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Wolfenstein 3-D Review - IGN

️Daemon Hatfield
️Fri May 11 2012

Required playing for any first-person shooter fan.

Whether or not Wolfenstein 3-D on PlayStation Network is worth your time depends on how long it's been since you played the seminal first-person shooter. The game has been around for 17 years, was recently released on iPhone, and the source code is freely available online. But if it's been a while since you strolled through castle Wolfenstein as William "BJ" Blazkowicz and you fancy earning some retroactive trophies for the time you put in all those moons ago, then you'll find this classic game is still great fun.
Wolfenstein 3-D is required playing for any shooter fan. Blazkowicz runs through admittedly repetitive mazes looking down the barrel of his gun, blasting Nazis, and munching on turkey legs. It's kitschy fun now, but the game was revolutionary back in 1992. Today, Wolfenstein 3-D is enjoyed mostly for its nostalgic value. Everything from the graphics to the music to the sound effects is a blast from the past. Sure, it's repetitive and cheap. But Wolfenstein 3-D is hard to criticize because it's a product of its time. And many aspects of its gameplay remain satisfying, from the blood spurts of bad guys to the secret corridors waiting to be discovered. There are lots of nice little touches like Blazkowicz' stern face peering out from the bottom of the screen. As he takes damage, his face will become increasingly bloodied.

Surprise, jerk!

Players who've never experienced Wolfenstein 3-D should know what they're getting into, though. You move with the left analog stick and aim with the right, but you'll only be looking horizontally – the Y axis was too advanced for the computers of 1992. It's easy to get lost in Wolfenstein's repetitious corridors and there is no map. Players are required to keep a mental map of their surroundings, something modern games rarely ask of us. When entering a new room a Nazi will likely be hiding to one side of the entrance. But Blazkowicz can't turn around very quickly so if you choose to aim at the wrong side the enemy will be shooting you in the back. Your health does not regenerate in between levels, but if you perish you'll simply restart the current floor with full energy.

Wolfenstein 3-D on PSN has been timed to raise awareness of Activision's upcoming new Wolfenstein game. But players who download the original will also be able to earn money that can be spent on upgrades in the upcoming retail effort. It's a fun, extra little incentive to take this trip down memory lane.

Online leaderboards will track the overall and friend scores of each level (you earn points for stealing Nazi gold). Wolfenstein 3-D is a single-player shooter, though. The graphics haven't been updated but the game runs smoothly here on PSN.

Verdict

Wolfenstein 3-D remains fun after all these years. If you've never played it, download immediately and see what spawned the first-person shooter genre. If it's been a while since you hung out with William "BJ" Blazkowicz you'll likely be surprised at how amusing the Nazi shooting gallery still is. The action is satisfying and there are plenty secrets to find. It's definitely dated and flawed, but this is a game you play for its nostalgic value.