Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus - set in Nazi occupied America

[J_C]

LOL at those fuckers who are bitching about story in a Wolfenstein game. The nu-Wolfenstein was a great return to form and this new one seems to be the same. Bring it on!

 

[Master]

Dont be a degenerate, play Necrovision instead

 

[Ash]

Is it actually good? It was met with mediocre reviews but of course you can't trust the mainstream's rock bottom tastes these days so pitch it please.

 

[Master]

Its damn good. You can make a mountain of bodies and climb it.

 

[Ash]

One question: how's the level design? How does it compare to something like a build engine game, or for Wolfenstien comparison, RTCW (decent level design) or Wolf 2009 (slightly above average) or The New Order (

).

 

[Master]

The level design itself is nothing special but you wont be thinking about it when playing anyway because of the relentless pace the game has. Sometimes you can turn left or right and theres lots of secret areas, though some are not so "secret" as in well hidden. But the sound effect when you find them is weirdly cool. The best thing about the levels is that they look spectacular and are fucking HUGE. I had to buy a new graphics card to run some of them without stuttering.

 

[Ash]

The level design itself is nothing special but you wont be thinking about it when playing anyway because of the relentless pace the game has.

I guarantee you I will. But thanks, it does sound worth a shot. Will be checking it out at some point.

 

[MercenarySnake]

 

[Ivan]

One question: how's the level design? How does it compare to something like a build engine game, or for Wolfenstien comparison, RTCW (decent level design) or Wolf 2009 (slightly above average) or The New Order (

).

it's super linear. enjoy it for what it is. dumb violence.

 

[Major_Blackhart]

Do you see the fat Fraulein getting fisted?

 

[Master]

One question: how's the level design? How does it compare to something like a build engine game, or for Wolfenstien comparison, RTCW (decent level design) or Wolf 2009 (slightly above average) or The New Order (

).

it's super linear. enjoy it for what it is. dumb violence.

Its linear but it isnt "super" linear. Its not a corridor shooter. The levels are so damn wide sometimes which gives you lots of maneuvering space to do your thing. Its not "dumb" violence either. The combo system makes it a level above Serious Sam, Painkiller and similar. It easily puts NV alongside FEAR or Doom for how damn fun the shooting is.

 

[Wirdschowerdn]

Oh c'mon, can't you bring anything to completion?

 

[Infinitron]

 

[Wirdschowerdn]

 

[Ash]

@22:00

Great, another mindless mech-riding sequence. At least the infinite ammo flamethrower looks entertaining for a minute or two. And the mech seems to be optional use.

 

[Major_Blackhart]

It would be nice if the Mech added some sort of flavor to the level. You use it, it allows you to bypass areas by jumping over or smashing through a specific point, etc. But, if you do that, you miss out on something else, like there's a consequence to it. If you take the long way, you miss the timing needed for a specific area and fail a "mission" requiring your game to take a detour or something, but you get something else that is critical in another way. You make a choice, and there's a consequence to it.

 

[Master]

That interface looks like a placeholder, its like the plainest font and outlines possible. Couldnt they draw some nice pictures for what little info there is? Ffs.
The AI looks dumb as fuck. Even CoD1 had more capable germans. These dont even seem to run, they walk away from a thrown grenade.
Blood looks like shit as usual, but the fire looks ok.

 

[Infinitron]

 

[Jasede]

Video not available.
I live in Germany and for my protection the videos are blocked because if I see a Swastika I will turn into a raging nazi.

All Germans are protected this way. I suggest you never show a German a swastika for he'll turn into a raging, gassing monster in a second. It's in the genes.

Okay, gotta go now, helping out at the refugee asylum, they said they need a dancing boy. WTF is that?

 

[LESS T_T]

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2017-10-06-bethesda-were-not-afraid-of-being-openly-anti-nazi

"It's disturbing that Wolfenstein can be considered a controversial political statement"
Bethesda marketing boss Pete Hines discusses publisher's marketing for upcoming anti-Nazi shooter


Bethesda is marketing the new Wolfenstein by directly attacking the apparent rise of the alt-right and neo-nazis in the US.

Having already established the #NoMoreNazis, the official Twitter account posted a striking 'Not My America' short trailer with the message: Make America Nazi-Free Again.

Pete Hines, VP for PR and marketing at Bethesda, explains this marketing approach.

"We're certainly aware of current events in America and how they relate to some of the themes in Wolfenstein II," he tells GamesIndustry.biz.

