This past week was rather busy for me. My folks were out at a wedding, and I had been doing a lot of cleaning & other house-related chores. I was able to get my belated Serious Sam birthday/retrospective done last week early on, but everything else somewhat stopped me from getting this one out last week (Although you can tell I worked on it in the meantime). In any case, don your military uniform, grab your trust MP40, and get ready for a belated birthday & retrospective on Wolfenstein. Dismissed!
Wolfenstein 3d (1992)
“Wolfenstein 3D is a first-person shooter video game developed by id Software and published by Apogee Software and FormGen. Originally released on May 5, 1992 for MS-DOS, it was inspired by the 1981 Muse Software video game Castle Wolfenstein. In Wolfenstein 3D, the player assumes the role of Allied spy William "B.J." Blazkowicz during World War II as he escapes from the Nazi German prison Castle Wolfenstein and carries out a series of crucial missions against the Nazis. The player traverses through each of the game's levels to find an elevator to the next level or kill a final boss, fighting Nazi soldiers, dogs, and other enemies with knives, pistols, and other guns.”
“Wolfenstein 3D was the second major release by id Software, after the Commander Keen series of episodes. In mid-1991, programmer John Carmack experimented with making a fast 3D game engine by restricting the gameplay and viewpoint to a single plane, producing Hovertank 3D and Catacomb 3-D as prototypes. After a design session prompted the company to shift from the family-friendly Keen to a more violent theme, programmer John Romero suggested remaking the 1981 stealth shooter Castle Wolfenstein as a fast-paced action game. He and designer Tom Hall designed the game, built on Carmack's engine, to be fast and violent, unlike other computer games on the market at the time. Wolfenstein 3D features artwork by Adrian Carmack and sound effects and music by Bobby Prince. The game was released through Apogee in two sets of three episodes under the shareware model, in which the first episode is released for free to drive interest in paying for the rest. An additional episode, Spear of Destiny, was released as a stand-alone retail title through FormGen.
Wolfenstein 3D was a critical and commercial success, garnering numerous awards and selling over 200,000 copies by the end of 1993. It is widely regarded as having helped popularize the first-person shooter genre and establishing the standard of fast-paced action and technical prowess for many subsequent games in the genre, as well as showcasing the viability of the shareware publishing model at the time. FormGen developed an additional two episodes for the game, while Apogee released a pack of over 800 fan-created levels. Id Software never returned to the series, but did license the engine to numerous other titles before releasing the source code for free in 1995, and multiple other games in the Wolfenstein series have been developed by other companies since 2001.”
Save that “developed by other companies since 2001” part for a little bit.
Best Aspect? Simplicity. Wolfenstein 3d was always a simplistic game, especially in the modern day. There’s just 4 weapons, various health pickups, keys for locked doors, and a small selection of enemies & bosses for BJ to blast into Nazi hamburger. It’s always satisfying to see Hitler turn into a giant pool of blood & gore, and it’s a treat to see the numerous other bosses get riddled with bullets. Graphically, Wolf3d is certainly archaic, but there’s a weird nostalgic charm to it all. It’s usage of a surprisingly fair range of color strangely fits with the rather comical depiction of violence, as you sometimes traverse hallways & rooms that have brightly colored bricks, all the while gunning down every Nazi or other foe with ease.
Worst Aspect? I was actually tempted to say that age is once again the biggest flaw (Which would have included graphics), but I’ll skip that this time around. Wolfenstein 3d’s only flaw is just how maze-like many of the levels are. Earlier levels are more simplistic in design, but later levels (Especially in the later episodes) are constructed in such a frustrating manner. Numerous dead-ends, loop-arounds, and sneaky enemy placements really make this game a struggle sometimes. Even finding secrets is a chore, as you really can’t tell what’s a secret wall or not. Modern gamers take secrets a challenge, but way back in the early 90s, you had to work your butt off!
