Buried is weird. It’s objectively one of the easiest maps in the history of Treyarch’s Zombies mode, yet it remains a cult favorite that people still boot up on Steam or Xbox today. Released back in July 2013 as part of the Vengeance DLC pack, it felt like a peace offering. After the grueling, mud-slogging misery of Die Rise and the sheer complexity of Mob of the Dead, Call of Duty Black Ops 2 Buried Zombies gave us a playground. It’s a subterranean Western town, trapped in a cavern in Angola, and honestly, it’s a vibe that hasn't been matched since.
You spawn in, fall down a massive hole, and suddenly you're in the 1800s. There’s a giant named Arthur (most of us just call him Leroy) locked in a cell, a candy shop, and a haunted mansion filled with ghosts that steal your money. It sounds like a fever dream. That’s because it kind of is.
The Absolute Chaos of the Paralyzer and Leroy
Let’s talk about the Paralyzer. Most Wonder Weapons are guns. This thing? It’s a literal leaf blower from hell. It has infinite ammo. You just hold the trigger, and the zombies slow down until they puff into white mist. But the real kicker is that you can point it at the ground and fly. It completely broke the verticality of the map. If you wanted to get to the bank or the gunsmith quickly, you didn't take the stairs; you just hovered.
Then there’s Arthur.
He’s the giant guy in the cell. If you give him booze, he smashes barricades. If you give him candy, he protects you or stays put. This was a massive shift in how we played Call of Duty Black Ops 2 Buried Zombies. You weren't just running in circles (training); you were managing an NPC. If you were smart, you’d use Arthur to lock the Mystery Box in one spot forever. No more chasing that glowing light across the map. It felt like cheating, but it was just the mechanics of the map.
Why the Bank Changed Everything
If you played Tranzit or Die Rise, you already knew about the Bank. But in Buried, the Bank was god-tier. You could spawn into a Round 1 game, withdraw 25,000 points you saved from a previous session, and have the entire map open with perks and Pack-a-Punch before the first zombie even reached a window.
💡 You might also like: Playing A Link to the Past Switch: Why It Still Hits Different Today
Some people hated this. They said it ruined the "survival" aspect.
Maybe they were right. But for the casual player who just wanted to slay thousands of undead after a long day, it was perfect. You didn't have to spend 40 minutes "setting up." You just grabbed your cash and started the massacre.
The Haunted Mansion and the Perk Struggle
The mansion is where the map gets stressful. To get to the Pack-a-Punch machine, you have to run through a house filled with "Ghosts" (technically the Mistresses). Every time they touch you, you lose 2,000 points. If you’re carrying 50,000 points and get cornered, you can go broke in seconds. It’s a brilliant risk-reward mechanic.
- You need to get through the house to upgrade your guns.
- The ghosts keep spawning until you reach the back.
- If you kill the last one, you get a free Perk Bottle.
This was the secret to getting "Perkaholic" status before that was even a formal term. If you timed it right every five rounds, you could end up with every single perk on the map without spending a dime on the machines. It made the player feel incredibly overpowered.
The New Tools of the Trade
Buried introduced the Remington New Model Army. It was a six-shooter that felt amazing, but let's be real, it was mostly for show. The real stars were the buildables. The Subsurface Resonator and the Turbine combo could hold a hallway indefinitely. You’d sit in the courthouse or the alleyway, drop your traps, and just watch the rounds fly by.
📖 Related: Plants vs Zombies Xbox One: Why Garden Warfare Still Slaps Years Later
What Most People Get Wrong About the Easter Egg
The "Mined Games" Easter Egg is one of the more polarizing ones. Because Buried is the conclusion to the Victis crew's journey (Stuhlinger, Misty, Marlton, and Russman) before the "Origins" timeline reset everything, it had two paths: Maxis or Richtofen.
Maxis's side is generally considered the "canon" one for the story's continuation in the comics, but Richtofen’s path gave you the better rewards in-game. Most players think you need a PhD to finish it. You don't. You just need four people who actually listen to each other during the sharpshooter trophy step. That final step—shooting all the targets around the town—is notorious for breaking friendships. It requires perfection. One missed target and you start over.
It’s frustrating. It's loud. It's classic Zombies.
Is Buried Too Easy?
There’s a segment of the community that looks down on Buried. They say it’s the "baby's first Zombies map." And yeah, between the Bank, the Paralyzer, and the Vulture Aid perk, you’re basically invincible. Vulture Aid was a literal wall-hack. It let you see wall-buys through bricks and gave you a green mist to hide in so zombies would ignore you.
But "easy" doesn't mean "bad."
👉 See also: Why Pokemon Red and Blue Still Matter Decades Later
The map has atmosphere. The sound of the wind howling through the cavern, the creak of the wooden floorboards in the saloon, and the eerie silence of the church create a heavy, lonely feeling. It’s a masterpiece of environmental storytelling. You can see the remains of the town that was literally pulled underground by the shifting tectonic plates caused by the rockets hitting Earth at the end of Moon.
How to Master Buried Today
If you're jumping back into Call of Duty Black Ops 2 Buried Zombies in 2026, the strategy hasn't changed much, but your patience might have.
- The LSAT Jump: Right at the start, when you're on the collapsing floor, you can jump across to grab the LSAT off the wall for 2,000 points. If you miss, you can't get it again unless you restart. It’s a rite of passage.
- Vulture Aid is Non-Negotiable: Get it first. The ability to see where everything is located through walls is too good to pass up, especially in the dark tunnels.
- The Leroy/Arthur Trick: Don't just use him to break stuff. If you give him candy near a crawler, he’ll pick it up and keep it. This lets you explore the map and do the Easter Egg steps without a zombie biting your ankles every five seconds.
- The Bank is your Best Friend: If you’re playing on PC (Plutonium) or console, remember that your bank balance carries over. Spend one game just farming points and stuffing them into the vault. Your future self will thank you.
Final Thoughts on the Underground Town
Buried represents an era where Treyarch was willing to experiment with being "fun" rather than just "hard." It’s a map that rewards knowledge over raw mechanical skill. You don't need to be a pro at training zombies in tight circles if you know how to build a Headchopper and where to sit with a Paralyzer.
It’s the ultimate "hang out with friends" map. You can talk about your day while casually reaching round 40. In the high-stress environment of modern gaming, that's a rare treasure.
Next Steps for Your Session:
- Farm the Ghosts: Practice going through the mansion without losing points. Use a high-fire-rate weapon like the AN-94 or the PDW-57.
- Optimize Arthur: Learn the specific spots where he can build items instantly. If you give him candy near a buildable table, he will hunt down the parts for you.
- Vault Management: Always leave at least 10,000 points in the bank at the end of a session to make your next setup seamless.