Wolfenstein: Youngblood (Xbox One/SX)

Youngblood ist ein Spiel, das sich lobenswerter Weise traut, ein paar Freiheiten zu ergründen, sogar fündig wird, dann aber nicht so recht weiß, was es damit anstellen soll. Das Resultat ist eine ganze Reihe an Neuerungen, die das Spiel an sich jedoch nicht wirklich weiterbringen, auch wenn Machine Games in Sachen Level-Design das eine oder andere aus dieser Kooperation gelernt haben dürfte.

It’s tempting to want Wolfenstein: Youngblood to be the rousing third chapter in a terrific revival of a classic franchise, but it’s not. Instead, it’s a fun, off-kilter experiment, a good game about doing good with your friend. Because killing Nazis is good, but it’s much better with friends.

Two players, two developers, but half the story: this spin-off isn't firing on all cylinders, but the combat is still hugely satisfying.

Youngblood never quite reaches the conceptual highs of the previous games; there are no missions set on the Moon or in a radioactive wasteland or whatever. But all of Youngblood’s levels are larger, better connected, and not constantly interrupted by cutscenes. This means that, crucially, combat encounters flow better.

Youngblood is a meat-and-potatoes first-person shooter where all the systems work well, the enemies provide a brutal challenge, and a friend can come along with you through the whole thing. It seems like it was designed as a relatively inexpensive crowd-pleaser of an FPS, and I will admit that I was very entertained.