Wolfenstein 2 DLC: Joe Stallion Is Fun, But No Replacement For BJ

Wolfenstein 2 was one of my biggest highlights in a 2017 filled with gaming highlights. The combination of buttery-smooth gameplay and a story that would be laughable if it didn’t lean so hard into the absurd combined to make magic, and left me eagerly looking forward to seeing what’s next. However, the DLC for Wolfenstein 2 doesn’t continue that story.

Instead, the three DLC episodes follow new characters, told in a pulpy way like a comic book you’d find in the world of Wolfenstein . Don’t get me wrong, the three characters created for the DLC have interesting backstories and potential for greatness, but I had grown attached to the bizarre crew onboard Eva’s Hammer and wanted to see more. Oh well, onto the game.

Called The Adventures of Gunslinger Joe, the first Wolfenstein 2 DLC stars a former football player forced to play soccer (and always lose to the Nazi teams). That is, until one day when enough is enough and he breaks out of his facility/prison to take revenge on his oppressors.

During the campaign of Wolfenstein 2, players could get three different upgrades, one to run through walls, one to crawl in tight spaces and one to reach higher vantage points. Each DLC uses one of these mechanics, and Gunslinger Joe, being a football player, is all about running into things.

Having these themed DLC stories is cool if you didn’t get the opportunity to try out all the different upgrades in the main Wolfenstein 2 story, but also feels limiting, since you’re only going to be playing with one style through each campaign. If you like stealth, you can try to play secretively in Gunslinger Joe, but many encounters require you to literally run full steam ahead into situations. Get ready for plenty of running and gunning in this story.

Gameplay-wise, Gunslinger Joe is pretty much just more of the same. The only major difference is the running ability, which will only be new to the players who didn’t choose it when playing through BJ’s story. This isn’t a bad thing, considering how near-perfect the shooting mechanics are, but it feels like there could have been one or two different changes to set the DLC apart from the main campaign.

Story-wise, Gunslinger Joe can’t really compare to Wolfenstein 2. While Joe is an interesting character, there’s not much time to really get to know him and his story. I understand why cutscenes are done in a 2D, almost comic book-style artwork, but it feels like a downgrade after the great cutscenes of the main campaign. The cutscenes are also pretty short, making me want to know more.

The story also suffers from weird pacing. It plays out across three acts, but just kind of ends on the lamest literally-just-a-single-button-press boss fight in recent gaming memory. At least the final boss fight in Uncharted 4 had more than one button to press. The story ends so abruptly that I even went back and played through the final moments again just to be sure I didn’t miss something.

Overall, the first DLC isn’t a must-play like the main Wolfenstein 2 campaign. While the gameplay is still as great as ever, it’s just more of the same thing we’ve already done for hours playing as BJ. Gunslinger Joe seems like an interesting character, but there’s not enough time to get to know him, and the sudden ending leaves a sour taste as the credits roll. If you have the season pass, it’s not a bad time, but it’s not worth the money for those who haven’t bought in yet.

So what do you think? Have you played through The Adventures of Gunslinger Joe for yourself? Do you agree or disagree about the lacking story? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.