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Wolfenstein: The New Order Trailer Shows off Narrative

B.J. Blazkowicz takes the midnight train to Berlin and gets his face stepped on by a giant robot.

I’m still not sure what to make of Wolfenstein: The New Order. On one hand, I like shooting guys; on the other, I am so tired of shooting Nazis. Nazis from an alternate dimension who bring a vaguely BioShock ambiance to the table? Definitely maybe. Maybe.

Alternate history notwithstanding, these Nazis are at least as crazy as the ones who’ve gone before them, which I suppose is a desirable quality in an unrelentingly villainous team of bad guys. But the implication that, after all the dramatic build-up, Mr. Blazkowicz is going to blast his way past the 12-foot-tall battlemech (and all the Nazi goons who will presumably poke their heads through the door to see what the commotion is about) with a luger he grabbed off the table makes me think that maybe all this cinematic chit-chat is just camouflage for the fact that this is just another by-the-numbers shooter.

I hope I’m wrong. I hope there’s actual depth to Wolfenstein: The New Order, and not just thin window dressing. It’s too early to tell at this point – although the clock is ticking – so instead I’ll content myself with wondering what exactly B.J. was thinking when he nipped out for a coffee in a train packed with Nazi goons. Seriously, man. Bad idea.

Wolfeinstein: The New Order comes out on May 20 for the Xbox 360, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4 and PC.

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