Liberty Falls is a weird place. It’s sun-drenched, looks like a quiet West Virginia town, and is currently crawling with the undead. But if you’re playing Black Ops 6 Zombies, you aren't just there to survive waves. You're there for the Liberty Falls easter egg. It's the main quest that ties the whole narrative together, involving a panicked Dr. Panos trapped in a machine and a whole lot of high-stakes scavenging.
Honestly, it's easier than Terminus. But that doesn't mean it’s a cakewalk.
You’ve got to balance upgrading your gear while hunting down specific parts that don't always stand out against the backdrop of a destroyed bowling alley and a blood-soaked church. Most people fail because they rush the rounds. If you hit round 25 before you’ve even started the soul-trapping step, you’re basically asking for a Game Over screen. The trick is efficiency.
Getting the Party Started with the Jet Gun
You can't do anything without the LTG, or what most of us just call the Jet Gun. It’s the Wonder Weapon of the map. You can get it from the Mystery Box if you’re feeling lucky (you probably aren't), but the "official" way involves a scavenger hunt.
First, grab the water pressure valve from the Lily’s Flower shop area. You’ll need to head over to the bowling alley, melee the panel on the wall, and hold your interact button while zombies try to chew your liver. It’s stressful. Once the pressure builds, you get the first part. Next, head to the cemetery. There’s a Groundskeeper zombie—he’s got a red nameplate, you can’t miss him—who drops the shed key. Inside that shed is your second part. Finally, go to the Radio House, craft the device, and you’ve got the most powerful vacuum cleaner in history.
The Jet Gun isn't just for killing. You use it to suck up parts for the LTG device from the ceiling of the comic shop and the top of the church. It feels a bit like Ghostbusters, honestly.
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The Panos Connection and the LTG
Once you have the Wonder Weapon, head to the church. You’ll see a massive, glowing machine and hear the voice of Dr. Panos. He’s trapped in the Dark Aether, and he’s not exactly happy about it. He needs you to build the LTG.
This part is where things get messy. You have to defend the devices while they charge. You’ll need to find the Aether Canisters. One is in the basement of the comic shop, one is in the bowling alley, and another is tucked away near the church. You have to carry these manually. You move slow. You can’t shoot your primary weapon. It’s a nightmare if you’re playing solo, so bring some monkeys or a Decoy Grenade to keep the horded distracted while you waddle toward the machine.
Tracking the Abominations
After the LTG is built, you take it to the rifts. There’s one in the graveyard and one by the Riverside. When you activate it, you aren't just fighting regular zombies. You’re looking for a specific HVT—a High Value Target. It’s usually a Mangler or an Abomination.
You have to weaken it. Don’t kill it! This is the mistake everyone makes. If you kill the HVT, you have to wait an entire round to try again. Get its health down until it’s glowing purple, then lure it over the trap. If you time it right, the device sucks the soul out of the creature. You’ll know you got it because the canister turns a vibrant, swirling purple.
The Final Showdown at the Church
After you’ve successfully trapped the souls, you head back to the church for the grand finale. This isn't a traditional "boss fight" in a separate arena like we've seen in previous Call of Duty titles. Instead, it’s a localized holdout.
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The church doors lock. Panos starts doing his thing. The screen gets grainy. Suddenly, you’re being swarmed by everything the game can throw at you. Elite enemies, armored zombies, the works. If you haven't Pack-a-Punched your weapons to at least Tier II by now, you are going to struggle.
The Liberty Falls easter egg peaks here. You have to survive three distinct waves of enemies while the machine processes. Use the Jet Gun’s secondary fire to create a black hole effect if you get cornered. It saves lives.
Once the waves are over, the cinematic kicks in. You see what happens to Panos, and you get a glimpse of the broader "Richtofen" plot that has been brewing since the game's announcement. You get a massive XP boost, a calling card, and the satisfaction of knowing you cleared one of the launch maps' biggest challenges.
Pro-Tips for a Smoother Run
- Don't ignore the crafting table: Sentry Turrets are your best friend during the soul-trapping steps. Set one up facing the rift and let it do the heavy lifting.
- The Bowling Alley secret: If you see a stray bowling ball, try to interact with it. There’s a mini-game that rewards you with power-ups that can make the early rounds much faster.
- Melee is King: Early on, use the combat knife. You need the points. Don't waste money on wall buys until you have enough to open the path to the church.
- Perk Priority: Jugger-Nog is obvious, but Stamin-Up is actually more important here. The map is vertical and spread out; you need the speed to outrun the Abominations.
What This Means for the Story
The ending of the quest isn't just a "win" screen. It confirms that the Dark Aether is leaking into our reality in a way that’s much more controlled than the chaotic outbreaks in Cold War. The mentions of "Project Janus" suggest that we aren't just fighting a random virus, but a calculated corporate experiment gone wrong.
Edward Richtofen’s involvement—or lack thereof—is the big talking point in the community right now. While he isn't physically present in the church, his fingerprints are all over the tech you’re using.
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If you’re looking to maximize your rewards, make sure you finish the quest before round 20. Doing so often yields higher-tier loot from the final reward chest, including legendary tools or even a second Wonder Weapon for your teammate.
Final Checklist for Success
- Craft the Jet Gun by scavenging the valve, the shed key, and the radio parts.
- Assemble the LTG at the church after talking to Panos through the glass.
- Capture the HVT souls using the traps at the Riverside and Graveyard rifts.
- Defend the church during the final lockdown wave.
- Exfil or Continue—the game lets you keep playing, but the difficulty spikes significantly after the quest ends.
The real challenge isn't the puzzles; it's the management of the horde while you're trying to play scientist. Keep your ears open for the audio cues—the game tells you when the HVT is ready to be captured. Ignore the voice lines, and you'll likely kill the target and waste ten minutes of your life.
Stop by the comic shop one last time before you exfil. There are some lore notes on the counter that explain exactly why Liberty Falls was chosen for this experiment. It’s dark stuff, but that’s Zombies for you.
Next Steps for Players
- Optimize Your Loadout: Head to the weapon smith and ensure your starting weapon has the "Suppressed" muzzle to increase power-up drop rates.
- Master the Map: Practice the jump from the rooftop of the bank to the Quick Revive machine; it’s a vital escape route when the street gets clogged.
- Lore Hunt: Find the three hidden VHS tapes scattered around the town to unlock the "Secret History" trophy, which adds more context to the Panos incident.