Wolfenstein II The New Colossus comes to Nintendo Switch
Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus released last year on the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One and won multiple awards. Now, some months later, The New Colossus is arriving on the Nintendo Switch. This is Bethesda’s third retail game for the Switch and one of its best on the system.
After thoroughly enjoying Doom and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim on the Switch last fall, I was eager to get my hands on Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus. I’ll be blunt, I’ve been curious as to how this game would translate on to the Switch. The port was handled by Panic Button, and I can tell you that have worked wonders with this game on the Switch.
Set in an alternative version of history where the Nazi’s won the Second World War, you play as BJ Blazkowicz in an adventure that is action-packed and full of extraordinary characters. How does The New Colossus compare to the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions of the game? Let’s find out!
Game Details
Platform: Nintendo Switch
Developer: MachineGames
Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
Genre: Action-adventure, first-person shooter
Modes: Single-player
ESRB Rating: M (Mature 17+)
It’s time to end the Nazi oppression once and for all
The New Colossus starts out with a summary from its predecessor, Wolfenstein: The New Order that was released a few years back. It does a great job of filling in the back story for those who have not played the game and helps set the tone for The New Colossus. We quickly learn that although the assassination of Nazi General Deathshead in The New Order was a devastating blow to the Nazi’s, they managed to maintain their power and dominance.
The New Colossus picks right up where The New Order left off and is set in 1961. You reassume the roll as BJ Blazkowicz as a member of a group of fighters who set out to stop and put an end to the Nazi rule. In order to do so, you must take out the sadistic Nazi commander Frau Engel.
Along the way, you make new alliances and learn about BJ’s troubled past. Within the first few minutes of playing, it is easy to see how The New Colossus earned its mature rating. MachineGames tells the epic and at times tragic story without shying away from graphic depictions of violence and use of mature language.
Same great gameplay and added motion controls
The New Colossus on Switch offers the same great gameplay that you can find on the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions of the game from last fall. I spent the majority of the time playing the game in handheld mode and never had a single problem using the Joy-Cons to play.
If you’ve played The New Order, you know what type of gameplay to expect. Gameplay is essentially the same as its predecessor and most other first person shooters. However, in The New Colossus you have more weapons and an upgrade system that allows you to modify your weapons based upon your playstyle. Additionally, The New Colossus has a passive perk system, which rewards you for completing in-game challenges.
I’ve been eager to try out the new motion controls that we have seen being advertised in trailers for the game. While I am not normally a fan of motion controls, I was impressed with how intuitive they really are. Both the Joy-Cons and Pro Controller are supported. Being able to fine-tune your aim to such a level of accuracy is mind blowing. It does take a bit getting used to, but it is well worth it in the end.
An amazing graphical feat with some sacrifices
Being a hybrid system, the Nintendo Switch is not as graphically powerful as the PlayStation 4 or Xbox One. That being said, Panic Button did an amazing job of porting The New Colossus to the Switch. Many people didn’t believe it could be done, including myself.
However, just like we saw in the Switch port of Doom, some sacrifices have been made. First of all, the game uses an adaptive resolution that tops out at 720p when docked. There are times when the resolution drops and some objects and characters appear fuzzy or blurry. Additionally, textures are at a lower resolution than the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. While it doesn’t really detract from the overall experience, at times it is noticeable.
I was quite impressed that the game maintained a fluid 30 frames per second through out the entire experience. I can honestly say that Panic Button has created one of, if not the best looking portable first person shooters in Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus.
Final Thoughts
Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus is an amazing technical feat that I would have never thought possible on the Nintendo Switch. You get the entire experience as released last fall on the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One with an added bonus of motion controls and portability. I’m glad to see Bethesda throwing its support behind the Switch and helping diversify the systems offerings.
If you are looking for a mature first person shooter on the Switch with an excellent story and fast-paced action, you can’t go wrong with Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus.
+ Brilliantly-written story with intense action
+ Motion controls offer an amazing amount of accuracy
+ Contains the entire experience just like PS4 and Xbox One
+ Best shooter on the Switch
– Graphics are blurry in some instances due to low resolution
– Gameplay can become repetitive
– No multiplayer mode
– Requires a mandatory 13GB download to play the game
OVERALL
Gameplay: 4/5
Graphics: 4/5
Sound: 4/5
Lasting Appeal/Replayability: 3.5/5
Overall Rating 3.9/5 (78%)
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I’ve been playing the game on PC and PS for quite some time now, unlike other gamers/streamers out there that make it seem like a piece of cake. I find it quite hard but honestly not repetitive as stated in the blog post. My main thing for august is to get a switch and start enjoying some Mario cart kinda stuff but seeing that also Wolfenstein is available makes it even more tempting. Gees, decisions-decisions.
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