We’ve been rather excited for Machine Games’ and Bethesda’s new Wolfenstein game. for the first time in a long while, we’ve got a first person shooter from an established franchise that’s focused solely on the single player experience. From everything we’ve seen and played, it looks like an excellent return to form for a series that’s either stagnated or lost its way. Has Machine Games managed to recapture the magic? Here’s what Critics think of the new Wolfenstein.
It seems to have critics divided. first, let’s start with the good.
Polygon – 9/10
The New Order’s got all the workings of a classic shooter. But in their trip back to the well, Machine Games has brought all of its talents to bear. The New Order is held together, even rocketed beyond the basic sum of its smart levels and effective mechanics by its characters. That humanity takes what would be a good shooter and makes it something truly memorable.
Gamesradar – 8/10
An over-the-top shooter with fun action, memorable set-piece moments, and decent characters, Wolfenstein: The New Order successfully transforms an old-school game into a modern experience.
Gamespot – 8/10
It has injected some substance into the primal pleasure of shooting Nazis by way of an interesting tone that addresses the changing roles of first-person shooter protagonists. Through this, the game is both a celebration of the Wolfenstein series and what feels like a fitting send-off for it. The New Order could be the last hurrah of William "BJ" Blazkowicz, an outing which, for all its excess and bombast, is far from mindless.
GameInformer – 8/10
Wolfenstein: The New Order is a positive step forward for the series after the last dud. Machine Games presents a competent shooter with more polish and a better array of characters, but ultimately the game feels more comfortable recompiling established conventions than it does striving for innovation.
IGN – 7.8/10
With an essential early-game choice that makes it worth playing through twice, the story at the center of Wolfenstein: The New Order props up its competent — but mostly unremarkable — shooting. Wolfenstein: The New Order’s emphasis on storytelling and characters make it a shooter worth playing.
And then the bad.
Videogamer – 6/10
In short bursts, it’s everything you’d assume it would be, and if your expectations don’t go any further than that you won’t be disappointed. Ignore the (awful) narrative, shoot some fools and enjoy. As a total package, though, Wolfenstein continually feels disjointed and doesn’t know exactly what it wants to be – the overall experience is jarring.
Joystiq – 3/5
The greatest problem in Wolfenstein: The New Order, then, is a jarring inconsistency of tone and cohesion. The quiet moments in your Berlin hovel feel like they belong in a more contemplative game, yet each new mission dumps you into the next sewer or train with little substance or explanation. It’s almost as if there’s a tug of war going between the big dumb shooter and the attempt to be subversive, with the result being a game that’s not really slick enough to be an action classic, and not dramatic enough to draw you in.
We’ve yet to receive our copy of the game, but we’ll have our own review for you as soon as possible once we do. It’s out today on PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360 and Xbox One.
Last Updated: May 20, 2014
Admiral Chief in Space
May 20, 2014 at 07:50
Seems generally positive, which is good
Alien Emperor Trevor
May 20, 2014 at 08:02
Cool, sounds like something to get in the future.
RinceofFuturePast
May 20, 2014 at 08:03
Indeed…
Mossel
May 20, 2014 at 08:22
And by future you mean a steam sale in about a years’ time.
Jedi JJ
May 20, 2014 at 08:25
I don’t think this is on my “to buy now” list.
Steam Sale it is for me.
Alien Emperor Trevor
May 20, 2014 at 08:28
Yes!
Kromas
May 20, 2014 at 08:24
Does 7 Hours from now count as the future you are talking about?
Alien Emperor Trevor
May 20, 2014 at 08:29
Not my future. In about 7 hours from now I predict I’m going to be tired, depressed, writing an internet rant & wondering why the work day is dragging. Pretty much my normal routine now that I think about it.
RinceofFuturePast
May 20, 2014 at 08:32
Amen sister.
Kromas
May 20, 2014 at 08:38
Ill have just arrived home with my new lanyard and wondering why my disc based game wants to download an extra 3 gigs of data. Well … less wondering why and more annoyed at knowing why.
