Best maps in XDefiant ranked: Full tier list

❘ Updated: 2024-07-03T20:22:42

XDefiant character falling down while other shoots at them

Ubisoft

XDefiant provides a solid amount of maps, 15, and each one offers a different playground for players to run around and experiment with their weapons, but which maps stand out as the best overall?

Every map is designed to accommodate specific game modes, with some having room for multiple. Some are a more open-area style, while others might be more linear for modes like Escort.

To know which ones are the best, so far, we have a list of each map and how they rank against one another in XDefiant.

XDefiant maps tier list

The tier system for our maps rankings is broken down into four sections that range from the lowest (C) to the highest (S). The S-Tier maps are the ones that provide the best experience in terms of looks, design, and how they play. This changes and decreases as the tiers go down.

Here is a breakdown of how the tier rankings work:

S: The best maps to play on
A: Really good maps that have just a handful of issues
B: Fine maps that are harmless, if uninspired
C: Not the maps you look forward to playing on

Here is a basic breakdown of how the maps are tiered:

TIER	MAPS
S	Midway, Zoo, Nudleplex
A	Pueblito, Midway, Attica Heights, Echelon HQ, Clubhouse
B	Arena, Showtime, Times Square, Liberty
C	Meltdown, Emporium, Dumbo

Best maps in XDefiant

Here is a rundown of each map and why they are in the tier they’re in.

C Tier

Dumbo

A map based underneath the Brooklyn Bridge from The Division feels like it could be a cool map. However, the result is kind of average. It’s not a bad map, per se, but it isn’t one that has stood out to us in any special way.

Our biggest issue so far is that there are far too many spots inside the buildings where players have begun camping, making it difficult for anyone outside to gain entrance. Maybe this will change as the meta shifts, but for now, we have just had too many bad encounters with it.

Emporium

Another Division-based map that just doesn’t hit the mark here. This location takes place inside a New York department store. While it looks cool, the map itself is far too unbalanced right now to be one to look forward to.

The biggest offense is playing on Domination, when you spawn on Point C, you are at a disadvantage due to the lines of sight and high ground that allow you to get spawn killed and trapped easily.

Meltdown

This linear map starts off pretty solid, with an open area that offers plenty of cover for both offense and defense. It is a fun, chaotic, and thrilling time when first starting out in the match.

But the map really becomes a struggle as it goes on, specifically at the end. When making a push to the final checkpoint, it feels very lopsided in favor of the defense. There just aren’t many passages into the final area that can’t be easily seen by the opponents. Odds are that you will be gunned down before you even know what’s happening.

B Tier

Liberty

This redesign of Liberty Island has its charms, and being able to fight around the broken, fallen Statue of Liberty is a cool experience. And it works well for its Arena-style game modes, as there is plenty of cover and places to hide from your opponents.

However, it’s just kind of bland, overall. There’s just nothing about it that pops out to really make an impression. Every match is standard, and there aren’t necessarily glaring issues, but it’s just “meh” overall.

Times Square

Times Square is a fun progression map that takes you from the park, into a subway station, and then back into the city. This changing of environments is cool and makes the experience much better than it otherwise would be.

Because beyond the aesthetic, this map just has an average feel to it. Much like Liberty, it just doesn’t capture our attention in the same way that other maps do. But it does at least feature a sequence of different locales, which puts it above that map on this list.

Showtime

Possibly the smallest map in XDefiant, Showtime puts you on an old movie set. It’s tight and compact playstyle is fun and there are some great spots you can use to provide support for your team.

But when you play Domination on it, it begins to break down. Odds are, Points A and C will stay with the team that spawns at them. There just isn’t enough room for players to be able to get in and take the point for any reasonable amount of time. Plus, this causes Point B to be where everyone is funneled and the chaos just isn’t enjoyable. Grenades, constant gunfire, and enemies coming out of every corner are just too much. But we have it above others because we want to give credit for being the only map that truly feels small.

