Wolfenstein: TOB Haiku Review
Nazis rule the world
You live to kick Nazi butt
New Order prequel
What’s it all about: This prequel to 2014’s “Wolfenstein: The New Order” is set in 1946 where the Nazis are on the brink of winning World War II. In an effort to turn the tide in the Allies’ favor, B.J. Blazkowicz must embark on a two-part mission deep within Bavaria. In part one BJ breaks into Castle Wolfenstein in an attempt to steal the coordinates to General Deathshead’s compound. In part two B.J.’s search for the coordinates leads him to the city of Wulfburg where an obsessed Nazi archaeologist is exhuming mysterious artifacts that threaten to unleash a dark and ancient power.
Summary: If you played last year’s “Wolfenstein: The New Order” you have a good idea of what you’ll get with this prequel – a lot of first person Nazi destroying mayhem. That’s a good thing as “New Order” was one of the more underrated games of 2014. “Old Blood” has many of the same features of its predecessor so if you enjoy a solid schmup with an old school feel, you’ll certainly get a kick out of this latest title from MachineGames. Shooting bad guys, collecting weapons, searching for collectibles and grabbing ammo from defeated foes all while engaging in intense action is par for the course. This is just a fun game to play.
Of course, this doesn’t mean that “The Old Blood” isn’t without some issues. It’s short (around 5 hours) doesn’t have as interesting a plot as its predecessor and is a bit too linear. Perhaps this prequel is meant to be more of a nod to Wolfenstein’s corridor exploring roots but I also really missed the stealth elements from the 2014 version. There’s not nearly as much of that here.
Flaws aside I still had a blast shooting my way through “Wolfenstein: The Old Blood.” This stand alone expansion offers plenty of new weapons, foes and adventures to experience with gruff protagonist B.J. Blazkowicz. Considering how well made last year’s “The New Order” was, more of the same at the low price point of $20 is just fine by me.
Positives:
+ Old school shoot’em up fun
+ Excellent price point
+ Plenty of new weapons, collectibles and challenges
+ Nazis are the ultimate enemy
Negatives:
– Maps are linear
– Plot lacks pop
– Lacks environmental variety
Gazette Media Columnist Terry Terrones is a veteran video game journalist. He has written for numerous publications including GamePro, GamesBeat, PC World, GameZone, and Official Xbox Magazine. You can follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/terryterrones.
