Wolfenstein is a video game series that started in the early 80s about World War II. In the beginning, they were top-down games where you used stealth to accomplish your objectives.
You follow a Polish Jewish person named Bj Blazkowicz who is a Captain in the U.S. Army and is trying to stop the Axis powers.
The Nazis are using supernatural powers in early games, whereas in later games there’s more emphasis on a fictional reality where the Nazis won.
The series is tremendously popular and has a lot of variation in play between some of the games.
In this article we are listing and describing all Wolfenstein games in order of release, so let’s see them below:
Castle Wolfenstein (1981)
The first Wolfenstein came out for some of the earliest computer systems around, including Apple II, MS-DOS, Atari, and Commodore 64.
The game was developed by Muse, and it was one of the first games to use a stealth mechanic.
You are in the fictional Castle Wolfenstein has a POW, and your objective is to find Nazi war plan secrets and then escape the castle.
You can escape by sneaking past soldiers, impersonating them, or just fighting them directly.
The two-dimensional game has a top-down approach to gameplay, and it was very influential on both stealth games and on shooters that came after it. In fact, it became one of the most popular games of the eighties.
Beyond Castle Wolfenstein (1984)
The second game in the series came out for the same platforms, including MS-DOS, Apple II, Atari, and Commodore 64.
The gameplay is similar to the first one with action-adventure mixed with stealth.
In this one, instead of being a prisoner, you are looking for Hitler in his secret Berlin bunker. The objective is to find a bomb that’s inside the bunker, put it outside the bunker where Hitler is having a meeting, and then get out of the area before the bomb blows up.
Just like in the first one, you see the world from a top-down approach, even though the characters are seen sideways.
You can use paddles, a joystick, or just the keyboard. The new play elements include that guards are using a pass system, and you can also bribe them. If you fail at this twice, then they activate an alarm or try to kill you.
Wolfenstein 3D (1992)
This game follows the allied spy BJ Blakzkowicz. It came out for the PC DOS system. The game was highly popular, and over the years it’s been ported to many different systems. In fact, many consider it to be one of the greatest video games ever.
In it, you escape from the castle and then carry out missions against Nazis. The gameplay includes the usual elements from a first-person shooter.
Instead of looking at the world top-down, you are looking from your own perspective, and shooting at Nazis with different guns.
Spear of Destiny (1992)
Spear of Destiny was released as an additional episode for Wolfenstein 3D, which itself had 3 episodes for the game.
In this game, you follow the main character, Blazkowicz, as he tries to steal a holy relic back from Nazis, who themselves stole it from Versailles.
Later on, the developer, FormGen, added two more episodes on top of this which follow Blazkowicz as he has to get the spear back again.
Return to Castle Wolfenstein (2001)
Initially, this game came out for Windows. Eventually, it was added to PS2, Linux, Xbox, and Macintosh.
This game rebooted the entire franchise using modern graphics. The game had a single-player but it also had s multiplayer option, which became the more popular one.
Gameplay is once again in the first person, as it’s a first-person shooter. Your goal is to complete missions during WW2 which include assignations, rescuing people, sabotage, and more.
You can use WW2-style weapons, but there are also fictionalized weapons you can use like the Tesla gun.
The plot of the game revolves around the SS trying to use the ancient supernatural power and instead release a curse of zombies.
Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory (2003)
Initially, this game was released as an expansion pack, but then it became a multi-player game for Windows, Mac, and other computer systems.
Eventually, it became a free and open-source game since the single-player option had problems. This means that you can use the source code to create your own mods.
The game is online and multiplayer as well so that you can play against other players and gain ranks within the system. It grew to be a bit of a cult hit with the freeware crowd.
Wolfenstein RPG (2008)
The next game in the series combines RPG and FPS elements and came out for id Software again. The game came out for mobile phones and for IOS.
The game has some more parody elements than the original games, such as mutant chickens. The recipe starts off similar, with the main character needing to escape prison and then fight against the Nazi Paranormal Division.
You pick up items on the way to help you, including boots, rocket launchers, and other guns.
