Wolfenstein: Youngblood for PlayStation 4 — Everything you need to know

Bethesda Softworks did the world a favor and introduced a new Wolfenstein game. Wolfenstein: Youngblood, as it's called, is still set in the time of Nazi Germany. And yes, the game largely still celebrates killing those Nazis.

But how will you do it? What's the story going to be? What crazy new ways can you dispatch of the murderous, hateful souls? Here's everything you need to know.

What's new with Wolfenstein: Youngblood?

As we near Wolfenstein: Youngblood's release we'll keep you up to date with everything surrounding the game.

July 24, 2019 — Wolfenstein: Youngblood gets official launch trailer!

We finally have the full official launch trailer for Youngblood, and it looks pretty great. We get to see some cut scenes and boody gameplay, with a voiceover from the man himself, BJ Blaskowitz. It feels a little late to be giving us an offical trailer as the game is out on July 26, but I will take what I can get.

June 12, 2019 — Wolfenstein: Youngblood gets E3 trailer

Bethesda's E3 2019 press conference was a tad underwhelming with the absence of Starfield and The Elder Scrolls 6, but we did get another trailer for Wolfenstein: Youngblood to hype us up before July when we get to kill some more Nazis.

What is Wolfenstein: Youngblood?

Wolfenstein: Youngblood is the sequel to Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus. It's worth noting that while this is the third game in the modern-day Wolfenstein franchise, it's the eighth mainline title for the series overall. It's being made by MachineGames, who handled the first two titles in the contemporary reboot.

The game will feature a co-operative campaign that can be played with up to one other buddy. If you're more of a loner, you can also go it alone and play alongside a partner AI.

Retake Paris from the Nazis

Youngblood is set 19 years after the events of Wolfenstein 2, in 1980. While the previous games had you playing as longtime series protagonist B.J. Blazkowicz, Wolfenstein Youngblood follows the path his daughters take to fight the Nazi regime that still has control in Paris.

The twins, Jess and Soph, actually have to go and rescue their father, who was captured in the events of the previous game. If its story trailer is anything to go by, these sisters certainly have outgoing personalities and are not afraid to do what needs to be done in order to save the day, what will lead to I'm sure some reckless choices along the way. You can expect tight first-person shooter action with some fun weapons and tools to help you in your battles. Of course, now you're doing it all with someone else at your side.

Fight back with sis at your side

The previous two Wolfenstein games were first-person shooters at the core, and you can expect more of the same for Youngblood. With the co-operative element in play, we'll likely see in-game puzzles and battles that are made easier with the help of a second person. These moments aren't likely to be entirely dependent on co-op elements—after all, they have to leave in the option to do it all solo—but expect MachineGames to at least scratch the surface. In a move that differs from its predecessor, players will be able to complete missions in a non-linear order.

Beyond that, we're expecting typical shooter gameplay. We'll see a mix of both melee and firearm combat. You'll be able to fight with the weapons given or picked up from enemies, and they can all wield their own assortment of attachments.

Returning from previous games is the Da'at Yichud power suit. The suit was created by an ancient order who somehow harnessed powerful technology that's no longer found in the present day. The wearers of the suit are granted immense strength and likely protection from some harsh biochemical agents that the enemy will try to use to knock you out. The announcement trailer for the game showed both Soph and Jess donning the suit, so it seems the player will spend significant amounts of time dishing out supercharged punishment.

According to senior game designer Andreas Öjerfors, freedom is a huge part of Wolfenstein: Youngblood. "In the main missions of the game you're gonna have more of a focus on the narrative and the storytelling and cutscenes," he said. "But in many of the side missions the game is gonna give you more room to express the story yourself."

"Freedom is a big word for the game. Freedom in how you progress, freedom in how you move through the levels and how you attack combat scenarios, freedom in how you upgrade your weapons and your power armour suit."

When can I play it?

Wolfenstein: Youngblood is up for pre-order at a reasonable $30. It is set to release on July 26, 2019 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. Pre-ordering gives players access to character and weapon skins.

Updated June 2019: We've added its latest trailer from E3.

Quentyn Kennemer