Return to Castle Wolfenstein ( Activision, PC )

By PETER ELEY*

Looking back almost a decade, Castle Wolfenstein holds up surprising well graphically, despite its 320 x 200 resolution.

The gameplay, which involves little more than shooting Nazi soldiers and guard dogs, is another matter, although it seemed ultra cool in 1992.

Castle Wolfenstein, of course, was the original first-person action game, and led on to Doom, Quake and countless clones. And just when it seemed as though it had been consigned to the history books, in jumps Activision with a remake based on the Quake 3 graphics engine.

Return to Castle Wolfenstein is still in development, but the screen shots look sharp.

The plot sounds interesting, too, with a strong occult theme. Heinrich Himmler, Hitler's deputy, realises the war is going badly and becomes obsessed with the 9th-century Saxon, Prince Heinrich, who discovered some secret scrolls and used them to raise an army of undead Teutonic warriors. But a mysterious monk managed to beat him in single combat and locked him in a living tomb on a remote mountain peak.

Himmler throws the enormous resources of the Third Reich into finding Prince Heinrich's grave and restoring his unholy army.

Enter BJ Blaskowitz, the skinny kid from Brooklyn and the hero of the original game, who once again has been parachuted into enemy territory to save the world.

Activision aren't giving much away, but early versions of the game shown at the E3 industry conference in LA were impressive and promise more than just another shoot-up.

*peter_eley@nz.herald.co.nz