Hi everyone, this is my first attempt at an article on steemit, so here it is!
Wolfenstein The New order came out a few years ago to good reviews. Not rave reviews, but just good. I was astonished mainly because I had been playing the game for so long that I didn't understand how it could receive less than a perfect ten. In an industry where the only games that receive attention are multiplayer shooters recycled from the year before with better graphics, I shouldn't have been surprised. After all, what does a World War 2, single player shooter have to offer that should be put above Call of Duty, or Battlefield? I say that that's exactly what makes it better, and why Wolfenstein 2 will improve tremendously on The New Order's strengths. Let's take a look at some of these strengths.
Originality:
When someone takes a look at the hot, trending games of August 2017, they'll see that not only are they recycled from previous games in the same genre, but they are offering nearly nothing new. They're mostly comprised of survival games, which all have amazing graphics, yet seem to lack in replay ability. They also lack in dialogue, captivating stories, characters worth playing the game for, and practically anything else that is included within top tier games. When all of these are put together in an original, unique, and captivating environment and setting, it can make for a truly impactful experience. Wolfenstein The New Order delivered on that with the characters. Who can forget Wilhelm Strasse, with his creepy, mockful grin. Frau Engel, and her haunting personality. Anya, Wyatt, Fergus, and even Max. All of these characters had a unique personality, shaped by their environment which created a unique experience. Take Undertale for example; the quirky characters, the unique tone, and the fact that it parodies every other RPG cliche out there makes it a memorable game. Add to the list that it plays on humor rather than drama and it makes it a memorable game. Another game that doesn't take itself seriously; Borderlands. It had a unique tone, along with INSANE characters that never wasted a line, there's a reason it's unforgettable. Skyrim, Mass Effect, MGS, The Witcher 3, and other revolutionary games all have a unique tone, cast of characters, and memorable dialogue that allows them to be remembered for years to come. Wolfenstein also has this charm. Bringing with it a patriotic main character, a slew of inventive gun combos (shotgun and machine gun duel wield!), uncensored swastikas (looking at you COD: WW2!), along with a villain that everyone loves to hate, Wolfenstein seems to be the most ambitious single player title to come out since The Witcher 3.
A Star Studded History
Wolfenstein The New Collossus is the second installment of this reboodt, but it's not the first in the franchise. Wolfenstein dates back to Castle Wolfenstein, released in 1981. A stealth acction, top down game where the player traverses encampments to try and steal secret military plans. The game received fantastic reviews , and a second installment was released in 1984. The game featured the player attempting to assassinate Hitler with a bomb, eerily resembling the July 20 plot (or Operation Valkyrie). After these successful installments, another eight years had passed before another Wolfenstein game would be released. This time, Wolfenstein was released in 3D, and the player was introduced to William B.J. Blazkowicz, the protagonist of 'The New Colossus'. After a few more installments in the franchise. 'Wolfenstein' was released in 2009, which was the beginning of the marvellous franchise we are about to see completed. All of these games released to rave reviews, and hopefully 'The New Colossus' will continue the trend.
Top Tier Creators
Recently, gameplay footage of the first mission was released, and it looks even more impressive than the previous installments. The player has the choice of 6 different difficulty options, as opposed to three, and starts off as B.J Blazkowicz in a wheelchair. It's a tense setting, with alarms blaring and a tinge of humor in the mix (rolling around in a wheelchair mowing down Nazis). The dialogue is just as creative and original as Bethesda gets, and it sheds some light on the gems that triple A studios can create when they're not dictated by large companies cough EA cough. Bethesda has a long history of masterpieces; Fallout, Elder Scrolls, Doom, Dishonored just to name a few. The real talent comes from the team that's willing to create games that are immersive. They created Skyrim, with no filler quests, just real content. They created Fallout, with filler quests, except the environments made up for the lacking quests in more ways than one. They make deep stories, with deep questlines that aren't fetch quests. The game makes you feel rewarded, which is an important aspect of any video game. Todd Howard, Bethesda lead director once said, “Don’t define the game by the list of the features. Define it by the experience you want to have.” I think this is evident in all of their games, and despite their massive audience, they still decide not to go with cliches, and they decide to create a game that's worth playing, like Wolfenstein.
Why Wolfenstein will win:
So does all of this rambling have a point? Yes, it does. Wolfenstein is a unique experience. The characters are unique and have a distinct personality, which is hard to come by in today's single player games. It is story rich, and doesn't drive itself using cliches, and the it will hopefully deliver as a finale to the franchise reboot. It's set in an alternate reality, which in itself, is a unique concept. It may seem worn out, but in reality, the amount of games or movies that have pulled off this concept is surprisingly slim. I'm surprised that more people aren't as excited about this game as I am, as it has something new to offer, and despite it being a single player only game, it will probably be more immersive than half of the overhyped, pretty games that are released on a daily basis. The fact that Bethesda has a long history of good games within the franchise and without, show that Wolfenstein has a chance to be executed in every successful manner. In today's world, where swastikas are censored in video games (yes, I'm still mad about that) it's nice to see Bethesda not follow every other cash grab and go at their own pace. Compared to the majority of games released this year, I have no doubt it will come shipped with a top notch storyline that will make you want to play non stop. And if you are still in doubt, I'll leave you with this quote from Todd Howard. "I see games … as the ultimate combination of art and technology.”