A few months ago, ID released the latest entry in their age-old IP - Wolfenstein. Developed by Machine Games, Wolfenstein: The New Order see's you once again play as BJ Blaskowicz in a Post-World War II world where the Nazi's won and all hell has broke loose.
The game released and fans new and old adored it, loved it. Some considered it a "return to form" or a "great return for BJ" and more. Eventually, last August, I managed to eventually get a hold of a copy of the game for myself. Being a fan of the series, having played the 3D original and the 2009 game simply titled "Wolfenstein", I was eager to try this!
Before I go on, let me make it clear that this isn't a review, per se'. And don't let how I communciate through literacy confuse you, I did enjoy the game.
When you get around to starting the game, you start in a war plane alongside your Scottish sidekick. Your on your way to sending the Nazi's a firm greeting via your boot. For the next 10 minutes, your running around pressing switches and manning the turrets, shooting at other planes. It's all fair enough, as this opening works out as a sort of tutorial to the game,
Anyway, eventually your plane crashes and you go searching for your team mates, following a strict, linear pathway filled with scripted events. Within 20 minutes, I was then getting bored. It shouldn't take so long before you get to shoot something, but that seems to be the case here.
One small step for man, One giant leap for the Fuhrer
But when you finally do get to kill Nazi's in a heated blaze of bullets riddling upon their flesh, that's when it's at it's best. But for the first half of the supremely lengthy campaign, the gunplay is placed "here and there" with linear pathways, scripted events and climbing through ventilation shafts taking up the majority of the gameplay. I couldn't help but feel the creators must have been inspired by Half Life judging by the way this game was paced and that would have been fine if it was a whole new IP. But this is Wolfenstein and most of the game didn't feel very..."Wolfenstein". I also found the game very "cutscene-heavy" as it felt like every corridor-end and every turn led to a cutscene. I'm all for games with a serious focus on story, just not a game about a beefcake american carrying 20+ guns at once, gunning down an army of Hitler fanatics. It got to the point where I felt the story was so pointless in being there that I was skipping the cutscenes. At times I also felt myself comparing the experience to Gearboxes' ill-fated Alien: Colonial Marines.
While many will agree Colonial Marines was a garbage Alien game, I felt it was a great entry in the modern-day old-skool shooter. With dozens of weapons at your disposal and plenty of enemies to gun down for your enjoyment. The health system in Wolfenstein: TNO was also pretty similar, letting you pick up Nazi armour and helmets and such to improve BJ's protection. I like this approach and hope more gamed adopt it.
But aye, in a nutshell, Wolfenstein: The New Order was somewhat disappointing for me as a Wolfenstein game. I felt it wasn't a return to form for Wolfenstein but rather a new lease of life for the ageing IP. As a general FPS, I found it to be enjoyable and fun. With a huge focus on singleplayer that isn't seen much in todays generation of gaming. Machine Games recently hinted that they'd like to do a sequel and despite my disappointment, I would happily welcome a sequel.
But we're not done yet.....
When I finished The New Order, I decided to dust off the 2009 Wolfenstein game and one again play through it's campaign, for the sake of comparison. To give you a idea on which one I found "funner" as a Wolfenstein game - 5 minutes into the 2009 game and I was already having more fun killing Nazi's here than TNO. Bosses on the other hand were shit in the 2009 iteration.
But I sort of preferred BJ's personality in the 2009 game. There was some humour mixed in with the seriousness of the game's situation. While TNO's BJ is a more realistic personality for a man damaged physically and mentally in war, Wolfenstein hasn't exactly been known for being "realistic". I don't know, everyone will have their preference surely. Some might prefer a "mute" BJ ala Wolfenstein 3D.
Speaking of 3D, the homage to the original game in TNO was probably the best thing there, It reminded me of the secret ID loot rooms in RAGE, except..you could actually play the fucking level!!!
Would happily play a whole game of this.
I also prefer the supernatural theme in Wolfenstein over the TNO's robot theme. I'd like to imagine the Nazi's in the game were more of a mass-numbered cult instead of a Post-World War II Skynet.
I couldn't care for any of the side characters in either of the games and no amount of drama and intensity will change that. I like my Wolfenstein with a side order of blood and death.
Before I finally get round to finishing this half-assed Blog post, I need to know another thing about TNO. What the fuck was up with Caroline Becker's super-suit? She shows up near the end, kicks some Nazi machine to the ground, able to walk in a modern-looking suit reminiscent of Isaac Clarke's from Dead Space. I felt that suit wasn't explained all too much in it's short screen time.
But oh well. I meant to post this weeks ago, but I didn't finish it and lost motivation. Kinda just re-did it all tonight to finish it. Regardless, what's your favourite Wolfenstein game? Be sure to let me know in the comments below.
This is the face of Justice.
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