Wolfenstein: Youngblood, the latest entry in the rebooted Wolfenstein series, is an often-perplexing game. While the core appeal of fighting futuristic Nazis in a dystopian alternate history remains intact, Youngblood brings several changes to the table, but there is little rhyme or reason for some of the alterations made.
Youngblood is the first Wolfenstein game to feature co-op, and this is definitely a welcome addition. Almost any game is more enjoyable with a friend (or, in some cases, a random stranger), but people determined to play solo are partnered with a mostly competent computer-controlled partner. The co-op aspect is not used in any unique ways, but it can liven up the otherwise repetitive experience.
The story of Youngblood is sadly sparse. Jumping forward 20 years after the conclusion of Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus, Youngblood casts players as series protagonist B.J. Blazkowicz’s twin daughters, Jess and Soph. After B.J. goes missing in Nazi-occupied Paris, his daughters mount a rescue operation . . . and that is the extent of the plot. There are some interesting reveals at the end of the game that tease the next main entry in the series, but Youngblood has precious little time for its story and characters. Given how entertaining the writing of the previous games could be and how promising Jess and Soph are as characters, the lack of an engaging story is disappointing.
The action in Youngblood has some notable differences from previous entries, most of which feel unnecessary, but not particularly detrimental. The guns in Youngblood still feel immensely satisfying to use, but enemies now sport health bars, are often resistant to certain weapon types and generally soak up more punishment than before. This is in service of balancing the game for two players, but unloading an entire clip of ammunition into a lightly armored enemy to little effect does feel at odds with the pace of combat established by previous games. Also, gone are the tightly-crafted linear levels of the previous entries. Youngblood instead opts for a handful of fairly large environments that players will revisit repeatedly. These levels are well-made, and they have a pleasing verticality and openness to them that encourages exploration, but trekking back and forth through the same streets a dozen times does eventually get old.
At a budget price of $30, Youngblood offers a good amount of bang for your buck. The main campaign and a smattering of side missions can be completed in about nine hours, but those looking to do absolutely everything could easily spend almost twice as long polishing off every mission. Youngblood also features some microtransactions in the form of special currency that can be used to buy cosmetics and minor gameplay boosters, but while I resent their needless inclusion, they are easy enough to ignore.
Wolfenstein: Youngblood is a bold experiment, if nothing else. It is an entry in a series built on a strong narrative and lightning-fast action that has almost no story and a much more deliberate pace. The addition of co-op is enough to offset the strangeness of some of the changes made to the series formula, but as entertaining as Youngblood can be, this Wolfenstein fan hopes the inevitable Wolfenstein III adheres more closely to the series’ roots.
