Get your trigger finger ready; a classic arcade shooter is returning with an all-new adventure.
Today, French video game publisher Microids announced the upcoming release of Operation Wolf Returns: First Mission.
Old school gamers and fans of classic video games will remember the original Operation Wolf that Taito released in 1987.
With a first-person perspective, Operation Wolf’s signature feature was its uzi-like light gun that players used to fight through six side-scrolling levels.
The cabinet-mounted gun also had a red button by the muzzle that would launch a grenade.
In the game, Special Forces Operative Roy Adams, battled waves of hostile foes to rescue five hostages from enemy territory.
With the success of Operation Wolf, Taito went on to produce three sequels; Operation Thunderbolt (1988), Operation Wolf 3 (1994), and Operation Tiger (1998).
Operation Wolf was also ported to the NES, SEGA Master System, Commodore 64, and other home computer and gaming systems.
Now, more than two decades after the last Operation Wolf, the franchise’s newest title is set for release within the next few months.
A New Spin on a Classic
Microids says French studio Virtuallyz Gaming developed the new game to remain faithful to its roots while bringing a new art style into the mix.
In Operation Wolf Returns: First Mission, players must free hostages, defeat General Viper, and save the world from a doomsday weapon.
“In the game campaign, play solo or co-op locally as special agents tasked to fight a criminal organization,” states a press release for the new game. “In addition to drug and weapon trafficking, the organization lead by the mysterious General Viper seems to have developed a weapon of mass destruction! Following the discovery of several of the group bases, the agents are sent on location to dismantle the consortium, eliminate the weapons and free the hostages from various prisoner camps.”
Microids says players will experience the mood of a 1980s action movie with fast and action-packed gameplay.
With a new art style, Operation Wolf Returns: First Mission also features solo and co-op campaigns, survival mode, and a leaderboard.
Operation Wolf Returns: First Mission launches during fall 2022 digitally and in retail outlets for PS4, PS5, and Nintendo Switch.
The game will be available digitally-only for Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
A VR version of Operation Wolf Returns: First Mission will launch in 2023 on the Meta Quest 2 platform.
If 2023 is too long to wait for an Operation Wolf VR game, players may want to try Operation Warcade on Steam VR or PSVR in the meantime.
There is also a demo version for the Quest 2.