Wolfenstein

The return of one of the most legendary franchises isn’t perfect but pretty good. With unique elements and heavy shoot-outs a must have for the fans.

A decent game, though nothing special. [Issue#183, p.76]

Wolfenstein is absolutely not the greatest shooter of this year, therefore the game lacks at too many points. But on the other hand, the game offers you a nice combination of shooting with weapons and using the skills of the medallion. Reason enough to buy this game as a perfect snack, before the really big shooters will hit the stores later this year.

My recommendation: let Wolfenstein stay in the other dimension and away from your Xbox 360 or PS3. There are other shooters this fall that can scratch your FPS itch a heck of a lot better.

It's admirable that Raven Software recognized this with Wolfenstein, but you can't help but wish that they developed the kernel of the ideas in this game into something more. As it is, this new Wolfenstein comes off as an engaging, though otherwise forgettable, shooter.

But is it worth paying full price for? Not in my books – give this one a rent instead.

Wolfenstein has two sides. Sometimes, there are an awful lot of Nazi’s and there’s bullets flying right past you all the time, immersing you in the game. Other times, you just wish you could blast a bullet through main character B.J. Blazkowicz’s own head after walking through another boring alley in Isenstadt. Nevertheless, the biggest part of Wolfenstein was played with a big grin on our face. It’s a decent addition to a classic franchise.

If anything, multiplayer feels tacked on. Ultimately, Wolfenstein is a decent shooter full of explosions, machine guns and plenty of drama. Just don't expect it to wow you.

On a technical level, then, Wolfenstein is a game that swings wildly in quality on an almost minute-by-minute basis, and a rather vanilla multiplayer offering doesn’t do much to quicken the pulse.

It would be nice to have a few more types of enemy rather than ninety percent being standard soldiers but what there is comes thick and fast. It is certainly not the most accomplished example of the genre though and for those people who like an FPS but are on a limited budget it might not be worth the ticket price.

A big, dumb, action movie blast. And that's fine by us. [Oct 2009, p.108]

Wolfenstein is a mediocre title from a franchise known to be innovative and exceptional in their offerings.

Novelty and genius are not the same thing, and after a weekend with Wolfenstein you will most likely have seen enough. It’s fun, corny action, but it’s not a keeper. [Nov 2009, p.76]

The story isn't really presented well at times, but thanks to numerous Wolfenstein staple elements, the game works.

Players who are attached to the franchise won't be burned if they happen to pick the game up, and most shooter fans will be able to squeeze some enjoyment out of it. It's hard to imagine the multiplayer mode keeping much traction as the game ages, though, so look at the game as a short term investment.

In the end this is a by the numbers shooter with slick graphics, and ample opportunity to shoot supercharged Nazis. It's not going to win any awards but it's worth checking out if you’re looking for a weekend to pass the time shooting everyone's favorite bad guys.

Along the way, a lot of the little touches keep this from being the complete package, a lack of blood going everywhere (like it should), and that whole bit of online play being unbalanced. But taking into account the top-notch single-player experience, this is a title good enough to hold the attention for the hours necessary to finish it.

Wolfenstein is an average FPS, with main drawbacks like an excessive linearity (partially hidden by the town meta-level, unsuccessfully), a general lack of polish, and poor A.I. A good level design and great scripted fights will please who is looking for some easy fun, but ultimately this is really milking an historical license.

Wolfenstein is not a bad game, it just lacks that overall buzz factor to keep the disc in your tray.

With only genre basics in its bag of tricks, and hobbled at every turn by clumsy implementation, in a gaming landscape that already offers Battlefield 1943 and Call of Duty: World at War's Nazi Zombies mode, Wolfenstein's bargain basement charms are of limited appeal.

But by no means is it a bad game, but on the other hand it’s not a particularly good game and as such falls into the doldrums or mediocrity.

Generic gameplay, poor multiplayer offerings, and below average visuals? This I can't even recommend when it hits the inevitable bargain bin.

The multiplayer... feels jerky and unbalanced.

The German version of Wolfenstein is no Wolfenstein! The original English version would get a ranking about 80%, but the German one kills every kind of atmosphere from the beginning!

For all its foibles, Raven's brand of brazen, aimless carnage is a gruesome thrill with just enough dynamism in each battle to keep its anachronistic heart beating. [Oct 2009, p.88]

There is still some Wolfenstein magic in the air. It's a good shooter, with an extra touch of veil magic. The story may be a bit too short, but it's so fun to vaporize Nazis!