Wolfenstein 3d. You can certainly tell when this game comes from, but for being just over 25 years old, it has a timeless quality that really can’t be beat. If you want to play what I consider to be the origin of the FPS genre, this is what you need to try. Next game!
Return To Castle Wolfenstein (2001)
Storywise, we find that World War 2 is in full swing in 1943. William Joseph "B.J." Blazkowicz & a partner have been captured by the SS, and are thrown in the jail cells of Castle Wolfenstein. After his partner is killed, B.J. breaks out to complete his mission. As he continues his battle against the Nazis, he discovered a plan to bring back an ancient & unholy German knight, and it involves horrific science & the occult. Apart from one break for a more normal mission, Blazkowicz battles arcane forces that have rarely been seen on this earth, and the experience leaves an impression on the man (More on this later).
Best Aspect? In a change from Wolf3d, Return To Castle Wolfenstein actually has some story & character injected into it’s veins. Not a heavy amount, but enough where you manage to establish a small personal connection to BJ & the allied forces, and even some of the German/Nazi soldiers. If you haven’t been caught, you can often seen them doing little things like smoking, talking, or sometimes try to find cover in a fight. The A.I. doesn’t come across as genuine as it once did (More on this below), but at the same time you don’t always see this level of detail in modern games.
Graphics are another plus. The engine used for this was based off of Quake 3 Team Arena, which in turn was an evolution of Quake 3 Arena. The team arena engine was heavily modified for Return To Castle Wolfenstein to take advantage of larger areas, of which this game has many. Even when the game isn’t in a larger space, the power of the team arena comes through in lots of ways. Dynamic lighting, greater texture detail, and reflective surfaces are just a couple of things that this engine pulls off. Even today, Return To Castle Wolfenstein still looks great, although there are certain aspect that show off how old this game is (More on this in a sec).
The levels are also another plus for Return To Castle Wolfenstein. You cover a wide variety of Nazi-controlled territory. From the castle itself, to an airbase with experimental craft, to an advanced science facility, the world of RTCW is a surprisingly large one. Little details like wind that blows around the (At the time) realistic grass in some levels, to distant thunder, and clever lighting really make the levels feel alive. The graphics are also a big help in this department, as they lend a visual strength to everything the player sees. Even something as basic as the sky comes alive, thanks to the advanced Quake 3 Team Arena engine.
Worst Aspect? Return To Castle Wolfenstein really only has 2 flaws to it: graphics & predictability. The graphics have aged surprisingly well since it’s release back in 2001, and as I stated earlier, was based off of the Quake 3 Team Arena engine. It was highly advanced for it’s time, but it’s flaws are highly apparent. Dated textures, clipping, and numerous other things show off how old it is now. As for predictability, I should have said heavily scripted. Back in it’s first few years the game felt somewhat realistic, but lord so much of what goes on has a healthy dose of scripting. Even some of the smaller things that go on feels artificial now, and the larger big-scale events are still grand, but they come across as rigid sometimes.
Return To Castle Wolfenstein. The return that surprised everybody, it’s staying power has managed to last even into 2017. If you like your Nazi-killing with a little more substance, this will scratch that itch. Next game!
Wolfenstein (2009)
As for the story, we find ourselves a year after the events of Return to Castle Wolfenstein. World War 2 is still going strong, and the Nazis are still trying to harness the powers of the occult. After stealing an ancient medallion from a ship (And subsequently killing the entire crew), B.J. goes back to the OSA, and discovers that the source of the medallion’s power comes from a fictional city called Isenstadt. Upon arriving, Blazkowicz becomes involved between the local resistance group fighting back, and the Nazis that had control & were excavating the ancient ruins all around Isenstadt. B.J. encounters some colorful characters on both sides, and you gain something of a personal connection with many of them. Not the deepest connection or character development, but it does add a little more substance to B.J.
