Returning to Castle Wolfenstein

75 years later, the intoxicating romanticism of history’s largest conflict remains a dominant fixture of our culture. Decades of post-war fiction in film and literature depicting the heroic exploits of the Allies’ harrowing struggle against an inarguably authentic evil dominated the 20th century’s films.

The Soviet Union successfully invaded Berlin, Germany on May 2nd, 1945

As increasingly complex political strife ravaged the hearts and minds of the United States in the 20th century, it is clear why World War II remained so compelling in cinema despite the horrific truths. It is understandably easier to sleep at night when you know the enemy is without a doubt, in the wrong. Nigh indescribable crimes against humanity, abhorrent abuses of military might, and the later uncovered obsession with the occult are why the Third Reich remains such a steadfast foe in our media.

In the public consciousness, it is as close to black and white as any conflict got, despite the reasonable and nuanced contrary in the grim reality of The War. There are examples of films that appropriately captured the grim realities of WWII in the years following. It was not until the tail end of the 20th century that the consensus toward depicting World War II in the most harrowing and unforgiving was the standard. There is not anything inherently wrong with the patriotic victory laps of the 50’s and 60’s’ most beloved classics, but from the late 1970s onward, it was clear that to fully capture the horror of World War II, accuracy had to take center stage.

Where Eagles Dare (1986) is one of the primary inspirations for much of RtCW’s iconography.

About as soon as video games’ visuals could depict the iconography of the Second World War, they did promptly and with rapid succession. Much like the evolution of film where it took several years to transition to a more authentic and unrelenting delineation of the war, there was a distinct period of fun, patriotic schlock before unabashed attempts of realism became the norm following Thin Red Line and Saving Private Ryan. 1981’s Castle Wolfenstein depicted the stanch utilitarian Nazi regime with as much accuracy as the Apple II could muster, and for as much credit as Hideo Kojima gets for popularizing stealth games six years later in Metal Gear, Castle Wolfenstein is one of the first examples of deception and flight from danger being preferable to straight on combat.

The Guns of Navarone-inspired title received one sequel three years later in Beyond Castle Wolfenstein, which boldly attempted to adapt the famous Operation Valkyrie and the attempted assassination of Adolf Hitler in a game for the first time. Imagining the alternate history where the operation was successful is mind-bending enough, but now it could be acted out and executed virtually. It is nearly impossible to list the sheer laundry list of games that let you kill Hitler now, but Wolfenstein was rightly the first.

Before the glut of World War II shooters that exploded in the late ’90s and petered out through the Aughts, Wolfenstein was gaming’s symbiotic association with World War II through two important periods of PC gaming. The name survived the cataclysmic Video Game Crash of ‘83, the year before Beyond Castle Wolfenstein was released as the last title in the series under the late Muse Software. It very well could have stayed dormant if up and coming id Software did not want an established name for their upcoming revolution in 1992, for the measly price of $5,000. For context today, Microsoft paid $7,000,000,000 for Zenimax, the current owners of Wolfenstein. It was a different industry then.

The impact of Wolfenstein 3D is well-tread ground. Future Skynet overlord John Carmack’s radical new engine, the eclectic designer John Romero’s vision for the most intense and “realistic” experience possible, and the now-iconic fixtures of the “Mein Liben” yelp and Mecha Hitler are still referenced today with the pervasiveness of gaming’s greats. After Wolf 3D’s immense success and the completion of its follow-up Spear of Destiny, Wolfenstein’s second-wind would fade. As the arms race of technology and innovation led to DOOM, Quake, and the creation and proliferation of first-person shooters as a medium defining pillar, the series was laid dormant.

Id would endure more than their fair share of controversy in the following years, and it would take nine for the series to reemerge. Nine years in today’s games industry feels like nothing, that’s how long it took The Last Guardian alone to come out. Some individual games today have taken longer to develop, but it cannot be understated how much things changed between Spear of Destiny and Gray Matter Interactive’s Return to Castle Wolfenstein. Even before Wolfenstein, Carmack had unlocked the long-sought-after secret to smooth scrolling games on PC and landed id as a cult favorite. The discovery brought on a glut of id endorsed side-scrollers from their own Commander Keen series to the original Duke Nukem.

Duke Nukem II (1993)

There were no signs of stopping there. After Wolfenstein had cracked the code of fast-paced first-person action, DOOM and Quake cemented the company’s lasting legacy. Countless imitators tried as they may to reach for the tall heights established by id. As Wolfenstein rested, 3D Realms brought unrivaled interactivity with the Build Engine games, and id founded the advent of competitive gaming with DOOM and Quake’s Deathmatch. In nine years, the landscape had shifted demonstrably.