Umar_Zero
May 20, 2014 at 08:02
I look forward to this game…Really enjoyed the previous one as well…..BUT man, fps without MP in this day and age is remarkable..
Alien Emperor Trevor
May 20, 2014 at 08:05
Ain’t got time for blah blah in mah pew pew!
Hammersteyn
May 20, 2014 at 08:05
Neither did Metro Last Light
RinceofFuturePast
May 20, 2014 at 08:06
Silence! That game was amazeballs!
Umar_Zero
May 20, 2014 at 08:08
True! Yes, I love it long time!
cubs223425
May 20, 2014 at 08:07
I’m not sure “remarkable” is the right word. I’d go with either “risky” or “surprising.” The typical occurrence is that a shooter’s campaign lacks the depth to replay, and the length to be worth paying full price for. Even though this allegedly will be worth multiple completions, I don’t see a way they could have made this game worth $60. It seems like a $40 game.
Umar_Zero
May 20, 2014 at 08:11
MP accounts for a whole $20? I can’t agree with that though. If it has a dam solid SP campaign, and I’m not talking about the likes of a CoD 3 hour SP experience, if it’s solid, it should be full price. Like Hammer mentioned below, Metro never had MP as well. I’m not a fan of the misconception that FPS, hell games in general NEED Mp to have actual value
RinceofFuturePast
May 20, 2014 at 08:13
Agreed. I am so glad Metro:LN didn’t have MP, the SP was amazing, great story and nicely paced, one of my favourite games.
Alien Emperor Trevor
May 20, 2014 at 08:14
I think you’re imagining things.
RinceofFuturePast
May 20, 2014 at 08:16
Eh?
Alien Emperor Trevor
May 20, 2014 at 08:19
There’s no such game as Metro:LN ;P
Umar_Zero
May 20, 2014 at 08:20
You know what he meant….damn troll
RinceofFuturePast
May 20, 2014 at 08:21
He is low on coffee!
Alien Emperor Trevor
May 20, 2014 at 08:21
If I didn’t make fun of people for not saying what they meant I’d never talk. Oh… I SEE WHAT YOU’RE DOING
Umar_Zero
May 20, 2014 at 08:33
Goooood…gooooooooooooood
Kromas
May 20, 2014 at 08:20
I played Metro … Last Night. 😛
RinceofFuturePast
May 20, 2014 at 08:22
If we are dancing this dance, I don’t remember a Metro … Last Night either 😛
Kromas
May 20, 2014 at 08:22
If you can’t remember Last Night then you should stop drinking during the week. 😛
RinceofFuturePast
May 20, 2014 at 08:21
I think you need more coffee man http://ohthiskid.com/thedailymeal/tumblr_mctalko.gif
Alien Emperor Trevor
May 20, 2014 at 08:24
I don’t need coffee to point out your amusing mistakes 😉
RinceofFuturePast
May 20, 2014 at 08:26
It wasn’t a mistake, though I must say that seeing as this game has Nazis you are doing a good job keeping your lame comments in the same theme 😛
Alien Emperor Trevor
May 20, 2014 at 08:35
*hug* It’ll be okay.
Jedi JJ
May 20, 2014 at 09:04
I didn’t have coffee in the office yesterday, was a bad day.
(and the yellow soil they have here for everyone to use cannot be called coffee)
RinceofFuturePast
May 20, 2014 at 09:06
Bugger that man.
Umar_Zero
May 20, 2014 at 08:17
Very true, amazing game, both are great actually…Best part of the game is the little touches. all the extra conversations that are completely missable
RinceofFuturePast
May 20, 2014 at 08:18
Yeah. I spent ages just listening to the extra conversations, I think only once did I hear someone loop.
cubs223425
May 20, 2014 at 08:22
When you consider the time spent in one mode versus the other, I’d certainly say so. Even a longer campaign like Halo 4 on legendary (by FPS standards) is 12 hours at most, while you’re talking about the likelihood that people would put hundreds of hours into online multiplayer.
