Wolfenstein 3D was the first mainstream first person shooter released in stores. At the time, it was a masterpiece of innovation and sheer artistry. When someone looks at it now, they may turn away in disgust. But those are probably people who aren’t familiar with it during its most respected age. It brought about the dawn of Doom, Quake and even Return to Castle Wolfenstein. When that game was release, no one cared if it had a plot simply because the gameplay was so amazing. Something many people don’t understand is that if there was no Wolfenstein 3D, there probably would never be the first person shooter genre we see today. It is so well respected that even today, mods are being made for the game for that small group of diehard fans that remain true to the heritage of 3D gaming. So when Return to Castle Wolfenstein was released, you could probably imagine the frenzy that ensued. The newest edition of the series was in complete polygonal 3D and featured and impressive multiplayer mode. Some fans were quite disappointed at the short length of the single player game. It just didn’t fulfill what everyone had waited for. Even with that hitch, the game was nominated for many “Game of The Year” awards and even won a few. It has even begun to find its console feet as it can be found on the Playstation 2 and X-Box in slightly different versions (more so for the X-box version). Now what would make this frenzy even bigger? Well how about the release of a free expansion pack? Well, you have to spend the time downloading the actual expansion, but that’s not really the point. It is a very rare occasion when a developer creates something so polished and fun, and then releases it for free. It is almost unheard of. The best you could normally get would be mods created by dedicated fans. Well is it worth the download? Hell Yes!

    Return to Castle Wolfenstein was renowned for its very entertaining multiplayer and to this day, there are thousands of players meeting in online matches. While it was fun, it wasn’t the deepest or most accurate online game out there, which led to some people turning away and picking up a copy of Medal of Honor: Allied Assault, which is its biggest direct competition. So it seems that the developers took a hint and developed something more fresh and accessible to players who enjoy deep gaming. It is in no means anything as deep as Counter Strike, but it does add another dimension to what some people thought to be a one sided game. This new expansion is made for online multiplayer only, so those who appreciated the single player game will be sorely disappointed. Luckily, there is plenty here for the online gamers. They have finally added specific classes with jobs and the missions located within the game are much deeper than they were in the team oriented missions of the original. If you play a medic, you go around and revive people on the brink of death and even hand out medical packs to the wounded. The engineer fixes tanks and constructs bridges. The field and covert ops agents are very fun to use, for those with a desire for stealth or direct run and fun commando fighting. A major addition to the game would be the experience points system. Depending on how well you perform, you will get experience points. For those who like to take the grenade and drop it in front of them, prepare to have experience taken away. This game does not take kindly to people goofing off. A couple new weapons have made it into the game as well. The missions are set up like campaigns. You travel through an online game to different places and you must complete various objectives before you can move on. The level progression system is excellent and is a great way to spice up the variety of objectives. If there are any problems to be found in this expansion, it would have to be the network code. Some servers run perfectly, but others chug and lag, even with high speed internet. This can lead to accidents like team killing and possibly even accidental suicide. Hopefully a patch will fix this small problem in the future. Another problem which seems to be the most annoying of them all is that when someone misbehaves or team kills, a kick vote is put into place. Now first of all, there is no way for you to know if it was on purpose or if it was simply an accident. Secondly, it seems that people will kick you even if they don’t know what you did. It is a frequent occurrence when a kick vote is put into place and every single person votes to kick the player. All in all I have seen about 30 people kicked (some innocently), within 5 games. This is a major problem that needs to be fixed. An online game is one place where the right to vote can be very dangerous. Overall the gameplay is top notch. With some networking problems pushed aside, this game can be considered one of the best online first person shooters in a long time, even if it’s just an expansion pack.

    The visuals present an area of the game that is very difficult to judge. First of all, the Return to Castle Wolfenstein engine has aged quite a bit and it was originally a mold of the Quake 3 engine (which is now older than dirt by today’s standards). So the textures aren’t necessarily the best and the particle effects are as breathtaking as they once were, who cares? The graphics are from an expansion pack, of a game that everyone thought was superb when it came out. So you really can’t expect much better from an expansion of an already set in stone game. What can be said is that this expansion takes full advantage of the engine by throwing you out into the snow, desert and even more urban areas. What it lacks in “freshness”, it makes up for in variety. Another thing is that if your computer couldn’t handle the game before; don’t expect it to run any better now. It seems that with the newer and more open environments are a much bigger system hog than ever before and lower end systems will likely not get past the loading screens. The most stunning aspect of the visuals is the flamethrower. It simply has the most amazing trail effects you will ever see. If you want to get technical, it is possible to quickly spell your name, but that is quite irrelevant. The character models are still very detailed and some of the newer ones are quite interesting. If you are a gamer looking for the “best graphics”, don’t look for it here but if you are looking for a game you can respect for how it applies the visuals to the game, then this is for you.

    The audio presentation is by far the most stunning I have seen (next to Morrowind). Not only does it have a fully orchestrated soundtrack, but it also features excellent sound effects that do their best to replicate the aural symphonies of gun shots and explosions. The character taunts are very entertaining and especially helpful in the game. When you are in need of an engineer, you can simply use the taunt to request an engineer for assistance. It is one of the few instances when audio helps the gameplay become more than it was molded to be. Surround sound speakers are a must; it will send chills up almost anyone’s spines. Explosions to your left and right make the experience much more real. The audio presentation within this game is extraordinary, and it deserves all the kudos it receives.

    In the end, you must think to yourself. What in the world made the developers of Wolfenstein create a free expansion pack with so many features? Even if we had to buy it, many people would be on line in a heartbeat. Maybe it is because of the community’s dedication and respect for the work of the developers. Or maybe it is a sign of things to come. Whatever it is, one thing is certain. If you have Return to Castle Wolfenstein, this is a must download. If you were turned away from the simple approach the original took to multiplayer, then it is time you gave it a second look. While it’s not without its share of problems, it made the game a whole lot more entertaining. It would be a shame to let this opportunity pass you by.