"Wolfenstein has been a decidedly anti-Nazi series since the first release more than 20 years ago. We aren't going to shy away from what the game is about. We don't feel it's a reach for us to say Nazis are bad and un-American, and we're not worried about being on the right side of history here."

As Hines says, Wolfenstein games have always centred around a man helping to save the world from Nazi oppression. The upcoming Wolfenstein II, which launches at the end of the month, continues the alternate history story of 2014 outing The New Order and moves the action to a Nazi-occupied America.

As BJ Blazkowicz, players rally a resistance and attempt to liberate the nation - putting the anti-Nazi theme seen in the game's timely marketing at the centre of the game.

"[In the game] freeing America is the first step to freeing the world," says Hines. "So the idea of #NoMoreNazis in America is, in fact, what the entire game (and franchise) is about. Our campaign leans into that sentiment, and it unfortunately happens to highlight current events in the real world."

Hines is in no way claiming that Bethesda was somehow prescient enough to foresee the troubling events happening in the US and build a game around them. Wolfenstein II's American setting was established when the previous game was still in early development, when the team was planning out the trilogy's story arc.

"At the time none of us expected that the game would be seen as a comment on current issues, but here we are," Hines says. "Bethesda doesn't develop games to make specific statements or incite political discussions. We make games that we think are fun, meaningful, and immersive for a mature audience.

"In Wolfenstein's case, it's pure coincidence that Nazis are marching in the streets of America this year. And it's disturbing that the game can be considered a controversial political statement at all."

The marketing, particularly the #NoMoreNazis tagline, has caused a stir and prompted complaints about both the game and Bethesda via social media, but Hines defends the marketing message.

"This is what our game is about," he says. "It's what this franchise has always been about. We aren't afraid to embrace what BJ stands for and what Wolfenstein represents. When it comes to Nazis, you can put us down in the 'against' column."

While thoroughly explored in the indie space, political themes and topical issues rarely find their way into AAA blockbusters. As Hines says, this has not been intentional in the case of Wolfenstein - merely a bi-product of the franchise's fiction - but other publishers have attempted to achieve something more with their biggest games.

2K Games' Mafia III aimed to present an honest depiction of racism in the '60s, while Ubisoft's upcoming Far Cry 5 is arguably positioned as an exploration of extremist cults. But these examples are few and far between - aside from the obvious risk of alienating players and affecting sales, why does Hines believe fewer publishers take risks with the themes of their games?

"We can't speak to what other publishers choose to do and say with their games," he says. "As we've said many times before, fighting Nazis has been the core of Wolfenstein games for decades, and it isn't really debatable that Nazis are, as Henry Jones Sr. said, 'the slime of humanity.' Certainly there's a risk of alienating some customers, but to be honest, people who are against freeing the world from the hate and murder of a Nazi regime probably aren't interested in playing Wolfenstein."

That said, he is keen to see more developers - of all sizes - build games around any issue they believe to be worth exploring.

"Games are a powerful platform to explore all kinds of topics," he says. "Their ability to immerse players in an alternate role, in an alternate world, like Wolfenstein's Nazi-infested America, allows players to actually feel and experience the emotions of the situation.

"Games like BioShock and This War of Mine have been expressive and powerful experiences that reflected topical issues and politics, and the video game industry is a more well-rounded and thoughtful medium because of them."

 

[Hines]

LOL, a P.R. seeking praise for condemning Nazis, How brave! Talk about a low bar to clear. Then again, considering Pete Hines entire m.o. is attempting to appear competent in the wake of good fortune, I shouldn't be surprised.

 

[Alienman]

Your name is Hines.

 

[Hines]

Your name is Hines.

Yeah, but it's a tribute to the dancer/actor Gregory, not the former Avault writer Peter.

 

[Dexter]

LOL, a P.R. seeking praise for condemning Nazis, How brave! Talk about a low bar to clear. Then again, considering Pete Hines entire m.o. is attempting to appear competent in the wake of good fortune, I shouldn't be surprised.

They know exactly what they're doing and who they're pandering to:


Apparently some guy was also fired from Destructoid for objecting:

 

[Dexter]

Spoiler

Newsweek - Nazi-Killing Video Game 'Wolfenstein II' Angers Nazis With 'Make America Nazi-Free Again' Slogan: http://archive.is/NMCJl

Huffington Post - Wolfenstein II Is Upsetting People Because It’s About Killing Nazis: http://archive.is/vWm8O

Le Leddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/gaming/duplicates/74o219/nazikilling_video_game_wolfenstein_ii_angers/