Also, multiplayer is not just that online, competitive component. This game also lacks co-op, meaning it contains just one aspect of play–the solo campaign. It does not include online competitive play. It does not include online OR offline co-op campaign play. It doesn’t even include something like CoD’s Zombies/Halo’s Firefight/Gears’ Horde. Heck, you’d think that this game–in all of its br00tal, Nazi glory, would thrive on having a ridiculous co-op, wave-based mode.
While the campaign might be good, it’s hard to take this game as a good value when it’s $60 for probably no more than 40 hours of gameplay.
RinceofFuturePast
May 20, 2014 at 08:24
Eh? $60 for 40 hours of play is NOT good value? I’d say that is very good value.
cubs223425
May 20, 2014 at 08:34
I’d definitely say not. Borderlands had a LOT more than that to do, and it was MADE for the co-op experience. Skyrim went the solo route, but offered 100+ (hundreds, if you got the DLC and were a completionist) hours of content.
I can’t think of a single game I spent $60 on, played only a campaign, and felt like I got a good deal. I only got Skyrim because it was $50 used at GameStop, though it would have been a worthy $60 buy. What I would my 40-hour quote is on the assumption that the game’s really worth a second playthrough, which is not guaranteed (the game’s not been out long enough to show it is).
Overall, no, I’d definitely not call 40 hours worth $60 in 2014.
Umar_Zero
May 20, 2014 at 08:35
Not every game can be an RPG……
cubs223425
May 20, 2014 at 08:41
You make it sound like the idea is that everything that’s a FPS has to have a short campaign. The only reason that seems to be the norm is because there’s multiplayer (or, at least, co-op) to go along with it. I can’t say your comment makes much sense. Yeah, RPGs are usually the longest campaigns, but it doesn’t mean that everything else has to be short.
Jonah Cash
May 20, 2014 at 08:43
I think our definition of short and yours is where the problem lies…. My short is 10 hours and less, but my long is more than 25 hours and I am probably out!!
Alien Emperor Trevor
May 20, 2014 at 08:48
That’s not what she said.
Jonah Cash
May 20, 2014 at 08:50
Hahahaha!! If you have to have my first sentence as a discussion with a girl then I think you are in trouble!!
Alien Emperor Trevor
May 20, 2014 at 08:51
lol you’re probably correct
Umar_Zero
May 20, 2014 at 08:47
10-20 hours is not short in most peoples books though……You’re saying 40 hours is not worth $60…..some RPGs are not even that long….I’m not saying everything needs to be short. but not every game can be 40+ hours plus. Since the PS1 era, game varied in length but length alone does not dictate worth.
RinceofFuturePast
May 20, 2014 at 08:51
Agreed. To be honest I’ve never heard this argument (not with a 40 hour not worth $60) before. I’ve heard the not worth $60 for a 5 hour game WITH MP (think CoD) but never this.
Umar_Zero
May 20, 2014 at 08:53
Yes….40 hours for me is well worth any price lol … hell even 20 hours is great. Like you said, time does = quality
Sir Faulty
May 20, 2014 at 15:38
I don’t agree – these 40 hour + epics are starting to grate my tits off. I want a game I can start and hopefully finish within the month. Anything longer takes me forever to get through. I don’t have the time unfortunately anymore, as an IT project manager for one of the largest insurance houses, to sit through these long-winded gas bags of a game that copy and paste most of the stuff to just a different environments and then call it 50+ hour epic. Borderlands 2 I am looking right at you! Rather give me a 10-15 hr game that doesn’t rely on reuse and when I am done with I can pack it away and move on. I already have the a crazy backlog so I just want a game that is fun and burst with energy and then is over and I can move onto the next one.
