Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus

this is what would happen if nazis took over the world some american guy would say fuck it we going to mars to find hitler

Overview
Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus (WTNC) is the third installment of the reboot series, and direct sequel to the events seen in The New Order. After defeating General Deathshead, Blasko is severely wounded and fights for his life, ultimately surviving but unable to walk again. Thanks to Da'at Yichud technology however, he is able to get back into the fight - this time to strike back at Nazis by forming a resistance movement across the United States. In this adventure, BJ will not only fight the invaders, but also the ghosts of his tormented past.
🟩 The Good Side
Lots of ways to kill a Nazi
The gameplay structure of WTNC allows players to take different approaches to each level, mainly the stealthy or the loud one - but even these can have variations thanks to the choice of tools / weapons available. Action enthusiast have many light and heavy weapons to choose, from "simple" triple-barrel shotguns to laser cannons and rocket pistols. Stealth instead has more subtle means like throwing hatchets, a few silenced guns and stealth takedowns in melee. Whatever the approach may be, it will level up related Perks that will in time grant passive bonuses useful for the play-styles one uses the most.
Them' some shiny special effects!
The visuals of New Colossus are truly spectacular in every aspect. From high quality models to minutely detailed environments, players can expect top of the line graphics form this title - far better than what seen in previous ones. Animations are fluid, gun feeling is satisfying and the physics behind each bullet impact, explosion and enemy corpse give substantial realism to each fight. Gore, blood and mutilated cadavers are a common sight after a heated battle, as it should be. All of this is well optimized, but still demanding on an hardware standpoint... and rightly so.
We got work to do
Other than the main mission, this title proposes a good amount of side content with reasonable variety. The resistance's base of operations is populated by many NPCs that as events evolve, may have secondary quests for Blasko to complete - sometimes with rewards, others just for the sake of it. Enigma Codes gathered from enemy Commanders can be used to unlock secondary missions that allow re-exploring previously completed levels and get eventually missed Upgrades or Collectibles. Several mini-games such as shooting range or the classic Wolfenstein can be played as well.
Loads of collectibles
Each level has letters, newspapers, recordings that shed more light on the world and lore of Wolfenstein. Other than that, there also are collectible gold figurines, cards, toys that won't impact the gameplay but just there for the sake of completion. Upgrade kits on the other hand are a fundamental thing to look after, as each level has at least one - finding them can really make the difference as things get harder. All of this goodness makes exploring each nook and cranny worth one's time.
🟥 The Bad Side
Seriously, who wrote this crap?
The story of WTNC is a substantial downgrade from the reasonably good standards seen in the previous entries. The depiction of Nazi troops and officers is in fact too comical and unrealistic, depicting them as a bunch of schmucks or insane leaders - but not in a plausible way like the previous games did. On top of this, the game clearly promotes certain real-world political agendas in a very forced way, almost shoving them down the players' throats at most cut-scenes or lore elements found. These two factors combine to form a cringy, unremarkable story that becomes quite annoying to follow.
Quantity over quality
Enemy AI isn't as brilliant as it should be: while at the highest difficulty just a few hits will take down a full health and armor Blasko, the tactics of the Nazi forces aren't up to par with their weapon power. For instance, enemies will charge into a one-way alley only to be gunned down one by one by a well-positioned player, instead of using grenades or flanking maneuvers. At least they do make decent use of cover, but not of suppressive fire to cover their allies or more advanced tactics. Special enemies such as Ubersoldaten are not as strong and resilient as they should be, especially in later game phases.
Rating: Very Good
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It took me 16 hours to complete the base game and side activities on "I Am Death Incarnate" difficulty, while also taking time to find most secrets and collectibles. For the current price of 30€ and very good quality, I can recommend buying for full price.
In-Depth Breakdown
🎮 Gameplay Analysis
Gameplay is divided into Exploration, Combat, Quests and Minigames.
Exploration
Is performed mostly on foot, across levels ranging from post-atomic cities to nazi bunkers or underground stations. Each level has multiple paths that often favor different gameplay approaches, all lead however to the same destination. Keeping an eye out for supplies such as ammunition, armor, grenades and so on is fundamental to be prepared for the next fight. Collectibles are plentiful and scattered throughout each stage: the fundamental ones remain Upgrade Kits - allowing Blasko's weapon to acquire superior power and versatility. A handy global map highlights collectibles that entered one's view range and other important landmarks.
Combat
Plays out in first person, and one can choose the approach they prefer for it. Levels are structured in a way that promotes being on the move constantly, gathering resources and killing enemies at the same time in a fast-paced fashion. However, more tactical players can also choose to stand their ground in a well defensible point or use stealth to lower enemy threat before going all out - especially killing Commanders before they can raise the alarm. Grenades, shotguns, laser rifles, flamethrowers - all of this and more is available against the Nazi forces, with each weapon markedly different in usage.
Quests
Are given out by various NPCs in the base of operations, or by using the table map once unlocked. Some of them may allow Blasko to explore unique areas or backtrack to get missed upgrades - or even award unique upgrades. Most however are simply recycled content or small tasks with no real purpose, still a good variation though.
Minigames
Include several levels from the original Wolfenstein game, a shooting range, and an obstacle course - all playable for achievements or just to do something different. Decoding enigma machines codes is also a small puzzle game of sorts, once available.
Technical Corner
Specs: RTX 2080Ti, Ryzen 9 3900X, 32GB RAM, 970 PRO NVME SSD
Critical Problems
None.
Performance
- Average VRAM Usage: 5-6 GB
- Average GPU Utilization: 5-15%
- Settings Used: All Ultra, Async Compute OFF, Nvidia Dynamic Shading QUALITY, 1440p 60Hz.
- Overall Optimization Rating: Excellent
Bugs & Other Issues
- On rare occasions the player may glitch inside walls while climbing back to solid ground from water, resulting in going out of the map - requiring a restart from the last save.

