History VideoGame / ReturnToCastleWolfenstein

* {{Foreshadowing}}: Wilhelm Strasse, aka "Deathshead", is introduced as a secondary antagonist in this game. As the head of the ambiguously-named SS "Special Projects" unit, his role in the occult operations being investigated by the B.J. is initially unclear, but from the start he is deemed as "probably the single most dangerous figure in the entire Third Reich". Twelve {{Real Life}} years and [[VideoGame/WolfensteinTheOldBlood two]] [[VideoGame/WolfensteinTheNewOrder games]] later we find out ''precisely'' [[DayOfTheJackboot how dangerous]] the man is.

* {{Foreshadowing}}: Wilhelm Strasse, aka "Deathshead", is introduced as a secondary antagonist in this game. As the head of the ambiguously-named SS "Special Projects" unit, his role in the occult operations being investigated by the B.J. is initially unclear, but from the start he is deemed as "probably the single most dangerous figure in the entire Third Reich". Twelve {{Real Life}} years and two games later we find out ''precisely'' [[DayOfTheJackboot how dangerous]] the man is.

* StealthBasedMission: Two of them: One of infiltration, and one of assassination. These can be rather difficult to start with, as one of the objectives in both missions is to ensure that ''no alarms are sounded''.

* TitleDrop: The next-to-last mission is called "Return To Castle Wolfenstein". It's also spoken aloud twice, once in the intro cinematic by a Nazi excavator ordering a subordinate to contact Himmler, and again towards the end when B.J. is ordered back to the Castle for the final confrontation.
* TooAwesomeToUse: The .30 caliber rounds for the Snooper rifle are the rarest ammo in the game. Make those shots count. The .45 caliber for the Thompson and the Colt are slightly less rare, though they are in stiff competition with the 9mm Sten so running out of .45 rounds isn't much of a disadvantage.

In the [=QuakeCon=] 2010, Id announced that the source code of both this game and the multiplayer standalone game ''Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory'' have been released under [[UsefulNotes/FreeLibreOpenSourceSoftware the General Public License version 3+ (GPLv3+)]].

** The VideoGame/{{Doom}}guy's pain sounds can be briefly heard in the intro cutscene.

* SpiritualSuccessor: Obviously it's got certain ties to Id's own ''VideoGame/Wolfenstein3D'', but the stealth-based aspects of the gameplay harken all the way back to the original UsefulNotes/AppleII game ''VideoGame/CastleWolfenstein''.

The game is set during UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, following the story of B.J. Blazkowicz, a soldier sent to investigate a secret/occult Nazi plot. After being captured and escaping Castle Wolfenstein, he finds out the Nazis are resurrecting corpses as well as developing all manner of advanced technology (like a viral V2 missile, rocket planes, SuperSoldier cyborgs and so on), all of this fitting into a mysterious plot by UsefulNotes/HeinrichHimmler to revive an evil Germanic conqueror from past times. Naturally, it's up to Blazkowicz to put a stop to it all.

''Return to Castle Wolfenstein'' is a FirstPersonShooter game developed by Gray Matter Studios[[note]]who were previously Xatrix Entertainment, best known for ''VideoGame/RedneckRampage'', ''VideoGame/QuakeII [[ExpansionPack Mission Pack]]: The Reckoning'' and ''VideoGame/KingpinLifeOfCrime'', and who would eventually merge with Treyarch, best known for the ''VideoGame/CallOfDutyBlackOps'' series[[/note]] and published by Creator/{{Activision}}. It uses Creator/IdSoftware's ''[=IdTech3=]'' engine, and it was released in 2001, [[MilestoneCelebration twenty years]] after the release of the very first game in the series, ''VideoGame/CastleWolfenstein''. It's the third Id entry (fifth in general) of the ''VideoGame/{{Wolfenstein}}'' franchise, and a NonLinearSequel (hard to call it a "[[VideoGameRemake remake]]") to ''VideoGame/Wolfenstein3D''.

''Return to Castle Wolfenstein'' is a FirstPersonShooter game developed by Creator/GrayMatterStudios[[note]]who were previously Xatrix Entertainment, best known for ''VideoGame/RedneckRampage'', ''VideoGame/QuakeII [[ExpansionPack Mission Pack]]: The Reckoning'' and ''VideoGame/KingpinLifeOfCrime'', and who would eventually merge with Treyarch, best known for the ''VideoGame/CallOfDutyBlackOps'' series[[/note]] and published by Creator/{{Activision}}. It uses Creator/IdSoftware's ''[=IdTech3=]'' engine, and it was released in 2001, [[MilestoneCelebration twenty years]] after the release of the very first game in the series, ''VideoGame/CastleWolfenstein''. It's the third Id entry (fifth in general) of the ''VideoGame/{{Wolfenstein}}'' franchise, and a NonLinearSequel (hard to call it a "[[VideoGameRemake remake]]") to ''VideoGame/Wolfenstein3D''.

Check the [[Characters/ReturnToCastleWolfenstein character sheet]].

The game is set during UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, following the story of B.J. Blazkowicz, a soldier sent to investigate a secret/occult Nazi plot. After being captured and escaping Castle Wolfenstein, he finds out the Nazis are resurrecting corpses as well as developing all manner of advanced technology (like a viral V2 missile, rocket planes, SuperSoldier cyborgs and so on), all of this fitting into a mysterious plot to revive an evil Germanic conqueror from past times.

The game is set during UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, following the story of B.J. Blazkowicz, a soldier sent to investigate a secret/occult Nazi plot. After being captured and escaping Castle Wolfenstein, he finds out the Nazis are resurrecting corpses as well as developing all manner of advanced technology (like a viral V2 missile, rocket planes, SuperSoldier cyborgs), all of this fitting into a mysterious plot to revive an evil conqueror from past times.

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/return_to_castle_wolfenstein_pc_00.jpg]]

** The Venom minigun's barrel tips are very similar what is shown on [=RoboCain's=] equipment in ''Film/RoboCop2'' and have a similar spin-up sequence. The Prototype Super Soldiers and the completed Super Soldier models also being to mind [[EvilCounterpart evil versions]] of ''Franchise/RoboCop'' himself with hints of [[Franchise/StarWars Darth Vader]] in the final models' helmets.

** The Venom minigun's barrel tips are very similar what is shown on [[=RoboCain's=]] equipment in ''Film/RoboCop2'' and have a similar spin-up sequence. The Prototype Super Soldiers and the completed Super Soldier models also being to mind [[EvilCounterpart evil versions]] of ''Franchise/RoboCop'' himself.

* MoreDakka: Starting with the [=MP40=] and ending with the Venom Gun, though this time is matized with much non-conventional weaponry.

* NoGearLevel: The game starts with B.J. escaping from the titular castle, armed only with the knife and pistol (and all of 12 bullets) he took from a guard. Being B.J. Blazkowicz, however, this problem is rectified quickly.
** Using the /spdevmap codes to get to levels that are not mission-starting levels results in B.J. having no weapons whatsoever, and no armor either, necessitating some more codes to get weapons, unless the player feels like doing it ''really'' hardcore.
* NoodleIncident: Mentioned by one officer in the Chateau Schufstafel: "what Blawatsky did back in Holstein" and another saying she almost got all of them killed. None of it is elaborated on any further.