Wolfenstein : The New Order - "Nazis, I Hate These Guys"

Wolfenstein : The New Order

I've been playing as BJ Blazkowicz killing Nazis for some time and when in 2014 they announced a new Wolfenstein I was excited. Even more so after it came out and had a lot of very favorable reviews. So in typical fashion I wait until they announce a sequel 3 years before I play it. That's just how I roll.

Seriously though Wolfenstein : The New Order is really damn good.

This is a meaty fast first person shooter that does a good job of combining what older gamers like me remember wanting out of an FPS with modern game sensibilities and quality of life improvements. It hits the nostalgia buttons without also leaving in all the bad stuff we'd rather forgotten. But Wolfenstein also makes it's own choices about the kind of game it is rather than just follow the new "way" FPS games are made now. It keeps fast paced play and tight controls with new creative scenarios while passing on more of the modern gimmicky things. Specifically it has no leveling up, crafting or other mashed in extras that don't really do anything but waste your time in menus. Here is your gun. Those are Nazis. You know what to do.

Wolfenstein does offer some good choices in how you play it. Weapon selection dictates a lot how you will approach any given group of enemies, letting you go with the play style you are comfortable with. There is even stealth approaches to many encounters, taking out an officer before he can set off the alarm and call in waves of soldiers is one way to go. But then you get to kill less Nazis. And that's why I am here. So yeah I didn't pick the stealth option to often.

Speaking of the weapons (other than the seeming useless silenced pistol) the selection of guns all feel good to use. Heavy and impact full. They sound good and their results are immediately obvious. I liked toting an assault rifle under each arm personally. A varied selection of enemy types from the simple soldier to lumbering robots driven by brains in jars gives you plenty of reasons to try all sorts of tactics and approaches. These fights are fun, fast and often tense. Once and a while there is the odd "oh come on" cheap moment where the game falls into old FPS habits but they are few and quickly pass.

Another category that gets Wolfenstein a big old check mark is that it doesn't overstay it's welcome. Each of the many environments do a good job of being distinct and just long enough that you are moved along before they get repetitive or boring. Combined with an honest to god well written story and creative cast of characters (both friends and enemies) the 10-12 hours it takes to play go through very quickly. Wolfenstein goes places (both physically and story wise) that I was really not expecting and pulled it off with flying colors. BJ Blazkowicz is not just a faceless "shooty man", they story gives him (and by extension you they player) real character and choices. It's good.

Top this all off with really good looking graphics, both in fidelity and style I can't not recommend Wolfenstein : The New Order. Go get it and kill some Nazis.