Wolfenstein Game Review

In 1992 Id Software released Wolfenstein 3D which is considered to be the father of all first person shooters. (Check the video below.) Many other first person shooter video games would follow. For example, there would be Halo, Half Life, Goldeneye, Perfect Dark, and others. In 2001, Id followed Wolfenstein with the successful Return to Castle Wolfenstein. (RTCW) Wolfenstein 3D and RTCW mixed the historical theories that Nazis were interested in the occult with science fiction to create a game in which you played U.S. Army Ranger, Captain William Joseph ("BJ") Blazkowicz with the purpose to to defeat the Nazis' plans. Recently, Id has released Wolfenstein, a sequel to RTCW, for the PC, Playstion 2 and the XBOX 360. This is a XBOX 360 review. (Trailer below.)

Again, you are Blazkowicz, secret agent for the United States. You are assigned to the German (Austrian?) city Isenstadt to discover what the Nazis are doing there. You find out that the Nazis are attempting to harness the power from an alternate dimension called the Black Sun. Lucky for you, early on you obtain one of the Thule Medallion which allows you to enter the Veil, the alternate dimension that coexists with our dimension. Entering the Veil, highlights enemies and gives you special powers. While in the city which serves as a hub, you meet up with resistance groups who will assign you tasks. This is a quasi non-linear game, allowing you to play in any order the missions.

Saving Captain Blazkowicz.

So the question becomes, "Is this game a worthy successor to the legacy of Wolfenstein 3D and RTCW?" The answer is yes and no.

The purpose of the city of Isenstadt is to give this game an open world feel. The problem is that it seems as if this is a test run for Id's future open world game Rage. The concept is half baked. There's very few things you can do in the city other than collect gold and intel. Another problem is that when you complete a mission and return to the city, there's an immediate patrol waiting to kill you. I don't mind that if I go too far away from a safe house, but you're tired after completing a mission and really want to go home and save your progress.

Saving games on Wolfenstein stinks. You would think with complaints over checkpoint autosaves that Id would not go in this direction. In fact, RTCW allowed you to save your game anywhere. Wolfenstein uses said checkpoints to autosave your game. The big problem? You have to repeat progress if you get killed before you hit a checkpoint. And you will get killed, especially at the hands of the invisible Assassins. Second, if you play offline, continuing a campaign when you reload is confusing annoyance. The program loads an earlier saved mission when you have left the game in the city. So what to do? Instead use the load a game option, and search from the list of the most recent autosaved games. If you have saved at, say Midtown West, look at the most recent Midtown West game. It should read, "Midtown West Checkpoint." Saving games was never a problem with RTCW.

Inglorious Bastards

So what's good about Wolfenstein? First, the Veil is innovative. Use the Veil. It will help you find goodies and solve problems. Controlling your character is natural and works well. One exception is running. Clicking on your left stick is a hit and miss proposition. But the controls for firing your weapons are wonderful. You feel like Indiana Jones when using the submachine gun MP40. Killing Nazis has not been more fun. The graphics are beautiful. Check out the resolution of the Nazi propaganda posters. The music works well with the action by increasing the tension and the sound effects are excellent.

If you liked Wolfenstein 3D and Return to Castle Wolfenstein, you'll want to return to duty. Wolfenstein is a flawed but entertaining and satisfying first person shooter. The grade is B.

UPDATE: The game froze at the "Black Sun" loading screen. This is the final mission. Mein Lieben! At the time, I had 100% of all the collectibles. I had also replayed a mission. I then tried the game on a different profile, avoided replaying a mission and kept all collectibles under 80%. It worked and I was able to complete the game. This does not change my review. Wolfenstein is still an enjoyable, at times brilliant but very flawed game. Update. Activision suggested I play another saved game and delete the rest. That also worked. I was able to have 100% by deleting older saved games. In that situation, I deleted everything except the game progress I was currently in. I then decided to play the game over again. I started a new game and deleted games as I went on. By the time I got to the last mission, I had one saved game from "Zeppelin." That worked also. I was able to complete the game with 100% in collectibles.

