Wolfenstein: The New Order

83%
Game Brain Score Based on 21,877 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Wolfenstein: The New Order Game Cover
The New Order's humanity makes it something truly memorable
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"Wolfenstein: The New Order" is a first-person shooter game that takes players on a mission across Europe to bring down a powerful war machine. The story follows war hero B.J. Blazkowicz, who awakens from a 14-year coma to a world overtaken by the Regime's advanced technology and force. Fight against high-tech legions and take control of super-weapons to turn the tide of the war.

  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Cloud
  • Epic Games
  • Gog Com
  • Play​Station
  • Play​station 3
  • Xbox
  • Xbox 360
  • Xbox Game Pass
  • x_box_cloud_gaming
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

83%
Audience ScoreBased on 21,877 reviews
story5,417 positive mentions
optimization211 negative mentions
  • story10,976 mentions

    The story of "Wolfenstein: The New Order" is widely praised for its engaging narrative and character development, set in an alternate history where the Nazis won World War II. Players appreciate the emotional depth and complexity of the characters, particularly the protagonist, B.J. Blazkowicz, whose journey is marked by themes of resistance, sacrifice, and personal loss. While some critiques mention plot holes and a somewhat predictable storyline, the overall consensus is that the game successfully combines intense action with a compelling story, making it a standout in the first-person shooter genre.

    • “Outstanding story, full of tragedy, both personal and global.”
    • “The story entertained me in various ways, featuring epic, suspenseful, sad, funny, and shocking moments that kept me engaged.”
    • “Overall the story is the best part of the game, truly a masterpiece.”
    • “The story is kind of meh as it's basically the same old Germany won WW2 shtick with not much more.”
    • “The story felt very rushed, there is a pretty big cast of characters/allies that you meet along the game that you never really get to know or connect with.”
    • “The story is a globe-trotting adventure, an infiltration spy thriller, and a one-man army's campaign of righteous vengeance wrapped into one largely cohesive story, if not a little too over the top at times.”
  • gameplay4,672 mentions

    The gameplay of "Wolfenstein: The New Order" is widely praised for its blend of old-school and modern mechanics, offering a satisfying mix of fast-paced shooting and optional stealth elements. Players appreciate the fluid controls, diverse weaponry, and the ability to dual-wield guns, which enhance the overall experience. However, some critiques highlight issues with the cover system, repetitive gameplay, and a reliance on cutscenes that can disrupt the flow of action, leading to a somewhat uneven pacing throughout the campaign.

    • “Dynamic and enjoyable gameplay.”
    • “The gameplay is fast-paced and not just a mindless shooter game.”
    • “The gameplay strikes a great balance between sneaking around, normal shooting, and complete mayhem.”
    • “The gameplay is clunky, movement is slow and inconsistent, and I have no clue why the game is capped at 60fps.”
    • “The gameplay doesn't ever take a back seat though as the Nazi killing feels the absolute best in the franchise.”
    • “The gameplay is repetitive and annoying, with a hotwiring minigame that doesn't blend well with the overall experience.”
  • graphics3,029 mentions

    The graphics of "Wolfenstein: The New Order" have received a mixed but generally positive reception. Many players praise the game's stunning visuals and detailed environments, noting that it still holds up well for a title released in 2014, despite some graphical issues like texture pop-ins and performance problems on AMD graphics cards. While some reviewers mention that the graphics may not be groundbreaking compared to modern titles, they appreciate the overall aesthetic and art design, which effectively enhances the game's immersive experience.

    • “The graphics are amazing, and the gameplay is smooth as a wolf's fur.”
    • “The game's visuals are outstanding, showcasing detailed environments, realistic character models, and breathtaking set pieces.”
    • “The graphics are stunning, and the gameplay is smooth as a wolf's fur.”
    • “On a 3060, I was unable to play the game at full graphics, and the issues with slow loading textures from a decade ago still remain.”
    • “It's locked at 60fps, you can't turn off the blur effect which looks awful, facial animations are pretty bad, and the graphics overall are showing their age.”
    • “The graphics are pretty disappointing for a game released in 2014.”
  • music1,113 mentions

    The music in "Wolfenstein: The New Order," primarily composed by Mick Gordon, has received widespread acclaim for its ability to enhance the game's atmosphere and emotional impact. Reviewers highlight the soundtrack's blend of heavy rock and somber melodies, effectively complementing both intense action sequences and quieter moments. However, some players noted issues with audio mixing, where the music could be too quiet or overshadowed by sound effects, detracting from the overall experience.

