Wolfenstein is back, again.

After the successful reboot of the classic first person shooter Wolfenstein in 2014, and its sequel, the series continues, now helmed by BJ Blazkowicz’s two daughters Jess and Soph. And for better or worse, BJ’s daughters carry on the legacy of the last two games, with small tweaks to its excellent combat.

The biggest of the changes, clearly, is the introduction of co-operative combat. Instead of the lone soldier up against the retro-future Nazi regime, you are now joined by either an AI or real-life co-op partner. Disappointingly, I couldn’t find any couch co-op option, so you’ll have to be playing on two different systems.

From your hub in the Parisian catacombs you can travel the Paris Metro to small, connected semi-open worlds to wreck chaos on the Nazi regime. The impact of developer Arkane, who contributed significantly to Youngblood, on the mission structure is clear. This is a game that plays far more like Dishonored than Call of Duty and you can go in quiet for large chunks of the game. The small combat arenas are interconnected by a web of corridors, gates and clever shortcuts that give the game an intimacy that traditional walled off areas would otherwise give. Set in the aftermath of a Paris Uprising, the streets are strewn with debris and the signs of the slow internal destruction of fascism are apparent.

Optional side quests within missions (that appear to be randomly generated as you are exploring) are placed in each hub area as you progress in the main side and story missions. This can break up the mission flow, leaving missions feeling a bit listless and without clear direction. There are also some bizarre quest design choices that feel like the world was designed before the quests were simply placed on top of them. In one example, a French Resistance fighter was trapped beneath a gate and in need of rescue mere meters from squads of Nazis, where his cries surely would have been heard by the enemy.

But all this talk of quests, semi-open worlds and sister AI distracts from what Youngblood is truly focussed on – shooting Nazis. It’s a game that wants you to know that, and the sisters repeatedly take glee is doing what they were raised to do. Mechanically, it’s similar to the previous two games developed by MachineGames, with a small selection of weapons that feel pretty good in the hand. Not as good as Doom or Rage 2 mind you, but it was pleasantly balanced and satisfying to shoot. In combat you now have to take into consideration the enemy’s armour type, pulling out the gun that will pierce armour when necessary. Fail to do so and enemies can turn into depressing bullet sponges, who take annoyingly long to take down.

Youngblood also doubles down on RPG elements that reminded me more of Far Cry 5 than the old run-and-gun shooters. You level up and your enemies level up and you can run into enemies way above your pay grade. You can also upgrade abilities to I didn’t like this so much as enemies take an inordinate amount of damage on the higher levels while dressed in nothing but a cotton shirt.

The sister AI, that said, was very good at giving me cover, actually taking out enemies, and reviving me when needed. You can give your sister a pep move, which can be a variety of upgrades, but in the end I think everyone will settle in for one sister giving full health and the other full armour.

If game AIs aren’t your thing you can play with randoms or with a mate. If you buy the Deluxe Edition, your buddy doesn’t even need to purchase the game (though I would have liked to see this built into the base price itself in the Buddy Pass system – wherefore art thou, Nintendo Download Play?). There are of course pros and cons of playing with an internet stranger but in my time with the game other human players were nearly always helpful.

The main story of Youngblood is shorter than the two other recent Wolfenstein games, but with all the side activities and collectibles, you could spend a longer time in game than with the others. You will be traversing old ground, for sure, but with the ability to unlock doors as your weapons are upgraded the areas do feel like they’re changing, if only slightly.

I tested Youngblood on PC, where it plays best.

With the game targeting 60FPS on consoles, I had no trouble locking to 1440p / 144FPS with an NVIDIA RTX 2080 Ti and i7-8700K CPU on Ultra, or to 1080p / 60FPS with an AMD Rx 580 video card, and an AMD R5 3600 CPU on high settings. The game looks fantastic, and the amount of detail in all aspects of the environment is phenomenal.

It has a distinctly Arkane look, and the influence of the most recent Prey in particular stood out to me, with a menacing if gorgeous retro-future neoclassical vibe to the whole visual design language. Amongst the kitchsy Nazi-themed posters for movies, newspapers and other paraphernalia, there are hints of parallels to the real 1980s. Hulking text-based computers dominate certain desks (where you can decode floppy disks to discover secrets), there are cassette tapes to collect and other semi-modern touches.

The scoring is also fantastic.

While Mick Gordon wasn’t involved in this particular project, the dark and sombre tone remains from previous entries. While I didn’t find any of the main scores particularly memorable, it was the ambient tracks that I felt gave the game the exact tone that it was going for.

Now, Youngblood does contain microtransactions, and that’s a shame.

While it was a bit difficult to tell what I could buy with the in-game currency you find everywhere (Silver) compared to the real-world currency (Gold Bars), I never felt compelled to purchase anything – in fact I had an overabundance of silver by the end of the game. There is a small amount of content gated off behind Gold Bars, but they are cosmetic. Still, I do feel you should be able to earn everything in-game without spending money, and the microtransactions that are there seem relatively pointless.

