Wolfenstein Xbox 360

Released on 21/08/2009

• Wolfenstein returns in The New Order

  Seminal wartime shooter Wolfenstein will be returning later this year in Wolfenstein: The New Order, according to publisher Bethesda. It marks the first entry in the series since 2009.

  Once again starring series hero B.J. Blazkowicz, this latest game will be set in the 1960s, in an alternate timeline where the Nazis won the Second World War. That's a suitably sci-fi twist for a series that famously presented a mech-suited Robo Hitler, complete with dual gatling guns, back in Wolfenstein 3D, the game popularly credited with creating the modern first-person shooter genre.

  Excitingly, The New Order is being developed by MachineGames, a new studio set up by veterans of Swedish developer Starbreeze. Their credits include The Chronicles of Riddick and The Darkness, games which were far more than just standard corridor shooters. Hopefully some of that inventiveness will manifest in this addition to the series that started it all.

  "We are excited to bring a new chapter of Wolfenstein to gamers everywhere," said Jens Matthies, creative director at MachineGames. "As fans of the series, working on this game is an honour, and our team is driven to create an unforgettable action-adventure experience that will make FPS fans proud."

  Wolfenstein: The New Order is due later this year for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC and next generation consoles.
  

  Published: 08/05/2013

• Wolfenstein Review

  Nazi Business

  The original Wolfenstein 3D thrilled gamers with its first-person shooting action when it was released on PCs many, many years ago. Now, after the occasional and sometimes patchy follow-up, Wolfenstein is set to return big time with an all-new game developed by respected gamesmith Raven Software in collaboration with Wolfenstein's original creator id Software.

  The game takes place during the Second World War, but anyone hoping for a history lesson with their gaming is barking up the wrong tree. This is WWII with a surreal twist.

  Nazi masterplan

  The location for this somewhat bizarre story is a fictional town called Isenstadt. The basic gist is that the Nazis have found an ancient mystical object called Black Sun and are in the process of trying to unlock its power in order to further Hitler's insane plans.

  the Nazis have found an ancient mystical object called Black Sun and are in the process of trying to unlock its power

  This, of course, cannot be tolerated and it's up to the player - assuming the role of American soldier BJ Blazkowicz - to keep Black Sun out of the hands of Hitler's army.

  This would be fairly straightforward but for the fact that you have a substantial number of Nazi combatants (both natural and supernatural) ranged against you. Fortunately BJ is not alone and has a local resistance group called the Kreisau Circle to help him battle the Nazis' occult forces.

  As BJ makes his way through Isenstadt he can utilise the Kreisau's safe houses in order to receive information and to top up on ammunition.

  Freedom Fighter

  Despite the fact that Kreisau troops will fight alongside you during missions, there are no squad commands to be issued so Wolfenstein plays very much like a regular first-person shooter. BJ does, however, have a certain amount of freedom when it comes to his approach to combat. Often there will be more than one way to skin a Nazi cat, as it were, and while our hero gets on with his part, so the Kreisau troops will get on with theirs.

  you have a substantial number of Nazi combatants (both natural and supernatural) ranged against you

  The weaponry, to begin with, is pretty straightforward too, with tommy guns and flamethrowers playing an important role in the action. But things get more interesting when, thanks to the power of Black Sun, BJ gains the ability to travel between the real world and The Veil. The Veil is a sort of alternate version of reality. Much of the world is the same, but there are important differences. Some of the locations are changed subtly when BJ enters The Veil, enabling him to reach places that are inaccessible in the real world. The Veil also brings with it its own set of supernatural creatures and, thankfully, additional powers for the player to utilise.

  As BJ progresses he can use additional abilities courtesy of Black Sun's power. As well as slipping in and out of The Veil, our hero will also be able to take advantage of increased speed, the ability to see enemies more clearly and a special power called Mire that slows down time - but only for the bad guys.

  Everyone's invited

  No first-person shooter would be complete without a decent multiplayer mode and Wolfenstein comes up trumps in this department. It's a team-based system in the Enemy Territory: Quake Wars mould. Each player gets to choose a side (either the resistance or Axis) and then decide upon a character class from a choice of three: Soldier, Medic or Engineer. The cool part is that each character class has its own unique set of Veil abilities (although for obvious reasons, Mire isn't included in multiplayer).

  Wolfenstein should be just the ticket for those wanting a weird and wonderful twist on the WWII first-person shooter genre.

  GAME's Verdict

  

  • Great looks.
  • Surreal story.
  • Multiplayer mode.

  

  • Not terribly authentic. Historians avoid.
  • Good and solid as FPS's go, but not terribly innovative.
    

  Review by: Simon 'Bratwurst' Kirrane
  Version Tested: Xbox 360
  Review Published: 21.08.09

  Published: 21/08/2009

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