Saturday 1 November 2014

Game Review: Wolfenstein The New Order

Wolfenstein and Return To Castle Wolfenstein, known as some of the games that pioneered the way for the modern titles we have today, has recently had a sequel released called Wolfenstein: The New Order. Can the New Order continue the tradition of great games. Or do the old style of games not work in today's generation?

WARNING: SPOILERS AND STUFF

Bethesda and id Software are two names  of the industry that are both known for amazing games. I mean, id Software MADE the video games of today a reality. Doom and Wolfenstein completely redefined what video games were. They both pioneered a now multimillion dollar industry and then they improved it and made it fun. Bethesda, on the other hand, made the Elder Scrolls series. They also adapted and made the Fallout series their own. Both series are considered some of the best games of this generation. So you can clearly see the hype and expectations that were loaded on to the Wolfenstein sequel. This game was to be nothing less than perfection. Playing this game, I can say that this game was amazing. I found very little in this game that was bad or even mediocre. The game deserved the hype.

The graphics of this game are astounding. It runs at a very smooth 1080p 60fps. And I can say those specs are amazing. Every other game in the world right now is trying for those specs and Wolfenstein just waltzes on in like "Sup bitches! 60fps! 1080p! Later!" and then walks out as the intro to CSI plays. This game looks beautiful and plays great. The art style is very nice and seems both real and gory at times and funny and silly at times. The game knows what it is and what it is is blowing away robot Nazi's with duel wielded shotguns, then coming being forced to choose which friend you save from being dissected alive. The game knows how to be itself and it does it in a way that no other game *cough* Duke Nuke 'Em Forever *cough* could pull off. The only issue is that it takes some getting used to the models because they all look very Source Engine reminiscent, specifically old Counter Strike looking hand models, but that might just be me.

The story of Wolfenstein could either be the best written story ever or the worst one depending on how seriously you take it. Like I said, the game is both incredibly stupid and incredibly smart in the way the game presents itself. You play as the hard as nails William Joseph Blazkowicz, or his nickname B.J/ Blazko. He was the main character of Wolfenstein 3D and almost every Wolfenstein after that. As a main character in today's generation, B.J is actually pretty three dimensional and has faces and emotions like a normal human being. He also walked the thin line to saying the kick ass and chew bubblegum line the entire game. Consistent theme with this game, ain't it? The story of the game is that it is an alternate reality where technology in the 40's was much more advanced  and robots and lasers were invented in a very steam punk fashion. In this reality, B.J is an air force troop sent to kill Hitler's lead commander, Deathshead. In this reality, you are forced to choose between two of your friends on who you save. This immediately splits the main story into different "alternate realities" and adds replay value to the game. I personally chose the Fergus storyline first, so that's the one I'll review the story on. After choosing to save Fergus, you and him try to escape before an explosion blasts both of you out into the ocean. You then reawaken, only to find yourself paralysed and in a mental home. You spend the next fourteen years watching the owner's of the home and your caretakers be hassled by Nazi's and you eventually see the mother and father of the girl who personally looked after you be murdered in cold blood and the home destroyed before you regain control of your body and fight your way out of the home. You save the girl, Anya, and find out that the Nazi's won World War II and took control of the world, stomping out resistance. This is the story of the game. And I love it. It is very serious and has very adult overtones and themes. Yet, the game adds humour regularly and has almost too much cheesy 80's jokes. But the two sides of the coin that is this game's plot seem to blend perfectly for an amazing experience. 

This game is a first person shooter, as we all know. And as most of you know, id Software invented first person shooters. So with my whole heart and no regrets, I can confirm that this game may be, no IS the best FPS for the foreseeable future. Your character has no powers, and no supernatural elements. B.J just has lots of guns and the knowledge to use them. And with just guns, this game has some of the best and most fluid, seamless, and brutal combat I have played at least until I wrote this review. I love it when I'm a bad ass, and respect it when I die. It is solid and wholesome and I love it. The mechanics are actually very simple, but the combinations and variety are what make it great. The game play in a nut shell is this: You have both health and armour, health regenerates but only to the closest 20% margin unless you pick up health, and once you are at full health, you can still pick up health to overcharge your health, which keeps giving you more health, but it slowly decays until you are back at your max health. Your armour is simply yet another health bar that does not regenerate or overcharge. You pick up health from health packs, meals, or even dog food (callback to OG Wolfenstein) from fallen enemies or around the map. The gun play is that you have a gun and you shoot it at guys who drop ammo and guns. When you pick up another gun, you can duel wield the guns which removes aiming but doubles damage. The guns also have different fire modes and attachments like burst fire and silencers to switch from or attach. You also have a melee, which is an instant kill and a stealth kill if the enemy doesn't notice you. If you pick up another knife, however, you can throw it for a stealth kill. The stealth in this game seems almost forced, yet spotty as to if it will work. You almost never have to sneak in this game, yet there are some clear areas where you would be better off sneaking, which is easy, but there is no clear indicator as to if someone sees you, and sometimes they can notice you when you lean out of cover, or won't notice you when you are clearly in their vision. And then the melee is very iffy. You have to be directly behind someone, at the same height as them (which is only a problem at stairs) and then the prompt shows up to instakill. Or else you simply shank them and break stealth and then have to spam them with melee to kill them, at which point every one in the level knows exactly where you are. Kinda bad, but you can play the whole game just fine without it, which is really what makes me forgive them. Another thing in this game is the perks system. By completing certain in game goals, you unlock perks, which boosts one of your stats or gives you a new ability. It is just a perk system though, and they're all the same. Though it was cool that you only unlock perks relevant to how you play, meaning that you only get better at skills you will actually use. The combat in the game feels especially smooth with the big, wide open level designs that allow several ways to complete the level, or several paths to get to your objective. The game feels nice. It feels goddamn amazing actually. I loved every minute of it. Also I just have to point out that there are some areas where you have to run from something and you have no control just to move the plot forward, but I didn't mind, so yeah. There were also collectibles in this game (did you like my butter smooth transition there, yeah you did) There were a lot collectibles, so much so that there were extra modes you unlocked by collecting these enigma code things in each level. I was going to praise how the game modes boosted replay value but I couldn't even collect all the enigma codes in a chapter so I couldn't unlock them yet. But I bet they're just twists like dying in one hit or unlimited ammo or unable to look up and down, things like that. But that aside the game was my favourite next gen game so far unless Destiny blows me away but until then, Wolfenstein takes the cake. Go buy this game, it is super good and well worth 60/70/80$ or whatever it costs. Go get it.



Hey, the game had some problems for me so here's me rambling about it. 
Ahem.

The game had a five gigabyte day one update and that apparently fixed the bugs but without the update the game crashes frequently and has clipping problems and huge graphical issues and stuff. Once you update it's fine so... cool. Now go buy this game and sing its praises. Do it. 


(Also there was a bonus secret where you play a level of Return To Castle Wolfenstein and that's cool)

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