Wolfenstein 3D in 1992 and Return to Castle Wolfenstein in 2003 were critically acclaimed video games and widely credited for revolutionizing the first-person shooter (FPS) genre. Wolfenstein 3D was arguably the first popular FPS ever created, and Return to Castle Wolfenstein‘s class-based multiplayer featured game play elements that have become standard in many modern FPS titles.

Developed by Raven Software (the team responsible for other PC classics like Soldier of Fortune and Jedi Knight II) and published by Activision, the latest, highly anticipated installment in the Wolfenstein franchise, the 2009 Wolfenstein, is a reasonably fun first-person shooter. However, that’s pretty much it. With such an impressive pedigree, however, its hard not to expect a whole lot more from Wolfenstein than it actually delivers.

The campaign mode in Wolfenstein is its greatest strength. You play special agent B.J. Blazkowicz once again and your goal, as usual, is to stop the Nazis who are up to no good. This time, they’re attempting to summon demons and monsters to bolster the ranks of the Nazi army, something the Allies clearly think would be detrimental towards their chances of winning World War II.

B.J. runs around with an arsenal of German weapons ranging from flame throwers to rocket launchers to lightening cannons, waging a one-man war against the evil Nazi forces. Like in games past, there’s the option to upgrade weapons in between missions while roaming around a town, but its severely disappointing to have such a limited selection of weapons. There’s no Thompson machine gun, no shotgun, no Venom gun, no Sten submachine gun. Nothing.

Players are able to enter a supernatural realm called “The Veil” which enables him to use magical powers. Such powers include the ability to slow down time, conjure a shield to absorb damage, etc. The powers add an appreciated layer of depth and strategy to gameplay.

For instance, when swarmed with enemies, utilizing your Veil powers effectively will mean the difference between life and death. B.J’s magic powers are a nice inclusion that keeps Wolfenstein 2009 from being a linear and one-dimensional, run-and-gun type of first-person shooter.

The graphics are also pretty respectable. They’re by no means ground breaking or jaw-dropping, but they do a good job of relaying Wolfenstein’s creepy atmosphere. The game also bears a unique art direction that is most noticeable in the demons and some of the more eccentric Nazi enemies you square off against. It’s creative, and while you do end up shooting generic Nazi cannon fodder most of the time, the encounters with Wolfenstein’s more paranormal enemies are usually memorable.

Wolfenstein’s campaign mode will satisfy most FPS fans. It strikes a nice balance between exploration, puzzles and running about murdering everything in sight, and things never become particularly dragged out or tedious. The campaign may never really try to do anything that hasn’t been accomplished in a dozen first-person shooters before it, but, regardless, it still delivers an action-packed, enjoyable adventure full of slaying Nazis and demons.

Unfortunately, the adventure is a short lived one. Despite there being a few side missions and items to hunt for, most gamers will be able to blow through the campaign in ten hours.

This might not be such a big problem if the game’s multiplayer component added some longevity to the gaming process. Strangely enough, even though Return to Castle Wolfenstein’s multiplayer in 2003 was by far the best part of the game, the multiplayer in Wolfenstein is disappointingly lackluster. The graphics take a massive hit compared to the single player campaign mode, and the gameplay itself pales in comparison to its predecessors.

Wolfenstein tries to utilize the same class-based system popularized by Return to Castle Wolfenstein. You have three classes (medic, engineer and soldier) and, in theory, you’re supposed to work together to achieve victory. However, the maps are incredibly small and poorly designed, meaning that very rarely will teams be able to effectively coordinate with one another and take advantage of each class’ unique abilities. As a result, the multiplayer matches quickly deteriorate into armies of medics throwing around med packs and shooting guns aimlessly.

Simply put, Wolfenstein’s multiplayer is a minor distraction at best. It lacks the originality, the polished execution or any of the appeal of the awesome multiplayer featured in Return to Castle Wolfenstein. Most won’t play it for very long. That is, of course, assuming you can play it at all. In between playing the campaign mode, I would try and find multiplayer matches. Out of 20 attempts, only about a quarter of those I could connect to and play without lag ruining the experience.

I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again: If you’re going to sell a game on a certain date, it really helps if every aspect of the game actually works as intended.

In short, Wolfenstein is a fun but still disappointing return to a classic game franchise. The campaign mode is short and sweet, but the multiplayer is barely worth playing. For hardcore FPS nuts and Wolfenstein fans, you might consider picking this up to hold you over until Halo 3: ODST is released. For everyone else, though, this game is a rental.

Grade: C+

Included below is the trailer for Wolfenstein. It is available now for PC, Xbox 360 and Playstation 3.