Last year, MachineGames surprised a lot of people with Wolfenstein: The New Order. The presentation was top notch, and the gunplay was solid with some clever ideas. It was the story, however, that really shone because it had more gut-wrenching scenes and heart than most games in the last few years, both in and out of the genre. This year, we have a new Wolfenstein game, but it's a stand-alone expansion pack, as evidenced by the $20 price tag. Nevertheless, Wolfenstein: The Old Blood shows that the team can still deliver magic, albeit in a slightly different manner.

The game is set up as a prequel to the 2014 title. The year is 1946, and the Allies are losing the war to the point where the Nazis believe they can soon claim victory. As things get desperate, the Allies decide to go after a man called Deathshead, who is responsible for the various technological advances the Nazis have been using to gain the upper hand. The problem is that they don't know where his base of operations is located. You play the role of B.J. Blazkowicz, a soldier of the secret forces. Your assignment is to infiltrate Castle Wolfenstein and look through the files of Helga von Schabbs, one of Deathshead's officers, in order to find his whereabouts. Naturally, things get worse, and as you plot your escape from the castle, you stumble upon a project that can be just as devastating and must be stopped.

Three things stand out about the story that make it different from the previous game. The first is that it hearkens back to the 2009 version of Wolfenstein instead of the more grounded story beats of the previous game. The signs of The New Order are still there, from the super-powered soldiers to the mechanized dogs, but the story mainly focuses on the occult. It gets there through more realistic means, instead of dealing with purely supernatural elements, so the tale doesn't feel out of place in the world MachineGames has established for the series.

The second thing you'll notice is that the characterization for almost every character is pared down significantly. Compared to the heroes and villains of The New Order, the characters here are pretty one-note, as they fit into archetypes without room for expansion. There is some history to some of the major players in the game, but that's discovered via notes and other documents instead of playing out on-screen. The characters still spout humorous lines and convey some meaningful threats, but the portrayals of BJ and company pale in comparison to the nuances of the previous game,.

The third thing you'll notice is that the brutality of the Nazis has been toned down a bit. The last game had some of the more disturbing references and anecdotes about how the regime deals with things, from references of mass cremation to a baby supposedly getting killed in front of a crowd. Written words about hangings and seeing a dog eating a corpse are the worst things that the game has to offer. We've seen this before in other media, especially in games, so they're slightly easier to stomach.

When it comes to the gameplay, The Old Blood follows the same beats as before, with a mix of old and new shooting mechanics from the past decade. BJ can hold loads of weapons at a time, and he can even dual-wield most of them, but reloading is mandatory since each weapon has a limited clip size. Health is partially regenerative at intervals, but you have the ability to overcharge your health beyond the 200 mark this time, and armor is still available for you to pick up. The ability to employ stealth kills makes a return, as does the perk system where you can improve your abilities and stats via your personal play style. Though most of the weapons are repeats of the previous arsenal or older versions of those weapons, you get something new in the form of a lead pipe, which can be switched between the singular and two-piece versions for clubbing and stabbing, respectively, and it can also be used for the new climbing sections.

Just like the past game, you can either choose to sneak around levels or go in with guns blazing. There's more opportunity to do each, and there are a few places where the paths diverge a bit to accommodate either play style. You'll still have a few sections where gunplay is inevitable, but stealth is only required in the first stage, making for a rather tense opening. This is somewhat surprising for a series that's seemingly dedicated to all-out action. Otherwise, the choice is all yours, and that is something players from the last game appreciated.

Another thing that people appreciated was the gunplay, and that returns in fine form. There's a good feel for each weapon, and none of the arsenal feels overly exotic. Enemies perform the same moves that you can, and they display a good deal of intelligence. More often than not, big firefights will have you running and sliding behind destructible cover while the enemies do the same. The high tension of each fight and the hunt for more health and ammo makes each encounter a spectacle. The outrageous stuff comes much later in the game, but none of the fights ever feel boring.

It really is the gameplay that makes the title as good as its predecessor. The pacing feels right, the comedy doesn't feel forced, and the tonal shift that occurs later embraces the B-movie feel without getting campy. What may be surprising is that the game is, in a way, about as long as the previous title if you go through it one time. Despite only being eight stages long with a prologue, the stages feel lengthy without seeming padded. There's a lot of action built in, and there are even a few boss fights for good measure. For the amount of game time you can eke out of this, the asking price is a bargain.

Graphically, nothing has really changed. The frame rate is still solid during gameplay, though pre-recorded scenes drop things to 30. What's interesting is how there are so many short cut scenes that show BJ moving from a vehicle to a building or moving from room to room, most likely as a way to hide loading transitions. With the exception of a few surfaces, the texture work is great, and the lighting effects and the character models are as good as before. The environments are still rather drab, with flecks of color here and there, but considering how few environments you get to see, it really doesn't serve as much of a complaint.

The audio remains strong despite losing the alternate 1960s themes for the soundtrack. Instead, the music is an orchestral affair that moves between the dramatic and the action-packed, but it does so without sounding abrupt. The sound effects and voice acting are great, despite a lack of drama in the proceedings. An appropriate amount of seriousness and levity is delivered in the tone, making the tale work well even if it has a B-movie vibe instead of the hopeful top tier of the previous game.

Though not as thematically strong as its predecessor, Wolfenstein: The Old Blood still provides solid gameplay. The stealth and shooting mechanics are strong enough to create a great experience. The compromise between old and new mechanics in regards to health and weapon handling still feels fresh, while the AI battles remain exhilarating. The length and presentation value are also good, so fans of The New Order will really appreciate The Old Blood.

Score: 8.0/10