March 12^th, 2002 (12:00am) - Built on a rocky outcrop, with barbed wire and search lights around its perimeter, the infamous Colditz Castle was designed to be the ultimate holding camp for WW2 Allied Prisoners of War (POW) and said to be escape proof.

Gamers will have the chance to put the castle’s security to the test with its recreation as one of the featured camps in Prisoner of War, coming later this year to PlayStation 2, Xbox and PC screens.

Codemasters’ 3rd-person adventure game captures the heroism of Allied escape attempts from POW camps during World War II and Colditz is its toughest stronghold.

Prisoner of War’s developer, Wide Games, has built a faithful recreation of the castle’s exterior. Its interior has been developed from historic references right down to the rich detail of elaborate rooms, peeling wallpaper in the corridors and the ironwork on the balconies. Unexpected areas of the castle have also been added, including tunnels and secret passages.

For the game’s hero, Captain Lewis Stone, Colditz’s imposing surroundings, network of rooms and corridors bring fresh challenges.

"Colditz presents opportunities for the player to put skills learnt in previous camps to the test," explains Carl Jones, producer of the title at Wide Games.

"In Colditz, stealth and planning is even more important. It’s even harder for the player to get away with things as spaces are far more enclosed. There are fewer places to run to in an emergency and the guards roam the castle in greater numbers."

Complete with a blockbuster conclusion to the adventure, Prisoner of War is being developed for PlayStation 2, Xbox and PC by Wide Games and will be published by Codemasters in this summer.