Platform: Switch
Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
Developer: MachineGames
Genre: Action, Adventure
Series: Wolfenstein
Players: 1
Release Date: June 29, 2018
The wizards over at Panic Button have done the impossible once again by bringing a faithful port of Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus to Nintendo Switch. Following the events of Wolfenstein: The New Order, Wolfenstein II continues the story of BJ Blazkowicz and his unlikely team of revolutionary heroes against General Engel, Hitler, and the evil high-tech Nazi empire. This time the Nazi’s have brought the war right to America’s doorstep, teaming up with regional racist organizations like the Ku Klux Klan to murder and oppress anyone they deem as less than human. BJ and his friends partner up with fellow revolutionaries who want nothing more than to expel America, and the world, of the dogmatic Third-Reich. Wolfenstein II’s rewarding gunplay, varied environments, and brilliantly written and performed characters make for a great adventure that will undoubtedly surprise you both in its grave themes and absurd nature.
An Unconventional American Revolution
Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus starts after the events of Wolfenstein: The New Order. The game offers a quick recap of the first title before having you play as a weak, but not defenseless, BJ who has been in a coma for the past 5 months. His insides are in critical condition, forcing you to play as a beleaguered BJ who can only move in a wheelchair. This doesn’t stop BJ from shooting Nazis in the face with his free hand, but he is quickly reminded of the Nazi General, Frau Engel, who has been personally trying to eliminate Blazkowicz and his revolutionary friends for good. In this alternate reality, the Nazi’s won World War II due to their advances in technology and engineering. As a result, they’ve been making strides in conquering other countries, and even other planets. The Nazis have made their way to the United States where instead of immediately facing opposition, find support from racist organizations like the KKK and the majority white male population who thrive under their new rulers.
BJ and his friends in the Kreisau circle are not going to lay down and let the Nazi’s take over America without a fight. With a captured Nazi submarine as their home base, BJ and friends travel across America to find revolutionary organizations to join them in their cause to disrupt and expel the abominable Nazi forces and any other racist groups that have aligned themselves with the Third-Reich. From American Resistance leader Grace Walker to the communist resistance cell leader Horton Boone, BJ and the Kreisau Circle are gathering more revolutionaries to ignite a Second American Revolution against their foreign and regional oppressors.
Wolfenstein II tackles difficult themes of racism, sexism, homophobia, and brutality, among others. These themes can be presented in shockingly gruesome scenes where the only thing you can do is watch. One of the earliest sequences in the game is a flashback of BJ as a child being comforted by his mother. His father storms into the room prepared to beat BJ for innocently making friends with a young black girl he met earlier. BJ’s father is unflinchingly straightforward in his racist beliefs. He believes having his son interact with a person of another race is “morally reprehensible” and going to tarnish his reputation. BJ’s mother attempts to protect her son, but his father overpowers her violently and throws the family dog against the wall as it tries to retaliate against the father’s physical abuse of the mother. As punishment, the father cuffs BJ and forces him to aim a gun at his dog while his father exclaims that it’s the white man’s responsibility to uphold a status quo that exclusively benefits straight white men.
Graphic scenes like these remind the player of what is at stake here. From America’s dark history with racism to the Nazi’s ideology of the “Master Race,” there is an undeniable moral imperative to fight against these oppressive forces with absolutely everything. Even though Wolfenstein II is a work of fiction, there are real human beings who suffered and still suffer enormously at the hands of these destructive ideologies. The motivations to oppose these enemies are apparent, and Wolfenstein II ensures that you have all the tools necessary to get the job done.
With this being said, Wolfenstein II is not all serious. In fact, the game can become quite humorous and absurd at some points. The characters in this game are so brilliantly written and performed that they feel third-dimensional and larger-than-life. Grace Walker’s powerful and emotive speeches are destined to inspire their team of revolutionaries and the world against the Nazi forces. Fergus’s struggle to control his sentient robot arm provides humorous cutscenes and mishaps between all the seriousness. Set’s eagerness and excitement for new technology and experiments seem entirely genuine. The characters of Wolfenstein II are what make the game so memorable and play a significant role in motivating the player to accomplish the goals set out in the narrative.
Red, White, and Black
Wolfenstein II’s graphical presentation on Switch can be a hit or miss. While the game has been recreated faithfully for Nintendo’s hybrid device, the graphics are far from sharp and clean. Textures are low, detail is limited, and the game uses an intense amount of motion blur at all times. That’s not to say the game is ugly, however. Some environments are vivid, weapon and character models are finely designed, and explosions and particle effects appear in great detail.
