Return to Castle Wolfenstein

aka: RTCW
Moby ID: 5385
Windows Specs
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Description official descriptions

Two secret agents are captured while they are investigating Nazi Germany's occult activities in Castle Wolfenstein. Agent One is subsequently tortured to death by his interrogator, but B.J. Blazkowicz manages to escape his cell by killing the guard.

Return to Castle Wolfenstein is a first-person shooter and a reboot of Wolfenstein 3D. The game puts the player in the combat boots of Blazkowicz, who will first have to escape the castle and report back to his superiors, and afterwards restart the hunt for the SS Paranormal Division. This division was founded by Heinrich Himmler and is trying to find the grave of Saxon warlord Heinrich I to bring him back to life. The player's arsenal includes among others a Luger, MP 40 submachine gun, Mauser rifle with sniper scope, flamethrower, dynamite and grenades.

The game also features a multiplayer component in which players are split into Axis and Allies sides with each a set of objectives to complete.

Spellings

  • 重返德军总部 - Simplified Chinese spelling
  • 重返德軍總部 - Traditional Chinese spelling

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Credits (Windows version)

251 People (165 developers, 86 thanks) · View all

Return to Castle Wolfenstein is powered by
  • id software's Quake III Arena technology
Production, development and technical assistance provided by
  • id software
Director
Executive Producer
Art Director
Programming
Character Artist
Technology and AI Programming
Texture Artist
Technical Lead Design
Lead Level Designer
Level Designer
Models and Animation
Animation
Scripting
Writer
Sound Design
Production Coordinator
Controller
Additional Programming
Additional Level Design
Spec. Ops. Consultants
[ full credits ]

Reviews

Critics

Average score: 85% (based on 43 ratings)

Players

Average score: 3.9 out of 5 (based on 193 ratings with 13 reviews)

A brilliant FPS that shows true attention to detail and mood-a rarity!

The Good
From the beginning, RTCW establishes itself as more than a mere throwaway FPS. It's dripping with detail and, even better, has a coherent, engaging narrative. You take on the same persona as in Wolfenstein 3D, a square-jawed, Nazi-stomping fellow who, like Gordon Freeman from Half Life, appears to have no discernible personality. You have access to a wide and endlessly cool assortment of weaponry, and each of them has its uses. I count this as a major design victory, since in many FPS entries I find myself relying on one or two weapons, while in this game you are forced to continually evaluate your strategy. RTCW also adds an element of stealth, in that you can creep on a sentry and backstab him for an instant kill. Very nice. Levels are meticulously detailed, with the fog-enshrouded crypts being particularly impressive. Enemy AI is consistently decent, and boss fights are difficult. All in all, this is not a game to pass up.

The Bad
There really is verry little not to like in RTCW. I suppose I could knock the save game menu for being slightly more unmanageable than necessary, but that may just be me, and it's a very minor quibble nonetheless.

The Bottom Line
It's everything that was cool in Wolf 3D (killing Nazis!), but brought up to the high bar subsequently set by Half Life. Pick this game up, and revel in the beauty of it all.

Windows · by Lucas Schippers (57) · 2001

GREAT GAME!!! Kill Nazis, Monsters, more Nazis, Use big cool weapons and kill even more Nazis!

The Good
I greatly enjoyed this game. You start off as an American P.O.W locked up inside the depths of Castle Wolfenstein. Then a guard comes in to check on you, and you drop from the ceiling and break his neck, steal his gun and get the hell out of there. Once out of the castle after a shitload of Nazis, you come into the Catacombs where you meet up with some friendly zombies and demons. It really just goes on like that. 7/10

The games visuals are pretty damn good on high detail, and while running on Id's Quake 3 engine, It's quite advanced. The character models are well detailed, and the enviroments are pretty interactive. You can knock down armour knights, blow holes in walls to uncover SECRET AREAS where there is treasure and sometimes meals to eat if your injured. For being quite dated, the texture detail, bump-mapping features, highly detailed sky and all things are excellent. The developers have did a good job with the graphics. 8/10

The sound effects in the game are quite impressive. While in the catacombs, fighting bosses and just lurking around dark areas, the music creates quite a creepy atmosphere. If you fire a weapon in a big room, if you listen carefully, you can hear the reverb. Your aresnal also sounds very realistic. 8/10

Depending on your system specs, this game offers great performance even on low spec machines. If you want total smooth performance on highest detail then you will need at least:- 1.2 ghz Pentium 3 Processor 64mb 3D Accelarator Video Card Sounblaster LIVE PLayer 5.1 Card



The Bad
Sometimes the game's cut-scenes can be a bit cheesy, but what's a game without cheesy moments, eh. Also, some character animations can be dodgy, but other than that, the game is brilliant.

The Bottom Line
If you like killing Nazis and monsters at the same time, then this is the game for you. And if you like playing online, there is a multiplayer feature, but you're better playing Enemy Territory online, its better. I would reccomend this game to anyone who enjoys an action-packed and scary FPS experience.

OVERALL RATING: 8/10

Windows · by Ryan Cassidy (2) · 2003

It's never been as fun to kill Nazis!!

The Good
RTCW is one of the most beautifullest (most beautiful, for you grammar freaks) games I have ever played. The textures are almost as good as Max Payne's! Also, some parts are extremely scary, such as the zombie crypts. Many monsters made me want to run away from that part of the level and not turn back. I remember opening a door in a lab and seeing this HUGE robotic thing clumbering towards me...THE GROUND EVEN SHOOK!! That really freaked me out! The multiplayer is frickin' awesome, especially that new Trench Toast level. The environments are very well designed.

