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Blazkowicz finally goes alternate historian

When I learned that ZeniMax Media had bought up id Software, the company behind the Wolfenstein series, I wondered where the series would go after this.  Would ZeniMax sit on the franchise or would they suggest to id Software to take the series into a whole different direction. But instead to my surprise I learn that not only will there be a new Wolfenstein game, but that it’ll be developed and produced by two completely different companies that have had no prior relation to the series in general. At first I wasn’t sure if this was a good idea. I’d grown use to the series being handled in some way by id Software. But after the initial surprise wore off I began to realize this could be a good thing. Despite my personal feelings of the series there have been some who’ve voiced their concerns that the series has become stagnated over the years. I’m not sure if this was because of the evolving nature of FPS’s or the fact that it takes place in World War II (an era that some say has been done to death for an FPS) Wolfenstein has been having a hard time trying to stay relevant during this gaming generation. An odd statement to be sure given that we’ve only seen one Wolfenstein game released for the current and last gaming console generations. Though it was nice that we got a XBLA/PSN release of the original Wolfenstein 3D and the Xbox 360/PS3 release of Wolfenstein, it didn’t seem to do much to keep the interest going for the series.

I only assume this given how I haven’t heard many speak well of this game like they use to in the past. I’m not sure why exactly that would be the case. Wolfenstein did try to take a different approach to the series in general. They got rid of the linear format of the FPS and instead added a hub town for William "B.J." Blazkowicz to visit in order to progress in the story specific levels found in the game. They kept all the weapons Blazkowicz could use but added a modern upgrade system to enhance their loadout attributes. They stuck with the original story plot from the previous game by having “Deathshead” in the game thus continuing where “B.J.” left off in fighting the forces of the SS Paranormal Division. And the best part was that they added a new supernatural element of the Thule Medallion that helps you teleport into the alternate world called “The Veil”, and use the various supernatural powers the medallion offered. For me this added so much more to the Wolfenstein saga that I put this game as one of my Halloween titles a few years back. And yet despite this it didn’t seem to get much attention.

Was Wolfenstein losing relevance? Was the World War II setting becoming boring after all these years?  Did people tire of the supernatural setting in combating the SS Paranormal Division? Were people upset that the game didn’t take place in Castle Wolfenstein? (The last two games took place near it) For whatever reason the next Wolfenstein game, entitled The New Order, seems to be taking the series into a realm that has mostly been done to death in books, TV shows and movies: Alternative History. As of this writing I don’t know how this came to pass or exactly where and/or when the new events in Wolfenstein take place but it appears that Blazkowicz is going to be fighting the Nazis in the 1960’s where the Nazis have taken over the world. All I have to say to this new plot is simple:

It’s about bloody time!

 

Though this concept of the Nazis winning World War II has been done before in prior media, it’s somehow refreshing to see Wolfenstein finally taking this bold, new step into the Alternate history genre. I’d been a big fan of Harry Turtledove’s works in prior alternate history settings including his “World War / Colonization” series that deals with alien invaders that force Ally and Axis powers to unite, as well as his current series “The War That Came Early”. I even enjoyed John Barnes’s “The Timeline Wars” story “Patton's Spaceship” that had its own spin on how Hitler won the war. (It involved alternate timeline intervention by prior Nazis offering their technology and a third party determined to use that advantage in taking over that timeline.) I even enjoyed the movies “It happened Here” that explored the concept of British colaborators during nazi occupation and the two parter TV episodes of Star Trek: Enterprise "Zero Hour"/"Storm Front" that depict what it would be like with Hitler occupying Great Britain and the Eastern United States respectively.

 

In some respects one could consider the Disney propaganda cartoon “Der Fuehrer's Face” as alternate history albeit done satirically.

But the only thing missing of me to fully enjoy the World War II alternative history genre is for us to have a good console based video game based on this alternate history scenario. We know this concept can be done. We’ve seen the very fact with alternative history game titles come out in recent years. Fallout 3, Fallout: New Vegas and the Resistance Series (except for Resistance 3) and to an extent "Singularity", are excellent examples of what alternate history can look like in video game form. Even subpar titles like “Turning Point: Fall of Liberty” and “Damnation” showed us that even if the idea is poorly executed, the concept of an alternative history title (Turning point being a “what if” scenario if Churchill died in a car accident and Damnation being if the Civil War dragged on longer than expected with steampunk elements added) can be an intriguing enough concept in of itself.

 

In some respects you could also group the “Bioshock” series and past Wolfenstein titles as possible precursors of alternative history ideas. (Bioshock originally started out as “Nazis underwater”)

Whether this means Wolfenstein:  The New Order says goodbye to its supernatural elements remains to be seen though I hold out hope that some kind of bizarre Nazi SS Paranormal Division teleportation project is what lead us to this point. Even now I’m left with the mystery if indeed this is the same William "B.J." Blazkowicz we’ve come to know and respect from Return to Castle Wolfenstein and Wolfenstein games respectively that has somehow found his way into an alternative earth. Or perhaps this game’s setting IS the alternative earth with an alternative version of William "B.J." Blazkowicz who’s learned the sad truth of the world after breaking out of the asylum that’s held him prisoner for 14 years.

Either way I’m looking forward to this new title in the Wolfenstein saga. From the game footage I've seen it looks to be pretty solid. It could be just the thing to breathe new life into the franchise and take it into a bold new direction. I do have to admit though that I would be a little sad if the supernatural elements of the series should go away, or play a diminished role in this New World. But I get the feeling that if that’s to be the case, I doubt that would disqualify it from being in any of my future Halloween gaming lists like prior Wolfenstein games before it. Perhaps finally we’ll be able to play a good alternate history game that involves Nazis taking over the world. That in of itself would be just as scary as seeing what evils the SS Paranormal Division is up to, London rebuilt into the nazis image or the US Capital building being draped with Nazi flags.Those thoughts alone are enough to get my trigger finger itchy.

 

Killing nazis never goes out of style…

Ta-ta

“N”