Arena

Arena lives up to its name: it is a simple, circular map that offers the basics needed for any firefight. Despite its size, the map still provides plenty of obstacles and designs that can allow for varied kinds of playing.

However, the simplicity can still be tough and there just isn’t enough of a visual differentiation to help the map stand out. It’s the kind of map that won’t be disappointing to have come up, but not one that has a lasting effect.

A Tier

Echelon HQ

This map is geared with stealth in mind for players who want to sneak around and get the jump on their enemies. Because of that, the Echelon Faction really stands out. Plus, its design is based on the Splinter Cell franchise and we will always appreciate that.

The problem is that if you are not a stealth-minded person, then the map is somewhat of a misfire. It’s just not designed well for aggressive play styles seeing as how it can be tough to find your enemy among all the hiding spots.

Attica Heights

This map boasts plenty of long-range hallways that allow for plenty of sniping or Marksman Rifles to be used. But it also has room for short-range weapons as well, making it a fine, well-rounded area to fight in.

The overall aesthetic also works really well with some amazing views surrounding you. However, sometimes the fight will be constrained to the lower levels where the view is lacking.

Mayday

Mayday is a wonderful map for snipers, which is not something that many competitive FPS’ can say they have. Plus, with its Occupy design, it has some great locations for players to have to defend.

Specifically, the middle point is one of the most challenging spots to have to hunker down in. But it’s not challenging in a bad way; it’s a thrilling experience that brings out the most competitive spirit of XDefiant.

Pueblito

This map from Far Cry 6 is a simple grid that has you running through a run-down town. It sounds like a boring experience, but there is something about this map that sticks with us.

Its design means that crossing a path can create a moment of terror, as you don’t know who could be aiming at you from your flank. And there are plenty of spots where you can find someone waiting to pounce, and it all blends together to create a great map.

Clubhouse

This iconic map from Rainbow Six Siege was introduced at the start of Season 1 and has quickly become a top option for most game modes in XDefiant. It has been expanded slightly to fit within the arena shooter aesthetic but is generally the same as it is in the Ubisoft FPS MOBA.

A medium-sized map with three levels can be pretty chaotic at times, which keeps it from S Tier as you can get shot from behind or from an upper level regularly thanks to its maze of corridors and chokepoints.

However, the map flows incredibly well and has balanced object spawns which gives attackers and defenders opportunities to claim space or infiltrate.

S Tier

Nudleplex

This map, based on Watch Dogs 2, earns its place on our list thanks to how fun its aesthetic is and how well it works. Its inspiration from a Silicon Valley-esque office comes with tons of bright colors and fun designs, which is a great refresher from the usual kind of color palette you’d find in others games, and even maps in XDefiant.

But it also boasts solid cover and passages that allow for stealth to be viable as well. There is no outside area, but the map never feels cramped.

Zoo

Zoo is our second option for the best maps in the game because it is one of the best linear maps in the game. What makes it stand out is how the map feels different as Escort missions progress. It keeps the entire experience feeling fresh and never gets stale.

Also, it’s just a well-designed map altogether, with plenty of side passageways for you to flank your enemies, and vice versa. Sometimes a linear map can fall into the pitfall of either offense or defense not having enough opportunity to maneuver, and thus feeling unbalanced. This is not the case with Zoo, and we have never had a bad time playing on either side.

Midway

Midway is our top pick for the best map in XDefiant because, just as Zoo was a wonderfully designed linear map, Midway does it even better. The amusement park feel of the whole thing is a lot of fun as you push your payload to the finish line.

But there is a great network of tunnels and rooms surrounding the path that keeps it at the top. You never feel like you are stuck in the line of sight of an enemy; you can move your way through side rooms to get the drop on your enemies, and every playstyle works on it.

The maps are just where you play in XDefiant, so be sure to stay on top of the best weapons, including the rankings for Assault Rifles, SMGs, and LMGs.