Double Feature

Tip for Defeating Hospital Level Boss. Spoiler Alert. At the beginning of this boss section you see the Altered, a raging Hulk like boss, kill a Nazi by smashing him into a pillar. The pillar is destroyed. That's a hint. You are then given the task to destroy the three other pillars holding the Black Sun Portal. Your fist inclination is to find a way to destroy the pillars with your guns. Don't. Neither the Altered or the pillars are vulnerable to your weapons. I found this out the hard way, folks. Three hours later, I stumbled upon the solution. Since the Altered is the only thing strong enough to destroy the pillars, I stood behind a pillar. The beast ran at me and damaged the pillar. Rinse and repeat. The pillar then falls. In no time you will destroy the other two.

One last thing to get through the level. Once you get the Empower Crystal, you'll will be able to shoot through shields. Use a weapon to fire through the shield to destroy a red barrel that will explode and take down the shield generator.

Here's my guide to beat the bosses. And here's my weapons guide and non-boss enemies list.

The final battle in Wolfenstein 3D. I wonder if Quentin Tarantino was inspired by this for his film, "Inglourious Basterds." Wolfenstein did co-sponsor the premiere.


Trailer for Wolfenstein (2009)

Homer hammers the Dodgers

Pitcher Homer Bailey was masterful tonight in keeping the West Division leading L.A. Dodgers off the scoreboard for eight innings. At the end of eight innings, his fastball was still in the mid-nineties. He threw the ball to both sides of the plate. He had his slider and split finger fastball working. If he can stay consistent, there's no reason to send him back to the minors. Homer may have earned himself a spot on the rotation for next year. Oh, and by the way the Reds won 4-2.

Lion of the Senate

I salute Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy, the Lion of the Senate, who passed away two days ago. Here's a summary of his career by Keith Olbermann.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Cincinnati Bengals, Episode 3 Review

Our beloved misfits are back. Chad. Tank. Katie Brown. First, let's talk about the music. The orchestral theme used throughout Hard Knocks is a theme of struggle and determination. Great french horn work. It's inspiring. Again, the filming was gorgeous, with dramatic live action mixed with slow motion.

Episode 3 should be called "Reps." We see Chad Ocho Cinco complain about getting play repetitions or "Reps." Yet, we know he's going to make the team. It's the guys who are unknown are the ones that need them to show the team to keep them. It becomes who through his play is going to stand out. Hello rookie running back Bernard Scott. Aha, that's who safety Tom Nelson is.

We meet Defensive Coordinator Mike Zimmer. Wow. He's a cussing and fussing coach. He's mean but with a purpose. He challenges rookie linebacker Rey Maualuga to play with injury. For that matter so does head Coach Marvin Lewis. Zimmmer's meaness is to cajole his defense to play harder. He wants them to play with pride. He likes underdogs. He likes the fact that guys on the roster are players that others didn't want. Now, I see why guys want to play for him. He brings out the best in his players.

The comedy. First, Carson gets to joke about his injury saying he has more white blood cells than most people. Unfortunately, the camera pans to his swollen and bruised ankle. Um, Carson it looks ugly. Then there's the rookie talent show. The rookies do a hell of a job. They tease the veterans, as we see a guy play veteran safety Roy Williams during his off time; lying in bed infatuated with a R&B singer. There's an excellent haka done by the Samoan players, one of them was Maualuga. I'm not sure but some of those other rookies are not Polynesian. Kudos, guys. There's a funny take on Dhani Jones and a dig at unsigned Andre Smith's shirtless sprint. Of course when it comes to comedy, we must go to Chad Ocho Cinco. He claims to coin the phrase, "Kiss the baby" to signal that the game is over. Sorry, Chad. Reds' color man Jeff Brantley coined that one. Then he makes a joke about a condom that is going to be named after him. Funny. We watch him at the preseason game with New England. First, he jaws with Patriots' Coach Bill Belichick, getting a laugh from the stone faced coach. Did he just call head coach Lewis, "Boss man?" Of course, there is his extra point kick and his kickoff. We hear offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski worry about Chad tackling and getting hurt on kickoffs, and Lewis joking to Bratkowski that Chad doesn't tackle, so don't worry.