The ability to buy boosters that would enhance your in-game performance was there at launch, but mercifully has now been patched out. Instead, if you’re stuck, I’d suggested simply lowering or raising the difficulty.

At least there’s no loot boxes.

The post Wolfenstein: Young Blood (PC) Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Nintendo’s Switch has redefined how we play console quality games.

Taking what we are accustomed to at home and enabling us to take it on the go, the cartridge (and digital) gaming platform is proving time and time over that goodness can still be placed on to a cartridge.

From Bethesda we see another successful port, to the likes of DOOM on Switch which releases earlier this year, Bethesda have managed to fit their other FPS IP; Wolfenstein on to the home and portable system.

In November last year I reviewed Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus, so I wont rehash that review, instead I’ll go indepth as to how this PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC title plays on the Switch.

First up if you get Wolfenstein digitally you will need a bit of space on your microSD card – around 20+ GBs.

If you’re all good there, you can expect the same uncomprimised gameplay as is with the previously released version.

Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus is a direct follow on from New Order. If you have yet to play the first chapter, New Colossus will give you a recap when you first start it up. There are two different timelines to play, depending on which NPC you decide to sacrifice when you first start the story and there are a multitude of flashbacks. I wont offer any spoilers.

The Switch handles framerates and responsiveness really well, the game has been crunched down and reworked for the Switch by devs; Panic Button.

Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus is definitely one of the higher end (and higher priced) titles for Switch, but quality isn’t cheap.

A full recommend for all Switch owners, if you do not already own it on other consoles or PC.

The post WOLFENSTEIN II: THE NEW COLOSSUS (SWITCH) REVIEW appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

You are Blazkowicz once again. Awakening from a five month coma, a result of the past games’ events.

You have had organs removed to save your life and your only mobility, initially is in a wheelchair. Disabled or not – you still have fight within you.

Wolfenstein II is a direct follow on from Bethesda’s previous chapter and in the months that you’ve been out of action life and the battle against Nazi controlled U.S. has waged on.

Anya, Blazkowicz’s girlfriend reveals that she is pregnant with twins and Frau Engel has her sights set on you for disfiguring and humiliating her the last time you crossed paths.

There are many flashbacks throughout the game which give an insight in to why Blazkowicz is the man he has become and what has fuelled his eternal hatred for the Nazi regime.

From shooting down soldiers and navigating the U-Boat you find yourself in from a wheelchair you are soon paired up with your allies. You will choose two differing timelines between Fergus and Wyatt. Depending on which timeline you choose depends on your narrative.

But it doesn’t all go well. The only way to save those you love and respect, the only way to save the nation and take down the Nazi regime is, initially, to surrender…

Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus plays out in first person. For the most part you are still recovering from your injuries and make use of body armour in order to be mobile.

While the ultimate goal is to take down Engel and her über soldier cohorts, Wolfenstein II also has a more personable feeling between the loyalty and friendship between allied characters.

As most is played out in a confined area your paths are linear, however that does not mean that exploring is off the cards, and recommended to reap rewards.

Blazkowicz can ambush enemies and you still have melee attacks and a vast array of super powered SciFi firepower at your disposal. Eventually you will begin using contraptions which heighten the play and allow you to be more tactical, or stealthy or mayhem. Of course your weapons are upgradable.

While in the throes of action be on the look-out for Enigma codes. Collecting these up will offer Über Commander Assassination missions when used on a Enigma Machine.

Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus will have a few narrative surprises in store for the player, and that’s where I’ll leave that sentence.

Bethesda are totally on fire right now, with a slew of Triple A titles releasing all at once for both console and portable (Switch).

Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus’ development was an affair where no cost was spared. From the graphical detail to each and every NPC, the motion capture and face mapping of real actors and the fluidity high action carnage.

Over 100 actors were used in the games’ creation – which is a feat in itself.

If you have played the various chapters, including the DLC, then Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus is a must own to continue the storyline. but if you are like; “Wolfen… what?” don’t start with this one first, pick yourself up a copy of Wolfenstein: The New Order and Wolfenstein: Old Blood and then after those play The New Colossus.

You are Blazkowicz. Your life is dedicated to taking down the red and black and it could very well take your life…

The post Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus (PlayStation 4) Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

At E3 2017 in Los Angeles Bethesda wowed us here at StG and other attendees with a solid lineup of their upcoming titles for the remainder of this year.

First up was Evil Within 2, the sequel to 2014’s horror genre defining game.

From mastermind Shinji Mikami and the talented team at Tango Gameworks, The Evil Within 2 takes the acclaimed franchise to a new level with its unique blend of psychological thrills and true survival horror.

