The problem with creating a follow up to a critically acclaimed game is that you have already set the bar extremely high. Machine Games created a masterpiece when they rebooted the franchise, but with each follow-up entry it feels more and more distant from what the original got right. Don’t get me wrong, the game is solid, but most of the new mechanics are more frustrating than fun.
The New Colossus picks up months after the first game’s ending, with our hero BJ Blazkowicz in a coma and paralyzed from his injuries sustained from taking down the Nazi war machine at the end of the original game. You’ll begin the game as the Nazi regime is attacking the stolen U boat BJ and his cohorts have commandeered and been using as a mobile base in their revolution. Being paralyzed from the waist down, BJ must use a wheelchair to navigate through the boat taking down Nazi’s using the stealth and gunplay the series has become known for. Upon completion of the level, you will be given one of the heavy choices the series is so fond of, which has little effect on the outcome of the game. You are given the Iron Man like armor featured in the previous game, which allows BJ to walk once again.
The remainder of the story will take place in various locales across the US, Venus, as well as through flashbacks. One event at the beginning of the game almost caused me to stop playing, as I was forced to shoot my own dog. As someone who takes animal welfare to heart, this struck a nerve with me. Most of the scripted events that were awe inspiring in the original tend to fall flat on this outing, although the story remains engaging for the most part. A highlight was seeing a topless pregnant woman covered in blood wielding two automatic guns saving BJ from a large group of Nazi’s. I also found the depiction of an aged, sickly Hitler to be worthy of a few chuckles, despite the fact we are unable to directly take his life in this entry.
The overall presentation of the game is top notch, with the visuals on the standard Xbox One exceeding the already amazing textures and character models of the original, I can’t wait to get my hands on an Xbox One X and see the improvements offered in the 4K update. With the exception of a few character models clipping into scenery, I rarely felt the immersion was broken. The sound effects and dialogue were also top notch, with the only issue I experienced being that some of the subtitles, which are needed to understand the German, often bled into the background or were blurry, as if they didn’t load properly.
The game controls just as well as you remember, with the only downfall being the clunky weapon selection. Like the original, you can duel wield any weapons at any time; however, trying to switch to a single pistol during stealth segments is a bit of a chore and resulted in fiddling with the wheel longer than I would have liked. In addition to the decent story, there is a score attack mode that will allow you to replay various stages from the game, without your upgrades, to compete for medals which serve no real purpose. Sadly, the new game plus option has been removed in lieu of open world areas, allowing you to explore the game freely to search for additional upgrades and seek out the game’s 200+ collectibles. This mode also features some side missions which are completely optional, but I would have preferred the new game plus option to be added.
Post-game, you’ll be treated to a new difficulty, which is the hardest mode I have ever played in my life. The game tasks the player to complete the game on the hardest difficulty, which is no joke this time around, with permadeath on. While the Nazi’s in the original were nothing but bullet fodder for BJ, the AI has been improved, making this venture much more difficult than the original. I struggled on the normal difficulty and actually had to reduce it on a number of occasions, which luckily can be changed at any time through the games menu. Unfortunately, this improvement makes the numerous stealth segments much more difficult than before. Enemies will now flock to the corpses of their fallen comrades, meaning you have to work quickly as well as silently.
If you love their original reboot, you will likely enjoy this follow up, although I feel Machine Games missed the mark with this sequel. While not a bad game, Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus won’t be remembered as the masterpiece we all hoped for after the last one.
8 out of 10
Pros
- Overall Presentation
- Improved AI
- Lots of Reply Options…
Cons
- … With the Lack of New Game Plus
- Violence Against Dogs
Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus was developed by Machine Games and published by Bethesda. It was released on PC, PS4, and X1 October 27th, 2017, for $59.99 and will be released at some point in 2018 for the Switch. The game was not provided to us for review, but was played on the Xbox One. For more on Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus, visit its official site.
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