This is really great as both an alternative history story and Nazi killing simulator.
I'm playing this right after Wolfenstein: The New Order and The Old Blood, and it plays like both with some great improvements. The combat can either be stealthy or with guns blazing, while some missions for you to the latter. I really loved Doom 2016 and thought this Bethesda title would be similar for having full speed shootouts. It's not. Stealth is not required but it is heavily weighed to take the game more slowly, watching for soldier patterns and behaviours before engaging. However, the patience always pays off when you're thrust into a high-adrenaline chase or a mission where you're exposed and have to fight your way out.
All combat styles have their rewards with perks and weapon upgrades, which add more flavour to fights and put the balance in your favour. The enemy balance is great, when you're gradually introduced to harder enemies that aren't just base enemies with additional health.
Edit: I originally wrote this complaining about collectables making the game uninteresting or frustrating, because you can find hidden items obscurely placed throughout every map that you revisit twice. It turns out that 1) I'm an achievement hunter which prevents me from having fun in games sometimes, and 2) You can revisit levels at the end of the game. So enjoy your play through and the tid-bits of things you do find laying around maps, then revisit if you want to.
The mission and level design is all very well done and allow for the diverse play styles. There is some repetitiveness when you can revisit some maps for additional, although optional missions. While still optional, this game does suffer from collectables/secrets very obscurely hidden throughout it, which make it tedious for people who want achievements - they don't add perks though which is good.
As for the alternative history aspect, the story continues on from the over-the-top science fiction of The New Order moreso than the horror or the occult of The Old Blood. This game ups the ante by making the sci-fi way more ridiculous and beautifully blends in American action tropes - like having something land on Billy's head every other story beat.
This game is definitely in conversation with our currently political landscape, which is why you have fascist sympathizers outraged over another game villifying Nazis and fans making promo ads splicing in anti-fascists punching out neo-Nazis. To continue with the ridiculous action movie elements Wolfenstein has, the dialogue is very heavy with one-liners and weird tones. There's fantastic exchanges between soldiers if you sneak up on them, when go from discussing their alienated labour, conspiracy theories, and their takes on race and sexuality. There's even a few hilarious interaction between a Nazi soldier and doting southern state American Ku Klux Klan members, which I feel is the highlight of bringing this story to the USA. There's still an emotional depth and grounding of the story, which does change the tone at times from a goofy action game to something that is having an important conversation with white masculinity when Billy's history is explored on the game. Although, my only problem with the tone is how Billy interacts with Black characters as they're finally introduced, as there a major segment of US history Billy has been absent for.
That said, this is such a fun and exciting game. It'll make you laugh, maybe cry, but most importantly, teach you about how Nazis will act when they take over the United States and how to effectively butcher them with hatchets.
I'm playing this right after Wolfenstein: The New Order and The Old Blood, and it plays like both with some great improvements. The combat can either be stealthy or with guns blazing, while some missions for you to the latter. I really loved Doom 2016 and thought this Bethesda title would be similar for having full speed shootouts. It's not. Stealth is not required but it is heavily weighed to take the game more slowly, watching for soldier patterns and behaviours before engaging. However, the patience always pays off when you're thrust into a high-adrenaline chase or a mission where you're exposed and have to fight your way out.
All combat styles have their rewards with perks and weapon upgrades, which add more flavour to fights and put the balance in your favour. The enemy balance is great, when you're gradually introduced to harder enemies that aren't just base enemies with additional health.
Edit: I originally wrote this complaining about collectables making the game uninteresting or frustrating, because you can find hidden items obscurely placed throughout every map that you revisit twice. It turns out that 1) I'm an achievement hunter which prevents me from having fun in games sometimes, and 2) You can revisit levels at the end of the game. So enjoy your play through and the tid-bits of things you do find laying around maps, then revisit if you want to.
The mission and level design is all very well done and allow for the diverse play styles. There is some repetitiveness when you can revisit some maps for additional, although optional missions. While still optional, this game does suffer from collectables/secrets very obscurely hidden throughout it, which make it tedious for people who want achievements - they don't add perks though which is good.
As for the alternative history aspect, the story continues on from the over-the-top science fiction of The New Order moreso than the horror or the occult of The Old Blood. This game ups the ante by making the sci-fi way more ridiculous and beautifully blends in American action tropes - like having something land on Billy's head every other story beat.
This game is definitely in conversation with our currently political landscape, which is why you have fascist sympathizers outraged over another game villifying Nazis and fans making promo ads splicing in anti-fascists punching out neo-Nazis. To continue with the ridiculous action movie elements Wolfenstein has, the dialogue is very heavy with one-liners and weird tones. There's fantastic exchanges between soldiers if you sneak up on them, when go from discussing their alienated labour, conspiracy theories, and their takes on race and sexuality. There's even a few hilarious interaction between a Nazi soldier and doting southern state American Ku Klux Klan members, which I feel is the highlight of bringing this story to the USA. There's still an emotional depth and grounding of the story, which does change the tone at times from a goofy action game to something that is having an important conversation with white masculinity when Billy's history is explored on the game. Although, my only problem with the tone is how Billy interacts with Black characters as they're finally introduced, as there a major segment of US history Billy has been absent for.
That said, this is such a fun and exciting game. It'll make you laugh, maybe cry, but most importantly, teach you about how Nazis will act when they take over the United States and how to effectively butcher them with hatchets.