You are Detective Sebastian Castellanos and at your lowest point. But when given a chance to save your daughter, you must enter a world filled with nightmares and discover the dark origins of a once-idyllic town to bring her back. Horrifying threats emerge from every corner as the world twists and warps around you. Will you face adversity head on with weapons and traps, or sneak through the shadows to survive?

Evil Within 2 is scheduled to release for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC on the 13th of October, 2017

The Evil Within 2

Players will go through yet another compelling story as Detective Sebastian Castellanos who has lost everything, including his daughter, Lily. To save her, he is forced to partner with Mobius, the shadowy organization responsible for the destruction of Sebastian’s former life. Sebastian must descend into one of their terrible creations, the disturbing world of Union. Horrifying threats emerge from every corner, and he must rely on his wits to survive. For his last chance at redemption, the only way out is in.

Also in their game reveals, Dishonored: Death of the Outsider from the award winning developers at Arkane Studios, the next standalone adventure in the Dishonored series.

Be a badass supernatural assassin and take on the role of notorious Billie Lurk as she reunites with her mentor Daud in order to pull off the greatest assassination ever conceived. Building upon Dishonored 2’s signature gameplay and art style, Death of the Outsider features all the series hallmarks, including brutal combat systems, unique Level design, and immersive storytelling that responds to your every choice. With compelling characters and exhilarating action, Death of the Outsider is the perfect entry point for those new to the Dishonored series, while delivering a significant expansion of the gameplay and world for longtime fans.

Dishonored: Death of the Outsider

Gamers take on the role of Billie Lurk (aka Megan Foster), once one of Dunwall’s most notorious killers-for-hire. Reunited with your old mentor, the legendary assassin Daud, you undertake the greatest assassination ever conceived: killing the Outsider, a god-like figure whom Billie and Daud see as instrumental to some of the Empire’s most dishonorable moments. As you venture deep into the grimiest corners of Karnaca to uncover the mystery of the Outsider and his origins, you will face deadly opposition, ancient powers, and difficult decisions that will forever change the world around you.

Dishonored: Death of the Outsider

Stay in the shadows or step into the daylight to take on all foes – the choice is yours. Equipped with a unique set of supernatural abilities, gadgets, and weapons, you can approach each situation in your own way. Use your abilities and skills to sneak through environments unseen or brutally eliminate all opposition in your way.

Killing the Outsider won’t be easy. You’ll have to journey deep into the seedy underbelly of Karnaca, where you’ll unravel some the city’s lost secrets. Along the way you’ll infiltrate underground fight clubs and black magic cults, and retrieve ancient artifacts in a thrilling bank heist mission that sets the table for your greatest mission ever.

As you hunt down The Outsider, face off against a new cast of enemies along the way. Armed with your weapons, gadgets and abilities, take down deadly foes such as the immortal Envisioned, the relentless Sisters of the Oracular Order and the new Clockwork Soldiers. Up the ante by accepting Contracts to find and eliminate optional targets throughout your mission.

Dishonored: Death of the Outsider is due for release on Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC 15th September, 2017.

Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus

The next title of note is Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus is the highly anticipated sequel to the first-person shooter, Wolfenstein: The New Order developed by the award-winning studio MachineGames.

An exhilarating adventure brought to life by the industry-leading id Tech 6, Wolfenstein II sends players to Nazi-controlled America on a mission to recruit the boldest resistance leaders left. Fight the Nazis in iconic locations such as small-town Roswell, New Mexico, the bayous and boulevards of New Orleans, and a post-nuclear Manhattan. Equip an arsenal of guns, and unleash new abilities to blast your way through legions of advanced Nazi soldiers and über soldiers in this definitive first-person shooter.

Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus is set in America, 1961. Your assassination of Nazi General Deathshead was a short-lived victory. Despite the setback, the Nazis maintain their stranglehold on the world. You are BJ Blazkowicz, aka “Terror-Billy,” member of the Resistance, scourge of the Nazi empire, and humanity’s last hope for liberty. Only you have the guts, guns, and gumption to return stateside, kill every Nazi in sight, and spark the second American Revolution.

Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus

Strap in for a heart-pounding journey as you fight the Nazi war machine on American soil. As BJ Blazkowicz, protect your family and friends, forge new alliances and face the demons of your troubled past as you rally pockets of resistance to overthrow the Nazi occupation. Immerse yourself in a world brought to life by unforgettable characters who bring a new level of personality to the franchise. Reunite with your friends and fellow freedom fighters such as Anya, Caroline, Bombate, Set, Max Hass, Fergus or Wyatt, and befriend new characters such as Horton and Grace as you take on the evil Frau Engel and her Nazi army.

Unleash your inner war hero as you annihilate Nazis in new and hyper-violent ways. Lock and load futuristic guns and discover BJ’s new set of abilities as you fight to free America. Regardless of your playstyle, invent all-new ways of stabbing, shooting, and killing Nazis.

Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus is due for release on Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC 27th October, 2017.

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