Open-Source First Person Shooter Mega Review: Wolfenstein 3D

Wolfenstein 3D was a first-person shooter released in 1992 by iD Software. The company was a name well-known in shareware circles at the time, but after the release of this game, it became close to a household name.

The game was based on the 1981 Muse Software stealth action-adventure game Castle Wolfenstein and its 1984 sequel, Beyond Castle Wolfenstein. The idea was always to create a three-dimensional version of Castle Wolfenstein, but the company didn't own the rights until John Romero, the co-founder of iD Software, purchased the rights to the Wolfenstein name from the creator of Castle Wolfenstein, Silas Warner.

With the name secured, the game had much of the same story as Castle Wolfenstein in that an allied prisoner of war escapes Castle Wolfenstein. This time however, the role of the prisoner was given to William "B.J." Blazkowicz, who fought his way through the game with his guns and fists rather than through stealth.

The game had a first-person view, with the player experiencing the game through the eyes of B.J. Blazkowicz himself. Through six episodes comprised of six levels each, he blasts through Nazi enemies and collects health, ammo, and new weapons as he goes along. 

The game gets crazier as it goes on and leans heavily on the notion of Hitler trying to make augmented super soldiers. In this universe, the program succeeds, both through giant Nazis that take multiple shots to kill as well as Nazis in robot armor. This even extends to Adolf Hitler himself. 

Some levels will require a key to unlock doors which can generally be found in areas filled with guards and sometimes guard dogs. There are also hidden doors that can be found by pressing walls and paintings. Many times these will be found in the latter, which are usually giant pictures of Adolf Hitler. The hidden door will slide away and Blazkowicz can grab the loot found inside.

When a level is completed, the player is given a screen with the time it took them to get through it, the number of enemies killed, and the secret areas found. A time that is par for the level will be displayed with which to compare the player's time.

Wolfenstein 3D is a landmark game for the first-person shooter genre. It's over thirty years old now, so it definitely shows its age. However, it is still fun to play, even if it may cause dizziness due to the fact that the graphics are presented through ray casting, making only the surfaces visible to the player. The game has been ported to many different architectures from the Super Nintendo Entertainment System to the Nintendo Switch, so it is easy to pick up and play on your platform of choice. Fans have also converted the game as modifications for many later, more capable engines from Doom to Half-Life 2, and even in Virtual Reality in Half-Life: Alyx. However you play it, it's well worth playing to experience the game that popularized the first-person shooter genre.

Final Verdict:
4 out of 5