Wolfenstein- We may not all be old enough to remember the classic PC shooter that ruled early 90's computer screens, but for those who do, this title may strike a few nostalgic, warm notes. It not only brings major spotlight back on the seemingly non-existent franchise, but it also does so in superb fashion, conjuring a well-paced backstory set in a fictional world where Germany dominated the Allied Forces in the World War eras, and seek to eliminate any and all non-Aryan citizens. It is a darkly presented alter-universe, one which is filled with violence and racism and complete eradication of the USA & Europe as well as parts of Africa & Asia. Its scary, yet unlikely approach to the dystopian past is a good reminder of the past that we could have suffered from rather than the one we do.
Wolfenstein- The New Order does alot of things excellently, like bring a world set in our current homelands, only ruled by ruthless zealots who seem all too intent on experimenting and committing atrocious acts of genocide on the resistance fighters and anyone hostile to their troops. BJ Blascowizc, (I may have spelled that incorrectly) is the tough as nails protagonist we get to fill the shoes of. He is a down to Earth warrior who becomes emotionally and physically scarred by some of the events post-war. So much that he now leads and basically is the face of the brave few resistance forces who stand against the mighty robotic Nazi forces. When all else seems to fail, send our boy BJ in!!
Ok, one thing I would like to mention is the action. Whether you prefer stealthy knife melee kills and sneaking as far as your swift and silent perceptiveness will carry you, or bust in guns blazing, Wolfenstein: New Order has you covered. You can 75% of the time choose your combat approach, and with a HUGE array of bad ass weaponry here, you cant go wrong getting in a little bang for your buck every once and awhile. Laser cannons, tesla grenades, turrets that detach and wield as machine guns, assault rifles with rocket upgrade attachments, all the uber-powerful guns and sorts appear in society's darkest hour. The pace is fast, and enemy troops will come at you hard and relentlessly if spotted. Some missions consist of generals or commanders, who carry a radio on their person. If spotted by any German forces, the commander radios in for backup and trust me, that is one call you will catch hell surviving. The tutorial warm-ups MachineGames & Bethesda provides will inform you that taking down the commanders without being spotted is the most efficient way to go about these missions. They can be quite tricky and hard at first. Once you get the feel and the weird controls down for this game, you should be geared to go.
The story continues post-WW era, and surprisingly has some spectacular locations and secrets to discover. There are tons of optional side areas throughout the game and finding these is essential to discovering more clues about the Nazi's true goals and will provide important intel on the general of the death-squad, Wilhelm Deathshead. He is the games baddie and he fits the bill. Early on, BJ bears witness to a particularly gruesome torture of one of his mates, and it is intense. There are some other key characters who all play their role in this fantastic shooter, but its the content and backstory that will have you replaying missions to find all the collectibles and even maybe getting to unlock some new game modes to be played.
Once you have progressed far enough in the campaign, you will discover your resistance groups own personal hideout, or hub area. Here the game will allow you to learn more about the worldwide affairs at hand, as well as providing players a bit of information on your buddies. It is a welcome change of pace to undergo these scenes, as the fighting can become a bit intense and repetitious. No, this isn't an open world game where you can go where you want. It is a very narrative driven experience, but one that is incredible in its beautiful set pieces and secret areas to explore. There is usually more than one way to skin a Nazi, at least as far as The New Order is concerned. Any shooter fan should have been done purchased this. Or for fans who remember the old shooter "escape Castle Wolfenstein" days, this could be just the thing you need to get through the drought we currently are experiencing on video games. Well, not really a drought, but yeah. Anyways, this is a disturbing and moving gun blazing blockbuster FPS that should not be overlooked by anyone. It really is the most fun I have had in a long time with a first person shooter!