Disclaimer: this article represents the opinion of the writer but not necessarily that of Team Dignitas.

Without considering the map's disappointing lack of balance, Aztec offers a unique atmosphere that most current FPS titles struggle to provide. The looming monuments and rampant, lush vegetation contribute a good deal to the map's immersion, alongside the ambient rain. However, no amount of aesthetic design could ever redeem a map with the balance of half a teeter-totter.

But what design flaws could be so severe that they overcome its brilliant atmospheric value?



The Puddle of Death



On Christmas evening, the dinner table is generally adorned with a centerpiece of assorted flowers to mark the occasion and mask the disgusting gluttony of the imminent feast. In that same way, the center of de_aztec is adorned with a massive, muddy death puddle into which dreams embark, never to return. To new players, the puddle may be enticing. "Certainly Hidden Path put this here for a reason, right? It must offer some sort of strategic value!" No, little one. By the time you traverse the water and reach the ramp up to B site, you are dead. Not only is the entire area visible from the bombsite; it is also a five-second rotation from anywhere else on the map. As the opposition closes in, the T's are left only to pray to the Aztec totems that they might be able to pick up a frag or two before they go down. But hey, at least it isn't a completely exposed bridge leading into CT-dominated territory, right?



The Bridge of Death



Suspended above the Puddle of Death is a wooden bridge. It leads from the T-spawn hub to A site, roughly. It is not equipped with handrails, but is protected from B site's AWP brigade by a massive wall of stone, making it an exceptionally comfy place to hang out and admire the scenery -- that is, if you consider the pointy end of a 5.56x45mm round to be admirable scenery. Despite the lack of massive areas of exposure, the bridge forces any Terrorist to rush into a funnel, lining them up for the hungry CT's to pick off and take home to feed their young. This is because CT spawn is almost immediately next to the room at the end of the bridge, allowing the Counter-Terrorists the ability to settle in with their M4's before the T's even escape their spawn area.



The Catwalk of Shame (and Death)

Also overlooking the puddle, the Catwalk of Shame --also known as "Overpass," "Mid," or "Totems"-- stretches from double doors to moss. Like the bridge, it is completely exposed to oncoming CT fire, which is again in position before the terrorists even make it through doors. As an added twist, the walkway is also visible from B site, rendering it a graveyard at the hands of the inevitable AWP-wielding Counter-Terrorist. Additionally, several smoke grenades are required to properly mask the terrorist push into A site. No matter how it is approached, one may as well sacrifice themselves to the totems in T-spawn in exchange for fortune in uncrating items rather than attempt to travel this route.

The Rebalance



One could analyze for hours the flawed design of de_aztec and suggest ways that Valve could potentially redeem it. In the end, though, the perfect solution for rebalancing the map is clear: remove the "PROHIBIDO EL PASO" (meaning "No Entry") sign from double doors and plaster it onto Aztec's checkbox in the matchmaking options menu.