Best Aspect? For starters we’ve got the graphics. In a sense it almost felt like playing Doom 3 again, as the graphics engine is basically the same. However, Wolfenstein’s take on the engine is a little different: character models are a little smoother & flexible, textures look a little more realistic, particle effects are more genuine, better reflections, etc. While at time it shows off how old the Id Tech 4 engine is, it’s improvements make it a little more hardy to the passage of time, and still holds up somewhat today.
Second, Wolfenstein offers up a degree of flexibility that was previously unknown in prior games. The city of Isenstadt is put down, basically immediately, for the player to traverse. There’s sewers, rooftops, streets, alleyways, various buildings, and all other kinds of locales for B.J. to mow down the Third Reich. You can charge in guns blazing, or you can be a little more stealthy, and go in through a potential backdoor to take out the enemy silently. There’s usually at least 2 or 3 ways to approach a fight, with only certain battles (Mostly bosses) having 1 approach to it. This get more interesting once you begin using the power of the medallion, and the Veil is open to you. The magical dimension allows access to areas that are unavailable to those in reality. Be wary though, as various entities in the Veil may take notice of you, especially when you’ve been using your power to much. Speaking of which.....
Third & finally, you’re given access to a small group of powers to help you as you traverse Isenstadt. They’re not the most grand of powers, as they’re actually very typical ones, but they’re new to Wolfenstein. There’s the basic ability that allows you to see previously unrevealed locations, but you’ve also got a shield ability, super speed, and piercing/increased damage (Can’t remember which). The sight ability is constantly active when you’re inside the Veil, but you can only have 1 of the previously mentioned abilities active at a time. This complements the arsenal of weapons you receive: some of which you’ve seen & used in RTCW, and others are brand new for this game. Both your powers & weapons can be upgraded with loot you find in secrets all over the game. Tomes of Power for your powers (Nice Heretic/Hexen references), and Gold for your guns. If I had any complaint about the guns, it would be that you’ll definitely favor some other others. No joke, but I had a preference for some of the weirder ones over the more normal ones. Tesla cannon for days!
Worst Aspect? In a strange way the critics are right about this game. It’s certainly fun, but something about Wolfenstein 2009 makes it forgettable. Maybe it’s the thin storytelling. Maybe it’s something about the characters. Maybe it’s something about the gameplay itself. I’m not really sure, and I think I might never get an answer for it. The only other fault I have with this game is how rigid it can be. It’s true you’re essentially given access to the whole city to explore from basically the start of the game, they also dole out where you can go in a semi-limited manner. While I wandered the streets, sewers, and alleyways of Isenstadt, I felt a strange form of limited control. I could go anywhere I saw, but in some circumstances I was mysteriously blocked.
Wolfenstein. A sadly forgotten game in Wolfenstein’s library, but one that really has some interesting fun in it. If you want more flexibility with your Nazi killing, this might be what you’re looking for. Next game!
Wolfenstein: The New Order (2014)
“After developer MachineGames was founded, the employees all began brainstorming ideas, and pitching them to publishers. In June 2009, MachineGames owner ZeniMax Media acquired id Software and all of its property, including Doom, Quake and Wolfenstein. Bethesda Softworks, who had previously declined a pitch from MachineGames, suggested that they develop a new game from a franchise acquired by ZeniMax. MachineGames inquired about developing a new game in the Wolfenstein series; the studio visited id Software, who approved of MachineGames' request for a new Wolfenstein game. By November 2010, paperwork was signed, allowing MachineGames to develop Wolfenstein: The New Order. Preliminary development lasted approximately three years.
