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)

The REAL sequel to Wolfenstein 3-D

The Good
So you thought that Spear of Destiny was the sequel to Wolfenstein 3-D? Well, you thought wrong. In Return to Castle Wolfenstein, B.J. Blazkowicz is asked by the Office of Secret Action (OSA) to uncover the reason behind the Nazi's activity centering around Castle Wolfenstein. The leader of the Nazi Paranormal Division, a General by the name of Himmler, has increased his activity in this area. Apparently, reports have come in that his group is experimenting in occult magic and horrific scientific experiments involving cybernetics and genetic manipulation.

So B.J. and another agent is sent on a mission to do just that, only to be captured and held in Castle Wolfenstein for interrogation and, eventually, execution. However, like in Wolfenstein 3-D, B.J. waits on the ceiling for a guard to come in and falls on top of him and takes his gun. As you explore the many locations within the game, you can interact with certain objects by going up to them and pressing <ENTER> on the keyboard, but only if its corresponding icons shows up at the bottom of the screen. Walk up to a button, and a icon representing a finger is shown, indicating that you can press it; go up to a painting or a notice board, and the "break" icon appears, indicating that you can break the object. (A blue bar may or may not appear below this icon, telling you how much strength is required in order to do justice.) Secret areas can often be found by breaking objects. Walk up to the ladder, and the "ladder" icon appears meaning that you can climb up or down.

RTCW is not split up into numerous levels like Wolf3D. Rather, the game is split up into seven missions, consisting of roughly four or five parts, and each part has various objectives, which must be completed before leaving the part. It is important to review your objectives, as well as the mission summary. If you do, you will also be able to see a map, showing where you're heading. During most of the game, you will usually be going around the level shooting nazis that get in your way until you get to the exit. When killed, nazis will leave their weapon behind. Your default weapons are the knife and pistol, but a variety of weapons can also be collected, and range from assault rifles, tesla cannons, sniper rifles, and guns that emit laser beams and electrical charges. You also have the opportunity to use grenades and dynamite. However, every person you encounter are not just nazis, as you will also encounter innocent citizens and scientists. If you are facing them, a red X will be on their faces, telling you not to shoot them. If you do, you will fail your mission. Also, there are a couple of scenarios where you have to go around the territory undetected. If you are detected in these scenarios, the alarm sounds and you'll also fail the mission. Another situation where you can fail your mission is losing all your health.

Also laying about in every location are some treasures, which may include gold or chalices. Once you have completed one of your objective, a notebook icon appears telling you so and it's time for your next task. Once you reach the exit, a dialog box details the time taken to complete the part; and the objectives, secrets, and treasures found, as well as the number of attempts. Too bad the dialog box doesn't include the number of nazis killed. As expected, there are cut-scenes within the game. Once you have completed a mission, you get to watch cut-scene showing the two guys over at OSA outlining your next mission. By the way, some of the tasks you have to complete are interesting. Somewhere in Mission 3, for instance, you have to abort the V2 rocket launch that will destroy London, and much, much, later, you have to stop the resurrection of Heinrich I.

The character AI is rather good. Nazis are not standing still while they shoot. They shoot and move around at the same time, making it a little difficult for you to shoot them. They even go out of the room, only to come back seconds later to have another go at you. The stereo sound gives realism to the game, as sounds travel between speaker to speaker whenever you shift your gaze, and are facing left or right of the nazi. The manual that comes with the game is interesting too, especially the "Wolfenstein Lore" trivia, feeding you information that you may or may not already knew about both id Software and Wolf3D.

The Bad
There is only one problem that I've noticed in the game. The nazis don't speak English in both Wolf3D and Spear. So why do the nazis suddenly speak English this time. Seems like ID/Gray Matter forgot this fact. Perhaps someone will point out this mistake to them.

The Bottom Line
As far as I know, this game was released in Germany as a modified version, really modified. The German version of RTCW had some parts omitted, such as the song, a definite no-no in Germany. As well as this, turns out that the plot is crap. I'm glad that I'm not one of these people who aren't living in Germany.

Rating: ****½

Windows · by Katakis | カタキス (43092) · 2004

Lives up to the 'Wolfenstein' name...

The Good
Nice graphics for 2001, and had a huge fan-base that provided much for players of this game who had the internet.

The single player part of this game is highly appealing, and realistic. It sticks to the war, yet adds much to it, such as chemical warfare, robotic warfare and biological warfare. You have to beat all three from the beginning of the game to the half-way point. Battling all of this is very nice, but nothing beats fighting the human opponents, and they turn up frequently throughout this game. You fight in a large variety of locations, all of which are visually appealing, and realistic to the era of this game.

For me, the huge gem of this game is the multiplayer. It is probably the most imaginative arrangement I've ever experienced, and is a welcomed change from deathmatch games. It is all enough to keep you hooked for hours!

The Bad
I feel that it would've been better if we stuck to the rules of war and did not have huge electric-prong weapons, or massive chain guns, but still, it's only a game. Admittingly, I cannot think of much which is poor in this game.

The Bottom Line
I recommend this game fully. It is worthy of the Wolfenstein title, and I also strongly recommend the original game to be played first.

Windows · by Quackbal (45) · 2005

While the single player game is good, multiplayer innovation makes it a classic!

The Good

I truly feel that this should be thought of as an online game that happens to have a single player component, and not the other way around. The multiplayer game out shines everything else in this package. There is no death match option, but only team based play. Every well designed and expansive map pits the Allies against the Axis in a timed race to complete a variety of objectives. Some maps will have teams fighting for control of a number of flags scattered about the map. Others require one team to infiltrate an enemy held area, and recover some object, or destroy a target.

The four different types of players add a great deal more depth and realism to the multiplayer experience. Rather than having weapons and health laying around for the picking, what weapons and health you start with is all you get. And no lugging around 9 different weapons. You choose a primary weapon at the outset, and besides a pistol, a few grenades, and a knife, that is all you have. If you are running low on ammo you must ask a Lieutenant for more. Low on health? You had better hope to run into a Medic to patch up your wounds. If there is a door, wall, or piece of artillery to be destroyed, only the Engineers will be carrying the necessary dynamite and tools. The fourth player type, the Soldier, is the only class capable of carrying specialized or heavier weapons, such as the sniper rifle and the flamethrower. Because of the four distinct roles players must assume, teamwork is an absolute necessity in a way that it has never been in any multiplayer shooter before.

The games graphics are very nice, and run smoothly (on a relatively modest system) even with many of the visual bells and whistles turned on. The enemy AI is pretty good for the most part, but nothing amazing. The enemies themselves are interesting and varied. You fight everything from your standard Nazi soldiers, to zombies, skeletons, and leaping electrically charged Nazi cyborgs. You also have a nice variety of WWII era weapons... and some not-so-WWII-era weapons.

**The Bad**

The single player game left one wanting something more. It's a good FPS, as far as they go, but certainly nothing ground breaking in the way of gameplay. All the storys' content about the occult and the undead may be a turn-off to players looking for a more authentic feeling WWII shooter. This is certainly not a game that will gain praise for it's historical accuracy. After all, none of the Nazis seem to have ever learned to speak German.

**The Bottom Line**

This is a 'must purchase' for any fan of team based multiplayer first person shooters such as 'Counter-Strike'. If you don't like playing shooters online, this might be the game to change your mind. If you are a big FPS fan in general and are looking for a new set of enemies to gun down and missions to complete, this should provide an adequate amount of enjoyment.

Windows · by Entorphane (337) · 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.