“Let's get the important, fundamental, epoch-defining questions out of the way first. On the line are Kevin Cloud, from id Software, and Eric Biessman from Raven. Kevin is executive producer at id, the boss of all. Eric leads the programmers and artists at Raven responsible for bringing their occult take on World War II to life. This is a direct continuation of the legendary Wolfenstein series that started back in 1992, and that alone makes it a big deal. (Personal note: I was so obsessed with playing Wolfenstein 3D that I spent £120 of birthday savings on a new soundcard - Creative Soundblaster, nostalgia fans - rather than a console. I have an emotional investment in the next hour.)

So, yes, there are certain fundamental questions that need to be cleared before we get to the detail of id and Raven's plans. "Will we be picking up giant chicken dinners from the floor?" Kevin lets out a huge laugh. "No. But that's funny." It's not funny. It is serious business. "Are we going to be attacked by vicious, snarling Alsatians?" "No." "What about giant murals that with a gentle push reveal huge stockpiles of gold and treasure?" He laughs again. "No. We don't want players running up and down our scenery hammering the spacebar." "Hitler and the Robot Suit. Best moment in gaming, ever." "No. We won't be doing that." Man! What the hell is left? http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=195374the world. A few months later, and the SS have discovered the ultimate occult power-source, something called the Black Sun (fact alert: a black sun symbol was used by the SS). But there's a problem. To reach it, you'll have to pass through dimensions, into an alternate reality overlaid on ours called the 'shroud'. WTF? Wolfenstein is the latest in a long, long list of collaborations between Raven and id Software; collaborations that have produced a flood of FPS games - shooters that practically templated PC gaming for nearly ten years. That relationship began, Kevin explains, "in Wisconsin. It was the first place that id set up as a developer," near to where Raven had set up their own business. The developers quickly became friends. "But then winter happened," says Kevin, "and id realised that Wisconson was cold. Id moved to Dallas, but the friendship remained." ”