Return to Castle Wolfenstein

It's official.......id Software, Inc. now owns approximately a 68% share of the Universe. Upon reading this statement, you probably are asking the following questions: #1, why does id Software now own a majority share of existence? And #2, who owns the other 32%? Unfortunately, even I don't possess the extensive resources necessary to answer question #2. Luckily for you, question #1 is a piece of cake. Simply put, Return to Castle Wolfenstein for the Xbox is amazing. Before viewing the console version, I had witnessed almost the entire game at Watson's house as he played it on the computer. At the time, my only wish was that if Wolfenstein ever came out for the Xbox, I hoped that they would incorporate EVERYTHING from the computer version and not change a thing. Fast forward 12 months later....Wolfenstein is released for Xbox, and on 8/17/03, I rented it from Hollywood Video. When I turned on the game, a detailed cutscene played (finally, a game company that understands the importance of an introduction) before my eyes. It features a brigade of trucks driving up a steep mountain road, and the camera slowly swoops ahead, dodging trees and harrowing cliffs until it stops on Castle Wolfenstein, rights as it is illuminated by a flash of lightning. Current level of game, 80%. When I pressed start, I was greeted by an easy-to-decipher menu screen (which much to my surprise included the same haunting piano music from the PC version). However, the one major difference between systems in right at the beginning of the game. While the PC version's first level is an escape from Castle Wolfenstein, the Xbox instead has you explore an Egyptian archaeological dig with your ally, Agent One. While at first I thought this idea was weak, I grew to understand it's reasoning; instead of randomly awaking in a castle dungeon, why not begin by finding out what the Nazis are up do while simultaneously getting a little background info? Besides the additional information, the whole first mission gives you a taste of the amazing graphics, AI, weapons, as well as the fucking creepy atmosphere you can expect to encounter time and time again in Return to Castle Wolfenstein. There are several golden video game moments I had the pleasure to experince, some that are VERY hard to do on some other games. One such moment is the beginning of the second mission where you must escape from your prison cell in Castle Wolfenstein. Not only are the graphics extremely detailed (for instance, in some cells there are skeletons chained to the walls, and you can see bloody scratch marks in the bricks), but so is the sound; while you evasively sneak through the corridors with only a dagger, the pitiful screams of Agent One being tortured meander through the air amidst the drafty wind and your footsteps. Another sweet moment in the game is where your only mode of escape is by a lift that spans across the mountains. As you ride in the wobbly lift, you can use binoculars to peer through the fog and view the expansive scenery, as well as sniper enemies across the ravine. By far the best moment, however, is when you explore the crypt. After some Nazis notice the ladder to the surface has been destroyed, they realize they're stuck in the tomb along with some strange undead zombies that crawl through the sandy floors and craggy walls. So until you can reach them, you must meander through foggy corridors and dim sarcophaguses, listening as the unseen foes prey upon the trapped Nazis. Other times you will be walking, and suddenly a clawing sound will emanate from behind you, only to see an undead warrior pulling itself out of it's vertical tomb. Maybe I'm just a wuss, but I couldn't bring myself to play this level in the basment at night. The visuals, the surround sound, the glowing yellow eyes from across the dark tomb....the overall surrealness of this level is just amazing. Not to mention the Indiana Jones-like booby traps along the way, like razor sharp disks or jagged spikes suddenly shooting from walls. Overall, this game is DEFINATELY worth the 5 bucks I paid to rent it. As soon as I can find a cheaper used copy for around $30, I know I'm gonna snag a copy. I strongly suggest you do the same. If you want to spend some money on a worthy title, Return to Castle Wolfenstein more than does the job.