For the uninitiated, the Bengals have a revamped offensive line to protect the franchise QB Carson Palmer. We watch top draft pick tackle Andre Smith's agent Alvin Keels arrive to negotiate. They go into Katie Brown's office. And four hours later, nothing. The reality not portrayed by NFL films is that the Bengals refuse to pay more than what the Raiders paid for Darrius Bey, the pick after the Bengals. Thus, the Bengals are attempting to defy the slotting system that all the other NFL teams have followed. Hello!? Katie, did you see Carson's swollen ankle?

We learn during the Patriots game that the coaches hate to lose, even if it is a preseason game. There's also Zimmer's defense. They pressured the quarterback all during the game. It's something we haven't seen in a long time. Later, there's a coaches' evaluation. Maualuga is making his mark. Tom Nelson is standing out.

I'm rooting for the misfits, the guys from WKRP in Cincinnati. The grade for this episode is A+.

Bengals Owner Mike Brown exercises bad judgment again

In past, Bengals owner Mike Brown has exercised terrible judgement. He stuck by David Shula as his head coach for four years when it was clear he was a horrific leader. He turned down the Saints' offer of all their picks for the Bengals' first round pick. His pick? The craptastic Akili Smith. Now, Mike Brown does it again. He refuses to follow the slotting system, i.e. a draft pick is paid more than the selections that follow. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes on his blog, "Look, if the Bengals didn't want to pay the kind of contract that the sixth overall pick in the draft now commands, the Bengals should have traded out of the slot or passed on the pick." Amen, brother.

It amazes me that after seeing Carson Palmer go down with injuries last year and seeing the result for the season, that Mike Brown doesn't at least follow the slotting system. I'm sorry he doesn't want to pay for right tackle Andre Smith BUT THAT'S THE PRICE OF DOING BUSINESS. Smith was drafted to protect the franchise, Palmer. Mike's cheapness could cost the Bengals this season and Carson's career.

Jon Stewart salutes Barney Frank for slapping down crazy right wingers

Finally. A Jew has taken on those crazy right wingers who are accusing Obama of being a Nazi. Congressman Barney Frank put down a crazy woman for making the argument that health care reform by President Obama is a form of Nazi government. HELLO. The Nazis believed in a master race, i.e., the German Aryan race, blue eyed, blond hair white people. The Nazis believed this master race should dominate humanity. They dismantled civil rights and I'm not talking about just taxes. They slaughtered gays, gypsies and Jews, people they deemed to be subhuman. Blacks like Obama were not part of the master race. If you believe the President Obama is a Nazi when many of his supporters are blacks, gays and Jews, you don't know jack about Nazis. Please go back to school and study history. Thank you Jon Stewart of the Daily Show for your commentary. Oh and by the way Jon Stewart knows who are Nazis. He is also Jewish.

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Barney Frank's Town Hall Snaps
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Healthcare Protests

Avatar Trailer Review

The trailer for James Cameron's much hyped Avatar has just come out. And it's somewhat underwhelming. First, I must say that you can't judge a movie by its trailer. And if you know the history of Cameron's Titanic, predictions of disaster turned out to be false.

The problem with this trailer is the CGI aliens. It's difficult to portray emotions with CGI in a realistic setting. What I mean by that is that the humans are interacting with the aliens. This is unlike CGI used for a cartoon like effect. The blue alien "Tinkerbells" just don't look real. Some of the movements depicted by the CGI are stiff. That's just the weaknesses in the technology. I suggest that Cameron release 3D photos on the Web with instructions on how to get glasses. This worked great with Entertainment Weekly's 3D photos and glasses. That will get people excited about the 3D effects and ignore the artificial look of the aliens. Check out the trailer for yourself.