id Software brings us a new Wolfenstein for 2009, along with the aid of developer Raven Software and publishing giant Activision. We see the next revival of a classic and influential shooter -- one that popularized FPS -- 17 years after the original, eight after Return to Castle Wolfenstein.
Now Polish-American spy William "B.J." Blazkowicz is back to kick more Nazi ass, with all-new enemies and some lovely German scenery. The Third Reich is up to no good yet again; they're dipping into the occult now in search of the ultimate weapon against the Allies. As always, it's up to one man to stop an army, with the aid of Isenstadt's resistance groups and some magic of his own.
This game runs on the same engine as DOOM 3, which to some feels rather unwhelming. So Wolfenstein should feel pretty familiar to those of you who are well acquainted with first-person shooters. If you find the controls cumbersome, the options allow up to five preset button configurations. Crouch, toss grenades, fire your weapons, punch a Nazi in the head -- all very basic shooter maneuvers.
A diverse range of weapons really defines this game. You have the more conventional stuff like automatic assault rifles -- MP40 and MP43 -- or the Kar 98 carbine. Later on, weapons get progressively stronger and stranger, from the rocket launcher and flamethrower to cannons that fire particle beams or electrical volts (and more). Feeling overpowered? Jack up the difficulty setting; you can change it at any time during the game.
Morbid as it may sound, Wolfenstein lets you kill Nazis in a lot of different ways, making sure you have fun punching, stabbing, shooting, burning, electrocuting your way through their ranks. There's as wide a variety in enemy types, from Nazi soldiers to Black Sun monsters, and not all enemies are aggressive. You can choose to spare the scientists and secretaries if you're the altruistic type -- watching them cower in the corner or dropping to the floor with hands over their heads is pretty amusing. While the enemies will shout the usual one-liners trying to intimidate B.J., their battle cries actually add character more than noise.
On top of guns, B.J. also has Veil powers at his disposal, thanks to a Black Sun medallion he acquires at the start of the game. The medallion grants the player four powers: Veil Sight, Mire (slowing time), Shield, Empower (shield penetration). Using these powers in any combination opens up new ways of overpowering your enemies. Some will prove more useful than others, but the choice is yours. I found myself sticking with Veil and Mire, and you may prefer Shield over time manipulation. The first power, Veil Sight, will be an essential tool, either way, and adds an extra dimension to an otherwise simplistic shooter. Veil Sight lets you see secret doorways and paths, which often leads to collectibles (gold, intel) or a way of circumventing enemies. With these powers at your disposal, Raven tossed in plenty of situational puzzles, making sure every ability comes into play at least once.
Ammo, weapon upgrades and Veil crystals come from Black Market vendors, scattered around the city of Isenstadt. Wolfenstein has very open world feel, like many RPGs. As you progress through the game, you'll run into various factions opposing the Nazi regime, operating out of the city, with agents and Black Market vendors hidden throughout Isenstadt's war-torn niches. These factions offer their own quests, which work a bit like instance quests in MMOs (as opposed to open world). Picking up and completing quests will open up new areas to explore, and the town itself is beautifully rendered, welcoming your presence.
Halfway through the game, however, it becomes apparent that the open world is a facade, at best. The quests are all interlaced and invariably lead to the same place; one person will give you a quest that may open up to two or three more, yet all of those invariably go back to the main story. There's also much backtracking involved. Getting between contacts to acquire and turn in your missions will send you back and forth through the same streets, sewers, and rooftops. While these explorable alleyways are refreshing at first, the excitement can wear off pretty fast. It sure doesn't help that enemies respawn whenever you return from a mission or another zone; they're not always fixed in the same location, but the patrols you previously killed will reappear to prowl the streets yet again. Luckily, with all the different paths available, you can sneak by most groups or just let them pass by.
forums
