8Bit/Digi

Back in 2014; Machine Games took an iconic shooter and re-branded it while crafting it a thought provoking story. The result was a comeback for the game that started the shooter genre while also being one of the most layered titles ever made. It’s follow up came at time when the moral soul of America is at war between reason against hate while continuing the winning streak.

The Nintendo Switch version doesn’t add anything new to the experience but does help bring some verity to the console. Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus allows Nintendo gamers the chance to experience one of the most thought provoking and story layered titles of 2017.

Doing One Thing, And One Thing Only! 

Following the events of The New Order, players will once again take on the role of William “B.J.” Blazkowicz as he returns to America in the hopes of joining up with the resistance and sparking an uprising against the occupation. Yet to the disgust of Blazkowicz, he comes to an America that has opened up to the occupation and now must remind them what it means to be free.

The Wolfenstein reboot has been unique among World War II themed shooters as they also focus on why the Third Reich has become synonymous with evil. Here is when The New Colossus also gets political by reminding players that the politics of the Klan are same as the Third Reich while America’s true power comes from its divers but unified communities.

One thing that has rarely been acknowledged about the reboots is how Blazkowicz has transformed from a simple generic action hero to a more complex character. This more true than ever in The New Colossus as we see a broken hero who needs to build himself up again to make the world a better place. At the same time we look into his past and learn about how he has been dealing with bigotry since his childhood.

Make America Nazi-Free Again

There really isn’t much to say about the gameplay as almost nothing has really changed with the exception of a few minor tweaks. The one noticeable change is there is a lot more blood and guts than previous installments. However I don’t mean this in a negative way as this is still a fast paced shooter that has all the elements of the classic game along with a few modern features.

However compared to the PlayStation 4 version, the controls do feel a little off-putting due to the design of the Switch. At the same time, one may notice a visual downgrade when compared to other versions (especially when playing it on the go). These should be seen as serious drawbacks as The New Colossus is a must play title.

While lacking innovative gameplay, The New Colossus is more of a story driven experience with complex characters. This is not the same shooter with a simple premise and a generic action hero. Instead; Machine Games has successfully crafted one of the best stories in gaming that could rival The Last of Us or Metal Gear Solid 3 in terms of quality.

Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus is an old school shooter with a thought provoking and multi-layered story. The Nintendo Switch version brings a more mature verity to its gaming library while opening up the series to a new audience.

Final Score: 8/10

Disclaimer: The game used for this review belongs to a friend that I played for 10 hours then compared it to the PS4 version. 

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