Did you like Wolfenstein: New Order, Machine Games’ excellent reboot of the venerable shooter franchise? You should have done, because it was brilliant, one of the best games of last year.
Which is why the Swedish studio’s announcement today that they’re releasing a standalone prequel has me so excited. Wolfenstein: The Old Blood will launch on May 5 for $20, and it takes hero BJ Blazkowicz back to the iconic Castle Wolfenstein.
This is interesting for a couple of reasons; firstly, the 1940s sections of The New Order were a lot of fun, but they were also fairly brief, so I think it makes sense for Machine Games to revisit the period - not least because they’ve already got a few of the necessary assets squared away. It’s also a chance to focus once again on the series’ more supernatural elements, which The New Order largely abandoned in favour of loopy, B-movie sci-fi. The second act of The Old Blood takes BJ to the city of Wulfburg ”where an obsessed Nazi archaeologist is exhuming mysterious artifacts that threaten to unleash a dark and ancient power.”
So it sounds like The Old Blood will tie together the two distinct time periods Wolfenstein’s currently juggling nicely, and explain just how all the Indiana Jones-style mystical nonsense fits into the rebooted universe ( I know, I care about the lore of the Wolfenstein universe. How did that happen?). Plus, we get to shoot more Nazis. With some fancy new weapons too, according to the trailer above. Win win.
“Diving back into the world of Wolfenstein has really been fun for us,” says producer Jerk Gustafsson. “We’ve enjoyed exploring the events leading up to The New Order. We think fans will really enjoy the story, all the action and, of course, jumping back into the combat with new weapons.”
When it launches on May 5, Wolfenstein: The Old Blood will only be available through the usual digital channels. Now roll on the sequel.