Before Fountainhead Entertainment's Doom RPG was released in the dark ages of 2005, playing Tetris on my mobile phone reminded me of playing Tetris on my Game Boy back in the darker ages of 1989. At only seven years old, it was the only Game Boy game I owned because, well, I was seven, and it came with the handheld. Playing Tetris on my mobile phone was similar yet different not because it was the only game I could afford, but because it was the only game I wanted to play. Almost two decades of gaming experience had taught me the important lesson of staying away from console-to-mobile-phone ports, and I wasn't quite casual enough to justify buying Bejeweled -- so, I stuck with Tetris, but this time out of choice.
Doom RPG changed the sneering hardcore gamer's perception of mobile gaming. Not only were the graphics strikingly similar to the 1993 FPS that forever changed the landscape of gaming, but finally, here was a game crafted specifically for cell phones rather than sloppily ported from its original conception. The turn-based gameplay allowed for casual exploration, all of the classic Doom weapons were present, and earning experience points to upgrade the arsenal gave the game an element of strategy.
With the Doom space marine patiently waiting in the wings until the launch of Doom RPG II, predecessor William "B.J." Blazkowicz made an appearance at QuakeCon 2008 to demonstrate why battling zombies and Nazis in id Mobile's Wolfenstein RPG is just as fun as blasting zombies and demons in Doom.
Aesthetically, Wolfenstein RPG is similar to Doom RPG. Movement is smooth and fast enough, enemies and walls are pixilated yet easily identifiable. In short, it's a cell phone game. Because the graphics are ugly yet pretty, the true emphasis is on gameplay. A deeper and more fulfilling experience than Doom RPG, Wolf RPG features larger levels, more fights, and faster gameplay -- even though everything is still turn-based.
Movement is controlled via the arrow keys or 2, 8, 4 and 6. Seven and asterisk cycle weapons, and 1 and 3 can be used to strafe -- convenient if you don't want to waste turns backing and turning out of an enemy-infested room. OK or the 5 key is an all-purpose action button: it fires, it selects options, it initiates NPC conversation... you name it, and the 5 and OK keys probably do it.
Such a tightly-knight assemblage would be unmanageable if Wolf RPG was a real-time experience, but it's not. Like Doom RPG -- heck, like any good cell phone game -- this is a title you can play one-handed while kicked back at home, at the bar, or on the train to and from work.
Besides capping Nazis and experimental undead, Wolf RPG deepens Doom RPG's foundation by offering a greater emphasis on NPC interaction. While wondering the barren stone corridors of the first level's dungeon, I came upon a scientist cowering in a corner. After decimating the three or four soldiers who dared stand in my way, I approached the scientist and struck up a conversation. Clearly a traitor to freedom, the chap had the gall to deny me information. A choice menu appeared offering me the following options: hit him, or bribe him.Being a rugged man held in high Nazi-slaying regard, I smacked the fool squarely in the face. Cowering, he ran off after relinquishing a silver key. Easy, or too easy? The latter, obviously. Some time later, I walked through a door only to find a handful of soldiers lying in wait for an ambush. After muttering that "the scientist" said I'd be passing by, they attacked -- one at a time, of course, and thankfully!
In addition to pistols (which can be duel-wielded for an extra hit per turn), machine guns and the like, B.J. packs a mean right hand and an even meaner right foot. Just as using the knife in the original Wolfenstein 3D was meant as a last resort, so should the punch be likewise wielded, but kicking presents a handy way of giving yourself some breathing room: one swift kick sends the enemy stumbling back a step, giving you opportunity to use an item or switch weapons while your foe gathers his senses.
The kick is also used to smash breakable obstacles impeding B.J.'s path, overtly or otherwise. After kicking a chair into little wooden bits, I approached a painting of Hitler set against a stone wall. Bring back memories, fellow PC gamers? Sure enough, kicking the vile dictator's portrait caused it to crumble, revealing a golden chalice hidden in a small alcove.
Further aiding B.J. in his quest are syringes, which are either empty or filled with liquid when found. Liquid-filled syringes offer bonuses such as a greater dodge percentage or more powerful melee strikes, with most enhancements lasting only for a certain number of turns. Speaking with a comrade imprisoned in a cell revealed that empty syringes could be saved and taken to mixing stations, where different enhancement formulas could be brewed.
Despite enjoying Wolf RPG's upgraded take on Doom RPG, not the syringe gathering, chemical mixing, scientist interrogating or even Nazi showdowns proved to be the most enjoyable aspect of my time spent with the game. As I replaced the phone onto its Velcro stand and prepared to continue browsing the QuakeCon show floor, a stunning blonde wearing a short, black leather skirt, tall black leather boots, and a skintight black leather midriff top approached me with a dazzling smile."So, did you enjoy the, uh, the wolf game?" she asked.
"Yeah," I replied. "It was a nice upgrade to Doom RPG, which I really enjoyed."
The smile faltered as she turned to a colleague, who looked equally confused. "Doom RPG?" she repeated. "What's 'RPG' stand for?"
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Editor's Note: High quality assets for Wolfenstein RPG were not available at the QuakeCon event. This article will be reposted once assets become available.


