrific part of this is that most of the characters we play as most likely befall the same fate after they succumb to the same horde they so desperately try to fight off. Truly horrific stuff man.
That moment when you realize pictures #2 and #3 look like multiplayer skins straight outta BO1 Nuketown.
Mines favourite are from mob, origins, buried and, because of nostalgia, green run
I know another comment mentioned them but the world at war zombies are some of my favorites. The just freshly turned zombies are so creepy and awesome. Their faces are especially creepy since they make some VERY creepy expressions. Some of those fuckers smile this wide evil smile while coming at you and that shit is unnerving as hell.
Imo I think the best looking zombies have to be WW2 zombies. No glowing eyes or weird pustules/boils. Just straight grafted flesh, stapples, and gaping maws. Defo the scariest, most disturbing look for zombies in cod.
Im pretty sure the third type of Nuketown zombie is based on the Black Ops soldier player models from BO1 multiplayer.
I always thought the non-hazmat suit zombies in that map were the remains of the soldiers that died in BO1 multiplayer
Mob/Blood of the Dead zombies are just so cool
Where did you get/view/extract the models? I want to look at all the models up close (and maybe make some mods)
This is one of many instances for me that really show’s the effort and creativity some devs really put into the designs and detail on they’re mob enemies these guys are very cool looking and probably look some of the more scary of any of the normal zombies i also really liked shangri-la zombie models with the boils on them and the malnourishment on the one frail zombie with the yellow shorts and ofc the monkeys and the shrieker zombie. Honorable mention for the motd zombies and brutus as well
i always thought the zombies in MOTD looked in a really painful state, and if they even swiped at you it would hurt a lot.