Jonah Cash
May 20, 2014 at 08:37
If they make a Uncharted game that is longer than at most 25 hours I would not buy it, hell I wouldn’t buy it on sale for half price!! My story needs to end before we reach 25 hours or I would stop playing it out of boredom!! Give me a great story that begins and ends and has decent game play and I will buy each one of them!
cubs223425
May 20, 2014 at 08:39
I can’t speak to that franchise. I thought Uncharted looked dumb and never touched it, so I can’t give an assessment of that.
Jonah Cash
May 20, 2014 at 08:42
So you only play FPS games online? Do you play any story based games? Dishonored, Tomb Raider, Batman series, Assassins Creed series, Infamous?????
cubs223425
May 20, 2014 at 08:47
I most certainly do not, though I haven’t played anything online in a while. I definitely spend most of my online time playing shooters, but they’re usually the ones to best implement online play. I’m not good enough at Forza to play it online. I don’t buy EA titles, so I haven’t had a sports game to play online in 2 years (MLB 2K12 would have been the last). I’ve played several genres online at SOME point, and Watch Dogs (which DOES have shooting elements) will be added to that list at some point.
Dishonored: Got the GotY edition on PC for $13.50 during the winter.
Tomb Raider: Nope, though might get it at some point, since it’s on-sale frequently.
Batman: Not a superhero fan, so no.
Assassin’s Creed: Played the first two, only paid $60 for the first one. Regardless, that franchise had so much to do and explore that I probably put more than 40 hours into those campaigns.
Infamous: The PS2 is the only Sony console I owned. Infamous doesn’t seem that great to me, definitely not enough to get a PS3/4 over.
RinceofFuturePast
May 20, 2014 at 08:43
If you cannot play it again I agree, waste of money. But this whole ‘it isn’t worth it if it doesn’t have MP is ruining the industry’. Time does not equal quality. I’d rather play Bioshock for 5 hours than play a game that is kak for 100 hours. Quality costs money. Edit: Just to also add, games have bee sitting at $60 for many years now and with the next gen you will look back to these days and think ‘oh myyyyy’. 🙂
Umar_Zero
May 20, 2014 at 08:29
I get your point, but then the same should be said about every SP 3rd person game. And this is the reason why games like Dead Space and RE 5 went Co-op, but those games never needed it. MP is fine, but not every game needs it to be compelling. I would rather have a tightly focused SP game than a game with split focus. It’s a single player game…and it has every right to be just that at full price.
RinceofFuturePast
May 20, 2014 at 08:31
Exactly, Bioshock didn’t need a co-op or MP in order to make it worth $60. I mean even Tomb Raider would have been better without its tacked on MP. This is the problem we have these days. People tack on the MP which costs a crap load to develop and takes away from the actual game (the SP element).
Umar_Zero
May 20, 2014 at 08:35
Agree, Tomb Raider would’ve been better without that tacked on MP
cubs223425
May 20, 2014 at 08:38
I agree with you on the overall sentiment, but I also think that there should be a decrement in price to match the decrement in content. I mean, I really liked the Gears franchise, but I wouldn’t have been happy with $60 for it if it was ONLY the campaign. They gave you competitive multiplayer, plus Horde in the later games, and co-op campaign play to boot.
This isn’t something about a “right to be $60.” It’s whether people consider it WORTH $60. I would say it’s not, though some might say it is. I’m not one to replay a campaign though, so finding a 20-hour campaign and nothing more worth $60 is tough. This game didn’t necessarily NEED multiplayer to be good, but I think giving it that Borderlands-like experience (where you get to experience the hectic combat with others) would have made it better.
I’ll pick this up at some point, I’ve just changed my mind on getting it tomorrow. Best Buy’s supposedly going to offer their GCU membership (which gets you 20% off games) for half price next week, so I might sign up for that, then get this for under $50.
