It has been a long while since we have seen our good friend, Special Agent B.J. Blazkowicz. He’s the kind of man that leaves quite an impression on a girl (or guy). I can still fondly remember staying up all night playing through Return to Castle Wolfenstein: Tides of War for the original Xbox and even enjoying the original PC classic that was included on the disc as a bonus. Well, now he’s back in action again as B.J. takes on Nazis and a new supernatural threat in Wolfenstein for the Xbox 360.

To hell and back again

As he infiltrated the famous Castle Wolfenstein yet again in Tides of War, B.J. has learned to not only deal with Third Reich but also creatures and space-aged technology as well. He has literally been through hell and seeing as he has plenty of experience with the occult, he is asked to report to his superiors for another mission. You see, B.J. has acquired a very ancient relic known as the Thule Medallion and its power has had Hitler’s secret paranormal investigation division very interested to the point of digging up more Thule-related objects in the city of Isenstadt. Worst yet is the rumor that the Nazis are experimenting with a dark power they cannot possibly understand yet.

So it is up to Special Agent Blazkowicz to investigate and stop the evil and power-hungry followers of the Crooked Cross as well as discover the secret of the Thule Medallion that has given him a strange power known by the ancient order as Veil Power. Infiltrating Isenstadt, B.J. quickly comes to notice that there is various resistance movement members scattered throughout the city that want the Nazis out of their hometown. On top of that, Black Market traders have set up shop and are willing to aid you cause if the price is right.

One thing you will notice right away is that the journal you are given indicates a city big enough to explore and mission can be obtained by either Mission Givers (for some side missions related to the main campaign mission) or story-based missions given by resistance leaders such as the lovely Caroline Becker. You are even free to move about the city to explore the interior of some buildings as well as enter the sewer system. A word of warning, though, if you were expecting a city with some sort of life like, say, Far Cry 2, then you are out of luck. There is the occasional Nazi patrol but other than that the city feels lifeless. 

Fortune and Glory - Indiana Jones would be proud

You can accept missions at any time and while you are given a main objective you are also given the chance to look for secrets and gold to collect to use in the Black Market. The Black Market traders can offer upgrades for your weapons so you can add more ammo, silencers or even scopes for some of your weapons. The weapon upgrades to make a world of difference and you’ll notice it during combat.

Speaking of the missions, the campaign missions will take you through a train station, fight to secure a church, a dig site and even a hospital just to name a few of the locales you’ll be visiting as you complete missions. You’ll be doing familiar tasks such as taking out snipers or a heavy machine gunner to help your allies. The side missions are also quite entertaining, with missions that have you clearing a warehouse or taking out a Nazi General in his own house. The missions become more elaborate and even more challenging in the later levels.

Like in Tides of War, you will be going up against some otherworldly and supernaturally powered foes such as Scribes who cast spells that makes them hard targets to hit. You’ll go up against an SS officer who becomes infused with the power of the parallel world, making him a dangerous undead threat.

With great power …

While tossing grenades into a group of chatty Nazis or mowing down SS officers in a dining room is good fun, the novelty would have worn out its welcome quickly if it weren’t for the Thule Medallion and the Mire Crystal that activates the Veil Powers. You gain four different abilities such as Veil Sight (to see the parallel world to see secrets and enemy weaknesses) and Mire (the ability to slow time). Then there’s Shield (that throws a protective barrier) and Empower (your bullets become empowered and will go through any solid object) that spice up combat. You can even upgrade Veil Powers so Mire can be altered to stop time altogether or Shield can cause anything outside the barrier to be destroyed.

There are also some high-tech weapons added to your arsenal, such as the powerful Particle Cannon that shoots a blue particle ray that disintegrates anything it touches as well as an electrifying Tesla Gun that is sure to become a favorite. There are also a few interesting canisters you can toss that messes with gravity and makes everything and anyone float. These things certainly add a new dimension to combat so you aren’t stuck with simply firing the usual weaponry.

Die, Fuhrer, die! 

Thankfully, there’s online multiplayer and it takes a page from Tides of War in a 12-player fragfest complete with plenty of maps (eight so far), weapons (flamethrower and panzerschreck included) and three different match types (Team Death Match, Objective and Stopwatch). Also making its return are the different playable classes so you can tend to your wounded as a Medic, fix and create objects as an Engineer or simply be a Solider. The multiplayer game does run smoothly as well. You can even use Veil Powers and even upgrade weapons and abilities for multiplayer as well.

On the graphics front, Wolfenstein does look good on the Xbox 360 with some stellar visual effects and some great character models that not only stand out during cut scenes but also the in-game action. There are a few graphical inconsistencies such as some dull textures in the backgrounds and corpses vanishing right before your eyes, but there is a lot of eye candy here (the parallel world being the most impressive).

Another reason you will want to play this game on your best screen and sound system is the game’s sound that highlights a gorgeous score and wonderfully detailed sound effects. There’s just something creepy about hearing a Nazi soldier equip with a Particle Cannon or the sounds of the parallel world that will pull you into this world. Add some good voice acting and you have a great visual and sound experience.

A lot has changed in the Wolfenstein series and a lot of it is for the better considering there are interesting and wonderfully implemented weapons and abilities. Sure, much of the action feels like we’ve done all this before but thanks to the fact that you can select your own mission, buy weapon upgrades and use special abilities, this game will keep first-person shooter enthusiasts and Wolfenstein fans more than satisfied.

Gameplay: 8.5
Unlike the last Wolfenstein game on Microsoft’s gaming machine, this one places you in a city to stop a supernatural threat from reaching Hitler’s hands. While you’re free to roam Isenstadt, the real fun comes from the missions you can tackle at any time. This time around, BJ has cooler weapons and this time you get abilities.

Graphics: 8.2
On the Xbox 360, the game features some stunning visual effects that really shine once you unlock all of the Veil abilities or fire the more impressive advanced weapons. Then again, some of the backgrounds can look a bit on the flat side in certain places. Still, there’s plenty of blood and gore in this one.

Sound: 8.5
The game’s music is sweeping and delightfully epic not only during cut scenes but when the action really picks up in the game. Thankfully, the sound effects are incredibly detailed and the voice acting is handled well. You really have to play this game on a good sound system.

Difficulty: Medium
The game gets progressively more challenging until you find yourself glad that you have special abilities and weapons such as the Particle Cannon to keep the more well armed Nazis from forcing you out of cover.

Concept: 8.5
Once again, the Wolfenstein series finds BJ battling against Nazis and supernatural creatures in an action-packed World War II setting. While there’s a free-roaming aspect to the mission structure, the real treat comes in the form of the abilities and new tech weapons. There’s also an excellent multiplayer mode with roles, plenty of maps and fun game match types.

Multiplayer: 9.0
Up to 12 players can take each another on in a multiplayer mode with more than enough goodies to keep you playing online for a long time to come. This is thanks to three different classes to go along with the three game match types (Objective being the best) and the ability to use Veil Powers. You can also upgrade your abilities and weapons.

Overall: 8.5
Wolfenstein for the Xbox 360 is riveting and thoroughly action-packed shooter that takes the series in a different and better direction. That said there are things that really would have made this a truly amazing title but with all this game has to offer you will be pleasantly surprised by this worthwhile FPS looking for a different kind of World War II shooter.