Wolfenstein Review

Hidden Items

Whether you’re in town or on a mission, there are three things to watch out for: intelligence, gold, and Tomes of Power. Each mission has its own counts for the three items, and both major town areas also have their own counts too.

Gameplay tip: every item that can be picked up or manipulated in the game pulsates to make it stand out.

Intelligence comes in the form of papers, pictures, and clip-boards, and is usually found attached to walls, on desks, or in filing cabinets. It sheds more light on the story and it can also unlock some weapon upgrades.

Gold comes in a bag or in a wooden box, and is usually found in the “dark corners” of the levels. Gold is used to buy upgrades at the black market for weapons and your medallion, and to refill your ammunition supplies.

Tomes of Power are hidden in secret cavities inside walls behind breakable stone or metal, and are used to unlock medallion upgrades.

Gameplay tip: when you’re near a Tome of Power, you’ll hear a distinctive pulsating sound; look for a breakable plate on a nearby wall. You can also see the breakable section by activating your medallion’s veil Sight power (it’ll glow red when you look at it).

Weapons

The game has a very good arsenal of weapons, ranging from traditional WWII variants to fictional sci-fi weapons to heavy weapons. Traditional guns include the MP40 and the MP43. Sci-fi guns include the Tesla gun which shoots close range lightning arcs, and the particle cannon, which vaporizes enemies on contact with its beam. There are also two heavy/explosive weapons, so the game has all bases covered there. You have grenades too, and they can be “cooked” as well. Additionally, all weapons have a melee attack, and the Kar98k also has a bayonet upgrade that makes it more effective in such situations.

The guns’ implementation is generally above average but not excellent; I’ve seen better in a handful of games. Also the Kar98k feels a little off when it fires, especially through the scope. Sadly the outstanding FG42 Paratrooper Rifle, Snooper, and the Venom from the previous game are nowhere to be found. Also the Kar98k has an inferior feel to the prequel’s scoped Mauser.

All of the weapons have the ability to be upgraded to make them significantly more powerful. For example, the MP40 can be upgraded to double its magazine size, and for better accuracy and damage. Weapon upgrades are unlocked by finding intelligence in the city and by completing missions, and can be paid for with the gold you’ve found.

Guns and ammunition can be found on dead bodies and also in certain pre-placed locations. Some locations also have infinite ammunition in case you run out in tougher fights. You can also restock your ammunition from the black market, at the cost of gold of course. Additionally, enemies will also use fixed MG42 machine guns against you, and you can also use them against your enemies. There are fixed anti-aircraft guns too, and mounting them can rain death and destruction upon foes.