{"id":12175,"date":"2009-10-16T15:41:12","date_gmt":"2009-10-16T15:41:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/?p=12175"},"modified":"2010-08-31T13:34:07","modified_gmt":"2010-08-31T12:34:07","slug":"wolfestein-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wolfestein-review\/","title":{"rendered":"Wolfenstein Review"},"content":{"rendered":"

Platform<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

PC version 1.1<\/p>\n

<\/strong> <\/p>\n

Introduction<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Ah yes, Wolfenstein<\/em>, one of the best known first person shooter franchises, and the game that arguably popularized the genre itself. For many the first person view offered to them was the first time they had ever experienced such a thing, so it was revolutionary. I have fond memories playing the original game under DOS, blasting Nazis and checking every wall decoration for secret areas.<\/p>\n

Fast-forward to 2001 with the second installment in the series: Return to Castle Wolfenstein<\/em>. This epic game produced one of the finest single player campaigns I\u2019ve ever experienced with its skillful blend of traditional WWII, sci-fi and supernatural elements. Also its arsenal of weapons was simply superb, and the level design was tight, atmospheric and varied. Additionally, multiplayer was highly innovative with its different classes and objective based maps.<\/p>\n

Because of this I looked forward to the third installment in the series with great enthusiasm, the game simply entitled Wolfenstein<\/em>.<\/p>\n

<\/strong> <\/p>\n

Plot<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Wolfenstein<\/em> is the sequel to Return to Castle Wolfenstein<\/em> and continues some time after our hero B.J. Blazkowicz successfully thwarted the Nazis\u2019 efforts with the UberSoldat program and Operation Resurrection. The opening gambit sees our hero almost captured on the German battleship the Tirpitz, but he\u2019s saved by a strange medallion that was in the coat of the captain\u2019s pocket he donned to disguise himself. The medallion vaporizes his opponents, so he immediately heads to London to the OSA\u2019s headquarters.<\/p>\n

Upon arriving in London, he\u2019s advised that the crystals in the medallion are only found in one place on Earth, the fictional German town of Isenstadt. With that he immediately heads off to investigate the mystery and thwart whatever new plans the Nazis are hatching.<\/p>\n

Gameplay & Interface<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

At its core, Wolfenstein<\/em> is a traditional run and gun FPS. You also have the ability to aim down the sights for more accuracy, and to sprint. You can crouch too. Stealth is an option but it\u2019s more fun to charge in with guns blazing.<\/p>\n

The HUD is generally quite traditional and shows ammunition counts for your current weapon, grenade count, and also your medallion\u2019s energy and veil powers. There\u2019s also a compass at the top of the screen that shows your current direction and how to get to your current mission. There\u2019s no health bar, but BJ\u2019s view turns red when he\u2019s taken significant damage. If you\u2019ve played Call of Duty 2<\/em> then it\u2019s the same deal.<\/p>\n

\"Officer's<\/a>This is the officer\u2019s house, one of the missions in the game. The disc to the left of your HUD is your medallion and it shows your current veil powers and your veil energy (the blue bar). The right of your HUD shows your grenade count along with ammo counts for your equipped weapon. The compass at the top points to your current objective.<\/em><\/p>\n

You also have a journal that has maps of the town\u2019s areas, your current and completed missions, and their statistics. It also has information about weapon and medallion upgrades, along with overall game statistics such as how many items you\u2019ve found, and how many enemies you\u2019ve killed.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s no quick-load or quick-save; the game instead saves several checkpoints and also saves at the start of every mission. You can also replay any past mission through your journal.<\/p>\n

<\/strong> <\/p>\n

Level Design<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Isenstadt itself is a sand-box and serves as a hub to the missions, so you can explore it at your leisure. If you\u2019ve played Thief 3<\/em> then it\u2019s basically the same deal. As you complete missions, other parts of the city are unlocked along with more missions.<\/p>\n

\"Isenstadt\"<\/a>This is one of the areas in downtown Isenstadt.<\/em><\/p>\n

The two groups that will give you missions are the local resistance, and the Golden Sun (Russian scholars devoted to studying the occult and paranormal). There are also a handful of side missions, and you can trigger these by speaking to characters marked in green on your map. The black market is the game\u2019s third group; they don\u2019t give you any missions, but they do sell you upgrades for your weapons and medallion.<\/p>\n

All of the game\u2019s major groups have characters that can be talked to at a basic level, and there are also various friendly NPCs scattered around town that you can talk to as well. All three groups also have safe houses around the city which are weapons free zones, and enemies can\u2019t enter them.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s possible to have multiple missions at once and you can complete them in any order you please, without time limits. The missions themselves follow more traditional linear level design, and some of the larger ones can span multiple maps. Once you go on a mission you can\u2019t return to town until you\u2019ve finished it, so be sure to purchase any upgrades you desire before embarking. Some missions also reward you with a cash reward for completing them.<\/p>\n