Wolfenstein II uses a lot of color in its scenes to express emotion and instill a particular atmosphere. As you walk around the sunny streets of an American town, there’s a sharp contrast between the 60’s style buildings and the menacingly sharp red flags and emblems of the Nazi swastika. Nazi soldiers and KKK members walk in solidarity as Nazi jets fly in the sky leaving trails of white and red smoke against the deep blue sky. There’s something wholly unnerving and eerie about watching the eager celebration of Nazi occupation and imagery in an American town. From the depressingly gray and inhumane ghettos of New Orleans to the uncanny chrome corridors of Nazi buildings, Wolfenstein II makes sure you witness the cold and cruel ways of the Third-Reich not just in their brutal violence and intolerant ideas but in their oppressive structures and symbolism.
The striking violence and presentation of Wolfenstein II are made even more vivid thanks to its excellent sound design and accompanying soundtrack. The sounds of bullets penetrating the metal plating of the high-tech Nazi soldiers are vividly punchy, while the electrifyingly crude sounds of BJ using his hatchet to rip the head off a Nazi android is wholly satisfying. All of these moments are accompanied by the fantastic compositions of Mick Gordon. Each arrangement elevates the experiences of each cutscene, set piece, and action-filled moment. The music truly stands out as a vital part of Wolfenstein II.
All-American Badass
Wolfenstein II succeeds in making you feel like an absolute badass as you run through corridors and hallways shotgunning sinister Nazi soldiers and robots in the face. Firefights are intense and will surely get your adrenaline pumping, but they involve more than just senseless shooting. BJ is strong but he is not invincible, and he will die fast if you run headfirst into combat. Unlike modern shooters like Call of Duty, Wolfenstein II uses a health and shield pickup system. As you explore environments and defeat enemies, you will find cases of health and pieces of armor for protecting yourself during gunfights. Health does not regenerate automatically so making use of the environment and your abilities to defend yourself from incoming fire is paramount.
While Wolfenstein II is best categorized as a linear shooter, the game continually gives the player opportunities to choose how they approach encounters, change their playstyles, and upgrade their weapons. A level in the game usually involves going through an area to reach an essential item, activate a vital switch/button, or meet a particular person. These areas are controlled by Nazi soldiers and one or two commanders who can call for backup if BJ is discovered. Eliminating these commanders and their subordinates are necessary to progress through levels, but the game gives you the option to approach these encounters with stealth or boldness.
At some point in the game, BJ will be given the opportunity to select between three technologies meant to improve his mobility. The three contraptions are the Battle Walker, the Constrictor Harness, and the Ram Shackles. The Battle Walker gives BJ mechanical legs that shoot up into the sky to give BJ a considerable height advantage allowing him to access out of reach air vents and platforms. The Constrictor Harness enables BJ to shrink down to fit in narrow vents and crawl spaces. The Ram Shackles give BJ the ability to break through sensitive doors and walls. All of these contraptions give BJ access to new areas and allow the player to be more creative in the way they approach enemies and other encounters.
Wolfenstein II continually rewards players for the way they play, while at the same time encouraging them to try new playstyles. As you play through the game, you will see goal meters on the right side of the screen tallying up the number of headshots, stealth kills, and dual-wield kills they’ve achieved, among others. As you keep achieving these goals, BJ will be rewarded with more perks. For example, the more stealth takedowns you complete, BJ will be rewarded with a faster movement speed while crouched. This can encourage players who prefer stealthy playthroughs to continue being stealthy, but at the same time encourage new playstyles by rewarding them for completing other tasks.
For a single-player narrative experience, Wolfenstein II has much in the way of replayability thanks to its copious amounts of collectibles, weapon upgrades, and enigma code system. Throughout the game, you will come across newspapers, records, and other collectibles that further contribute to the narrative experience of the title. Similarly, you can find weapon upgrade kits that give the player the ability to upgrade their favorite weapons to fit their playstyle further. When you kill a commander, you’re able to pick up an item called an enigma code. After decoding these codes in a short minigame, they give you access to the locations of Ubercommenders, high-ranking Nazi officers that play a significant role in the Nazi leadership throughout the United States. Even though it’s optional, defeating these commanders is essential to disrupting and eliminating the Nazi occupation in America.
Concerns
Panic Button did a good job bringing a current-gen title to Nintendo’s portable hybrid console, but it’s far from perfect. As stated earlier, textures are low, detail is reduced, and the game is made blurry by its use of motion blur. Panic Button did a great job at ensuring the game is stable and smooth more often than not, but performance does dip lower than 30 FPS during intense scenes. Even though the whole experience is here, Wolfenstein II’s graphical presentation is limited by the Nintendo Switch’s hardware.
Final Thoughts
Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus is an unusual and exceptional experience. As it undertakes serious themes of racism and oppression, the title also manages to throw in absurd moments of humor and enjoyment in between all the bleakness. The excellent character performances and captivating narrative of the title immerse the player in the revolution against the racist and inhumane Nazi occupation. Wolfenstein II’s rewarding gunplay, cleverly designed levels, and fantastic characters make this game a wholly unique and compelling title. Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus is available now on the Nintendo Switch eShop and retail for $59.99.
Review Copy Provided by Bethesda Softworks
