Return to Castle Wolfenstein
|
|
| Return to Castle Wolfenstein | |
| |
| Developer(s) | id Software Gray Matter Interactive Nerve Software |
| Publisher(s) | Activision |
| Release date(s) | 2001 |
| Genre | First-person shooter |
| Mode(s) | Single player, multiplayer |
| Rating(s) | ESRB: Mature (M) |
| Platform(s) | PC (Linux, Windows), PlayStation 2, Xbox |
Return to Castle Wolfenstein is a first person shooter computer game that was jointly developed by Gray Matter Interactive and id Software. It was published by Activision and released in 2001. The multiplayer mode was developed by Nerve Software.
In 2003, the game was ported to the PlayStation 2 and Xbox video game consoles and subtitled as Operation Resurrection and Tides of War, respectively. Both console versions include a series of prequel single player missions where the main character, B.J. Blazkowitz and his partner Agent One (executed in the first mission of the original Wolfenstien) are in Egypt / North Africa.
The game is powered by a heavily-modified version of the Quake III engine
| Contents |
Overview
Return to Castle Wolfenstein is a remake of sorts of the early, seminal first-person shooter, Wolfenstein 3D. However, with the advances in graphics technology and gameplay design since the original game, without the name and the occasional in-game references, it would be unrecognisable as a remake. Unlike the original Wolfenstein 3D, only a handful of the single player missions in Return to Castle Wolfenstein takes place in the infamous castle/prison.
It features a story-based single player campaign (taking up many of the themes from the original game), as well as a team-based networked multiplayer version which features different character classes that must work together in order to win. Some unique weapons not found in other WWII-themed first-person shooters include the flamethrower and airstrike beacon. The multiplayer demo included a beachhead assault similar to the opening of the movie Saving Private Ryan, although this has been eclipsed by Medal of Honor: Allied Assault.
The single player game takes place in Nazi-occupied Europe during 1943 and revolves around Allied Commando B.J. Blazkowicz, who, along with another agent, is sent to investigate rumors surrounding one of Heinrich Himmler's personal projects, the SS Paranormal Division. The agents are, however, captured before completing their mission and are imprisoned in Castle Wolfenstein. Taking the role of Blaskowicz, the player must escape the castle and continue investigating the activities of the SS Paranormal Division, which include research on resurrecting corpses, bio-technology, and secret weapons. During the game the player will face numerous foes, including an undead Saxon warrior-prince named Heinrich I. Some of the missions involving the undead were influenced by The Mummy (1999) and The Mummy Returns (2001) movies, and somewhat similar to Indiana Jones.
To make the game eligible for sale in Germany, the developers of the game removed the infamous Nazi swastika in Return to Castle Wolfenstein. In its stead, the German forces' logo is a creative logo that can be interpreted in 3 different ways; Quake III Arena (a game previously developed by id Software and the graphics engine that Return to Castle Wolfenstein is based upon), an Eagle (a symbol for Germany), and "W" (standing for Wolfenstein).
Enemy Territory spinoff
A multiplayer spinoff of the series, Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory, was originally planned as a full-fledged expansion to Return to Castle Wolfenstein, but the single player was never completed and thus was removed entirely. The developers at that point decided the the multiplayer part would be released as a free, downloadable standalone sequel.
Since then, Enemy Territory has become a series of games with a second game due for release in 2006 based on the Quake series of games. The game is currently titled Enemy Territory: Quake Wars.
See also
External links
- Return to Castle Wolfenstein Official Site (http://www.castlewolfenstein.com/)
- www.planetwolfenstein.com/de:Return to Castle Wolfenstein
fr:Return to Castle Wolfenstein sv:Return to Castle Wolfenstein