The missions offer a varied mix of environments and include factories, research labs, an officer\u2019s house, and of course the obligatory castle. Level design is generally above average but not excellent, and some levels could have been polished better, like the hospital, dig site, and the castle. There\u2019s also a distinct lack of supernatural levels akin to the crypt levels from the previous game.<\/p>\n

Gameplay tip:<\/span> the airfield mission is the game\u2019s point of no return so before you leave for it, make sure you\u2019ve completed all of your business in town. You will however have one last opportunity to purchase from the black market during the mission.<\/em><\/p>\n

Hidden Items<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Whether you\u2019re 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.<\/p>\n

Gameplay tip:<\/span> every item that can be picked up or manipulated in the game pulsates to make it stand out.<\/em><\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Gold comes in a bag or in a wooden box, and is usually found in the \u201cdark corners\u201d of the levels. Gold is used to buy upgrades at the black market for weapons and your medallion, and to refill your ammunition supplies.<\/p>\n

Tomes of Power are hidden in secret cavities inside walls behind breakable stone or metal, and are used to unlock medallion upgrades.<\/p>\n

Gameplay tip:<\/span> when you\u2019re near a Tome of Power, you\u2019ll 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\u2019s veil Sight power (it\u2019ll glow red when you look at it).<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/strong> <\/p>\n

Weapons<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

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 \u201ccooked\u201d 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.<\/p>\n

The guns\u2019 implementation is generally above average but not excellent; I\u2019ve 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\u2019s scoped Mauser.<\/p>\n

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\u2019ve found.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

The Veil (Medallion)<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

In addition to weapons, your medallion also forms a major component of the game. The medallion itself is powered by energy from the Black Sun dimension, and this is the big deal that the Nazis are scrambling after, and what their technology is based on. When you invoke your medallion you enter the veil, the other-worldly barrier between the Black Sun dimension and Earth. If you\u2019ve seen Prey\u2019s<\/em> spirit mode then this is very similar.<\/p>\n

While in the veil, your view of the world gains a greenish tinge and you can see secret areas, such as walls you can walk through (designated with a sun symbol nearby), hidden ladders that can be climbed, breakable sections (such as those hiding Tomes of Power), and vulnerable spots of certain enemies. There are also Geists which are the native denizens of the place, and shooting them will cause them to explode, damaging your enemies in the normal world, much like barrels.<\/p>\n

Gameplay tip:<\/span> the cue to activate veil to find secret areas is designated by a distinctive sound emanating in the area.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"Veil\"<\/a>This is what the world looks like when you enter the veil. The floating creatures are Geists which can be shot to inflict area damage to enemies. The guy to the left is a member of the resistance (an ally).<\/em><\/p>\n

When in the veil you can fire your weapons as normal, and the fun comes from augmenting your fighting abilities with veil powers. In addition to the basic Sight power described above, you also have Mire which slows down the world considerably, Empower which increases the damage of your weapons and lets you shoot through shields, and Shield which allows you to stop bullets. If you\u2019ve played UberSoldier<\/em> then Shield will be quite familiar to you. You can also combine multiple veil powers at once, though this will drain the medallion\u2019s energy more quickly.<\/p>\n

Veil powers need energy to function and your medallion has a limited amount of it. You can replenish energy by standing on or next to veil leaks, which are rifts from the Black Sun dimension that leak into our world. These areas have distinctive warping effects when not in veil mode, while they\u2019re bright blue when in veil mode. Also the Nazis have numerous barrels filled with veil energy scattered around the levels for their experiments, so you can refill your energy from them too. The maximum energy capacity of your medallion can also be upgraded, so you can use veil powers for longer.<\/p>\n

Veil powers can be upgraded too; Sight lets you see enemies through walls, Mire turns enemies to dust at a certain range on activation, Empower can shoot through cover and walls, while Shield disintegrates enemies on contact. Like weapon upgrades, veil upgrades are unlocked by completing missions, and also by collecting Tomes of Power. Veil upgrades cost gold and are upgraded at the black market.<\/p>\n

Gameplay tip:<\/span> in order to recharge your medallion from some energy areas, you have to come out of the veil first.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"Veil<\/a>The broken section of bricks is a veil leak; simply stand on\/near it to regenerate your medallion\u2019s energy. These areas also have moving atmospheric distortions to clearly mark them.<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/strong>Combat<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Combat is as simple as pointing and shooting. Your accuracy decreases with movement and firing from the hip, but increases by standing still, crouching, and by aiming down the sight. You can also use your veil powers to augment your combat abilities. There are also numerous explosive barrels littering the levels that will inflict area damage to nearby enemies. Additionally, exploding veil barrels will suspend opponents in mid-air, making them helpless for a brief duration. Enemy grenades can also be tossed back if you get close enough to grab them.<\/p>\n