Umar_Zero
May 20, 2014 at 08:43
Totally understand you view, don’t get me wrong, but that VALUE can come in other forms besides MP and coop. But I get where you’re coming from, these games are flippen expensive, so you would expect it to be FULL of stuff to do. Which is a fair point. But to me, I can find value in a game that doesn’t need me to keep playing for 100s of hours. Metal Gear Rising was full price at 6 hours….And I LOVED every second of every minute of that game. Well worth the price. See, problem comes in where different gamers have different meanings for the word,worth…And I can respect that 🙂
cubs223425
May 20, 2014 at 08:55
Yeah, I don’t tend to buy games a lot. Over the past few years, the games I’ve gotten have stuck with me for a long time. With something like Wolfenstein, it’d be a GameFly title (if I had GameFly). The last time I spent $60+ on a game was the $70 I spent on the MLB 2K12/NBA 2K12 combo pack on the 360, and that was for two games. The only game I bought new after that was Borderlands 2 GotY, and that was for $40. I also got Black Ops II at $60, but that was a gift.
Now, I got a One and Titanfall (free with the console), Forza, and Kinect Sports Rivals. I can say that the last of those is DEFINITELY not worth $60 (glad it was a graduation gift). Forza is borderline because of its lack of tracks and cars, but it gives you a lot to go after in career mode, plus an online mode and the time trials.
But like I said, I don’t buy a lot of games–at least, not unless they’re on a big sale (like Steam’s Holiday Sale, where I got a dozen or more games for $60). Some folks are fine putting money into new games all the time, I’m personally not.
If you think it’s worth it to you, I’m certainly not trying to call you wrong or convince you otherwise. I just can’t personally bring myself to spend $60 (really, $65 after tax) on this. With Watch Dogs a week away, I KNOW it’d be a rush job I tossed aside (if I get Watch Dogs, still debating it). I’d rather wait a week and see it show up used at GameStop. The only thing that has me wanting to grab it for $60 is the DOOM beta…I want that.
Jonah Cash
May 20, 2014 at 08:34
I don’t play MP in any game but Fifa…. And I also don’t play co-op…. I like to play my own game on my own time at my own pace.
I have always paid full price for single player games, and I am still happy to do that….
Jonah Cash
May 20, 2014 at 08:31
Exactly what you said!! If games that are not sport related have no MP I am more than happy!! This is what I hate about the new type of reviews also, they review a game and it is good but the MP is not that good and the game gets a 6-7 out of 10… Maybe it is time that reviews are done in two parts one for the SP experience and one for the MP side???? I really think that would make the reviews better!!
Umar_Zero
May 20, 2014 at 08:37
Yeah, I mean, a lot of complaints about Wolfenstein is that it lacks MP which I think is unfair, it’s an SP game so judge it based on that
Jonah Cash
May 20, 2014 at 08:39
But reviews have all gone down this route. They review a game but punish it for what it doesn’t have, instead of just understanding firstly what type of game they are reviewing. Giving a SP game a worse score because it doesn’t have MP is just stupid!!
Kromas
May 20, 2014 at 08:15
Off the top of my head. Metro series,Hard Reset,Deus Ex,Bioshock Infinite and (drumroll please) … BF4 .. 🙂
Umar_Zero
May 20, 2014 at 08:16
Hard Reset sucked balls though. But yes that is true! They’re so far and few in between that I tend to forget about them and think that the market is filled with CoD clones
Kromas
May 20, 2014 at 08:16
OOOH and Far Cry 3 and Blood Dragon.
Umar_Zero
May 20, 2014 at 08:18
LOL…..okay I get your point
Kromas
May 20, 2014 at 08:19
Good … Good
RinceofFuturePast
May 20, 2014 at 08:03
Why they no send to LG for review?!
Hammersteyn
May 20, 2014 at 08:06
Gotta decide between this and Watchdogs 🙁
Kromas
May 20, 2014 at 08:21
Buy both … that’s what I did. In fact Today i get Wolf. Next Tuesday I get Watchdogs and the week after that I get Wildstar. Busy few weeks for me.