The existence of Wolfenstein: The New Order was first acknowledged by Bethesda Softworks on 7 May 2013, through the release of an announcement trailer. Prior to this, Bethesda teased the upcoming project by releasing three images with the caption "1960". Though originally due for release in late 2013, the game was delayed to 2014 in order for the developers to further "polish" the game. In February 2014, it was announced that The New Order would launch on 20 May 2014 in North America, on 22 May 2014 in Australia, and on 23 May 2014 in Europe. The Australian and European release dates were later pushed forward, resulting in a worldwide launch on 20 May 2014. All pre-orders of the game granted the purchaser an access code to the Doom beta, developed by id Software. For the German release of The New Order, all Nazi symbols and references were removed; it is a criminal offence to display Nazi imagery on toys in Germany. Following the game's release, MachineGames began developing Wolfenstein: The Old Blood, a standalone expansion pack set before the events of The New Order. It was released in May 2015.
The initial inspiration for Wolfenstein: The New Order came from previous games in the franchise. Senior gameplay designer Andreas Öjerfors said that it was the "super intense immersive combat" that defined the previous games, so MachineGames ensured that this elements was included in The New Order. The development team refer to the game as a "first-person action adventure", naming this one of the unique defining points of the game. "It is the David vs Goliath theme," Öjerfors explained. "B.J. against a global empire of Nazis." Öjerfors also acknowledged that many aspects of the game's narrative are simply exaggerated elements of the Nazi Party: "The larger than life leaders, strange technology, strange experiments." The team viewed the game as a "dark-roasted blend of drama, mystery, humor." Creative director Jens Matthies explained that they "take perhaps the most iconic first-person shooter franchise in history and push it into a strange new world."
Wolfenstein: The New Order is the second game to use id Software's id Tech 5 engine, after Rage (2011). The game utilizes the engine to add a large amount of detail to the game world. The team often found it difficult to develop the game with 1080p resolution at 60 frames per second, particularly on complex environments, but "we always made it work somehow", said Matthies. He has also said that the main advantages of the engine is the speed and the detailing, while its biggest disadvantage is dynamic lighting; "on the other hand the static light rendering is really awesome, so you have full radiosity and can do really spectacular-looking things using that," he added. Senior concept artist Axel Torvenius said that one of the main inspirations for the art design of the game was movies from the 1960s, calling out the James Bond movies. The design for the Nazis in the game was influenced by the aesthetics of the Nazis at the end of the Second World War; "it's blended with the style of the 1960s and the fashion ideals of how to express yourself visually," Öjerfors explained. This viewpoint is also influenced by the element of exaggeration, which is common throughout the game's design and has been acknowledged by the team as a development inspiration. Character models can be covered in up to a 256k texture; however, this is not used often in the game on individual characters, due to the difficulty of seeing it from a distance.
Wolfenstein: The New Order only features a single-player mode. The team felt that dividing focus and resources across both a single-player and an online multiplayer mode would be less efficient. When questioned about the lack of an online multiplayer mode, Öjerfors explained that the decision was simple. "If we could take every bit of energy and sweat the studio has and pour all that into the single-player campaign, it gives us the resources to make something very, very cool, compared to if we would also have to divert some of our resources to making multiplayer." Executive producer Jerk Gustafsson attributed the choice to the style of game the team is familiar with, stating that MachineGames is "a single-player studio".
The team attempted to develop characters that offer a unique experience to the game. "The overarching goal for us was about building an ensemble of genuinely interesting characters we wanted to interact with," said Matthies. They also strived to connect the thoughts and actions of all characters to the human experience, allowing players to know "why a person is doing what they are doing". Matthies feels that all characters, particularly the allies, contain some dimension of his own personality. "They're an expression of something that is part of me that I think is interesting to explore," he said.
