Wolfenstein The New Order
THE PREMISE: Wolfenstein The New Order looks to bring the Wolfenstein franchise back to the stage by stringing together brutal FPS combat, next-gen graphics, and an over the top setting where Nazi robots control the world. Is dual wield shotguns, destroying robots, and blowing off the limbs of Nazis with a shower of blood satisfying enough to render this title noteworthy?
THE GOOD: This game succeeds in providing over the top action in an interesting alternate history setting. At first it seems odd that it's the 1960s and robots are roaming the earth, but eventually that feeling disappeared and I accepted the game for what it is -- crazy. This world is displayed with next-gen graphics that prove how successful a game can be in that department, when they choose not to develop for last-gen (360, ps3). I caught my self standing still to admire my surroundings quite often, especially when the game shifts to the moon for a brief period of time. That is actually part of what makes the game entertaining; its ability to change feel at any given moment. Some may call this inconsistency, but I see it as a way of blending mechanics from other games to create a new identify. At times I felt like I was playing Far Cry , Killzone Crisis , and Dishonored. The games mix between stealth, shooting, and set-piece moments seemed to be balanced well enough to work.
For the most part the gameplay plays out like any other FPS. Cool tools like the "lazercutter" make navigating between areas within the level interesting. With this tool you could cut fences and grates, making you feel like that spy you've always wanted to be. In addition you could switch the laser into a mode that allows it to shoot at enemies. This all purpose gadget was definitely a highlight.
THE BAD:
The aspect that bothers me most about this game is its clunky item pickup system. In most modern FPS games, simply walking over weapons will add ammo to your weapon. This allows you to spend less time fussing over what's on the ground, so you can pay more attention to your objective. In Wolfenstein, every piece of ammunition has to be picked up manually. This mechanic is extremely cumbersome and aggravating. Looking for ammo on the ground and clicking a button just to pick it up is a huge waste of time. I got myself killed so many times because I was paying more attention looking at the ground than I was to the enemies. Health only regenerated to a minimal amount, so you had to find scavenge for health packs or look for armor. This works in some games, but in this one I just felt like everywhere I turned I had to look and click at a million different places, just to have enough ammo and armor to progress.
Another poor part of this game is its AI intelligence. Nazis would just walk out of their cover or stand in the open as if they wanted to be killed. It resembled playing a game of whack-a-mole with guns. This went for the scarce amount of boss fights the game had, which were easily beatable. Turn up the difficulty. Enemy variety was also weak; I got tired of fighting the same robot or running from the same robot dog. The general weapons were also very plain, and they were very hard to aim. For some reason hip firing worked the best for most situations.
THE BOTTOM LINE: Wolfenstein is not a terrible, but it isn't great. With first person shooters everywhere, it can be difficult to stand out as something fresh within the genre. With repetitive FPS gameplay and a mediocre storyline wrapped into a 12 hour game, it is very difficult for me to recommend a purchase. If you have nothing to play, and are looking for something moderately amusing, rent this game. Just don't expect anything groundbreaking, or anything that will leave you with the desire for more.