Hammersteyn
May 20, 2014 at 08:34
I should maybe buy one on PC. Don’t really have R1500 for both PS4 games
Kromas
May 20, 2014 at 08:36
Ah … I think I have found your problem right there. 😛
Hammersteyn
May 20, 2014 at 08:40
Yeah, next gen FTW ~_~
Kromas
May 20, 2014 at 08:43
Do you know why they call it next gen? Cause they promise things like 1080p and 60FPS on next gen and when next gen becomes current gen they say it will come next gen. Circle of life baby … unless ofc you PC. 🙂
Hammersteyn
May 20, 2014 at 08:46
Hehehe, I thought it was next gen because they stuck a 4 on the PS box instead of 3.
Johan du Preez
May 21, 2014 at 11:30
They might still be trying to do next gen by the time pc is on 4k display as a standard.
Which is in a 2 to 3 years ….. will they release another console then maybe Xbone version 1.1 and Ps4 version 1.1 and say this time its really next gen.
Its amazing how dev’s now say resolution and fps is just a number devs use lol yeh the most important numbers if you are a gamer as it impacts your experience more than everything else combined!
Hammersteyn
May 21, 2014 at 11:48
Tbh I think they will leave 4K for the next gen. Or 8K. The graphics really is a huge step up from the PS3
Mossel
May 20, 2014 at 08:24
I think the Watch Dogs experience and story will bay way better than this. Like the onw review said, this is just for some mindless pew pew. Which isn’t a bad thing either.
Kromas
May 20, 2014 at 08:25
“bay” “onw” … you need more coffee stat!
Mossel
May 20, 2014 at 08:42
lol it seems I do! That’s what happens when you start Witcher 2 at 10:30 and need to wake up at 05:00.
Johan du Preez
May 21, 2014 at 11:25
You clearly did not play this game yet did you? Watchdogs will have to do something amazing to beat the story and story telling in Wolfenstein: The new order …..
So far it beats Bioshock Infinite by miles in story telling.
Mossel
May 21, 2014 at 11:37
I haven’t played either. I am just assuming everything I said based on reviews. If it is as good as you say it is then I will have to invest in it. Bioshock Infinite is my favourite game, so for Wolfenstein to beat that it would have to be fucking amazing!
CAE9872
May 20, 2014 at 09:42
My vote = Wolfenstein personally before Watchdogs. I do share your pain though…
PsychoSpazz
May 20, 2014 at 08:10
I must Have it
CAE9872
May 20, 2014 at 09:41
Damn! Seems I will now have to buy it! Good scores all round which is excellent news.
Hammersteyn
May 20, 2014 at 10:19
Yup, plus Doom has me curious
CAE9872
May 20, 2014 at 10:34
Isn’t Doom a pre-order bonus only though? I was at BT games on weekend and they said pre-orders all gone – hence my question.
Hammersteyn
May 20, 2014 at 10:38
You’re right I forgot 🙁
Ultimo_Cleric N7
May 20, 2014 at 09:55
Heil buy it when it comes out.
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Rock789
May 20, 2014 at 13:29
Got my pre-order this morning (thank you BTGames Kenilworth for being awesome!). 🙂 Cannot wait to get stuck in tonight… After the 5 – 7 GB update. But it’s ok – I can take it!
Johan du Preez
May 21, 2014 at 11:22
I had to download it lol 40.7 gb later but love it!
Rock789
May 21, 2014 at 11:37
Geez, that musta taken a while – internet seemed to be on lithium last night… Seriously slow!
But it’s worth it – it’s a really great game! Started playing last night and totally lost track of time… Before I knew it, it was 1am! First time in a long time a game has got me so engrossed in its world that I completely ignored the clock. Thoroughly loving it so far! Can’t wait to get stuck in again tonight.
Johan du Preez
May 21, 2014 at 11:14
Played it last night and its epic love it so far. The story, gun play etc. is very solid and def one of the best looking games out this year.
Best game released so far this year by far.