Wolfenstein: The New Order

The opinions of the critics regarding the story of Wolfenstein: The New Order are generally positive. Many critics praise the game for its well-crafted alternate history setting, immersive storytelling, and fleshed-out characters. ActionTrip describes the story as dark and depressing, effectively highlighting the horrors of Nazi atrocities and motivating the player to save the world. EGM commends the story for its depth and layers, although mentioning that there are some elements that don't fit well with the rest of the narrative. Game Informer finds the story engaging and fresh, with varied environments and a colorful resistance group. Softpedia appreciates the bold premise and the presence of interesting allies and great villains. DarkStation describes the story as immersive and impactful, with surprises and jaw-dropping realities throughout. However, there are also some negative opinions regarding the story of Wolfenstein: The New Order. Gaming Age criticizes the plot for having inconsistent and illogical elements, although they do praise some well-written moments and the addition of a secret Hebrew society. VideoGamer criticizes the tonal inconsistency of the story, mentioning that it tries to be emotionally hard-hitting but includes elements like robot dogs and out-of-nowhere girlfriends, describing the narrative as awful. The Escapist feels unsatisfied with the amount of attention devoted to the Nazi-controlled 1960s and mentions a lack of atmosphere building. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that the story of Wolfenstein: The New Order is well-crafted and immersive, effectively blending history and fantasy. The alternate history setting is praised for its impact and the way it adds to the immersion. The characters are generally considered to be fleshed out and interesting, with some critics specifically mentioning the depth and layers to the character development. While there are some criticisms regarding tonal inconsistencies and elements that don't fit well with the narrative, the majority of critics find the story engaging, fresh, and emotionally impactful. The game successfully explores the "What if?" scenario of the Nazis winning World War II, creating a compelling and thought-provoking storyline.

Overall, the critics have mostly positive opinions regarding the gameplay of Wolfenstein: The New Order. The game is praised for its variety of playstyles and approaches, with many reviewers highlighting the ability to choose between stealth, tactical, assault, and demolition styles. The dual-wielding mechanic is also highly praised, adding a strategic element to combat and making the shooting feel fantastic. The perk system is well-designed and encourages players to experiment with different playstyles, adding replay value to the game. The ability to unlock different abilities and perks based on playstyle is also mentioned as a positive aspect of the gameplay. Reviewers like ActionTrip, Machinima, and ZTGD specifically mention the advanced technology and variety of weapons with secondary fire modes, which adds depth to the gameplay. The game's mechanics are described as polished and satisfying, with well-tuned controls and an intuitive cover system, as mentioned by GameCritics. However, there are some negative aspects mentioned by the critics. The AI is criticized by several reviewers, with Game Informer and Softpedia specifically mentioning that the AI is not very smart. The signaling and enemy AI could be improved, according to Softpedia. Changing weapons can also be frustrating, as mentioned by DarkStation. Some encounters are described as very difficult, disrupting the pace of the game, according to DarkStation. GameTrailers mentions that the mix of old and new gameplay elements can feel awkward and make it tough to fully enjoy the game's action. Slant Magazine also points out that some options are not equally viable, especially in the boss-heavy latter half of the game. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that Wolfenstein: The New Order offers a solid and satisfying gameplay experience. The game provides a good balance between stealth and action, with well-designed levels and a variety of playstyles to choose from. The perk system and skill tree add depth and replay value to the gameplay, encouraging players to experiment with different approaches. The shooting mechanics are praised for their responsiveness and satisfaction, with the ability to dual-wield weapons adding a strategic element. However, there are some areas for improvement, such as the AI and signaling, as well as the difficulty balance in certain encounters. Despite these flaws, the overall sentiment is positive, with the gameplay being described as polished, engaging, and enjoyable by the majority of critics.

The opinions of the critics regarding the Graphics and Visual Design of Wolfenstein: The New Order are generally positive. Many critics praised the game's visuals, with comments such as "absolutely stellar" (EGM) and "superb" (DarkStation). The game is described as having realistic cutscenes, detailed environments, and impressive character models (EGM, Official Xbox Magazine UK, Gameplanet). The level designs are also highly praised, with critics noting the attention to detail and the variety of gameplay (Gaming Age, DarkStation). The alternate-history setting is also highlighted as a positive aspect, with critics mentioning the well-designed alternate universe and the striking visuals of castles, outposts, and futuristic bases (Hooked Gamers, Gameplanet). However, there are some criticisms regarding the graphics and visual design of the game. Some critics mention occasional issues such as resolution problems, ragdoll physics, texture pop-ins, and aliasing (Machinima, Softpedia, Slant Magazine). The textures on the PS4 version are specifically mentioned as not being optimized and looking goofy at times (Slant Magazine). Additionally, some critics feel that the game falls short of next-gen graphical potential (Digital Spy, Guardian). Overall, the consensus among the critics is that Wolfenstein: The New Order has impressive graphics and visual design. The game is praised for its detailed environments, realistic cutscenes, and well-designed character models. The level designs and attention to detail are also highly regarded. While there are some minor issues mentioned by a few critics, they do not significantly detract from the overall positive reception of the game's graphics. The game is generally considered visually appealing and visually immersive, creating a believable and engaging world for players to explore.

