Wolfenstein: The Old Blood Reviews
Wolfenstein: The Old Blood is not a game you invest hundreds of hours into. This is a title that brings a guarantee of good action, shooting and fun temporarily. And when you finish it a few times, will you find all the collectibles and replay the old levels? I think you will certainly not regret the time and money invested. Wolfenstein has been with us for over 20 years. During that time, he's built up quite a following, and titles like this only help expand his fan base. The question remains whether this constant activity will lead to a gradual loss of quality. But let's leave that to the future.
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The New Order is a far superior game in many ways, but take Wolfenstein: The Old Blood as a companion piece to its predecessor, and there is still the same great arcade FPS and stealth gameplay here that will satisfy fans of MachineGames' previous entry. It isn't as fleshed-out or exciting as the 2014 title, but it holds up well as its own standalone Wolfenstein game.
The Old Blood was everything I wanted and hoped for in a Wolfenstein game. MachineGames made the weapons feel exactly as if you were holding them in your hands, made you move around in action scenes in meaningful ways, a robust map that encourages wanderlust, and so much more. I mean, they've done it. They really have.
Though not as thematically strong as its predecessor, Wolfenstein: The Old Blood still provides solid gameplay. The stealth and shooting mechanics are strong enough to create a great experience. The compromise between old and new mechanics in regards to health and weapon handling still feels fresh, while the AI battles remain exhilarating. The length and presentation value are also good, so fans of The New Order will really appreciate The Old Blood.
A DLC care package that just underperforms
Overall, The Old Blood is a nice addition to the new Wolfenstein world. It understandably isn't quite as filling as The New Order but it's still pretty solid for DLC. Grab it if The New Order left you yearning for more.
Wolfenstein: The Old Blood is a great return to the game and I thoroughly enjoy MachineGames' focus on creating an excellent single-player experience. Fans of the series will definitely get a kick out of the game as well; it has the same charm and feel as last year's title while offering a short chance to kick some Nazi ass.
At £10-£13 for a six hour campaign and additional challenge maps, Wolfenstein: The Old Blood is an absolute steal. The stealth options aren't quite as reliable as last time, but the core shooting experience is incredibly fun with meaty weapons, a ramped up pace and enjoyably over-the-top characters.
When Wolfenstein: The Old Blood is a standalone prequel to the main game that promises nostalgic FPS fun and a huge dose of killing the evil Nazi scum!
If you enjoyed Wolfenstein – The New Order then it goes without saying that you should give The Old Blood some of your time. A fine example of a DLC offering that enhances its source material as well as giving gamers a solid and rewarding gaming experience for their money, the inclusion of the original Wolfenstein 3D levels are just the icing on the cake.
Simply put, if you liked The New Order, you'll like The Old Blood. The more than competent shooting, likable protagonist, writing, and gameplay choices make up for some small issues and a few static characters.
This generous standalone prequel to the excellent Wolfenstein: The New Order may be leaner than its parent game, but its breathless rhythm entertains from the off.
Hardcore fans of the Wolfenstein series can find a lot to enjoy with The Old Blood. It's practically much of the same when comparing it to The New Order, though it features none of those irritating 'errand boy' segments, and that's a very good thing! The Old Blood is nothing but action that can entertain for a few hours. Plus, completists will find that there are plenty of collectibles to discover.
If you're a fan of first-person shooters, or want to experience a throwback to the glory days of the genre but with modern production values, then you can't go wrong with Wolfenstein: The Old Blood. It's an enjoyable romp that promises explosions, expendable Nazis, and gunfights galore. And isn't this that all we want from our video games?
What you're getting here is exactly what returning players will expect, a 6-hour or so prequel to Wolfenstein: The New Order, with exactly the same flow, tomfoolery, and smile-inducing shootouts you've come to expect. What is missing is that aforementioned heart. During its brief length there's never enough time to feel attached to any characters, and MachineGames has clearly focused on a more gameplay-oriented approach. To that end it can feel like a hollow experience, and The Old Blood is certainly far more throwaway than its fleshed-out forefather. If you haven't played Wolfenstein: The New Order yet then I don't hesitate in recommended you check that out first, before moving on to The Old Blood if you're still craving more Nazi-baiting gung-ho action.
Wolfenstein: The Old Blood offers another serving of the action we saw with The New Order in 2014, but with the perspective as a prequel.
Wolfenstein has always embraced gratuitous violence, but The Old Blood just feels a little gratuitous.
Wolfenstein: The Old Blood is an incredibly fun standalone expansion to one of the Best games of 2014, and in plenty of places is tougher. Sometimes more frustrating, especially in places with respawning enemies, and the forced stealth section in the beginning is a bit of a misstep, but overall the Wolfenstein gameplay is just as great here.
At the end of the day, Wolfenstein: The Old Blood checks the necessary boxes to make it a suitable follow-up to the prior game. In terms of the gameplay, level design and overall pacing, The Old Blood has learned a handful of lessons and made the appropriate tweaks to improve the play experience from its predecessor. Unfortunately some of the spark that make last year's game oddly inspiring is gone, which makes it decent fun for shooter fans, but ultimately unsatisfying for anyone beyond that.
It feels a little unfair to have to compare this to another game so much, but The Old Blood runs off of the same frameworks, characters and style that the The New Order came to define. Shooting Nazis until they explode is a fun diversion, but there's a better game that does that, and it's called Wolfenstein: The New Order.