Wolfenstein Review

Those levels wend their way complacently from straight-up room clearance to Mounted Turret Fun, though the odd bit of destructible cover fosters some fleeting novelty value. The designers’ fondness for hidden sniping spots or tunnels and multiple elevation battles is praiseworthy, and the slew of weapons, Thule powers and upgrades affords some flexibility, but at the end of the day you’re just stopping and starting your way along a chain of spawn points.

ICH HABE KEINE HEAD.

Multiplayer gives you three classes – gun-toting Soldier, ammo-throwing Engineer and curative Medic – with which to wage war across eight maps. Besides 20 player team deathmatch, there’s objective-driven fare in which, for instance, one side might have to bust into a manor by loading and firing a tank, then make off with some intel. It’s entertaining in a functional sort of way, but don’t expect another Enemy Territory.

Gold earned by asking people nicely to lay down their arms can be used to buy weapons, abilities and whatnot, some multiplayer-specific. Amongst other tricks, the Soldier gets a fancy paranormal grenade, the Medic an area-effect heal and the Engineer a set of speed boots from Sonic the Hedgehog. My sessions were lagged up to the eyeballs, but this may owe more to the kindly folk at Virgin Media than Activision’s servers.

Unlike its illustrious 1992 predecessor, Wolfenstein never promises to be original and seldom delivers. It’s a fun distraction – as shooting Nazis almost always is – in the absence of major competitors, but you’d still be better off with Battlefield 1943. Duck and cover.