You Can Play The Best Wolfenstein Game In VR
B.J. Blazkowicz is ready to kick Nazi butt in a whole new way, as MachineGames' lauded Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus is finally available to play in VR. The 2017 action-adventure shooter is the second in the revamped era of Wolfenstein games and has gone on to become a cult classic. As we wait for news about a possible sequel, you can get up close and personal with Frau Engel.
While many hold id Software's DOOM as the birth of the first-person shooter, let's remember 1981's Castle Wolfenstein technically has that honour. Wolfenstein has adapted plenty over the years, however, it's the likes of 2017's The New Order and The New Colossus that really catapulted the series forward.
Can You Play Wolfenstein In VR?
VR Wolfenstein games are nothing new (more on that in a minute), but you can now enjoy the pulse-pounding horrors of The New Colossus like never before. Riddle zombified Nazis with bullets and experience this alternate reality of post-WWII Americana courtesy of modder Helifax.
As shown on Helifax's site, the mod adds "synced eye (single-frame stereo instanced) full 6DOF VR with Ray Tracing (not AER)". This basically means you can get full motion control and turn your head as Blazkowicz to immerse yourself in The New Colossus. Be warned though, the mod controls maps aiming to the mouse or right thumbstick of your controller, meaning you can't aim down the sights of a gun and might struggle to get used to this unusual way of playing.
Helifax previously showed off some gameplay footage in January, but we're impressed to see how far it has come. If you want to try out Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus in VR, you simply need to have the PC version of the game and then head to Helifax's site to download the mod. We've previously seen Helifax unveil a VR mod for DOOM Eternal, and it's great to see they're stuck with what they're good at for Wolfenstein.
Are Other Wolfenstein Games Available In VR?
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While this isn't quite up there with the official port of Capcom's nightmare-inducing Resident Evil 7, seeing The New Colossus in VR begs the question of why MachineGames hasn't done an official version earlier. Modders have been able to add VR support to the likes of Wolfenstein 3D and Return to Castle Wolfenstein, while the actual developers have been slower on the uptake.
Sadly, the Wolfenstein name is in something of a wasteland right now. Alongside the disappointing 2019 release of Wolfenstein: Youngblood - focussing on Blazkowicz's daughters - the same year saw Wolfenstein: Cyberpilot as a VR title. Like Youngblood, Cyberpilot was set 20 years after The New Colossus, however, with few ties to what made the franchise great, it was panned as a cheap cash in on the popularity of VR. While we wait for news on a long-rumoured Wolfenstein 3, why not try out the series' best in VR for yourselves?