Prisoner of War (video game)

Infobox VG| title = Prisoner of War


developer = Wide Games
publisher = Codemasters
designer =
engine =
released = 2002
genre = Stealth
modes = Single player
ratings = ESRB: TEEN
platforms = PC, PS2, Xbox
media =
requirements = Pentium III or Athlon 500 or higher, 128MB RAM, 16MB 3D Card, 760MB Hard Drive space, 8x CD-ROM, mouse, keyboard
input =

Prisoner of War is a third-person stealth computer game written by Codemasters and released in 2002.

It is the heart of World War II and the conflict is raging across the battlefields of Europe. As Special Operative war pilot Captain Lewis Stone, it is your job to escape from Hitler's Prisoner of War camps to safety. The somewhat 'shoot from the hip' Captain Stone is not too keen on spending the rest of his war days in his new found home, and finds the idea of escape intriguing.

Gameplay

Prisoner of War is quite different from other 'stealth 'em ups' in that, although other 'stealth 'em ups' utilise some small form of violence for the player to achieve his objectives, this game portrays little to no violence. For example, if the Nazi guards on duty, spot the player acting suspiciously, they will not shoot on sight. Instead, they will call on the player to cease his activity. If the player continues to disobey the guard, the guard will shoot him. There are other similar such scenarios for the player losing. If the player is near the guard when he is caught acting suspiciously, he will automatically surrender and lose. These scenarios open up a whole new dimension of ideas for the player to achieve his objectives, but the key aspect to the completion of this game is stealth.

Character Interaction

In many escape attempts during World War II, success has been based on individuals working together towards a final escape. Prisoner of War is no exception in that the key to a successful escape attempt is through the player interacting with the other inmates in the camp. This interaction is portrayed in the game by allowing the player to choose from a number of dialogue options for which his fellow inmates will respond. Fellow inmates are always willing to help out and provide information either for free, or for a certain fee.

Player Inventory

Captain Stone has many items that he can use around the camp these include items useful for opening doors, such as keys or crowbars. There is also 'currency' which can be found in and around the camp. This acts as money and can be used to purchase information, or other useful items. To avoid detection, these things can be hidden in your 'Hiding Place' in your barrack. Captain Stone is, like any escapee, equipped with a journal to store useful information, such as maps, or current objectives.

Characters

Major
*Captain Lewis Stone. The main character in the game. Known for his feistiness and lack of respect for authority figures.
*General Stahl. Murders Captain Stone's Co-pilot at the beginning of the game and continues to throw anyone in the Cooler. He is extremely intimidating to those under his command, who avoid him when possible.
*Colonel Roger Harding. An Englishman, He is both mysterious and arrogant. Later, however it is discovered that he is a SOE operative.
*Lieutenant James Daly. Stone's Co-pilot who is killed when escaping from the first camp. He and Stone were best friends.

Minor

Holding Camp:
*Private Paul Clancy, a pessimistic Massachusetts man, was captured in Italy along with Sergeant O'Brian. A shadow of his former self, who has given up attempting to escape.
*Sergeant Jimmy O'Brian, an Irishman with a taste for bribery. Would supply Private Clancy with tools in exchange for currency.

Stalag Luft
*Private Xavier DuChamp, an expert on the location of the camp's tools and buildings.
*Second Lieutenant John McCormack, a valuable friend in escape. Knowing how to avoid guards, but not always knowing where everything is.
*Second Lieutenant Peter Nesbitt often knows what is going on in certain areas of the camp for example, where prisoners have gone and generally what is happening.
*Major Nicoli Radtke is the head of the Escape Committee at Stalag Luft. He is very untrustworthy and sultry, but once he is your friend, he is a good one.
*Wing Commander James Temple-Smithson, an upper class Barracks Officer who is often seen with the Major, concocting Hair-Brained schemes.
*Sergeant Harry Fox is a typical South London man who can sell things for currency, he often has plenty of stock, unlike Private Dwight Johnson of Colditz.There are other minor characters in Stalag Luft, but their role in the game is not so important as those mentioned above.

Colditz
*Lieutenant Cameron "Doc" Winters is a small man from New York, capable of knowing where everything is in the camp, although he has a conscience, and often defers to Private Kapowski when he is going through locked doors.
*Private Michael Kapowski, is very confident and can get through almost any locked door. He disappears in the last mission though, presumably taken to a Jewish Concentration Camp
*Second Lieutenant Reginald Worthington is a well-spoken friendly man, who make it his business to listen to the mutterings and rumours spreading around the camp.
*Group Captain Henri Dubois, a tall Frenchman who has the responsibility of being the barrack officer at Colditz.
*Major William Kingsley, the Escape officer. he is a very careful man, and quiet.
*Private Dwight Johnson, is another man who will swap goods for currency, his stock is always almost empty though.

Camps

*Holding Camp Summer, 1944 - Escaped then recaptured deported to ->
*Stalag Luft I Autumn, 1944 - Escaped then recaptured and deported to ->
*Colditz Castle Winter 1944 - Escaped back to Stalag Luft then captured inside the camp ->
*Stalag Luft I Winter, Early 1945 - Escaped back to Colditz ->
*Colditz Castle Spring, 1945

External links

*moby game|id=/prisoner-of-war|name="Prisoner of War"