Wolfenstein: The New Order

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.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

71%

Audience ScoreBased on 212 reviews

story48 positive mentions

optimization5 negative mentions

Engaging story with a unique alternate history setting where the Nazis won World War II.
Satisfying gunplay and a variety of weapons, allowing for both stealth and aggressive playstyles.
High production values with good graphics, sound design, and voice acting, particularly in the German version.

The German version is heavily censored, lacking Nazi symbols and only available in German, which detracts from the experience.
Frequent fetch quests and cutscenes disrupt the flow of gameplay, making it feel more linear and scripted.
Some gameplay mechanics, such as slow weapon switching and a lack of meaningful choices, can lead to frustration.

story
118 mentions
41 % positive mentions
54 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The game's story receives mixed reviews, with some players praising its engaging and emotional narrative, interesting characters, and immersive cutscenes, while others criticize it for being predictable, shallow, or poorly executed. Many appreciate the unique setting and the blend of humor and serious themes, though some feel the gameplay interrupts the storytelling flow. Overall, it is seen as a solid attempt at narrative within a first-person shooter, but opinions vary widely on its effectiveness and depth.
- “Come for blasting Nazis' legs away with a shotgun, stay for the surprisingly mature and moving story.”
- “Great story, characters, and voice acting make you want to keep pushing forward to find out what is going to happen next.”
- “The story is exciting, and the in-game mix of gameplay and cinematic storytelling is perfect.”
- “Die Story ansich ist schon Müll.”
- “The story is as forgettable as it gets, and I quickly skipped all of these oh-so-serious tearjerker cutscenes - I would have preferred it if they went full-on bizarro mode, since the backdrop is quite crazy to begin with.”
- “However, the sheer number of inherently illogical and even stupid actions and reactions of especially the player and also non-player characters made me really dislike the story and how it was told.”
gameplay
46 mentions
54 % positive mentions
39 % neutral mentions
7 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with many players enjoying the fun mechanics, diverse enemies, and solid weapon handling, while others find it repetitive and lacking depth. Some appreciate the blend of old-school and modern shooter elements, but criticize the clumsy stealth mechanics and interruptions from the story. Overall, while the gameplay can be enjoyable and challenging, it may not hold players' interest over time due to its conventional design and pacing issues.
- “The gameplay is great.”
- “Seriously, this game has old-school shooter gameplay, solid game mechanics, interesting weapons, great graphics, unlocks that make sense, and very diverse maps.”
- “Good gameplay, good story, and many secrets to discover.”
- “Although the game offers the possibility to solve some passages using a stealth-like approach, killing unsuspecting soldiers with the knife, the game design doesn’t really endorse this kind of gameplay that much, which is a little sad in my opinion.”
- “Story really isn't bad, I'll give them that, but while playing you keep losing interest, thanks to the clumsy fighting system, bad stealth mechanics, and monotone gameplay.”
- “After the first playthrough, the game and mechanics get dull quickly.”
graphics
29 mentions
48 % positive mentions
41 % neutral mentions
10 % negative mentions
Overall, the graphics in the game are generally well-received, with many players appreciating the artistic design and immersive atmosphere. However, there are notable criticisms regarding performance issues, texture loading delays, and occasional graphical glitches, particularly on certain hardware configurations. While some players find the visuals beautiful and fitting for the game's style, others feel they are outdated or inconsistent.
- “I liked the graphics and the way everything looked handmade, and the set pieces were pretty great.”
- “Apart from that, this game is everything it promised to be: pure shooter bliss with an engaging story, beautiful graphics, and a brilliant atmosphere in an alternate universe after WWII.”
- “Seriously, this game has old-school shooter gameplay, solid game mechanics, interesting weapons, great graphics, unlocks that make sense, and very diverse maps.”
- “Great shooter, sadly many problems when it comes to performance or graphics settings.”
- “Some graphical issues affected the gaming experience, as some textures became very 'blocky' in 1440p.”
- “The graphics are average and sometimes take one or two seconds to fully load.”
music
18 mentions
44 % positive mentions
39 % neutral mentions
17 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received high praise for its superb quality, with many reviewers highlighting the excellent soundtrack that enhances the overall experience. While some noted that certain background tracks felt out of place, the combination of atmospheric pieces and catchy songs, like "mond mond, ja ja," contributed to a memorable auditory experience. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature, effectively complementing the game's themes and gameplay.
- “Great level design, awesome story, even better characters, excellent soundtrack, although I would have liked the songs from the outstanding marketing campaign to be part of it.”
- “And, last but not least - it comes with a gorgeous soundtrack.”
- “The soundtrack is also perfect, electronic soundscapes and harsh tones underline the advanced technology of the regime during firefights and stealth gameplay.”