The majority of the critics praised the sound design and music of Wolfenstein: The New Order, considering it to be a standout aspect of the game. EGM, Gameplanet, and NZGamer all commended the voice acting, with EGM specifically mentioning the stellar performances from the entire cast that lent credibility to the game's narrative elements. Hooked Gamers also highlighted the great voice acting and character animations. This consistent praise for the voice acting indicates that the game successfully brought its characters to life through strong performances. In terms of music, Softpedia mentioned that the soundtrack delivered a 1950s and 1960s style, which likely contributed to the immersive experience and enhanced the game's alternate history setting, as noted by GameCritics. Gameplanet further emphasized that the soundtrack complemented the gothic mechanical setting without wearing the player down. Digital Spy also acknowledged the game's music, describing it as over-the-top and fitting for the action and violence present in the game. While the overall consensus is overwhelmingly positive, there were a few minor criticisms regarding the sound design and music. Softpedia mentioned that some enemy banter can become repetitive, which may have slightly detracted from the overall experience. PlayStation LifeStyle noted that voices during combat could sometimes be drowned out by the sounds of battle, potentially impacting the player's ability to fully appreciate the voice acting in intense gameplay moments. In conclusion, the sound design and music of Wolfenstein: The New Order received high praise from the majority of critics. The voice acting was consistently commended for its stellar performances and contribution to the game's narrative elements. The soundtrack was lauded for its ability to immerse players in the alternate history setting and complement the gothic mechanical atmosphere. While there were minor criticisms regarding repetitive enemy banter and voices getting drowned out during combat, these issues did not significantly impact the overall positive reception of the sound design and music.

The voice acting in Wolfenstein: The New Order has received overwhelmingly positive feedback from the majority of critics. EGM praises the entire cast, led by Brian Bloom as B.J., for delivering stellar performances that lend credibility to the game's narrative elements. Hooked Gamers also commends the voice acting, along with the character animations. DarkStation adds that the characters feel incredibly real, with memorable antagonists and allies, and that the cut-scenes draw the player in and make them a part of the experience. These positive remarks highlight the effectiveness of the voice acting in bringing the game's characters to life and immersing players in the story. While the majority of critics have praised the voice acting in Wolfenstein: The New Order, there are a few who provide more limited feedback. Softpedia simply states that the voice acting is solid, without going into further detail. Destructoid mentions that the voice actor for Captain Blazkowicz exhibits genuine surprise and sets the tone for the game, but no additional information is provided. While these comments do not offer much insight into the quality of the voice acting, they do not necessarily indicate any significant negatives either. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that the voice acting in Wolfenstein: The New Order is very good. Critical Hit highlights that the voice actors deliver their roles with the right amount of bravado and gravitas, while GameCritics praises the depth given to the characters, particularly the protagonist and the second lead. NZGamer describes the voice acting as top-notch and adding depth to the characters, while PlayStation LifeStyle notes that the cast is surprisingly well-developed and deep for a shooter. The Toronto Sun also emphasizes that the characters in the game are well-voiced and have their own motivations and personalities. These positive assessments from multiple critics further reinforce the overall consensus that the voice acting in Wolfenstein: The New Order is a standout aspect of the game.

In terms of technical performance, the critics had mostly positive opinions for both the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 platforms. EGM and Machinima, who played the game on Xbox One, praised the absence of glitches and considered Wolfenstein: The New Order to be one of the best-looking games on the new generation of consoles. On the PlayStation 4 side, Critical Hit, Digital Spy, NZGamer, PlayStation LifeStyle, PlayStation Official Magazine UK, and Slant Magazine all mentioned that the game ran smoothly with no significant issues. Critical Hit specifically highlighted the game's consistent 60 frames per second performance, while Digital Spy and NZGamer noted the absence of slowdowns and stable technical performance. However, there were a few negative aspects mentioned by some critics for both platforms. Machinima pointed out some issues with resolution and ragdoll physics on Xbox One, although they did not consider them to be major problems. On the PlayStation 4, PlayStation LifeStyle mentioned glitches with enemy AI and audio imbalances, while games(TM) described the game as "a little rough around the edges both technically and visually." These criticisms suggest that there were some minor technical flaws present on both platforms, but they did not significantly impact the overall gameplay experience. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that Wolfenstein: The New Order had good technical performance and stability on both the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 platforms. The game ran smoothly, with no major glitches or slowdowns reported. The positive comments from EGM, Critical Hit, Digital Spy, NZGamer, PlayStation Official Magazine UK, and Slant Magazine support this consensus. While there were some minor issues mentioned by Machinima, PlayStation LifeStyle, and games(TM), they were not considered significant enough to overshadow the game's overall technical performance.

The opinions of the critics regarding the replay value of Wolfenstein: The New Order are generally positive. Many critics highlight the game's collectibles, unlockable modes, and alternate timelines as factors that contribute to its replayability. EGM mentions that the game encourages multiple playthroughs with its collectibles and unlockable modes, offering a different experience each time. MondoXbox also notes the option to replay the campaign or individual chapters, as well as the collectibles and bonus modes that can be unlocked by solving puzzles. Official Xbox Magazine UK praises the game for offering two timelines and different exploration skills based on player decisions, which encourages replayability. However, there are some critics who express concerns or limitations regarding the replay value of the game. Destructoid mentions that while there are collectibles and additional modes to unlock, the game can feel repetitive at times. Slant Magazine points out that the choice to create two alternative timelines feels artificial and draws attention to frustrating parts of the game. NZGamer mentions that while there are different perks and play styles to try, the presence of collectibles can detract from the immersive experience. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that Wolfenstein: The New Order offers a decent amount of replay value. The game's collectibles, unlockable modes, alternate timelines, and different approaches all contribute to its replayability. Critics like EGM, MondoXbox, and Official Xbox Magazine UK highlight these positive aspects. However, there are concerns raised by critics such as Destructoid and Slant Magazine regarding repetition and artificiality. Despite these concerns, the majority of critics acknowledge the game's replay value and consider it to be a strong aspect of the overall experience.