    • “The music perfectly complements the action, heightening the emotional impact of key moments and adding to the game's cinematic quality.”
    • “Mick Gordon of Doom fame provides an equally thrilling soundtrack as his Doom one; it can emphasize the bombastic moments with heavy guitars, while also capturing the vibes of a heist movie, political thriller, or high tension espionage flick when needed.”
    • “The soundtrack is simply amazing and one of the best soundtracks of any game on Steam.”
    • “The music is basically nonexistent as far as I can tell.”
    • “The soundtrack is absolute kick ass, it's a shame I can't hear half of it over the poor audio mixing, and there's no audio slider to tweak either.”
    • “The music, done by Mick Gordon himself, while what little I could hear was great, can never be appreciated or enjoyed as the sound of gunfire and Nazis shouting muffles it.”
  • optimization658 mentions

    The optimization of "Wolfenstein: The New Order" has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant performance issues, particularly on AMD graphics cards, leading to stuttering, frame drops, and crashes. While some users with high-end NVIDIA setups experienced smooth gameplay, the game's reliance on the id Tech 5 engine has resulted in a generally inconsistent performance across various hardware configurations. Overall, the game is often described as poorly optimized, with many recommending caution for those using AMD GPUs.

    • “One of the last Bethesda games that is actually good, greatly optimized, the style is epic, gameplay is epic, plot is great, a bit expensive but worth it.”
    • “The game was very well made and incredibly optimized so performance should not be an issue for anyone and there were no bugs that I experienced.”
    • “The graphics are great, and the game is very well optimized.”
    • “The capped 60 fps dampens the experience, causing occasional performance hiccups that, combined with the fast-paced action, might induce dizziness.”
    • “Game is badly optimized; there's a lot of stuttering and texture pop-ins. It's also 50 GB, and the first time I tried to start up the game, it didn't boot up, and I had to look up a guide on how to make the game function properly.”
    • “I will not recommend this game to anyone with an AMD GPU like myself. Until Bethesda stops futzing around and fixes this horribly optimized pile of garbage, then maybe I will write more of a review about it.”
  • emotional439 mentions

    The emotional aspect of "Wolfenstein: The New Order" has garnered significant praise from players, who describe it as surprisingly deep and impactful for a first-person shooter. Many reviewers highlight the game's ability to evoke strong feelings through its well-written narrative, character development, and poignant moments, often leading to tears during key scenes. The combination of intense action and heartfelt storytelling creates a unique emotional rollercoaster, making it a standout title in the genre.

    • “This game had me more emotionally invested than any other game I've played.”
    • “The game's story is both thought-provoking and emotional, with themes of sacrifice, resistance, and redemption.”
    • “Came for what I thought would be dumb Nazi-killing alternate history fun, was blown away by a surprisingly intelligent, grounded, and emotional story with unique, likeable characters.”
    • “You can’t give the player boring story-related busywork then pull that kind of shit!”
    • “Cliche characters with a boring story, and even more boring linear gameplay.”
    • “This was only one time I tried to play a game through but failed due to the boring story and repetitive shooting.”
  • replayability425 mentions

    The game's replayability is a mixed bag, with some players appreciating the inclusion of two branching storylines and collectibles that encourage multiple playthroughs, while others criticize the linearity and limited impact of choices on the overall experience. Many reviews highlight that while the game can be enjoyable to replay for completionists or those seeking to explore different paths, the lack of significant differences between playthroughs and the presence of lengthy cutscenes can detract from the overall replay value. Overall, it offers decent replayability, particularly for those who enjoy uncovering secrets and achieving 100% completion.

    • “I've played this game 3 times and I always love it; the story, the action, everything, it's completely replayable.”
    • “The choices add replayability to the game, enticing players to explore different paths and witness various outcomes.”
    • “The game has a much higher replayability value than what you might think.”
    • “The replay value is low because the levels are always interrupted by cutscenes and the like; you can't just launch the game and expect to shoot people.”
    • “The two storylines are largely the same except for a couple of details, so replayability isn't fantastic, but it's still there.”
    • “The major downside of this game is that the replay value is not high.”
  • atmosphere410 mentions

    The atmosphere in "Wolfenstein: The New Order" is widely praised for its immersive and oppressive qualities, effectively capturing the dark, dystopian essence of a world dominated by a victorious Nazi regime. Reviewers highlight the game's exceptional sound design, detailed environments, and strong narrative elements that enhance the overall experience, making it a standout in atmospheric storytelling within the FPS genre. While some critiques mention inconsistencies in level design and gameplay mechanics, the overwhelming consensus is that the game's atmosphere is a significant strength, drawing players into its chilling alternate history.

    • “The atmosphere is wonderfully constructed with the help of soundtracks, voice acting, the script, the characters, architecture, and weapon designs.”
    • “The atmosphere and the graphics are also very impressive.”
    • “The atmosphere is dark and repressive, the characters are memorable and have personality, the newspaper clippings that are scattered throughout the game do an amazing job of making you hate the nazis even more than is humanly possible.”
    • “This game lacks atmosphere and depth.”
    • “It seemed to be a trend with games from 2013-2014, but all it does is ruin the powerful atmosphere the game sets up in the beginning.”
    • “Removing all the nazi symbols and making it available only in German language destroyed the complete atmosphere of the game.”
  • humor309 mentions

    The humor in the game is widely praised for its blend of dark, satirical, and absurd elements, often juxtaposed with intense action and serious themes. Players appreciate the witty dialogue, memorable character interactions, and the over-the-top scenarios that provide comic relief amidst the violence, making the experience both entertaining and engaging. However, some critiques mention that the humor can occasionally feel forced or inconsistent, with certain moments not landing as intended.

