Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus
Developer: MachineGames
Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
Price: ₹3,999 on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, ₹2,999 on PC
Id Software’s Wolfenstein 3D is widely heralded as the spark that ignited the first-person shooter genre. With games pushing technological boundaries and storytelling envelopes, 2014’s Wolfenstein reboot, The New Order, captured the essence of Wolfenstein with some explosive action. Now, the much-awaited sequel is upon us, and we’re happy to report, it does the Wolfenstein name justice. A word of advice though, this game is for mature audiences only.
What’s it about?
The New Colossus opens with BJ Blazkowicz at death’s door where he’s being miraculously kept alive by a powersuit. The resistance finds themselves being pursued by the Obergruppenführer Frau Engel, a crazed villain who is obsessed with Blazkowicz. After all, Blazkowicz has been a giant bullet in the Nazi’s sides for ages.
Welcome to Wolfenstein’s version of 1960s USA, a dark alternate timeline where the Nazis have not only won World War II, but have also enslaved the free world and space. This has resulted in the creation of outrageous machinations: from robotic soldiers to floating fortresses and even colonisation of the moon. The New Colossus takes that golden age of the 1960s and spray-paints everything in Nazi red. From the mysterious aliens at Area 51 to the Cold War nuclear triggers and even the fashion of that era. In this time, the Nazis and the Ku Klux Klan walk hand in hand, a grim shout out to the burgeoning political scenarios of today.
The high point of Wolfenstein is the synergy that both the story and the gameplay have. It’s got an arthouse-like narrative that started in The New Order, which is carried forward here. The story is almost bipolar in nature, ranging from the serene to the violent, from the comical to serious, sometimes all within the span of one cutscene. One minute Blazkowicz breaks out the guns with some Rajinikanth moves. The next, the game shifts to tender, melancholic and powerful overtones of the pregnant Anya, Blazkowicz’s wife, and even the introspection of the dying hero. All of these are peppered with strange slapstick humour that will make you move through a range of emotions.
There is so much happening in Wolfenstein’s campaign. Just when you think you have reached a high point in the game, the story shocks you with twist after twist, in a plot that plays out like a Game of Thrones season. In part, it’s due to a colourful list of characters, like the trash-talking resistance leader Grace and her conspiracy nut partner Super Spesh. It’s also in part due to the truly villainous Frau Engel, taking glee in brutally killing Blazkowicz’s friends. All of these elements make The New Colossus a damn fine game.
How does it play?
In spirit, The New Order was very much like the very first Wolfenstein game, with its excellent stealth. The New Colossus though, pays homage to John Romero’s vision of Wolfenstein 3D, which is a fast-paced run and gun maze shooter. While there is a stealth mechanic, somehow the level design seems to always fortune the run and gun.
The game overwhelms you with enemies, but it’s the towering machinations that steal the show. From armoured enemies wielding massive weaponry to building-sized walking robots and flame-spewing robot dogs. You never know what these Nazis have cooked up in their labs. The action takes you across war-torn New York that looks inspired by the Fallout games. Every level is different, engaging and at no point do things get boring.
Powered by the latest id Tech gaming engine that was powering the latest Doom instalment, Wolfenstein II looks incredible, from the location detail to the design and the facial animations of the enemies.
A worthy mention is the music which draws inspiration from the psychedelic rock of that era, including Pink Floyd and Jefferson Airplane, in its colourful rhythms to the all-out glitch metal of today.
Wolfenstein II, though extremely polished, has a few rough edges. For instance, there’s the annoying camera bob, which is a bit too much as you walk or the numerous times your computer’s mouse cursor shows up on screen. Hopefully, these should be patched. The Enigma code minigame that unlocks more levels could have done without the timer, as the ghosting on each of the dot glyphs confuses the eyes.
Should you get it?
If you want a fast-paced shooter with an equally cerebral impact, then you will love The New Colossus. It’s got an incredibly hilarious arthouse story attached to a fun and violent game.
The writer is a tech and gaming enthusiast who hopes to one day finish his sci-fi novel