You can curb stomp old man Hitler, so I think I'm morally obligated to recommend this game.

Doom, but with Nazis instead of Demons.

racism against people from arizona

I enjoy killing nazis and saving jews

Sum up
+ Have one of the best stories in the genre of FPS.
+ The comedy is excellent and the situations that can happen in the course of story can be mind-blowing.
+ Beautiful graphics with rich detail, even in low settings the game can be a looker-on tunnel section and cities. Optimization is well done.
+ Good level design that features lots of options for the player to take, from breaking walls to reaching high places, squishing through tight places and more.
+ Weapons are fun to use, and their upgrades are very useful. Adding a suppressor or doubling the electric gun charge capacity. The gameplay is very enjoyable.
-Endgame content can get repetitive, not the game's strongest point.
- Side missions feature the same cutscene over and over, which is not too bad but can be annoying.
- Loses some of the charms from the previous entry, while the comedy and situations are still there is not the same.
Introduction
Wolfenstein II The New Colossus is an FPS game that continues the story of the previous game. It is one of the most interesting titles in the genre, featuring a mix of fast-paced action with multiple actions to take at a given moment. The weapons each have their purpose for dealing with specific types of enemies and the player must choose which equipment they want to use. In some instances, choosing an option will lock you out of the others, making the decision matter more. With its crazy combat and dynamic levels, is an experience that FPS player should consider getting their hands on.
Gameplay
You point and you shoot Nazis. Simple enough no? What makes Wolfenstein II more unique versus its peers is that the enemy design makes you think about how you want to face and play out a given situation. Is it better to be stealthy or go guns blazing? Search for an advantage point from which enemies won't reach you as easily or maybe an alternate route to avoid confrontation altogether. This is thanks to enemies being a threat as opposed to simple soldiers.
You have mechanical dogs that breathe fire, colossal titans that can kill you in seconds, army lieutenants that will keep reinforcements coming, terminators who will get in your face and more. It is a spectacle to see the wide variety of enemies mixed and how they are divided across the level. Another thing is that it makes you think, say you are lacking ammo for a certain weapon and ironically enough that is the only weapon that can effectively get rid of a powerful enemy. You would consider avoiding that confrontation in that instance.
It is a game of getting from point A to point B as many shooters are, but the environment is interactive. The player can break boxes in search of ammo. Go underwater or reach high places or take different paths that connect towards the same destination. The game also lacks health regen, meaning that you will have to be careful about taking damage.
One of the biggest challenges FPS might present in their design is that they must give the player, a reason to abandon cover. Wolfenstein II manages to do this since weapons, in general, will not have a lot of use in long-range due to the lack of sniper rifles and limited distance of weapons effective range. On top of that enemies will swarm the player if they stay quiet for too long and explosives can be devastating if one stays in a corner. The game wants the player to be in a state of constant movement, that they are moving but that they don't stop shooting.
Strong points
I would say the strongest point the game has going for it is that as an FPS-single player game it manages to set itself apart from its peer. The story is one of the more polished aspects and while it is not a masterpiece, it does bring a lot of comedic and unique situations to the table. Gameplay-wise it offers more options on how to tackle problems and exploring parts of the level or ranking up perks is satisfying.
features over six different difficulties, collectibles to be found, alternate timelines to play, side missions and some tense moments. The game is a lot of fun, I enjoyed my time playing it and there was never a dull moment overall (Also, there is an alligator in New York). There are types of incredulous situations that could only happen in a world like that of Wolfenstein II. The sound and music are also top quality, with songs blending in with the action and sounds are important not only to gameplay such as recognizing enemies base on them but also, adding more layers to the game.
Story
Wolfenstein II The New Colossus follows the events of the previous entry. The protagonist Blazkowicz finds himself in a crippled state and unfit for taking on the battlefield. As he is recovering from his injuries the ship in which he resides is attacked by general Irene Engel is fixated on capturing Blazkowicz after the events of the first game and this is where the story continues.
The story doesn't quite have the same atmosphere as in the first game and both games have different narratives to some extent. While the first game was more centered in the conflicts and action of the game, the second entry is more geared towards giving glimpses into backstories and the journey of a hero to recover his strength.
Some Notes
The game is very well optimized. Runs without problem on a GTX 1060. The graphics are pretty and there is a lot of detail to it. Some endgame content can get repetitive and extensions (DLC or games of similar names) such as the Wolfenstein Youngblood are vastly different experiences. This can give a player who has beaten the game an idea that they might be similar games but ultimately is another type of game.
Side missions are not as good as the main ones, but they can still be fun to do. Especially when you keep in mind that you can get other equipment for doing them. The game can take from 10 hours to 20 just on the main story depending on how you play, but I would say that on average it should be around 15 hours.
Conclusion
Wolfenstein II The New Colossus is one of the best titles in the FPS genre as a single-player game. It has a good amount of content and features some sort of replayability once the story has been finished. Machine games did a good job on this title and the overall quality of the first game is preserved in this sequel. I would recommend this game to any player who enjoys FPS's and doesn't mind the lack of multiplayer modes. If you find yourself enjoying action-stealth titles you can also certainly add this title to the list of things you might enjoy.
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