Wolfenstein: First Impressions

Erik Kubik Says A new Wolfenstein game!!?? I first heard of this about two months ago. For fans of the series, it’s been awhile. Eight years is a long time to wait. The last game in the series, 2001’s Return to Castle Wolfenstein, thundered onto the Xbox and the PC. I fondly remember the game, with its big boss fights, crazy weapons, zombies, endless Nazi killing fun, and a great multiplayer mode.

Just like the original game back in the early 1990s, I would expect the new Wolfenstein game to garner a whole new set of FPS expectations. However, being “new” and “different” these days is more difficult because of the overly saturated FPS market. My initial impressions of the Playstation 3 version are good. The game opens by thrusting you into the action. The difficulty settings made me chuckle, straight from likes of DOOM, gamers are presented with several difficulty options including “Don’t hurt me daddy” and “Can I Play?”

Here are two things I like so far: the over-copious amounts of gore and the big explosions that send enemies and their limbs flying. There are new mystical powers, and as in previous games, the Nazis are trying to acquire some sort of ancient technology. In the beginning, the powers feel cheap and gimmicky. Slow down time, done! Use powers to look for secrets, done! Nothing screams OMFG: I am a God; well at least not yet.

I’m a little confused on the storyline and how everything ties together. The Intel, journal entries, and character interaction attempts to clarify some things but so far it's failing me.

So far there’s not a whole lot of new things for this aging IP. But the fast paced action and gorgeous graphics make me want to come back for more. As the game progresses, I’m hoping for these things: a large mini-gun, a BFG, and some zombies.