Wolfenstein: The New Order Game Review

Released: 20th May 2014

Developer: Machine Games

Publisher: Bethesda Softworks

Certificate: 18

Formats: PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One and PC

Format Played: PC

Creating the first-person shooter genre in 1992, the Wolfenstein series achieved an immense following, as did its original developer ID Software; in the years since, both have come down from their once widespread prominence. After many years in obscurity, the classic shooter series returned to the gaming scene under developer Machine Games in 2014, proving that single-player shooters can still be carefully and passionately crafted products.

Taking place after the events of 2009’s Wolfenstein and beginning in 1946, Wolfenstein: The New Order follows series regular William "B.J." Blazkowicz (played by Brian Bloom) as the allied forces launch a desperate assault on a Nazi compound, hoping to: “cut the head off the Kraut war machine”. The attack turns out to be a disaster; hopelessly outmatched by superior technology from robot dogs to mechanised mutants, William and a few of his fellow men barely escape the sadistic General Deathshead (Dwight Schultz), but William is sent into a coma and awakens fourteen years later to find that the Nazis rule the world. He soon links up with a small band of compatriots and the mission to topple the fascist power begins, taking him and later the resistance on a round trip of Nazi-controlled areas around Europe and the often-horrific implications of their victory. With a central narration by the main protagonist, Wolfenstein: The New Order does something that no other title in the franchise has before; it humanises the characters. Sure, William B.J Blasckowickz is a Nazi-killing super-soldier in a thick leather coat by gaming standards but the struggle he and the resistance faces, alongside being out of his element in the Nazi-ruled 1960s adds a fair bit of poignancy to his character. The relationship he forms with the Polish nurse Anya (Alicja Bachleda) is also a key emotional point. Every character in the resistance feels important and this drives the player to pull through the campaign. It’s also aided by a strong pacing that shifts between locations and events with cutscenes in-between. Add to that the truly loathsome villains, who are all introduced with dramatic monologue sequences and you have the most fully-featured and engaging plot the series has ever seen.

Wolfenstein: The New Order is entirely focused on delivering an engaging single-player component and with every resource committed to doing so, the game succeeds. The opening level features a nasty choice that shifts many factors over the course of the campaign, particularly where story and characters are concerned. There’s a brilliant level of variety here; on-foot combat, light platforming, a simple stealth system, commandeering vehicles and taking on bosses. Yet despite a relatively linear campaign led by specific objectives, The New Order is filled with replayability; while some shooters today make use of throwaway collectables, in this game they add to its setting. Enigma codes offer additional unlocks from the main menu, all sorts of newspaper cuttings and letters are strewn around the environments for further context and on top of all that, Blazcowickz can unlock new abilities and perks by completing specific challenges throughout the game, whether it’s tossing grenades back or increasing movement speed when sneaking. With some openness to the levels, the player is rewarded for exploring with some particularly great easter eggs thrown in for long-term fans of series. The game takes at least ten hours to beat, but with so much to find in that main campaign, alongside the alterations of that first choice, The New Order offers far more than its contemporaries in a market so intent on putting more focus on multiplayer.

By setting itself apart from most shooters on today’s hardware, Wolfenstein: The New Order feels remarkably fresh. The game offers a regenerative numbered health system in increments of 20, making scavenging for health packs around the levels essential; you can also buff your health further and up Blazkowicz’s durability with armour pick-ups. A light cover system ensures a more careful approach on lower health by leaning and peeking over walls and cover When William’s health rises above 200 however, you can take more risks, running and gunning in a hail of ammunition and grenades. When combat does heat up, it feels incredibly punchy and impactful; every enemy you riddle with bullets falls and tumbles with often gruesome results and the control scheme is kept simple and straightforward. Enemy AI is quite good with standard helmeted soldiers moving between cover points while robots relentlessly track and surround the player. The protagonist carries plenty of weapons on him at all times; assault rifles, shotguns, silenced pistols and throwing knives, as well as a rechargeable laser weapon whose potency only grows over the course of the game. You can also dual wield weapons and rip off gun turrets for even more firepower, which is a must as the Nazis that show up get gradually tougher; for the most part this raises the challenge seamlessly though occasionally it can boil down to bullet sponge robots which make combat drag on longer than it should. The stealth system can also feel relatively simplistic at times too; certain levels will have Nazi officers who must be killed silently to prevent reinforcements being called in. If you are spotted, enemies will keep pouring in until the officers are eliminated; this could have been expanded, along with the perk system to allow a more stealth oriented playthrough. Aside from a few slightly archaic gameplay choices, Wolfenstein: The New Order is able to empower the player with some of the more ferocious action seen in recent shooters.

The New Order runs on ID Software’s Tech 5 engine, but it’s the art style that makes a far greater impression. The metallic steampunk style gels incredibly well with the Nazi version of the 1960s; saturated grey columns, mechanical monstrosities stomping around, the use of analogue devices, it all works to create an absorbing effect that speaks of the utter domination imposed by the fascist third reich. The sheer scale of the antagonist’s hold on the world only adds to the illusion with vast domed buildings and expansive towers. Environmental variety is also a strong point, but this goes hand-in-hand with the game’s often brutal source material; you’ll uncover some truly disturbing sights over the course of the game, mostly featuring the Nazi’s cruel treatment of test subjects and prisoners. It makes it all the more satisfying to punish them for their evil, further contributing to the plot motivation. Brilliant voice acting makes every character unique and interesting and with a hint of fantastical elements thrown in, the latest entry in the Wolfenstein series feels more grounded, alongside a soundtrack that brings together pumping rock tracks and a classical sixties tone. With barely a drop-in performance, Wolfenstein: The New Order comes together cohesively; even the load time between each mission are kept relatively low, meaning the game never loses much of its immersive qualities.

I was genuinely surprised at how good Wolfenstein: The New Order was; it’s easily one of the standout first person shooter campaigns to come out in recent years with a resonating story, powerful combat and a sinister, terrifying and often sadistic alternative future. Whether you’ve played a Wolfenstein game or not, The New Order is a welcome diversion from all the modern military shooters that now dominate the genre.

Rating: 8.5/10 (Great)