Parents' Guide to Wolfenstein: The New Order

Wolfenstein: The New Order is a curious and unexpected mix of old-school shooter action and some surprisingly big philosophical ideas. Combat proudly and stubbornly embraces classic shooter ideals, with firefights generally eschewing sneakier tactics in favor of gory full-frontal assaults. There are occasional stealth sequences and infrequent nods to modern gaming in the form of weapon and ability perk systems, but make no mistake: This is a game intended for players who harbor a soft spot for mid-1990s first-person shooters.

And yet lurking within this obstinately retro game is a surprisingly progressive narrative unafraid of tackling some difficult concepts. From a scene in which a Jewish engineer digs into the differences between Nazi absolutism and religious faith to a lengthy metaphysical tirade in which a woman suggests all actions are determined and that our lives are composed of a series of segmented, disconnected consciousnesses, gamers may be surprised to find themselves still thinking about some of The New Order's concepts long after they've finished playing. It's not without its problems -- the story offers far more questions than answers, for starters -- but it certainly makes for an unusual and memorable stew of a game.