The game's playable character, William "B.J." Blazkowicz, has been previously featured as the playable protagonist of all Wolfenstein games. When developing the character of Blazkowicz for The New Order, MachineGames considered his appearances in previous games in the series. When doing this, they realised that the character had never really developed at all throughout the games; "He's just the guy that you play," said Pete Hines, Vice President of PR and Marketing for Bethesda. The team discovered that they were interested in exploring his story, which is what they later invested in. One particular scenario that the team envisioned is putting Blazkowicz in situations where he is uncomfortable. Matthies said, "that's really interesting to me. I love taking things and making them real." Throughout the game, Blazkowicz communicates some of his inner thoughts through short monologues, many of which reveal that he has been traumatized by some of his experiences. "We always loved the idea of a prototypical action hero exterior juxtaposed with a rich and vulnerable interior psychology," said Matthies. One of the largest priorities for the team when developing the character of Blazkowicz was to "reveal whatever needs to be revealed to [Blazkowicz] and the player" simultaneously; Matthies felt that, despite the simplicity of this concept, it is rarely used in games. Prior to developing The New Order, the team had primarily worked on games that involved antihero protagonists. However, id Software wished Blazkowicz to be portrayed differently in the game. Matthies said, "It's really important to [id] that BJ is a hero, and not an anti-hero." The team attempted to develop Blazkowicz into a character that players could relate to, as they felt that players are generally unable to relate to video game protagonists. "The goal is not to have a protagonist that's so neutral that you can project yourself into them; the goal is to have a protagonist that is so relatable that you become them," said Matthies. They also tried to make players become "emotionally in sync" with Blazkowicz, using the morality choice in the game's prologue to do so.
Wilhelm "Deathshead" Strasse, the game's main antagonist, has been previously featured as an antagonist of Return to Castle Wolfenstein (2001) and main antagonist of Wolfenstein (2009). For The New Order, the team achieved closure on his story; to do so in an effective way, they wanted to find an interesting angle to portray him: his personality is full of enthusiasm, and he appreciates life after his near-death experience in the previous game. When developing the Nazis, Matthies states that the team "didn't want to cartoon-ify them", instead opting to treat them seriously. Gideon Emery, who portrayed Fergus Reid, auditioned for his role in the game. He described Fergus as "a tough as nails soldier, who gives [Blazkowicz] both support and a pretty hard time in the process". Matthies felt that Fergus is a type of father figure to Blazkowicz, and that he "only gives negative reinforcement". Conversely, he saw Wyatt as a "sort of son surrogate", as Blazkowicz is tasked as being his protector and mentor, and that he gives "positive reinforcement". Max Hass, a seemingly brain-damaged member of the Resistance, was inspired by the character of Garp from John Irving's novel The World According to Garp. Alex Solowitz portrayed Max in the game. "Max was the most challenging character to cast, which seems counter-intuitive because he's a pretty simple guy on paper, but it took a tremendous actor to pull that off and a long time to find him," Matthies said.
A large aspect of the game is the alternative history in which it is set, where the Nazis won the Second World War. The team saw this aspect as an opportunity to create everything at a very large scale, with very little limitations; "so many things that we can create, and work with, and expand on. So, I never really felt that we were limited," said Öjerfors.”
Reception for The New Order has/was very positive upon it’s release. 80s out of 100, 8s out of 10, and 9s out of 10 were typically the norm upon it’s release, although there were some that were a little lower. Reviewers typically cited the story, gameplay, and usage of alternative history (Nazis winning WW2 instead of the allies) as the high points of the game. Rarely was there every any complaining, and when there was, some reviewers & critics cited the supporting characters & narrative as aspects with faults.
Best Aspect? Once again, graphics are a big plus in The New Order. Using the impressive Id Tech 5 engine (Previously used in it's debut game Rage), this new Wolfenstein world looks incredible. The modified Id Tech 4 engine used in Wolfenstein 2009 certain still look nice, but this game outshines it in terms of realism. Despite it's faults that were found in Rage, they don't appear to be here in TNO. Models look & move lifelike, buildings are imposing, the weapons look intimidating, textures & reflections about, etc. Though it's looks would be surpassed by Doom 2016 & it's usage of the new Id Tech 6 engine, the visuals of The New Order still enchant & delight to this day.
