Return to Castle Wolfenstein

This is the first Wolfenstein game I've played, so my approach to the game is merely from the perspective of a FPS fan. For a game that pits its protagonist against Nazis, whilst arming him with a wide range of weapons, the creators of the game lets you know that the game itself is bombastic - with zombies appearing early on in the game, and the Nazis themselves taking a variety of forms. Essentially we're dealing with Nazis and the occult. Gameplay wise, I found it initially quite hard to get into. This is due to the gameplay mechanics, whereby as things get harder, you'll find that you're having to reload save points frequently. Enemies can kill you very quickly, and for the player it's not apparent which weapon is the most effective to use. Some skills like being able to peek (an idea from Rainbow Six no doubt), served no real purpose. But the main meat of the game is the early 2000s style of FPS gameplay, which was very addictive. The design of the game typically mixes things up - so you might have to deal with snipers in one part, and enemies at closer distances in the main. Environments are gritty and war torn. Bosses were nicely placed, making defeating them challenging and very satisfying. The story is told through cutscenes, and in game documents. But in truth, these are inconsequential and can easily be skipped. The main crux of the game is the experience of the gameplay itself. As a first person shooter, it contains everything good about the early 2000s style of game, with nicely designed maps, challenging bosses, gritty environments, and a variety of cool weapons. Enjoyment comes when you past the threshold of those earlier levels, and you begin to understand what this game is all about.

RTCW is a classic of the FPS genre, born right at the start of the 2000' era of videogaming, and helds to this day a good reputation of being the best Wolfenstein game of all time. And even taking off the nostalgia glasses, the game is still one of the best of the series thanks to its variety of location, variety of enemies and situations, gunplay, level design or simply the whole gameplay aspect. It does not, however, come without its negative sides as well : enemies are bullet sponges, poor writing (for example, BJ here seems a brick over a sea of clichè) and some aspects of the gameplay should have been more refined, such as the usage of some guns. But for being born after a long time since spear of destiny and bearing on its shoulder such legacy as the Wolfenstein series, it does wear it well. In conclusion, as a lover of this franchise or simply want to enjoy a old masterpiece, RTCW is a must-have for your library or to anyone who want to shoot some nazi!

- This game manages to hold up surprisingly well, provided you install the RealRTCW mod. The mod lets you play at higher resolutions, let's you select whichever map/level you want to play on, adds in some new weapons and items. Game runs smoothly with RealRTCW installed and I've suffered no crashes. - Gameplay resembles the WWII shooters of the time, specifically Medal of Honor: Allied Assault and Call of Duty, with some paranormal and occult aspects thrown in. The first time you face undead in a crypt is both tense and atmospheric. - There are only 3 negative aspects I wish to touch on. Game expects you to "save scum" a lot, especially towards the end, when you're facing mechanical monstrosities. There are a few "forced" stealth sections that are a pain to get through. Luckily, they're far and few between. Game has that early 2000's map design, where I'd get stuck and not know what to do to progress (press some obscure button somewhere). - All in all, shooting nazis was still fun. More fun than in Wolfenstein 2009.

Well what can I say. A game that defined a generation of first person shooters. The impact is still felt 17 years later as the story continues with the sequels for PC and consoles. Besides a great story-line that appeals to most young people, this game has a multi-player module that was very innovative and unique for the time.

This is the best game in the Wolfenstein series. Great gameplay, great levels, nice plot including mix of warfare and occultism. New Wolf games are good, but RTCW was the best, and still is. Must have!