Wolfenstein New Order Review Round up

To say that Wolfenstein: The New Order has had a bumpy ride to launch would be to put it mildly. After word came through that the title would not feature multiplayer, combined with a lackluster showing at last year's E3, many were concerned about MachineGames upcoming release might be yet another disappointment for the once-great franchise.

However, now that the first reviews for Wolfenstein: The New Order have hit, it appears that, despite prior concerns, MachineGames was able to deliver a competent shooter with surprisingly strong character work. B.J. Blazkowicz's latest journey may not be without flaws, but as another intriguing next-gen title it apparently delivers.

Boasting an alternate history timeline that encourages two full playthroughs, some unique riffs on stealth, and plenty of Nazi-killing goodness, Wolfenstein: The New Order might just be the other must-play title for May. Read on to see what critics around the Net are saying about the game:

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Polygon (Arthur Gies)

The New Order’s got all the workings of a classic shooter. But in their trip back to the well, Machine Games has brought all of its talents to bear. The New Order is held together, even rocketed beyond the basic sum of its smart levels and effective mechanics by its characters.

Score: 9/10

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IGN (Colin Moriarty)

Wolfenstein: The New Order is the melding of your typical, everyday shooter with quality writing and a cast of believable and relatable characters. Machinegames' more grounded treatment of the often way over-the-top alternate Nazi history is also a nice touch, and while The New Order is in no way, shape, or form a simulation of the real world, its 10-to-12 hour campaign can certainly make you stop and wonder more than, say, Raven's 2009's occult-centric Wolfenstein reboot.

Score: 7.8/10

Wolfenstein The New Order Nowhere To Run Trailer

Gamespot (Daniel Hindes)

The New Order's combat intensity and variety have granted the Wolfenstein series a breath of fresh air, whilst still managing to hit the nostalgic highs that I expect from the series. It has injected some substance into the primal pleasure of shooting Nazis by way of an interesting tone that addresses the changing roles of first-person shooter protagonists. Through this, the game is both a celebration of the Wolfenstein series and what feels like a fitting send-off for it.

Score: 8/10

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Game Informer (Matt Bertz)

Wolfenstein: The New Order is a positive step forward for the series after the last dud. Machine Games presents a competent shooter with more polish and a better array of characters, but ultimately the game feels more comfortable recompiling established conventions than it does striving for innovation.

Score: 8/10

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Eurogamer (Paul Dean)

Wolfenstein: The New Order has all sorts of war stories it wants to share with you and it knows how it wants you to feel, but it's not convincing. Its stories are more sensational than poignant. It's a decent shooter with a good few impressive moments, but it can be buggy and it doesn't offer much you can't find elsewhere, with little to tempt you back when it's over.

Score: 6/10

Wolfenstein The New Order Train to Berlin Scene

Joystiq (Ludwig Kietzmann)

The greatest problem in Wolfenstein: The New Order, then, is a jarring inconsistency of tone and cohesion...It's almost as if there's a tug of war going between the big dumb shooter and the attempt to be subversive, with the result being a game that's not really slick enough to be an action classic, and not dramatic enough to draw you in.

Score: 3/5

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Games Radar (Ryan Taljonick)

Wolfenstein: The New Order is a great example of oldschool design revitalized by modern concepts. Yes, it's cheesy, dumb, and over-the-top, but it manages to reign in these aspects by following them up with great action, memorable set-pieces, and characters that mostly evolve beyond your typical meathead grunts.

Score: 4/5

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Destructoid (Chris Carter)

In many ways, Wolfenstein: The New Order is "First-Person Shooters: The Game," but it gets most of the important details right. It's weird seeing a Wolf game that's not developed by id Software (who is busy with Doom 4), but MachineGames did a great job adapting the franchise in its own way. With a few tweaks, the next iteration could be something truly special.

Score: 7.5/10

Wolfenstein The New Order E3 2013 Trailer

VG24/7 (Dave Cook)

The New Order is a game about silly men shooting sillier men and robots in the face with hyper-violent results.

It’s fun. That’s why games are made to begin with, right?

What do you make of these mostly positive Wolfenstein reviews? Has your anticipation for the game changed? Let us know in the comments below.

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Wolfenstein: The New Order is out now for PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One.

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