It has been
a long while since we have seen our good friend, Special Agent B.J. Blazkowicz.
He’s the kind of man that leaves quite an impression on a girl (or guy). I can
still fondly remember staying up all night playing through Return to Castle
Wolfenstein: Tides of War for the original Xbox and even enjoying the
original PC classic that was included on the disc as a bonus. Well, now he’s
back in action again as B.J. takes on Nazis and a new supernatural threat in
Wolfenstein for the Xbox 360.
To hell
and back again
As he
infiltrated the famous Castle Wolfenstein yet again in Tides of War, B.J. has
learned to not only deal with Third Reich but also creatures and space-aged
technology as well. He has literally been through hell and seeing as he has
plenty of experience with the occult, he is asked to report to his superiors for
another mission. You see, B.J. has acquired a very ancient relic known as the
Thule Medallion and its power has had Hitler’s secret paranormal investigation
division very interested to the point of digging up more Thule-related objects
in the city of Isenstadt. Worst yet is the rumor that the Nazis are
experimenting with a dark power they cannot possibly understand yet.
So it is up
to Special Agent Blazkowicz to investigate and stop the evil and power-hungry
followers of the Crooked Cross as well as discover the secret of the Thule
Medallion that has given him a strange power known by the ancient order as Veil
Power. Infiltrating Isenstadt, B.J. quickly comes to notice that there is
various resistance movement members scattered throughout the city that want the
Nazis out of their hometown. On top of that, Black Market traders have set up
shop and are willing to aid you cause if the price is right.
One thing
you will notice right away is that the journal you are given indicates a city
big enough to explore and mission can be obtained by either Mission Givers (for
some side missions related to the main campaign mission) or story-based missions
given by resistance leaders such as the lovely Caroline Becker. You are even
free to move about the city to explore the interior of some buildings as well as
enter the sewer system. A word of warning, though, if you were expecting a city
with some sort of life like, say, Far Cry 2, then you are out of luck.
There is the occasional Nazi patrol but other than that the city feels
lifeless.
Fortune
and Glory – Indiana Jones would be proud
You can
accept missions at any time and while you are given a main objective you are
also given the chance to look for secrets and gold to collect to use in the
Black Market. The Black Market traders can offer upgrades for your weapons so
you can add more ammo, silencers or even scopes for some of your weapons. The
weapon upgrades to make a world of difference and you’ll notice it during
combat.
Speaking of
the missions, the campaign missions will take you through a train station, fight
to secure a church, a dig site and even a hospital just to name a few of the
locales you’ll be visiting as you complete missions. You’ll be doing familiar
tasks such as taking out snipers or a heavy machine gunner to help your allies.
The side missions are also quite entertaining, with missions that have you
clearing a warehouse or taking out a Nazi General in his own house. The missions
become more elaborate and even more challenging in the later levels.
Like in
Tides of War, you will be going up against some otherworldly and
supernaturally powered foes such as Scribes who cast spells that makes them hard
targets to hit. You’ll go up against an SS officer who becomes infused with the
power of the parallel world, making him a dangerous undead threat.
With
great power …
While
tossing grenades into a group of chatty Nazis or mowing down SS officers in a
dining room is good fun, the novelty would have worn out its welcome quickly if
it weren’t for the Thule Medallion and the Mire Crystal that activates the Veil
Powers. You gain four different abilities such as Veil Sight (to see the
parallel world to see secrets and enemy weaknesses) and Mire (the ability to
slow time). Then there’s Shield (that throws a protective barrier) and Empower
(your bullets become empowered and will go through any solid object) that spice
up combat. You can even upgrade Veil Powers so Mire can be altered to stop time
altogether or Shield can cause anything outside the barrier to be destroyed.
There are
also some high-tech weapons added to your arsenal, such as the powerful Particle
Cannon that shoots a blue particle ray that disintegrates anything it touches as
well as an electrifying Tesla Gun that is sure to become a favorite. There are
also a few interesting canisters you can toss that messes with gravity and makes
everything and anyone float. These things certainly add a new dimension to
combat so you aren’t stuck with simply firing the usual weaponry.
Die,
Fuhrer, die!
Thankfully,
there’s online multiplayer and it takes a page from Tides of War in a
12-player fragfest complete with plenty of maps (eight so far), weapons
(flamethrower and panzerschreck included) and three different match types (Team
Death Match, Objective and Stopwatch). Also making its return are the different
playable classes so you can tend to your wounded as a Medic, fix and create
objects as an Engineer or simply be a Solider. The multiplayer game does run
smoothly as well. You can even use Veil Powers and even upgrade weapons and
abilities for multiplayer as well.
On the
graphics front, Wolfenstein does look good on the Xbox 360 with some
stellar visual effects and some great character models that not only stand out
during cut scenes but also the in-game action. There are a few graphical
inconsistencies such as some dull textures in the backgrounds and corpses
vanishing right before your eyes, but there is a lot of eye candy here (the
parallel world being the most impressive).
Another
reason you will want to play this game on your best screen and sound system is
the game’s sound that highlights a gorgeous score and wonderfully detailed sound
effects. There’s just something creepy about hearing a Nazi soldier equip with a
Particle Cannon or the sounds of the parallel world that will pull you into this
world. Add some good voice acting and you have a great visual and sound
experience.
A lot has
changed in the Wolfenstein series and a lot of it is for the better
considering there are interesting and wonderfully implemented weapons and
abilities. Sure, much of the action feels like we’ve done all this before but
thanks to the fact that you can select your own mission, buy weapon upgrades and
use special abilities, this game will keep first-person shooter enthusiasts and
Wolfenstein fans more than satisfied.
Gameplay: 8.5
Unlike the last
Wolfenstein game on Microsoft’s gaming machine, this one places you in a
city to stop a supernatural threat from reaching Hitler’s hands. While you’re
free to roam Isenstadt, the real fun comes from the missions you can tackle at
any time. This time around, BJ has cooler weapons and this time you get
abilities.
Graphics: 8.2
On the Xbox 360,
the game features some stunning visual effects that really shine once you unlock
all of the Veil abilities or fire the more impressive advanced weapons. Then
again, some of the backgrounds can look a bit on the flat side in certain
places. Still, there’s plenty of blood and gore in this one.
Sound:
8.5
The game’s music
is sweeping and delightfully epic not only during cut scenes but when the action
really picks up in the game. Thankfully, the sound effects are incredibly
detailed and the voice acting is handled well. You really have to play this game
on a good sound system.
Difficulty: Medium
The game gets
progressively more challenging until you find yourself glad that you have
special abilities and weapons such as the Particle Cannon to keep the more well
armed Nazis from forcing you out of cover.
Concept: 8.5
Once again, the
Wolfenstein series finds BJ battling against Nazis and supernatural
creatures in an action-packed World War II setting. While there’s a free-roaming
aspect to the mission structure, the real treat comes in the form of the
abilities and new tech weapons. There’s also an excellent multiplayer mode with
roles, plenty of maps and fun game match types.
Multiplayer: 9.0
Up to 12 players
can take each another on in a multiplayer mode with more than enough goodies to
keep you playing online for a long time to come. This is thanks to three
different classes to go along with the three game match types (Objective being
the best) and the ability to use Veil Powers. You can also upgrade your
abilities and weapons.
Overall: 8.5
Wolfenstein
for the Xbox 360 is riveting and thoroughly action-packed shooter that takes the
series in a different and better direction. That said there are things that
really would have made this a truly amazing title but with all this game has to
offer you will be pleasantly surprised by this worthwhile FPS looking for a
different kind of World War II shooter.
