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Wolfenstein
There won't be any awards for innovation or turning the FPS genre on its head but that won't matter when you are shooting super natural Nazis.
August 25, 2009 | 10:02 PM PSTKombo's Review Policy: Our reviews are written for you. Our goal is to write honest, to-the-point reviews that don't waste your time. This is why we've split our reviews into four sections: What the Game's About, What's Hot, What's Not and Final Word, so that you can easily find the information you want from our reviews.
What the Game's About
Wolfenstein is the continuation of the Wolfenstein saga where Nazis are all about harnessing super natural powers to conquer the world. You take the role of B.J. Blazkowicz, an American cowboy type, to turn the tides of war in your favor. Along the Nazi filled path, you pick up some powers of your own and use another realm of existence to stop them dead in their tracks.
What's Hot
Wolfenstein has some classic roots in video game culture. It was popularized back when FPS games were also known as corridor shooters. So there is a lot of legacy that this game needs to live up to. The developers are Ravensoft took the time to study the past and areas where Wolfenstein could grow. The result is something rather extraordinary. Yes, there are plenty of rooms full of Nazis endlessly shooting in your general direction. That is what makes a Wolfenstein a Wolfenstein game but there are plenty of other things to be excited for.
The way the game is structured, you might be reminded of a Fallout 3. You find your missions from a few different factions in the town of Isenstadt. You have free roam on where you go and what you do so there is a bit of freedom on your part. Once you accept a mission, you head to a designated spot and get transported to a level. At that point, you are put into a linear level with hordes of Nazis ripe for the killing. Because you aren't given total free roam over the game (like Fallout 3), Wolfenstein feels more reigned in and concise. There isn't an ounce of filler between you and your next round of ammo.
Once missions are complete, you get a cash reward. Money can be spent on upgrading your weapons with larger ammo magazines or outfitted with pieces that cause more damage. The customization of weapons feels right and with the amount of unique guns to begin with, you'll feel like there is plenty of diversity stocked in your gun arsenal. Even the magic medallion you receive can be upgraded to give you additional powers.
The magical medallion is one of the key components to the game. It grants you access to what the game calls, "the Veil." In the Veil, you have access to another realm that is intertwined with our reality. Once B.J. activates the medallion, you can see shortcuts or alternate angles to fight the Nazis from. There are a few other powers that you accumulate over the course of the game, which will be of great help for some of the mini-puzzles and trickier spots or boss fights. You are encouraged to use these powers quite frequently and it keeps the fighting fresh.
What's Not
What is interesting about Wolfenstein is that it feels held back because of its historical legacy. The new gameplay features with the Veil and the multiplayer modes are what makes this stand out, but fighting the Nazis, being a bullet sponge and doing it for every large room you enter is only so exciting for so long. It is one thing to honor the source material but it feels that Wolfenstein gets bogged down by it from all the exploding barrels and single minded AI.
Story has never been a strong suit in Wolfenstein and it could have been beefed up for this version. There is a story and it is mildly entertaining. However, any resemblance of a story quickly evaporates over the loud and frequent battles. Not only that but B.J. is the typical cocky hero that knows he is good at what he does, which makes him a bit of a tool.
Final Word
Wolfenstein is a good shooter. There are some missed opportunities and living too much in the past but don't let that ruin the fun parts of the game which outnumber the bad. There won't be any awards for innovation or turning the FPS genre on its head, but that won't matter when you are shooting super natural Nazis with WWII weaponry. Wolfenstein, in all of its hail of bullets, reminds us why shooters are fun to begin with.
What the Game's About
Wolfenstein is the continuation of the Wolfenstein saga where Nazis are all about harnessing super natural powers to conquer the world. You take the role of B.J. Blazkowicz, an American cowboy type, to turn the tides of war in your favor. Along the Nazi filled path, you pick up some powers of your own and use another realm of existence to stop them dead in their tracks.
What's Hot
Wolfenstein has some classic roots in video game culture. It was popularized back when FPS games were also known as corridor shooters. So there is a lot of legacy that this game needs to live up to. The developers are Ravensoft took the time to study the past and areas where Wolfenstein could grow. The result is something rather extraordinary. Yes, there are plenty of rooms full of Nazis endlessly shooting in your general direction. That is what makes a Wolfenstein a Wolfenstein game but there are plenty of other things to be excited for.
The way the game is structured, you might be reminded of a Fallout 3. You find your missions from a few different factions in the town of Isenstadt. You have free roam on where you go and what you do so there is a bit of freedom on your part. Once you accept a mission, you head to a designated spot and get transported to a level. At that point, you are put into a linear level with hordes of Nazis ripe for the killing. Because you aren't given total free roam over the game (like Fallout 3), Wolfenstein feels more reigned in and concise. There isn't an ounce of filler between you and your next round of ammo.
Once missions are complete, you get a cash reward. Money can be spent on upgrading your weapons with larger ammo magazines or outfitted with pieces that cause more damage. The customization of weapons feels right and with the amount of unique guns to begin with, you'll feel like there is plenty of diversity stocked in your gun arsenal. Even the magic medallion you receive can be upgraded to give you additional powers.
The magical medallion is one of the key components to the game. It grants you access to what the game calls, "the Veil." In the Veil, you have access to another realm that is intertwined with our reality. Once B.J. activates the medallion, you can see shortcuts or alternate angles to fight the Nazis from. There are a few other powers that you accumulate over the course of the game, which will be of great help for some of the mini-puzzles and trickier spots or boss fights. You are encouraged to use these powers quite frequently and it keeps the fighting fresh.
What's Not
What is interesting about Wolfenstein is that it feels held back because of its historical legacy. The new gameplay features with the Veil and the multiplayer modes are what makes this stand out, but fighting the Nazis, being a bullet sponge and doing it for every large room you enter is only so exciting for so long. It is one thing to honor the source material but it feels that Wolfenstein gets bogged down by it from all the exploding barrels and single minded AI.
Story has never been a strong suit in Wolfenstein and it could have been beefed up for this version. There is a story and it is mildly entertaining. However, any resemblance of a story quickly evaporates over the loud and frequent battles. Not only that but B.J. is the typical cocky hero that knows he is good at what he does, which makes him a bit of a tool.
Final Word
Wolfenstein is a good shooter. There are some missed opportunities and living too much in the past but don't let that ruin the fun parts of the game which outnumber the bad. There won't be any awards for innovation or turning the FPS genre on its head, but that won't matter when you are shooting super natural Nazis with WWII weaponry. Wolfenstein, in all of its hail of bullets, reminds us why shooters are fun to begin with.
November 20, 2009