    • “The story entertained me in various ways, featuring epic, suspenseful, sad, funny, and shocking moments that kept me engaged.”
    • “The game has an amazing sense of humor; the developers really cared about what they were making, fantastic level design, and plenty of secrets and collectibles.”
    • “The story is engaging, it keeps a fantastic momentum that never leaves you bored and frustrated, the characters range from funny to interesting to downright scary, and there's a great blend of sneaking, balls-to-the-wall gun fights, 'gotcha!' scares, and exploration.”
    • “Sprint slide is not funny and it ruined the game for me.”
    • “In that endeavor, story moments become gratuitous, cringey, or unintentionally hilarious.”
    • “The whole plot is weird, has massive holes, and is just not funny or consistent.”
  • stability244 mentions

    The stability of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting frequent freezes, crashes, and various graphical glitches, particularly on AMD GPUs. While some users have noted that the game runs well on certain systems, others have experienced significant issues that hinder gameplay, suggesting that performance can vary widely depending on hardware and configurations. Overall, while the game offers an engaging experience, its technical shortcomings may detract from enjoyment for some players.

    • “The game runs great, looks great, and the story fits the whole way around.”
    • “No glitches or crashes.”
    • “It's refreshingly bug free and smooth, and a lot of fun.”
    • “The game is a buggy mess that crashes all the time.”
    • “It's extremely buggy, with frequent crashes and weird texture issues.”
    • “Persistent on-screen tips, random freezes (not responding, lose progress etc) and the inability to view collectibles from the main menu are a few of the issues I've encountered, and no solution that I've found has worked at all.”
  • grinding202 mentions

    The reviews overwhelmingly describe the grinding aspect of the game as tedious and frustrating, with many players feeling that the gameplay becomes a slog, particularly in the later chapters. Boss fights and enemy encounters are often criticized for being overly drawn out and repetitive, detracting from the overall enjoyment. While some players appreciate the depth of the perk system, the general consensus is that the game suffers from excessive busywork and poorly designed mechanics that lead to a monotonous experience.

    • “Fun exploration on every map, and no tedious achievement hunting for those who want to go for that.”
    • “Getting 100% and all achievements is also bearable; I managed to do it in around 36 hours, and it wasn't tedious at all.”
    • “The perk system is nice, and not too grindy since even if you die and reload to the last checkpoint, you are able to continue progressing the perks themselves without any lost progress.”
    • “My biggest problem is that it is so godawfully tedious at times.”
    • “The last third of the game is more tedious and less fun.”
    • “The gunplay is smooth and it holds up pretty well, though the perk system can become a bit grindy and a few aren't terribly helpful.”
  • character development156 mentions

    Character development in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising the depth and emotional complexity of the main character, Blazkowicz, and the strong voice acting that enhances the narrative. However, some players noted that while the protagonist's journey is well-developed, other characters lack sufficient backstory and growth, leading to a feeling of missed potential. Overall, the game is recognized for its solid storytelling and character interactions, though some players wished for more comprehensive development across the supporting cast.

    • “Blazkowicz is a true hero, and his struggles and triumphs are conveyed through exceptional voice acting and character development.”
    • “The character development added a lot more to the story that you don't usually get.”
    • “There's meaningful character development, plot twists, personal relationships between the characters, side stories to help you learn about and build rapport with the other characters in the game.”
    • “Aside from the characters at the start of the game, and what little you could gather from documents scattered around the game, the other resistance members are lacking in character development.”
    • “What prevented it from being terrific is the lack of character development and going in depth with who the characters really are.”
    • “There just isn't enough character development for any of the members of the resistance cell.”
  • monetization19 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game is praised for its absence of microtransactions, DLC, and other modern monetization tactics, allowing players to enjoy a pure single-player experience without the distractions of additional purchases. Reviewers appreciate the game's focus on gameplay over profit-driven elements, contrasting it with the typical AAA titles that often include monetization schemes. This approach has been seen as a refreshing return to classic FPS mechanics, fostering hope for future games in the genre.

    • “Microtransactions for a good cause 😈”
    • “It thus passes my arbitrary test for value in game purchases.”
    • “Nowadays, with triple-A games, you get stupid monetization, skins, DLC, a half-baked game that was made because it had potential to make money, games that clearly have no love in them, bad combat systems and no politics (thank god) despite this being a historical game with Nazis.”
    • “Fuck the sellout Bethesda, no microtransactions in this game for future updates right?”
    • “Overall this game has restored my faith in the FPS genre and given me hope that more developers will realize that there is a market for these types of shooters and not just the generic online shooters riddled with microtransactions.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
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Critic Reviews

77% average critic score

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Play time

13hMedian play time
17hAverage play time
11hMain story
25hCompletionist
9-20hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 137 analyzed playthroughs

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