Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus

Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus is a first-person shooter developed by MachineGames and published by Bethesda Softworks. Released in 2017, it is a direct sequel to Wolfenstein: The New Order and continues the story of William “B.J.” Blazkowicz in an alternate history where Nazi Germany won the Second World War. The game begins shortly after the previous story: B.J. is gravely injured, and the resistance has escaped aboard the stolen Nazi submarine Eva’s Hammer.

The action moves to the United States, which has been occupied by the Nazis. The resistance works to recruit allies and undermine the regime, with missions set in locations including Manhattan, Roswell, New Orleans, and a Nazi-controlled version of Texas. B.J. is not simply an observer in this conflict: his personal history, physical injuries, and relationships with other resistance members shape the story. The game also follows his partnership with Anya Oliwa, his connection to the Kreisau Circle, and the threat posed by General Irene Engel, a prominent Nazi commander who appeared in The New Order.

A central early sequence takes place in occupied Roswell, where B.J. and resistance fighter Set Roth attempt to detonate a nuclear device. Later, the resistance’s plans involve taking control of the United States’ communications network. These events connect the campaign’s missions to the larger effort to inspire a revolt, rather than presenting them as disconnected battles. The narrative mixes military action with scenes aboard Eva’s Hammer, where the resistance’s disagreements and personal lives are shown between operations.

The game’s combat centers on firearms, close-quarters attacks, and stealth. Players can carry two weapons at once and combine them in dual-wielding configurations. Enemies include Nazi soldiers, robotic dogs, heavily armored machines, and commanders who can summon reinforcements if they spot the player. The environments support different approaches: a player can sneak through some areas or fight through them using an assortment of weapons. B.J.’s advanced combat equipment includes devices that alter how he moves through the battlefield.

MachineGames built The New Colossus using id Software’s id Tech 6 engine. Its campaign is single-player; it does not include a cooperative story mode. The game also includes a separate set of challenge missions that revisit combat encounters. Its performances and cinematic presentation carry forward the series’ combination of alternate-history science fiction and character-focused storytelling.

The New Colossus received generally positive reviews and won the Best Action Game award at The Game Awards 2017. Its depiction of resistance under occupation, its American settings, and its continuation of B.J.’s story distinguish it within the modern Wolfenstein series.