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Harrison
26th July 2008, 13:30
Finally there is some news that a new Wolfenstein game is in development. :wub:

Return to Castle Wolfenstein is still one of my favourite games of all time on the PC, and I have been wishing for another to be made since completing it in 2001.

This time id software are joining forces with Raven to create this new sequel. The new game will continue on from the last, with the Nazi's discovering a new source of Occult power a month after the events of the last game. This time it is something called The Shroud. A parallel dimension just slightly shifted out of our own, containing a green energy that they have managed to tap into to enhance soldiers and weaponry.

However I'm a little worried about this new game. It sounds like it is moving away from the core concepts of the original two games, where you were a normal American solider, using pretty much standard weapons, infiltrating the Nazi strongholds, uncovering and thwarting their plans. The preview in this month's PC Gamer talks about many new additions to the game that are directly lifted from many recent FPS games. First of all you will have the ability to switch between our normal reality/dimension, and shift into the Shroud dimension. This has been seen in many games, and used the most in Silent Hill and other horror style gaming. This could work well if they do it right, with the shift in reality working to allow you to move into areas that are blocked normally. However it needs to be writen into the story well. If you are given the ability to just switch between the two at will (as in Soul Reaver) then I think it won't be good. However if they use it as it was in Silent Hill, with reality shifting into the other dimension at any moment without warning, then it could work very well and create much more tension and unease in the game.

But they are taking it further. Your character will also be able to gain shroud powers! I don't really like the sound of this as it is moving the game a long way from the last and starting to sound like some Star Wars fans are trying to bolt on some force powers! Among these powers they have so far mentioned is bullet time. You will be able to slow down time and side step bullets. Hmmm... Since The Matrix this has been over used in too many games. If the core concept of the whole game is centred around Bullet Time then it works well. Max Payne was acceptable as it basically recreated the lobby scene as a whole game for gamers to enjoy, And the recent TimeShift also used it well as its core concept.. However since then it has been used in too many other games and films that it has lost its appeal. Just take a look here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bullet_time) to see how many games it really has been in.

And the weapons. There is a danger here too. Instead od mainly sticking with conventional WWII weapons, as the last game did, this one is also going to feature shroud enhanced weapons. One mentioned so far looks very much like the gravity gun from HL2, but is a matter disintegrator. Point it at scenary and it will start to disintegrate it. Great for removing something an enemy is hiding behind I suppose. And then if you use it on the enemy their flesh starts to be eaten away. Nice! :nogood: OK, so that weapon does actually sound quite evil and cool, but still, it could easy make the game nothing like RTCW with is what I want more of.

I've still looking forward to this game and will buy it regardless. No date has been set for a release so it could be some way off. However it was initially announced as concept in 2005 so I hope it has progressed some way by now. And in fact in the magazine preview the screenshots are looking very nice.

The official website doesn't appear to exist yet though. http://www.idsoftware.com/games/wolfenstein At the moment it just redirects to the old RTCW info page. And not much more is found Googling it either. Lets hope some videos and previews are posted soon.

Ghost
27th July 2008, 01:28
Oh brother.

They probably want to make a little like Indiana Jones but sometimes more is not always better.
As you pointed out Harrison, it feels now like a futuristic age shooter with WW2 coating.
I'd rather had seen a game that would have been mostly WW2 realistic but with fantasy and sci-fi elements sporadically popping up like the Nazis experimental technologies and the weird experiments of the Ahnenerbe to create super natural and demonic weaponry for the Fuhrer's war effort.

v85rawdeal
27th July 2008, 01:38
So, a sort of FPS Hellboy game...

Hmmm, having seen The Golden Army... I could see that working... Just include the ability to create your own character, as well as choose from a pre-generated range of characters.

Zetr0
27th July 2008, 01:49
..
I'd rather had seen a game that would have been mostly WW2 realistic but with fantasy and sci-fi elements sporadically popping up like the Nazis experimental technologies and the weird experiments of the Ahnenerbe to create super natural and demonic weaponry for the Fuhrer's war effort.


So, a sort of FPS Hellboy game...

Hmmm, having seen The Golden Army... I could see that working... Just include the ability to create your own character, as well as choose from a pre-generated range of characters.

See now this would be a game I would love to play!!!

as well as ONLINE!!!!

Submeg
27th July 2008, 06:09
I love the original and the remake, but this news makes me yawn. Next.