Return to Castle Wolfenstein: Tides of War

"FPS players are blessed with another great game"

Return to Castle Wolfenstein has been around for along time, I remember when it was on the Commodore 64 and just loved the game. Today the game has developed into a first class FPS. The XBox version has been updated from the PC with extra levels better graphics and online play. It is an unblievable game that will sure to please all FPS fans and will easily fill the time gap for Halo 2.

The Game:

You are a spy sent to discover what the Nazi's are up to. They are doing excavations of tinkering with the occult and having the Allies questioning there moves. You are sent to Libya first where you begin the investigation and from there you are bound for Castle Wolfenstein. In Castle Wolfenstein you lose your contact with your superiors who decide to wait and see if you can make it out. You have a various supply of weapons ranging from machine guns to a knife. You find that once inside the Castle the Nazi's are just part of your worries.

The Graphics:

Well it is quite frankly unbelievable what the games for the XBox have come to. The atmosphere in this game is so eerie, the lighting is incredible shadows abound and give you a suspensefull gaming experience. The visuals are stunning, the characters are full of great details. The game is so smooth the frame rate is consistent and smooth. There is nothing I can say negatively about this game in the graphical presentation area. Not since Halo and Time Splitters 2 have I been so impressed with a game.

The Sound:

What can you say with dolby 5.1 surround sound, being able to hear where you are being shot at from to hear the zombie crawling up behind you. You will hear the rumble of the quakes ( I feel them with my sub woofer) The voices are actually pretty well done as well. The guns sound amazing especially the mp 40.

The Controls:

Well there top notch easy selection and the use of a kick is a neat idea not forcing you to relenquish your weapon to perfom a smash. The controls are silky smooth. The ability to use two weapons would have been a great feature but heck can't have it all.

The Game Play:

Trully a FPS players dream. The action is smooth and fast, weapon selection is quick and easy. The game is as polished as a game can get. The greatest thing the game offers is incredible online play. From co op mode to death matches the game has limitless replayability.

Over All:

RTCW is a dream come true for those who are waiting for Halo 2. It is in my opinion the 3rd best FPS made. If you love FPS and need something to fill the void til Halo 2 comes out then this is it. This is a definite must buy wether or not you have LIVE!

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 05/19/03, Updated 05/19/03