Return to Castle Wolfenstein
The name of Wolfenstein 3D is legendary amongst FPS players, and while the franchise didn't start out in such a fashion (check out the original Castle Wolfenstein to see how far the series has come), it's now best known for its hardcore shooting action which stands comfortably alongside Doom and Duke Nukem 3D. However, the name of this game might be unknown to all but the most dedicated followers of the franchise, as it's not actually an official add-on but rather a fan-made sequel to Spear of Destiny. It was produced after iD released the source code for the original game and was released for free, so if you do consider yourself a fan of the series, this needs to be in your collection. The game features 23 levels and aims to answer several questions, in typical series fashion, such as what happened to Hitler when WWII ended and what exactly is the legendary Spear of Destiny? The gameplay remains similar to earlier installments, being an old-school shooter which requires little more than a fast trigger finger and a desire to kick some Nazi butt. There are some impressive technical additions here, which are even more so when considered they were made with the original engine, not the later improved Doom version, and include exploding barrels and slick weather effects. The levels are surprisingly well designed, and lend themselves well to the familiar fast-paced mayhem, with the new visual effects adding a lot to the atmosphere. The shooting is as intense and enjoyable as ever, while the story elements are well integrated, and overall, this really shows you what can be done by the serious fans.
