Quenching his never-ending thirst for Nazi blood, BJ Blazkowicz is once again on a journey to stop Hitler’s army.
It has been several years since the last Wolfenstein, but the Nazis are still looking to harness supernatural powers to help their quest for world domination. What makes this next gen version unique is that it takes place in an open world…well, kind of. The hub world is where you will acquire your mission objects, but it so small in size, you can walk from one end to the other in a matter of seconds, partially thanks to a pinpoint compass that always tells the player exactly where to go. Yes, this shortens the length of backtracking, although still very apparent throughout the course of the game, but this “open world” really feels fake and forced instead of recreating that open world RPG feeling. Mission structure couldn’t be more straightforward either. Once you complete a mission for one faction, you simply head over the next. There is no option to displease one faction in favor of another either, like in Metal Gear Solid 4, so it generates a counterfeit sense of gameplay freedom.
When not wandering around looking for a new mission, gun fights will be taking up most of your time. Besides the usually WWII weaponry, the player slowly unlocks Veil abilities, the biggest gimmick of the game. Taking a Psi-Ops or Matrix-like approach, the player will eventually unlock slow motion and shielding powers to make shooting up Nazis more interesting and entertaining. Adding more to the puzzle side of gameplay, entering the Veil will display hidden paths and secrets not normally seen in the real world thanks to a green/purple screen overlay. Stuck and can’t figure out where to go next? Then search for that hidden ladder in Veil mode. Can’t get passed a pack of Nazis? Then blow up the hidden exploding enemies in the Veil to harm your real life opponents. At best, the Veil powers help you destroy your adversaries, but no power really significantly makes the gameplay more entertaining; it is just another function to utilize.
The single player experience is your typical fare, lasting anywhere from 8-12 hours of usual run and gunning. On the other hand, the game puts a large emphasis on multiplayer, as most of the game’s Trophies are unlocked during multiplayer matches, but winds up being a disappointment. With a few character classes and only three gameplay modes, don’t expect multiplayer to keep you entertained for long. Unfortunately, just about every multiplayer match featured this strange type of lag/jagginess that really interrupts gameplay, even when only playing with a few other people.
Although the environments are highly interactive and destructible, the story is filled with paranormal drama, and gunning the snot out of Nazis can be enjoyable, but both the single and multiplayer experiences are forgettable. Wolfenstein is not a bad game, it just lacks that overall buzz factor to keep the disc in your tray.
Not As Good As: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
Reminiscent of: Hell Boy
Wait For It: Inglorious Bastards on BluRay