Beyond Castle Wolfenstein
Encyclopedia
Beyond Castle Wolfenstein is a 1984 computer game by Muse Software
. It is the sequel to the innovative and successful Castle Wolfenstein
, a prototypical stealth game. Unlike the original game, Beyond Castle Wolfenstein was originally developed simultaneously for both the Apple II and the Commodore 64
, but was quickly ported to DOS
and the Atari 8-bit.
. It is set in World War II
during Adolf Hitler
's rule as Chancellor of Germany. The objective of the game is to traverse all the levels
of the secret Berlin bunker
where the Führer
is holding secret meetings with his senior staff. The player must retrieve a bomb
that the operatives have placed inside the bunker and place it outside the door of the room where Hitler is holding his meeting, a scenario bearing a passing resemblance to the July 20 Plot.
The game features a top-down view of each room on the level, though the characters are seen upright like in a side-scroller
. The player tries to traverse the levels by sneaking by, impersonating and sometimes killing opponents. The game is controlled via a joystick
, paddles
, or the keyboard
. The player successfully completes the game after planting the bomb and escaping the bunker before it explodes.
The game is similar to its predecessor, but features a number of gameplay updates. The guards now use a pass system, in which the player is periodically summoned by guards and asked to show the correct pass (which varies by floor), or offer a bribe. If an incorrect pass is shown or the bribe is rejected due to the lack of money (for a total of two times), the guard will attempt to activate a bunker-wide alarm or kill the player.
The bodies of dead guards can be dragged through the room to conceal them, block passages, or gain access to objects.
The highly explosive grenades
of the previous game have been replaced with a dagger, which can be used to silently kill guards instead of attracting attention with gunfire.
Additionally, the audio system includes an increased vocabulary and greater variety of sound effects.
Upon successful completion of the game, the player is rewarded with a high resolution graphic of the bunker exploding in the background, with the player running away in the foreground.
Muse Software
Muse Software was a software and computer game publisher and developer for the first generation of home computers. They first published for the Apple II, and later expanded to the Commodore 64, Atari, and the IBM PC....
. It is the sequel to the innovative and successful Castle Wolfenstein
Castle Wolfenstein
Castle Wolfenstein is an early stealth-based action-adventure shooter computer game developed by Muse Software for the Apple II. It was first released in 1981 and later ported to DOS, the Atari 8-bit family, and the Commodore 64.- Description :...
, a prototypical stealth game. Unlike the original game, Beyond Castle Wolfenstein was originally developed simultaneously for both the Apple II and the Commodore 64
Commodore 64
The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January 1982.Volume production started in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$595...
, but was quickly ported to DOS
DOS
DOS, short for "Disk Operating System", is an acronym for several closely related operating systems that dominated the IBM PC compatible market between 1981 and 1995, or until about 2000 if one includes the partially DOS-based Microsoft Windows versions 95, 98, and Millennium Edition.Related...
and the Atari 8-bit.
Description
Like its predecessor, Beyond Castle Wolfenstein is a combination action and adventure gameAdventure game
An adventure game is a video game in which the player assumes the role of protagonist in an interactive story driven by exploration and puzzle-solving instead of physical challenge. The genre's focus on story allows it to draw heavily from other narrative-based media such as literature and film,...
. It is set in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
during Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
's rule as Chancellor of Germany. The objective of the game is to traverse all the levels
Level (computer and video games)
A level, map, area, or world in a video game is the total space available to the player during the course of completing a discrete objective...
of the secret Berlin bunker
Bunker
A military bunker is a hardened shelter, often buried partly or fully underground, designed to protect the inhabitants from falling bombs or other attacks...
where the Führer
Führer
Führer , alternatively spelled Fuehrer in both English and German when the umlaut is not available, is a German title meaning leader or guide now most associated with Adolf Hitler, who modelled it on Benito Mussolini's title il Duce, as well as with Georg von Schönerer, whose followers also...
is holding secret meetings with his senior staff. The player must retrieve a bomb
Bomb
A bomb is any of a range of explosive weapons that only rely on the exothermic reaction of an explosive material to provide an extremely sudden and violent release of energy...
that the operatives have placed inside the bunker and place it outside the door of the room where Hitler is holding his meeting, a scenario bearing a passing resemblance to the July 20 Plot.
The game features a top-down view of each room on the level, though the characters are seen upright like in a side-scroller
Platform game
A platform game is a video game characterized by requiring the player to jump to and from suspended platforms or over obstacles . It must be possible to control these jumps and to fall from platforms or miss jumps...
. The player tries to traverse the levels by sneaking by, impersonating and sometimes killing opponents. The game is controlled via a joystick
Joystick
A joystick is an input device consisting of a stick that pivots on a base and reports its angle or direction to the device it is controlling. Joysticks, also known as 'control columns', are the principal control in the cockpit of many civilian and military aircraft, either as a center stick or...
, paddles
Paddle (game controller)
A paddle is a game controller with a round wheel and one or more fire buttons, where the wheel is typically used to control movement of the player object along one axis of the video screen...
, or the keyboard
Computer keyboard
In computing, a keyboard is a typewriter-style keyboard, which uses an arrangement of buttons or keys, to act as mechanical levers or electronic switches...
. The player successfully completes the game after planting the bomb and escaping the bunker before it explodes.
The game is similar to its predecessor, but features a number of gameplay updates. The guards now use a pass system, in which the player is periodically summoned by guards and asked to show the correct pass (which varies by floor), or offer a bribe. If an incorrect pass is shown or the bribe is rejected due to the lack of money (for a total of two times), the guard will attempt to activate a bunker-wide alarm or kill the player.
The bodies of dead guards can be dragged through the room to conceal them, block passages, or gain access to objects.
The highly explosive grenades
Hand grenade
A hand grenade is any small bomb that can be thrown by hand. Hand grenades are classified into three categories, explosive grenades, chemical and gas grenades. Explosive grenades are the most commonly used in modern warfare, and are designed to detonate after impact or after a set amount of time...
of the previous game have been replaced with a dagger, which can be used to silently kill guards instead of attracting attention with gunfire.
Additionally, the audio system includes an increased vocabulary and greater variety of sound effects.
Upon successful completion of the game, the player is rewarded with a high resolution graphic of the bunker exploding in the background, with the player running away in the foreground.