You have a first-person perspective, however, your gameplay is turn-based, with you choosing to move, attack, or perform another action.
You will speak with prisoners, get info from scientists, read clipboards, and more. The game isn’t a hard RPG in that it doesn’t really use the custom elements, it’s more that it’s turn-based.
It certainly has a silly style, however, being a bit of a change from the usual seriousness of Wolfenstein games. It is the perfect match for those that like the ability to hit people on the head with toilets, however.
Wolfenstein (2009)
This version of Wolfenstein came out for Windows, Xbox360, and PS3. This game has a bit of a change in plot, starting you out in WWII in a fictional town named Isenstadt.
The Nazis have invaded and are seizing special crystals there to get into a new dimension called Black Sun. Slowly, the people in the area turn into supernatural creatures.
The game has the usual FPS elements and also features a multi-player option. You can go to unique places in the town including an airfield with a zeppelin, a paranormal base the actual place where they mine the special crystals, and more.
Wolfenstein the New Order (2014)
New World Order came out for Windows, Xbox360, Xbox One, PS3, and PS4. Just like in the 2008 version, the game is set in an alternate history. This time you’re in 1960’s Europe after the Nazis won the war.
You play the main character, BJ Blazkowicz again, on his quest to stop the Nazis from taking over everything.
This game has some unique options like a moral choice you make in the prologue which can send you down one of two timelines.
The game also adds a system for cover. Plus, the game delves a bit more into the Blazkowicz character as a way to involve players more in the series. The game won multiple awards as critics were happy that the game involved more character elements.
Wolfenstein: The Old Blood (2015)
The Old Blood came out for PS4, Windows, and Xbox One. It’s a prequel to the New Order game that was set in a different timeline in 1946 and beyond.
It’s a first-person shooter like many of the games, and you play through chapters to finish the game.
There are many different weapons like pistols and explosives that you can use. Just like its predecessor, you can make use of cover to avoid gunfire. In this system, you lean in and out of cover instead of being locked into it.
Gameplay is where a lot of people like this game since it mixes both stealth and action elements, unlike many of the other games that tend to focus on one or the other. The game continues the previous plotline involving the castle.
Wolfenstein II:The New Colossus (2017)
Like previous games, this one came out for Windows, PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch, eventually.
It’s a single-player, first-person shooter. It follows the same alternate plot storyline of the previous two games which includes a world where the Nazis won WWII.
In this one, the main character follows the Nazis into the United States and fights them there.
It has many game elements that are similar to the previous two games. You can set up ambushes against enemies, but the commanders of the units you attack can call for reinforcements.
This game also won multiple awards and was quite popular. There were three extra downloadable packs that came out later which were called the “Freedom Chronicles.”
Wolfenstein: Youngblood (2019)
You can play this game on platforms including Windows, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and even the new Google Stadia.
It’s a first-person shooter, but there is a multiplayer option, including cooperative multiplayer where you can play with your friends against the computer. You can play the missions in any order you want as well.
The plot is set twenty years after the events of Wolfenstein II, which is set in an alternate timeline where the Nazis won.
The old main character of the series, Blazkowicz has raised two twin daughters named Zofia and Jessie, including showing them how to fight.
Blazkowicz disappears at one point, and the daughters discover he has gone to France to help with the resistance there. The girls decide to follow him there.
Gameplay features controlling either Jessie or Zofia or if you have a friend, both. The game is rather well-reviewed, and people loved the co-op elements which can combine to make the game even more fun since you can share it with a friend.
Wolfenstein Cyberpilot (2019)
Cyberpilot came out for Windows and PS4 as well as some other console games. This game is actually a virtual reality game, allowing you to play it with a headset.
The game was not especially well-reviewed. The plot is still set in 1980, just like the previous game, in the alternate timeline where the Nazis were victorious in WWII.
The game involves you hacking into war machines from the Nazis and fighting them. There are also some infiltration elements.
In general, the game is also rather short, though critics have said that many of the visuals are impressive.
Image Credits
By The computer game Castle Wolfenstein., Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4686388
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