Wolfenstein 3D... oh do we go back far. This is one of the games that really got me into gaming. I mean, yeah, I've played video games before this one. But this was the first game I can honestly say I was obsessed with. But now I'm back all these years later, and I'm not here to honor it. I'm here to criticize it. Will it hold out against my analytical wrath?

Graphics: 6
Let's start with the graphics. If you just picked up the game and started playing right now, you'll probably notice the graphics. More specifically, you'll notice that they are somewhat crude and tend to blur really badly at a distance. However, you must remember that this is a game on the Game Boy Advance. Graphics are almost always crude on the GBA. Considering the time period, it really could be worse. But there was definitely room for improvement.

Sound: 5
To say the least, the sound in this game is questionable. There are two main problems with the sound. First of all, there's no soundtrack. Second, many of the sounds seem out of place. Some of the sound effects sound echo static. Others just sound off, like the odd springy sound effect when the player grabs treasure. However, there are sounds that it gets right. The soldiers lines sound authentic (despite the fact that they sound like broken records) and the gunshots sound like gunshots. It splits even on this one.

Addictiveness: 9
Wolfenstein 3D is very addictive. It is the father of the modern first person shooter, and rightly so. The relatively simple gameplay can really go a long way. When you first start the game, you don't really expect it to be that much. But then you play it once, and you realize how fun it is to take down the SS using your minigun. The only problem is that it can get repetitive over time.

Story: 3
The story in this game has potential, but the potential is never really realized. Anyone who reads about the game knows that you are a soldier in World War II, and you're fighting all of the Nazis and doing whatever it is you're doing in that stage. There are two problems with this. The first is that's about it. Whether you're breaking out of the castle or killing Hitler, there isn't much more elaboration. The second problem is that you don't even know why you're doing what you're doing if you don't go out of your way to figure it out. The game's one glimmer of hope is how well it sets up the setting through the decorations. Nothing says "Nazi" like a swastika on the wall.

Depth: 6
This game has a decent gameplay, but it doesn't really do much with it. You run around, you shoot the Nazis, you get to the goal, and... that's it. It's just running and gunning. It is rather unique in the fact that there are many hidden parts within the levels. If you hit the right spot in a wall, you can access a secret passage. A few of these passages might even be secret levels, if you know where to look. But these secrets don't make up for the lack of the main gameplay. It isn't too bad, however, because it does have numerous different stages and levels within it, extending the gameplay beyond what it would otherwise be.

Difficulty: 5
Like many games, the difficulty ultimately comes down to what difficulty setting you choose. This game provides a lot of leeway for difficulty. If you choose the easiest option, "Can I Play Daddy?", odds are you won't have a problem. But if you choose something a little more challenging (such as "I Am Death Incarnate"), then you are going to be in for quite a challenge indeed.

Overall: 8.5
When it comes down to it, Wolfenstein 3D is a simple yet fun first person shooter. It's got enough to keep you coming back for more, but not to the point where it distracts you from the straightforward "shoot Nazis, get to the goal" gameplay. Like all games, it does have its problems. The set up is a little weak, and sometimes it can be difficult to tell where you're going, but these problems aren't bad enough to ruin the gameplay. If you like first person shooters, Wolfenstein 3D is definitely a great game worth playing.

Great review man. I honestly have no critique, you're a good reviewer.

I actually doubted the patronage that you assigned to Wolfenstein and verified the release date against DOOM but you are right this was released first. That may have been common knowledge to some but not to me.

I absolutely love to see newer users (I know you've made a lot of posts, but I don't really feel like I 'know' you as a frequent user of vizzed quite yet) really put effort into a review.  This is quite wonderfully written. Like phantom, I can't say that I have a critique.  It's very succinct.

It's nice to see that you made a review about this classic. Good job, I'm more a Doom 1 and 2 fan, but I have always liked Wolfenstein too, killing Nazi's can sometimes be fun. Keep up the good work.

There actually is a soundtrack in the original 1992 PC version. Basic MIDI tunes, given that it's for DOS, but still a soundtrack. I own the Wolf3D GBA port in real life, and it always puzzled me as to why they took it out. Earlier ports, like the ones for the SNES and the Atari Jaguar, had soundtracks.

Too clarify more on the story. You notice how there are six episodes total. In chronological order it goes 4, 5, 6, 1, 2, 3 which is why you face Hitler in episode 3.