- “Although the background music felt a little bit out of place for my taste.”
- “There are not many options besides being able to turn the music off, and the graphics settings are okay-ish, but not very detailed.”
- “The changes to soundtracks for the in-game combat and quieter situations fit just right.”
atmosphere
16 mentions
38 % positive mentions
44 % neutral mentions
19 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in "Wolfenstein: The New Order" is widely praised for its ability to evoke a dark, dystopian world, surpassing even acclaimed titles like "Dishonored" and "Half-Life 2." Reviewers highlight the impressive graphics, engaging story, and immersive NPC interactions, although some note that censorship in Germany detracts from the overall experience. The game's orchestral music further enhances the oppressive ambiance of a totalitarian regime, making it a standout in the first-person shooter genre.
- “It is absolutely fantastic and able to convey a dystopian feeling way above Dishonored or Half-Life 2, two games which are in high regard for their impeccable atmosphere.”
- “Wolfenstein: The New Order is an old-time shooter with beautiful graphics, a brilliant orchestration, exceptional story, and strong atmosphere.”
- “It ruins the whole atmosphere when everyone talks German.”
- “Removing all the Nazi symbols and making it available only in German language destroyed the complete atmosphere of the game.”
- “MachineGames have managed to create a threatening and oppressive atmosphere of a cruel totalitarian regime.”
optimization
10 mentions
30 % positive mentions
20 % neutral mentions
50 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant performance issues and poor graphics settings, particularly on lower-end hardware. While some users experienced smooth gameplay at high settings, others noted stuttering and long loading times, indicating a lack of consistency in optimization across different systems. Overall, the game's performance appears to be a major drawback, overshadowing its potential.
- “It's exceptionally well optimized (ran on highest settings with consistent 60fps), the soundtrack is great, the controls are functional.”
- “The game would be so good if there aren't any performance issues.”
- “Just can't leave without a few cons, I must say, I had a few performance problems in the beginning.”
- “But dear lord, this has to be the worst optimized piece of software that has yet existed.”
- “Poorly optimized, barely runs on a RX 480 8GB.”
- “Not optimized loadout process - means a bit long loading.”
humor
5 mentions
80 % positive mentions
-40 % neutral mentions
60 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by a blend of dark and black comedy, often drawing comparisons to works like "Sin City" and "Iron Sky." While some players appreciate the quirky and unpredictable dialogues, others find the overall plot inconsistent and lacking in genuine humor. The combination of bizarre storytelling, splatter effects, and satirical takes on a Nazi regime creates a unique yet polarizing comedic experience.
- “If you like first-person shooters with good graphics, a bit of a crazy story, and a touch of black humor, this game is for you!”
- “Some delicate humor that was much appreciated.”
- “The dialogues are funny, but predictable; the style, the music with the odd German lyrics, and the envisioning of a Nazi world regime is as hilarious as it is frightening.”
- “The whole plot is weird, has massive holes, and is just not funny or consistent.”
- “The jokes fall flat and often feel forced, making it hard to enjoy the humor.”
- “I expected a lot more laughs, but the humor is stale and lacks creativity.”
replayability
4 mentions
0 % positive mentions
25 % neutral mentions
75 % negative mentions
The game has been criticized for its lack of replayability, with users noting that the missions are not enjoyable enough to warrant playing again. Additionally, the absence of multiplayer options further diminishes its replay value, leading to a generally short experience of around 10 hours.
- “I found absolutely no replay value in the game at all, because the missions just aren’t fun to play.”
- “Short (around 10 hours depending on difficulty) and no replayability value.”
- “The game's replayability is maybe reduced as there is no multiplayer included yet.”
emotional
3 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The game features a surprisingly gripping and emotional story that resonates with players, complemented by a diverse mix of old-school and modern shooter gameplay. Reviewers highlight the touching narrative, satisfying weapon mechanics, and competent enemy AI, making for a compelling single-player experience.
- “Good weapon variety and a surprisingly gripping story that gets quite emotional at times.”
- “Good and touching story; fun and diverse merge of old-school and modern shooter gameplay (that can be challenging if you want); great weapon, enemy, and level design.”
- “Guns feel satisfying, enemy AI is competent, and it is a great single-player shooter with an emotional campaign.”
grinding
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, particularly due to the inability to skip in-game cutscenes, which detracts from the replayability and overall enjoyment.
- “You can't skip the in-game cutscenes; this alone makes the game incredibly tedious when it comes to replaying it. I won't replay it because of this, even though I'd like to without all the unnecessary cutscenes.”
- “The grinding in this game feels endless and repetitive, making it hard to stay engaged.”
- “I find myself doing the same tasks over and over just to level up, which takes away from the enjoyment of the game.”