BJ\u2019s health automatically regenerates when he stops taking damage, so there are no med-kits to be found anywhere. You\u2019ll also sometimes have members of the resistance fighting alongside you.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s also a good amount of gore too, which is hardly surprising since developer Raven Software is famous for the Soldier of Fortune<\/em> games. The gore isn\u2019t as blatant as in those games, but a headshot can still blow a head clean off while blood spurts from the neck. Also explosions will dismember limbs and separate blasted body parts, while fire clearly roasts enemies to a charred blackened state. Also if you shoot an enemy\u2019s arm, it\u2019ll sometimes go visibly limp and you\u2019ll clearly see the victim having trouble raising their weapon.<\/p>\n

<\/strong> <\/p>\n

Enemies<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

The game has a decent selection of enemies to fight, ranging from traditional German \u201cgrunt\u201d soldiers to supernatural enemies, to armored sci-fi enemies. Their implementations range from good to very good, but there\u2019s nothing I\u2019d call excellent like the Paratroopers, Lopers or Elite Guard from the previous title. Some enemies use traditional guns while others have sci-fi weapons, and others still can use veil powers like Shield against you.<\/p>\n

Most enemies can be shot anywhere, but some enemies and bosses require specific locational damage to be killed, which distracts from the feel of combat somewhat. Most of the bosses are reasonably trivial too and don\u2019t require much effort to beat.<\/p>\n

Gameplay tip:<\/span> activating the veil can reveal the weak spots of certain enemies and bosses.<\/em><\/p>\n

The missions have a fixed pre-placed allotment of enemies, while the town areas have infinite respawning with varying group sizes and configurations. If you clear a section of the city you can explore it indefinitely without any respawning, but if you leave the section (such as going on a mission, moving to another section of town, or entering a safe house) some or all areas will respawn. The respawning is generally not a problem as it makes for some furious gun battles.<\/p>\n

\"Farm\"<\/a>This is the farm, another of the game\u2019s missions. Note the two enemies on patrol, the large and varied vegetation content, and the nice looking water.<\/em><\/p>\n

Enemy placement in missions is generally quite good and logical, but some of the placement of later town enemies is questionable. Sometimes you\u2019ll see a random assortment of supernatural enemies wandering through the street like some kind of motley crew on patrol, which doesn\u2019t make sense, even if it\u2019s still fun to gun them down.<\/p>\n

The enemy AI is also good and they\u2019re quite capable of taking cover, kicking over props to use as cover, and peeking around corners to take shots and then hiding. Sometimes they\u2019ll stand still out in the open, though. The game has location based damage, so headshots do more damage than hits to limbs.<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/strong>Technology<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

The game is powered by an enhanced version of the Doom 3 engine that powers Quake Wars<\/em>, and it sports additional features such as deferred rendering, soft shadows, post-processing, soft HDR\/Bloom, and wet surfaces. It also has an excellent water implementation that rivals Bioshock\u2019s<\/em>.<\/p>\n

The graphics aren\u2019t cutting edge but still range from good to very good, with some highlights including the outdoor town sections with the afternoon sun hitting the brick and stone surfaces. There\u2019s also a farm that has a beautifully rendered countryside, complete with a sparkling lake. The game has a lot more vegetation content compared to other Doom 3 engine games, and there seems to be some form of anti-aliasing applied to tree leaves.<\/p>\n

\"HDR\"<\/a>Here\u2019s an example of the game\u2019s HDR\/bloom when the sun hits the cobblestones on the road.<\/em><\/p>\n

The game also utilizes multiple cores and provides a software Havok implementation for physics. Physics are done very well with most boxes and crates being destructable, along with widespread flying debris from explosions. Some areas also have a large amount of objects being impacted by physics (e.g. floating mid-air from veil barrel explosions), but I noticed absolutely no framerate slowdowns on my stock E6850, even in the heaviest areas of physics utilization.<\/p>\n

The game\u2019s DRM is a CD-key for multiplayer, with a SecuROM disc check for single-player. There’s no need to ever connect online to use either game mode.<\/p>\n

<\/strong> <\/p>\n

Conclusion<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Wolfenstein<\/em> combines elements from Return to Castle Wolfenstein<\/em>, Prey<\/em>, UberSoldier<\/em>, Call of Duty 2<\/em>, and Thief 3,<\/em> and results in a very entertaining game. It\u2019s very good but not excellent, because some of the magic of the previous installment seems to have been lost.<\/p>\n

Despite this, if you carefully explore every area and complete every mission you\u2019ll easily get 20-25 hours of engaging gameplay, so this is a solid title that is worthy to belong in any FPS collection.<\/p>\n

<\/strong> <\/p>\n

Pros<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n