Wolfenstein: The Old Blood
04 May 2015
All releases
05 May 2015 - Xbox One
05 May 2015 - PlayStation 4
04 May 2015 - PC (Microsoft Windows)
Tags
Time to beat
Main story
Main story + extras
100% completion
Wolfenstein: The Old Blood is a prequel to the critically acclaimed first-person action-adventure shooter, Wolfenstein: The New Order. The adventure, which spans eight chapters and two interconnected stories, features the hallmarks of MachineGames – thrilling action, immersive story and intense first-person combat. As war hero B.J. Blazkowicz, arm yourself with new weapons such as the bolt-action rifle and grenade-launching Kampfpistole as you attempt to thwart the advancing Nazi war machine, and take advantage of duel-wielding pipes that can be used for wall climbing – or for vicious take-downs of never-before-seen Nazi adversaries.
The year is 1946 and the Nazis are on the brink of winning World War II. In an effort to turn the tide in the allies’ favor, B.J. Blazkowicz must embark on an epic, two-part mission deep within Bavaria. Part one of Wolfenstein: The Old Blood - Rudi Jäger and the Den of Wolves - pits BJ Blazkowicz against a maniacal prison warden as he breaks into Castle Wolfenstein in an attempt to steal the coordinates to General Deathshead’s compound. In part two – The Dark Secrets of Helga Von Schabbs – our hero's search for the coordinates leads him to the city of Wulfburg where an obsessed Nazi archaeologist is exhuming mysterious artifacts that threaten to unleash a dark and ancient power.
| Audio | Subtitles | Interface | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polish | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Russian | ✓ | ✓ | |
| English | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Spanish (Spain) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Spanish (Mexico) | ✓ | ✓ | |
| German | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| French | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Italian | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Personally, I disliked the inclusion of zombies and what the final boss ended up being; the series is mostly going all crazy on greatly advanced technology with dieselpunk elements. This entry dives into a mythical side of the series, which I get is mostly a nod to 1940s horror movies style and what the older entries had.
Combat and stealth are exactly the same as in New Order, which is great; visuals have not improved, and the soundtrack is luckily still a highlight.
Solid experience if you consider it as an expansion for The New Order and not a standalone entry.
Version: Playstation 4
Edition: Digital
Yikes. This was a DLC at best. The story on this one is a HUGE step down from The New Order (which is saying A LOT). Look, I don't play these games to be blown away, but I at least expect to be entertained & this could barely maintain even that.
It is severely short & the main character "BJ" is the most generic & hollowed out protagonist that I have ever played as in a game. This game is a mess with its story, repetitive with its gameplay, & has horrendous pacing. A major downgrade from its predecessor.
Final verdict: Don't touch it
Alex M
2
As a prequel, it works. It introduced some weird concepts to the setting, but nothing so far outside its scope that the canon falls apart. Plus, it fits with the fan theory that I quite enjoy that this Wolfenstein takes place in the same setting as the newer Doom games.
The stealth segments were a bit harder, which I appreciated, and the combat was as good as ever. The late game twist of zombies flipped the combat sandbox on its head without overstating its welcome, too. The final boss was... strange. To say the least. But it was a fun enough fight.
My biggest issue with the game is its comparative lack of story to TNO, which feels so strange to say about a Wolfenstein game of all things, but, well... there it is.
Considering this game isn't full sized and is priced appropriately, I'd say if you were a fan of the first its well worth it. Just don't expect as much meat in the plot. It's there, it's just not nearly as beefy.
The story’s just an excuse to pull the trigger, and that’s fine because the action is what matters. It delivers tight gunplay, brutal combat, and a touch of supernatural horror.
I enjoyed the game, even when the final boss frustrated me but if you loved The New Order, this one’s a no-brainer. Just don’t expect a grand tale, only Nazis hitting the floor.