Wolfenstein: Youngblood

A really confusing game, in that it takes some of what made the modern era of Wolfenstein so great, then copies and pastes modern looter-shooter tropes on top. [Issue #41 – September 2019, p. 76]

Overall, Youngblood is a welcome reinvention of the series, but lacks the personality of what makes a Wolfenstein game. Microtransactions aren’t as bad they’re made out, but it is still understandably going to impact each person differently. The extensive replay incentive and a charming, albeit short, story are appreciated. If you are a Wolfenstein enthusiast, this game definitely deserves at least one playthrough— just make sure you won’t have any interruptions during your sessions.

Might not please established Wolfenstein fans, but Youngblood is still a great shooter on Switch.

The videogame itself is very entertaining and you can enjoy it both alone and with a friend. The problem comes if you compare it with other games in the saga since it is very different. It offers us an open world where we can progress in the story by completing missions and getting stronger by leveling up.

Wolfenstein: Youngblood offers exceptional gunplay the series is known for and brings a lot of interesting elements to the franchise for the first time. While the character-upgrades, sound design, and world are fantastic, the mission structure, lack of story, and awful checkpoint system bog down the experience.

Youngblood suffers as a result of the Switch's relatively underpowered hardware, but for all its technical shortcomings, the game still delivers intense, momentous, and challenging combat. Everything features-wise remains intact, and you'll get to enjoy taking a shotgun (or fully charged laser beam) to the heads of Nazi scum. The Blazkowicz sisters, Jess and Soph, bring their own unique swagger to the Wolfenstein franchise, too. So if the Switch version is your only way of playing Youngblood, you can be confident it's still one hell of a ride.

Wolfenstein: Youngblood is an odd little thing that evokes the smaller scale approach given to Far Cry: New Dawn earlier this year. Like New Dawn, Youngblood is a spin-off that focuses more on gameplay freedom while losing the focus on story. In some ways, it takes the series forward in the way it tries new ideas and mechanics - such as co-op and more open-ended level designs - and we hope a number of these features return for the next full sequel, but without the mind-bending twists and turns of its narrative, Youngblood pales in comparison to The New Order and The New Colossus. A fun and enjoyable co-op shooter (and another porting masterclass), but one that both improves and diminishes its own winning formula.

A co-operative, almost looter shooter with RPG elements sounds good in theory, but it's not Wolfenstein. Then again this isn't meant to be just another game in the series. So the developers should be applauded for trying it, even if it's not perfect and perhaps it's just not my cup of tea.

Wolfenstein Youngblood takes everything you know about the series and turns it on its head. Unfortunately the result is something that many fans of the series weren’t asking for. Instead of an over-the-top story filled with addictingly fun gameplay, we got a diluted adventure filled with punishing enemies that require grinding to overcome. Add in microtransactions, no way to communicate, and muddy graphics and you’re better off passing this one by.