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Platform Filters:   All Platforms  Xbox   GameCube   PlayStation 2   PC   Game Boy Advance   Site Sections:   Updates  News   Games   Publishers   Developers   Reviews   Previews   Release Dates   Editorials   Glossary   Contact Us		Review:       23rd June 2003: Return to Castle Wolfenstein: Tides of War  Take on the might of the Third Reich with a new Nazi-knackering FPS for Xbox and Xbox Live. Posted by John Grothier - Xbox - UK and Europe Return to Castle Wolfenstein: Tides of War is set against the bloody backdrop of World War II. Players take the role of Army Ranger, B.J. Blazkowicz, in a daring mission to infiltrate the heart of Nazi operations and try to discover the darkest plans of the Third Reich. But as B.J. soon discovers, this is no ordinary first-person shooter; as he is not only fighting the Nazi storm troopers, but also undead Teutonic knights and the hideous twisted products of Nazi genetic experiments. Wolfenstein 3D was the original first-person shooter when it appeared for the PC all those years ago, and with games like Halo and TimeSplitters 2 already taking the FPS genre to incredible new heights, Return to Castle Wolfenstein: Tides of War has a lot to live up to. The main campaign sees our hero, B.J. Blazkowicz working to find evidence of Himmler's SS Paranormal division, and Himmler has already discovered Heinrich's tomb, and with ancient texts he plans to create modern day dark knights to help change the Tides of War. Return to Castle Wolfenstein: Tides of War plays like most traditional first-person shooters, but id Software has included some useful stealth-like abilities for our hero to perform. B.J. can lean round corners without being spotted by the enemy, and this can lead to eavesdropping on some interesting and sometime humours Nazi conversations. But for those of you who just want to blast away at brain-dead zombies and goose-stepping Nazis you won't be disappointed; the game is literally crawling with them, and B.J. has a full arsenal of weapons to help him do the job. The developers have included some truly deadly weapons from the knife - useful for sneaking up behind an enemy and allows for a quick and quiet kill, to the flamethrower - which throws a stream of flaming gasoline at your enemies. There are also plenty of guns to play with, including the Luger, the Colt 45, the shotgun, the sniper rifle, as well as grenades and explosives to help meet mission objectives. The Campaign mode can be played alone or with a friend, and there are many missions to steer our hero through, from ancient tombs in Egypt to the very heart of Nazi Germany. Completing the Campaign mode also unlocks the original Wolfenstein 3D in case you're feeling nostalgic. The Xbox Live play is where Return To Castle Wolfenstein really shines. There are four main game types, which include 'Objective' - the Allied, and Axis teams each have one or usually more objectives to accomplish within a set time limit. 'Stopwatch' is similar to Objective - but after each round the teams switch sides to try and better the opposing teams previous records. 'Checkpoint' mode allows for a battle to control of checkpoint flags in several areas on the map - the first team to control all flags, or whoever has control of the most when time runs out is deemed the winner. 'Elimination' is pure classic deathmatch, and the team with the most men standing at the end of the round wins. The maps are huge, with many different features; from the Beach Invasion level, where Allied forces must breach the sea wall and sneak inside the German bunkers and transmit secret war documents back to the Allies, to huge, complex gothic castles that hold ancient artefacts that the Axis troops must guard. The Xbox Live play is superb, with many different game variations and optimatch settings, and the interface also displays the server speed to help avoid that dreaded lag. There are four character classes to choose while online; Soldier, Engineer, Medic and Lieutenant. The Soldier is the standard infantry, but is the only class that can use two-handed weapons like the Mauser and Panzerfaust. The Engineer is the demolition expert, the only character class capable of using and deploying explosive charges to destroy objectives and large obstacles. The Medic is an important support class and can replenish health for teammates and revive fallen comrades. The Lieutenant can distribute ammo packs and he also has a long-range radio for calling in air strikes and artillery bombardment. The Xbox Live play is nothing short of spectacular, and with full voice support you can work with your team and organize some winning strategies. The only complaint we found with the Live play is that it can be quite difficult to differentiate between the Axis and Allied team members, as one side is dressed in tan and olive coloured uniforms while the other is clothed in grey and black. The graphics in Tides of War are nothing short of stunning, with highly realistic textures that help immerse the player in the horrors of World War II. From the creepy ancient tombs in Egypt to the beautiful and dark gothic castles - the game world is beautifully created, albeit a little dark in places. The framerate is constant, even on Xbox Live, and there are some fantastic flame and water effects to be seen. Sound too is brilliantly done, the game takes full advantage of Dolby 5.1 surround sound - the Beach Invasion level sounds just like the opening of Saving Private Ryan, a truly masterful achievement. Overall Return to castle Wolfenstein: Tides of War is a fantastic single player game, but if you have Xbox Live - it's an absolute must. John Grothier             Latest Images:		Review Scores:    Graphics:   Sound:   Gameplay:   Length:   Overall: Click here for our Review Score Guidelines.  Review Summary:  Fantastic single player Campaign, but if you have Xbox Live this game is an absoulte must. Take control of Army Ranger B.J. Blazkowicz in an heroic quest to infiltrate the heart of Nazi Germany, and discover evidence of the SS Paranormal division. Downloadable content on Xbox Live. Shoot zombies and Germans!  Related Games:  Return to Castle Wolfenstein: Tides of War for Xbox  15  Screenshots  1  Review  1  Preview Click here for All Game Information.
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