The Finals only has four core maps, but they’re so good that it puts launch maps for recent Call of Duty entries to shame. It doesn’t have nostalgia to fall back on like MW3 or any pre-existing lore to pull from either. Embark Studios re-imagines familiar countries around the world in its image, furnishing each map with a vibrant yet minimalist aesthetic and plenty of verticality. There’s still much ground to cover, though, so this is where the new The Finals maps should go next.
What we love about each map in The Finals is the clear imprint of Embark Studios’ heritage. There is a color scheme akin to Mirror’s Edge, indicating a clear path to success (or failure), as each nook and cranny of the map is made easy to follow. It all shines in ray-traced glory as we bask in the glow of Las Vegas casino lights or the sunkissed rooftop of Skyway Stadium. It can all change, too, as Embark deploys variations of each map to keep things fresh, like changing the weather or entire pathways completely. Embark can bring all these qualities elsewhere in one of the best multiplayer games on PS5 and Xbox, starting with the palm tree-laden streets of Miami.
5. London
There’s plenty of scope to hone in on the iconography of London in The Finals. Whether it is taking in the view from the London Eye or wandering around Piccadilly Circus, an overhauled version of these areas could be mashed together. Imagine getting trapped inside the London Eye while it rolls down the street of a stitched-together version of popular tourist spots because the Cash Out is in one of the eye’s capsules.
Piccadilly in 2019’s Modern Warfare was an underrated map (yes), turning it into a battleground of London Underground passages and bullet-riddled shops to traverse through. London’s mixture of regency-style townhouses to brutalist skyscrapers is waiting for an Embark revitalization.
4. Barcelona
This pick might be a little similar to the aesthetics that Monaco currently outputs in-game, but if Barcelona is good enough for Tony Hawk’s Underground, it is certainly good enough for The Finals. Barcelona’s architecture is widely reknown thanks to the Modernista movement that architect and designer Antoni Gaudí helped push the envelope on.
Embark could look into Gothic-style creations, giving every building a distinct appearance unlike any other maps in the game, let alone some of the best FPS games currently out there. And of course, we want a gigantic cathedral to fight in. Put the Cash Out zone in the top of a belltower and Embark will be cooking.
3. Athens
Look, it is pretty simple when it comes to Athens. We want to battle in the middle of the Acropolis. Oh, and it is also one of the most stunning places in the world. The heart of Ancient Greece is fit for the fast-paced and deadly world of The Finals, and we know that there could be some excellent cosmetics to accompany it. Athens was also home to the 2004 Summer Olympics, making it a perfect fit for the ultimate game show.
2. Paris
Paris is often dubbed the ‘city of love’, and we love extracting with $20,000. If you played one of the best racing games on PS2, Midnight Club 2, you’ll know that Paris can be a wicked map to blast around in. We want to see Embark get wild with this one. We’re talking about going into its version of the catacombs and bringing in the Arc de Triomphe de l’Étoile – totally not inspired by John Wick Chapter 4, at all. Ziplines up to the top of the Eiffel Tower? Sure, why not?
1. Miami
“Every day like a Mardi Gras, everybody party all day. No work all play, okay.” Important words from Will Smith’s 1997 anthem Miami. The Finals is always a party, even if you’re getting targeted with an RPG as your surroundings crumble away. Miami is the city that keeps on giving inspiration to the gaming world. Ubisoft leaned on a Michael Mann-style version of it for Driver 3 and Call of Duty Black Ops Cold War brought it to the FPS masses recently too. Apply Embark’s eye-catching design ethos to Miami and there’s a recipe for the greatest map in the game.
New updates are coming to The Finals soon, and we hope that fresh locations are part of those plans in the near future. Until then, we’ll be using the best The Finals controller settings to refine our skills against invisible Light players.