Wolfenstein: Cyberpilot

{{Infobox video game

| title = Wolfenstein: Cyberpilot

| image = File:Wolfenstein Cyberpilot cover art.png

| engine = id Tech 6{{cite video game| title = Wolfenstein: Cyberpilot | developer = Arkane Lyon, MachineGames| publisher = Bethesda Softworks| date = 2019| platform = PlayStation 4 | scene = End credits | quote = Uses id Tech®. Copyright © 2011-2019 id Software LLC.}}

| platforms = Microsoft Windows
PlayStation 4

| genre = First-person shooter

| released = July 26, 2019

| modes = Single-player

}}

Wolfenstein: Cyberpilot is a 2019 first-person shooter game developed by Arkane Lyon in conjunction with MachineGames, and published by Bethesda Softworks. A spin-off in the Wolfenstein series, Cyberpilot is a virtual reality experience. The game was released for PlayStation 4 and Windows on July 26, 2019. It received mixed reviews from critics.

Gameplay

Unlike previous entries, Cyberpilot is a virtual reality experience.{{Cite news |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2018/06/11/e3-2018-prey-and-wolfenstein-vr-experiences-revealed|first=Marty|last=Silva|date=June 11, 2018|title=E3 2018: Prey and Wolfenstein VR Experiences Revealed |work=IGN |publisher=Ziff Davis |access-date=2018-06-13}} Cyberpilot is a side story that takes place chronologically a week prior to the events of Wolfenstein: Youngblood. Set twenty years after the events of The New Colossus, the protagonist is depicted as a computer hacker known as Cyberpilot who works for the French Resistance against the Nazi regime. Through hacking, the player character takes over hostile armored war machines and uses them against Nazi soldiers.{{cite web|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2018/06/14/e3-2018-wolfenstein-cyberpilot-hands-on-impressions|title=E3 2018: Wolfenstein VR Leaves Out Everything We Love About the Series|first=Filip|last=Miucin|work=IGN|date=June 20, 2018|accessdate=December 7, 2022}} The game features four levels and three pilotable machines, including the Panzerhund, the Zitadelle, and a small drone for a stealth mission. During combat, players can occasionally deploy a shield to defend themselves.{{cite web|url=https://www.gamereactor.eu/wolfenstein-cyberpilot-preview/|title=Wolfenstein: Cyberpilot preview|first=Sam|last=Bishop|work=Gamereactor|date=June 22, 2019|accessdate=December 7, 2022}} In between missions, players can explore a Resistance bunker.{{cite web|url=https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/wolfenstein-cyberpilot-review-falling-short/1900-6417264/|title=Wolfenstein: Cyberpilot Review - Falling Short|first=Alessandro|last=Barbosa|work=GameSpot|date=August 5, 2019|accessdate=December 7, 2022}}

Development

Cyberpilot was primarily developed by Arkane Studios in Lyon, with franchise developer MachineGames providing additional development. Arkane Lyon envisioned the game as a "different" kind of Wolfenstein game, and therefore, did not try to emulate the gameplay of the main games in the series.{{cite web|url=https://blog.playstation.com/archive/2019/07/25/everything-you-need-to-know-about-wolfenstein-cyberpilot-out-tomorrow-for-playstation-vr/|title=Everything you need to know about Wolfenstein: Cyberpilot, out tomorrow for PlayStation VR|first=Anne|last=Lewis|work=PlayStation Blog|date=July 25, 2019|accessdate=December 7, 2022}} The game was announced by publisher Bethesda Softworks during its press conference during E3 2018.{{cite web|url=https://www.engadget.com/2018-06-10-wolfenstein-cyberpilot-vr-bethesda-2019.html|title='Wolfenstein Cyberpilot' takes the fight to VR|first=Jessica|last=Conditt|work=Engadget|date=June 10, 2018|accessdate=December 7, 2022}} It was released on July 26, 2019 for Windows PC and PlayStation 4.{{cite web|url=https://www.gematsu.com/2019/03/wolfenstein-cyberpilot-launches-july-26|title=Wolfenstein: Cyberpilot launches July 26|first=Sal|last=Romano|work=Gematsu|date=March 27, 2019|accessdate=December 7, 2022}}

Both Cyberpilot and Youngblood were the first in the franchise to make use of the "social adequacy clause" introduced by Unterhaltungssoftware Selbstkontrolle (USK; the German software ratings board) in August 2018, which allowed the use of Nazi imagery and symbols in video games in relevant scenarios, reviewed on a case-by-case basis.{{cite web |url=https://www.gameswirtschaft.de/marketing-pr/wolfenstein-3d-bundespruefstelle-bpjm/ |title=Wolfenstein 3D: Bundesprüfstelle hebt Indizierung auf |language=de |trans-title=Wolfenstein 3D: Federal Department lifts indexation |first=Petra |last=Fröhlich |date=22 November 2019 |website=GamesWirtschaft}} Despite being officially rated by USK, major German retailers, such as MediaMarkt, Saturn, and GameStop, refused to sell the uncensored version, offering only the separately sold German version, which lacks all Nazi imagery and references and features German as the only language option.{{cite web |url=https://www.gameswirtschaft.de/marketing-pr/wolfenstein-youngblood-mediamarkt-saturn/ |title=Wolfenstein Youngblood: MediaMarkt, Saturn und Gamestop boykottieren Originalversion |language=de |trans-title=Wolfenstein Youngblood: MediaMarkt, Saturn, and Gamestop boycott original version |first=Petra |last=Fröhlich |date=14 August 2019 |website=GamesWirtschaft}}

Reception

Wolfenstein: Cyberpilot received "mixed or average" reviews from critics, according to review aggregator website Metacritic.{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/wolfenstein-cyberpilot/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-4|title=Wolfenstein: Cyberpilot for PS4 reviews|work=Metacritic|accessdate=December 7, 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/wolfenstein-cyberpilot/critic-reviews/?platform=pc|title=Wolfenstein: Cyberpilot for PC reviews|work=Metacritic|accessdate=December 7, 2022}}

The game's visuals and presentation received some praise.{{cite web|url=https://www.eurogamer.net/wolfenstein-cyberpilot-a-vr-spin-off-with-a-lot-of-potential|title=Wolfenstein: Cyberpilot - A VR spin-off with a lot of potential|first=Ian|last=Higton|work=Eurogamer|date=July 28, 2019|accessdate=December 7, 2022}} Many critics criticized the combat for its simplicity and clunkiness, and remarked that firearms in the game lacked a sense of impact. Critics were also disappointed by the game's thin narrative, feeling that they did not reach the standard set by previous Wolfenstein games.{{cite web|url=https://www.slantmagazine.com/games/review-in-wolfenstein-cyberpilot-killing-nazis-is-a-robotic-affair/|title=Review: In Wolfenstein: Cyberpilot, Killing Nazis Is a Robotic Affair|first=Aaron|last=Riccio|work=Slant Magazine|date=July 31, 2019|accessdate=December 7, 2022}} Its short length and lack of replayability was also criticized.