Nothing is ever truly gone, and it was time for a new take. One that was fateful to the wacky tone that id brought out of their source material, and the realistic set dressing of the War in actuality. Valve had already proved that realism and immersion were becoming increasingly more intriguing for creators tired of hunting key cards. Taking more than a few notes from the rapidly increasing number of WWII FPS games that rose in the wake of Half-Life was the next logical step. Period accurate WWII weaponry, blended with a dash of the ’50s and 60’s patriotic war film attitude and finished off with a pinch of id Software’s signature unholy union of flesh and steel provided the basis of Wolfenstein's return.

The spirit of early-Spielburgian adventure is palpable from the game’s opening moments. As you escape captivity from the dungeons of Castle Wolfenstein, the titular fortress nestled somewhere in the mountains of Northern Germany, you are quickly dispatching Nazis without mercy. The crackle of the MP40’s barrel as you sprint around corners blasting SS troops evokes such timeless imagery of the American GI films. This game was released in the last pocket of time where it was acceptable for your protagonist to carry a fully kitted arsenal with heaps of guns, and imagining BJ Blazkowitcz as anything but a walking armory just will not do. The arsenal in the core game is excellent, with firearms ranging from German SMGs and rifles, American classics, and zanier sci-fi weapons like the Tesla Gun (hard-earned). The Real Return to Castle Wolfenstein mod bumps up the options substantially, adding the essential trench shotgun that was only featured in the Xbox port and more. The recoil is rebalanced for more power, but it does not get in the way of being able to run and gun so long as you are stocked up on health.

Return is light on cutscenes, for the most part keeping them mainly as briefing bookends to BJ’s missions or to illustrate the cartoonish evil of the Nazi officers. They are harmless enough, but not all that interesting either. The later entries in the series would perfect this aspect, sue me I love The New Colossus. The rest of the levels play out as free-flowing, mostly classically designed missions. You backtrack around an area with the twist of completing specific objectives ala Quake 2, Goldeneye, or No One Lives Forever. None of the modern trappings of highly scripted setpieces, with all of the thrills. The presentation was from a time where menus and UI were less focused on instant readability and more about providing texture and aligning with the setting. Immersive menus mocked up as folders, crudely drawn on maps of Nazi bases, and target dossiers to complete the special forces fantasy. BJ is special forces soldier, with a dash of Indiana Jones as the game often dips in and out of supernatural forces entering and exiting the fold. One chapter you’ll be delving into a dungeon filled to the brim with reanimated Undead Warriors and the next you’re fighting Nazis in a (semi) realistic, grim battlefield layered with German crossfire. It all works as long as you embrace the camp. Where MachineGames’ take is firmly rooted in the more mature (but also ridiculous) Diesel Punk Inglorious Basterds, I love how Return is right at home being part Where Eagles Dare and Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

If not for a couple of abrupt pace killers, Return might be the best Wolfenstein. You’d be hard-pressed to find a bigger apologist for the MachineGames reboot series (minus Youngblood but that is no hot take) than I, but the moment-to-moment gameplay in Return is stellar. The charisma of Brian Bloom's BJ is missing, and the bombastic ultra exaggerated guns are missed, but I loved single-handedly taking on entire garrisons of Nazi soldiers by myself with little handholding. Most levels only contain you and the enemy, if it moves you should shoot it. Especially in the early areas, it is surprising just how much the combat's pacing matches the original Wolfenstein 3D's kill or be killed pace. Opening a door to find an SS Soldier too close for comfort and blasting him away harkens back to the series' action beginnings while fitting the more realistic visuals like a glove. Imagining a modern Wolfenstein 3 that combines Return's strengths with MachineGames' world and character prowess is the obvious secret recipe for the franchise's best game.

No classic is without wrinkles. Like every non-stealth game that forces stealth, I do not care for “The Forest Compound." The concept of being let loose in a wide-open space where you cannot be alerted without grave consequences is a great idea for a level. The problem arises when the guard post Nazis can see two miles ahead of them and hear a pin drop, leading to failing the mission over and over. Even with the Snooper (yes Snooper) Rifle, this level degrades the nigh immaculate pacing up until that point to a quicksave and load slog. I do not mind the other forced stealth segment as much, as it takes place in tight, urban spaces with plenty of cover and closer encounters fit for the silenced SMG. Take out the forced stealth segments and the (damn) Super Soldier boss, you have a barely blemished top-shelf shooter. Stealth is handled much better in the future games, where it acts more as a precursor to going guns blazing than a requirement even if it is just for a couple of chapters.

Castle Wolfenstein in The Old Blood

There is a real earnestness to Return to Castle Wolfenstein. The missions are diverse, the encounters thrilling, and where the story and lack of personality are no match for the later games, Return makes up for it wherever else it can. I love the tone of MachineGames' romps, but the sense of adventure amid humanity's greatest conflict ties together the whole experience as a must-play shooter. If you are going to play it today, there is a Steam page for the Real Return to Castle Wolfenstein mod that will make it play nicer with modern systems. I wish I was able to experience the coveted multiplayer in its heyday, and that the Super Soldier fight would just blink out of existence.

Real RtCW Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1379630/RealRTCW/