The Bad
The game is somewhat linear. Also, some enemies are very hard. Finally, it gets really repetative after you down the same enemy for the 1000-th time. There are no captions and you can't pause the cutscenes. And finally, as usual with most Quake 3 engine games, you can't use the mouse's side buttons. Oh, yes, and another gripe: the end boss is WAY too easy. I mean, c'mon, all he does is slash at you with his sword and summon zombies! A guy a whole army can't defeat, a guy who was put down by only a powerful spell...just died because of my minigun. Guess he, um, lost all of his strength over the ages! Finally, where are the cries of "Mein liben!"?? The Nazis speak English!! UGH!! Wolfenstein 3D was funny BECAUSE OF THE NAZI SCREAMS!! I LEARNED SOME GERMAN FROM WOLFENSTEIN 3D!! All I learned from RTCW was how to speak English with a funny accent.

The Bottom Line
A really fun and exciting FPS that might as well be the Action GOTY!

Windows · by Archagon (108) · 2002

[ View all 13 player reviews ]

Trivia

1001 Video Games

Return to Castle Wolfenstein appears in the book 1001 Video Games You Must Play Before You Die by General Editor Tony Mott.

Castle

Castle Wolfenstein is based on Castle Wewelsburg which Heinrich Himmler used for occult rituals and practices.

German index

On February 28, 2002, the English version of Return to Castle Wolfenstein was put on the infamous German index by the BPjS. The German version followed April 30, 2002.

For more information about what this means and to see a list of games sharing the same fate, take a look here: BPjS/BPjM indexed games.

In addition, the game is violating §86a of Germany's penal code (for using characteristics of unconstitutional organizations), therefore it is illegal to produce, distribute, import, export and use it in the public. But this does not mean it is illegal to just own the game.

German version

For the German release, the story was altered: You fight against the "Wolf-Sekte" (Cult of the Wolf), which is very dangerous to the freedom of the country because of their dark experiments.

That's it. Nothing else. No word of Himmler and his dark plans, no Nazis at all. It is clear that this "background" was made up for the only purpose of getting the game past the German feds - the word "Nazi" is a red sheet for them. They altered some of the names, too: Himmler is now called "Holler" and Oberst von Bülow has been renamed too. With this new storyline, the game makes absolutely no sense.

The funniest thing about this is the packaging which shows Doktor Zan (appearing at the very beginning of the game when he fries our comrade) - and on his jacket, you can clearly see the Nazi emblem (an eagle sitting on a circle in which is a swastika).

Even more changes to the German version, most of them regarding speech:* The "Horst-Wessel-Lied" (a Nazi song) was changed to a classical piece - the same is being played on a record player in the first outdoor mission. Seems they put it together in a hurry. * A picture of the "Führer" (Hitler) was changed to an odd-looking guy without beard but with the well-known army cap. Found in a more-or-less secret room in the village (accessible via the rooftops). * a speech of Hitler about the Reichstag (map: dam) was deleted and replaced by classical music * The speech "Wie geht's, Willie?" (How are you, Willie?) has been replaced by "Was ist passiert, Willie?" (What happened, Willie?), removing any sense from this talk. * A drunk soldier in the wine cellar under the cafe (map: village1) babbles: "Shut up you slowenian swine". In the German version, the word "slowenian" was removed. * In the labs, someone asks "What are your orders, Herr Oberführer?". This was changed to "What are your orders, pack leader?". * A voice of the generic German soldier was changed: In US, he said "Halt, Schweinehund!" (Stop, you pig!) - in Germany, he says "Halt, Verräter!" (Stop, traitor!), removing the profanity.

Language

Some posters in the game, don't have a German description, but it is in Dutch!

Music

  • Record players can be heard playing either Für Elise or Moonlight Sonata, both composed by Germany's own Ludwig Von Beethoven.
  • Bill Brown's score for this game was influenced by war movies made during the late 50's to the late 60's. Movies like The Bridge on the River Kwaii and The Dirty Dozen.

Technology

The developers included a unique set of motion captured animations for each character. Gray Matter also incorporated a skeletal animation system so they could articulate the models in a fluid and realistic way.

They also incorporated a brand new music system to change with the scene, much like LucasArts Imuse system.

Weapons

Gray Matter Studios really did their research for this game. In-game, you find the following guns:* Luger, MP-40 and the Sten which use 9mm ammo. * Colt and Thompson that requires .45caliber. * Mauser and the FG42 that require 7.92mm.

These guns were manufactured and commonly used during WWII. Gray Matter even included a temperature gauge for the Sten, since the real life counterpart had a tendency to burn the hands if the user sustained fire for a period of time. A sizzling sound would trigger every time your hands would be burnt. The developers also took great efforts in modeling the guns and stock cartridges.

Some weapons in the game are fictional, but the M1S Snooper Rifle does really exist. It is based on the M3 Carbine and uses .30 caliber ammunition.

Awards

  • Computer Gaming World
    • April 2002 (Issue #213) – Best Weapon of the Year (Flamethrower)
  • GameStar (Germany)
    • Issue 03/2002 - Best Game in 2001 (Readers' Vote)

Information also contributed by Der.Archivar, Medicine Man; RobbertC, Scott Monster and Xoleras

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Contributors to this Entry

Game added by Kartanym.

Macintosh, Linux added by Corn Popper. Windows Apps added by Plok.

Additional contributors: Unicorn Lynx, Indra was here, JPaterson, Jeanne, phlux, AdminBB, Zeppin, Paulus18950, Patrick Bregger, Titan10, FatherJack.

Game added November 21, 2001. Last modified March 14, 2024.