The New Colossus takes its name from the poem written by Emma Lazarus in 1883 that was later chiseled on the base of the Statue of Liberty. The most famous line from the poem rings loud and clear as you progress through the campaign.
“Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.”
B.J. Blazkowicz and his band of misfits find themselves yearning to breathe free after the events of The New Order and they are willing to risk it all to reclaim not only their freedom, but the freedom of the entire world.
Picking up directly after the events of The New Order, B.J. finds himself near defeat, his body broken and members of his team have been killed. They must regroup and plan their attack on the Nazi regime’s new base in the U.S. From the moment the game starts you can feel what B.J. feels. You see everything through his eyes and realize that the hope of the world rests on your shoulders. That is a lot for any man to take on, especially one in his position. His body is failing him and he is soon to be a new father. This weighs on him more and more as he comes to grips with his mortality. With beautifully scripted Terrance Malick inspired voice overs, we learn more about B.J. and what he is going through as he fears death is near. It is in these intimate moments that The New Colossus not only stands apart from its predecessor, but from most games in the genre.
Considering the story is filled with alternative history science fiction it finds a way to remain grounded thanks to the flashbacks and glimpses into B.J.’s past. Raised by a racist father and Jewish mother may seem like a cocktail for disaster during a pre-Nazi occupied world, but it was just what B.J. needed to mold him into the man and soldier he would become. This is a hard game to talk about without spoiling significant plot points since they are around every corner, but the events in his past help to not only add depth to Blazkowicz, they solidify him as one of the most iconic characters in recent memory.
There are multiple events in The New Colossus that are completely bonkers and cannot be talked about without spoiling them. Just know that when they happen you will immensely enjoy them and you will feel things that you would never expect to feel while playing a first person shooter.
The entire band of Allied characters are memorable, but with so many new characters some of the original band are left out to some degree. On the opposite side of the battlefield, while most of the Nazi’s are mindless drones, General Engel sticks out as one of the most sadistic villains in recent history. She goes as far as to nearly killing her own daughter so nothing to her is off limits for the cause. She is a truly terrifying woman and you won’t soon forget her. Like most of the game her evil is ramped up to 11 compared to The New Order.
Every note hits just perfectly. The comedy is expertly placed between brutal scenes of disemboweling Nazis and moments of heartfelt sincerity delivering a complete package to satisfy every fan of shooters
The gameplay itself is stellar. It can be extremely challenging, but this only makes you stronger. Movement is almost as important as shooting here so each death helps you figure out which path is best for you as you make your way through each level. With plenty of guns to choose from and upgrade as well as the perk system from the first game. The perk skill can be pretty much ignored if you see fit, but it can be a fun way to challenge yourself to try things that you normally wouldn’t.
For the second year in a row, Bethesda has published the best first person shooter campaign of the year. Last year’s Doom also included multiplayer inspired by older games like Unreal, Doom and Quake. While good, the multiplayer didn’t resonate with modern gamers in a way that they had hoped. Machine Games has opted to leave out any form of multiplayer here to avoid watering down the campaign and it pays off in dividends. In a year where companies like EA are considering a more multiplayer based video game experience, it’s good to see a publisher like Bethesda focusing on some of the best single player experiences of this generation.
Early on in the game B.J. proclaims “You take freedom away from the American people you’re playing with fire, and I intend on pouring some gasoline.” Boy does he ever!
Recommendation: If you’re a fan of first person shooters and you’ve played through The New Order you must play this game. If you’re a fan of first person shooters and you still haven’t played The New Order you must play this game. We are given a recap of the events of the first game before The New Colossus begins, so there is no excuse to not play this game. It is one of the best experiences of the year and will burn itself into your memory. In a year with so many spectacular games, that is no small feat. 9.0