Secondly, The New Order has perhaps one of the most engrossing stories & most engaging set of characters in recent memory. Reviewers weren't wrong when they said the usage of alternative history was a positive: all throughout pop-culture when the Nazis were introduced, there were always movies/books/tv shows/games that always asked what would happen if the Third Reich won World War 2, and this game definitely answers that. Sure it's fictionalized, but it still paints a bleak picture of the world under the heel of the Nazis. With a world like this, it helps to have a colorful cast of characters, and The New Order provides such a cast. For the first time in this series, Blazkowicz finally has a solid identity. In prior games he really didn't have much personality (Especially in Return To Castle Wolfenstein & before), but now he feels like a real person. The same goes for everyone else: at a time where characters in the FPS genre are more wooden than a white picket-fence, it's refreshing to see characters with backgrounds & personalities. Some characters might not be as strong as others, but overall everybody that gets introduced has something that the player attaches to.
Thirdly, gameplay is essentially that same as that of prior Wolfenstein games. You see Nazis, you shoot said Nazis, etc. What makes this formula different are the new ingredients: you're given perhaps the most futuristic set of guns even seen in a Wolfenstein game. Auto-shotguns, a laser rifle that can double as a metal cutter, and more explosives you can shake a stick at are just some of the implements of destruction. You get upgrades for your weapons, but only after scouring various levels, but the search is most definitely worth it. There's a stealth system included as well, and while it's not the deepest, it does add an additional layer to combat, especially if you're trying to pick off more vulnerable targets before a battle. Finally, The New Order has 4 sets of passive skills to earn over the course of the game. Each sets of skills deals with a certain aspect of the game (Stealth, Explosives, etc), and you have to complete certain tasks to gain these skills. Some are easier to get, while others are harder. In the end, you gain a benefit that will last you for the rest of the game, or more if you replay (If I'm remembering right).
Worst Aspect? There’s not really all that much wrong with The New Order. MachineGames did such a great job with developing the game, that you really can’t find fault with it. The only gripes (Nitpicks to be honest) I have are with the save system & skill system. In regards to the save system, it’s honestly not that bad. They swapped out saving everywhere for a more traditional checkpoint system, but they checkpoints are frequent enough to the point where it really doesn’t cause too much trouble. The skill system isn’t terrible either, as you’re given a wide variety of upgrades to earn. The only complaint I have is that some of the requirements to obtain these skills can be a little unfair, but again it isn’t entirely unreasonable.
The New Order. A different look, feel, and attitude for Wolfenstein, but a welcome one at that. If you like your Nazi killing a little more on the serious side and with more depth, you might want to play this. Next game!
Wolfenstein: The Old Blood (2015)
Taking place before the beginning of The New Order, we find B.J. and a ally he mentioned in TNO are attempting to go undercover near Castle Wolfenstein to obtain information that might help them win World War 2. The mission fails, and from here on out it’s up to B.J. to escape the dungeons of Wolfenstein & find his partner. That “find the partner” part goes south, and eventually B.J. gets out of the castle, and into the village below. Discovering that the Nazis have unearthed an ancient tomb, B.J. infiltrates a pub where a familiar foe from a previous game is currently. He manages to find this foe, only to get caught, but not before the Nazis at the site blow up a chamber & release some sort of ancient alchemical gas. This destroys the village, and turns many of the inhabitants (Along with many of the Nazis) into the burning undead (Literarily & figuratively). B.J. journeys through the city & manages to catch up with his foe, but runs into something old & eldritch. I can’t say anymore, as it would actually spoil the reveal.
The Old Blood. Redundant? Maybe, but it’s worth it for the story alone.
So that was a look at the venerable Wolfenstein franchise. Without this game & Doom afterwards, the FPS genre might have never evolved into the juggernaut it is today. So, Catchup Month has finally be completed. Late, but completed regardless. Well, summer isn’t that far away, and that means a new special event is coming. Let me tell you when I say that it’s gonna be very......powerful. See you then!
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Apologies for the rush job & over-usage of Wikipedia in this. I was cutting close to the start of my new summer event, and had to make some shortcuts. Sorry!
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