Return to Castle Wolfenstein: Tides of War

"Nazi's and zombies don't mix"

Back in the day, when the PC reigned supreme for games and competition was a long time away, id software created Wolfenstein 3D, one of first games that had a actual ''Up'' and ''Down'', besting the side-scrollers in originality. Blowing away Nazi's with reckless abandon, Wolfenstein 3D was a big hit, and perhaps started the First Person Shooter craze. Now, the good people at id software have decided to port the PC-game Return to Castle Wolfenstein to the Xbox. Usually, porting a PC-First Person Shooter to a console is risky business, since you have to change aiming from a mouse to a controller. Luckily, id software has done well, and Return to Castle Wolfenstein is all anybody could ask for.

Graphics: 8/10
Very clean, but nothing worth shouting about. The particle effects are dead on, but the character models are only mediocre and the faces look like they were painted on. The backgrounds are realistic and give a genuine 1940's-Germany feel. The environments aren't very spread out, due to spending most of your time in tombs or castle hallways. However, sometimes the texturing seems to be somewhat bland. All in all, it does the PC good, though you can't change resolution or anything.

Sound: 8/10
Basically, you have a general theme that depends upon where you are. Then, you have the ''You're in trouble now'' music, and the ''Evil stuff is happening'' music. This is not good. Luckily, the enemy makes up for the dull music, allowing you to overhear footsteps, conversation, and all kind of things. The weapons are realistic and have different sounds. If you kick a wall you'll get the dull thud you would get in real life, but if you kick a fragile vase it will make the shattering sound you would also expect. Dying results in a little ''Oomph!'' sound, like you lost your wind. Zombies and the assorted undead and strangely noiseless, unlike the brain-craving stereotype you see so often. Enemy's speak English with a German accent, instead of German. This is somewhat amusing if unrealistic.

Gameplay:9/10
Assuming the roll of B.J. Blazkowitz, you attempt to dismantle the zombie part of the Nazi war machine whilst taking care of any Nazi you stumble across. Aiming is somewhat tough to get down, but after awhile it's very fluid. The game is pretty tough, and you'll end up dying often if you can't sneak around effectively. Stealth attacks are usually limited to using a silenced machine gun or exposing the Nazi intestinal interior with your trusty knife. For those who want to use the more gung-ho approach, several weapons, ranging from machine guns to Flamethrowers to dynamite. Wandering around is encouraged, as you get items and rewards for finding all the Nazi loot in a level. You can exit the level after completing all objectives anytime you want, which gives you plenty of room to explore. You can save your progress anytime you please, but checkpoints will do it for you if you feel adventurous. Also added into this version is a shotgun, a new enemy(occult priest), and Xbox Live play. I myself don't have Xbox Live, but I hear it is quite a thing.

In conclusion, Return to Castle Wolfenstein is a great game, marred by few flaws. If you want to have a taste of old-school action, you can unlock the original Wolfenstein 3D after completing the ordinary campaign. If you have Xbox Live and 50$ to spare, there is really no excuse.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 07/06/03, Updated 07/06/03