'Wolfenstein 2' DLC: 'The Deeds of Captain Wilkins' Has the Best Story of the Bunch
The DLC for Wolfenstein 2 has been a pretty big let-down compared to the base game. The first DLC, The Adventures of Gunslinger Joe offered some fun, but was a disappointment compared to BJ and his band of misfits on Eva’s Hammer. The Diaries of Agent Silent Death relied way too much on the game’s weak stealth gameplay. Does The Deeds of Captain Wilkins finish on a strong note? In short: kind of.
Captain Wilkins, eponymous star of the final DLC in the Freedom Chronicles, is an aging soldier. A survivor of World War II, Wilkins never stopped fighting against Nazis. After receiving a mysterious message, Wilkins is back at it, looking to stop the reich from using a terribly deadly new weapon against the world.
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Like the previous two DLCs, Captain Wilkins revolves around one of the three different upgrades available in Wolfenstein 2. Gunslinger Joe was all about the rush attack, whereas Agent Silent Death featured the stealthy crawling ability. Unfortunately for Captain Wilkins, the extending legs upgrade is probably the lamest of the three. It offers no combat advantage, doesn’t help with stealth and is tricky to use or completely pointless in the DLC’s many underground tunnels. I also had many problems trying to get onto ledges after extending the legs, which was frustrating.
Captain Wilkins also feels shorter than the other two expansions. All three are short, and can be completed in a single sitting, but Captain Wilkins seemed like it flashed by in a blink. Maybe if I tried to play a little more on the stealthy side the encounters would have taken longer, but stealth is boring in a game made for running and gunning like Wolfenstein.
Unlike the other DLCs, Captain Wilkins offered a enjoyable story, with a few twists and turns over the course of the short handful of hours it takes to complete. All three protagonists of the DLCs were interesting characters, but Captain Wilkins made me laugh with his whole “Dad trying to sound like the cool kids” vibe. It also has the most satisfying ending of the three expansions, unlike Gunslinger Joe’s cutscene conclusion or Agent Silent Death’s unimpactful final shootout.
While a better story can go far when it comes to my enjoyment of a game, the extending legs upgrade doesn’t make for a compelling mechanic to wrap an entire DLC around. Had Captain Wilkins been paired with the charge attack, it would easily be the stand-out of the Wolfenstein 2 DLC offerings, but as it stands, all three are just pretty mediocre (outside of an excuse to offer more of that sweet, sweet Wolfenstein 2 Nazi-killing gunplay).
So what do you think? Have you played all the Wolfenstein 2 DLC for yourself? What episode is your favorite of the three? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
