Medal Of Honor Review (360)

Can another FPS franchise survive the jump to the 21st Century?

Many interpreted the infamous Russian airport scene in Call Of Duty:Modern Warfare 2 in two extremely different camps. Some saw it as controversial, some saw it as a poignant message. Yet some could see it as an ironic representation of the current state of military embodied first person shooters on the marketplace. A vast and perhaps over-crowded genre even with a clear lead in the race, one has to tear through it all and truly make an impact since the undeniable wave of success made by Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare. Following in style with dragging the wars of ye olden days into the 21st Century, the revival of Medal Of Honor arrives late in the war for FPS domination to try and stand out from the crowds of generic camouflage that are finding it hard to do so.

Set in a battle torn Afghanistan that feels dangerously close to home, Medal Of Honor focuses on the early days of the war in Iraq through the eyes of a series of ‘Tier 1’ operatives. Far from your common troops, these specialised soldiers of war are a select hardcore bunch who are sent into the toughest conflicts.

When you first take on the life of one of these hardened soldiers, things get off to a pretty slow start. Often you’ll be working with a team of 3, yet this is no Rainbow Six in terms of tactical teamwork. Usually you’ll simply be following their lead, and many of the earlier missions involve a more stealthy approach, so you’ll usually be waiting to fire on someone else’s call like the obedient pet you are. It’s a frustrating pace to work at, and inflicts itself upon movement on the plot simultaneously. Yet the uneven pacing of combat and story isn’t enough to deter the dedicated, and leaves all the more dookie to eventually hit the fan. The action unexpectedly hits quite literally like a bombshell at the half-way point, where the action and emotional turmoil of warfare strikes and takes it’s toll. At this point onwards the action flows seamlessly from mission to mission and the heated gunfights can even turn to the air.

The level of detail in both characters and environments is incredibly impressive. Though battlefields appear expansive, the linear path of dusty micro hurricanes and paint torn buildings clearly marks the way, as well as the sound of gunfire. What’s more, your team give a fantastic performance to heighten the drama that surrounds you, adding sheer dread to the experience of constantly being out-gunned. Occasionally they spew forth tons of military jargon which I can only presume is good research upon the developers, but all share a common interest in the field of controlled chaos and the determination to survive in the midst of it.

The minor broken elements aren’t enough to deter FPS fans

Unfortunately the ‘Follow the leader’ attitude and constant dramatic narrative can hinder the gameplay at times. Whenever your team bundles together to discuss masculine man things such as guns and the like, Afghanistan can occasionally get carried away with the narrative and cast an invisible wall to obstruct your path. It’s a weird juxtaposition using such a classic gaming fault to section players off into trying to get deeper into the game. Though Iraqi mages can generate invisible walls for ‘dramatic effect’, the worms burrowing in their brains can cause their I.Q. to look like incredibly dodgy A.I. Numerous soldiers have simply stood still, machine-guns at my head simply waiting for a knife wound to the heart and a majority of them feel that running away is the best order of business than deal with you on occasions. Yet even though it doesn’t make much of a challenge, shooting cowards can be quite fun, and makes you wonder why there wasn’t a ‘Shoot the deserters’ mini-game in previous Medal Of Honor titles.

Though the campaign can easily be completed in around 6 hours, the hardcore ‘Tier 1’ mode gives veteran shooter fiends a tougher challenge to display just who is the fiercer soldier. ‘Tier 1’ steps the difficulty up a notch in the same generic ways of tougher enemies and slower health regeneration, yet also times you on your assault through missions. The aim is to complete a level in the shortest amount of time, and factors such as kill streaks, headshots and melee kills can all stop the clock and improve upon your times. For those who are incredibly competitive, this new breed of single player is highly addictive and revels in its difficulty, giving players a great alternative to besting pals and perfecting levels to shed seconds off.

Of course, the more convenient and formal way of duelling with pals is blasting their face off with a 12-gauge. The online multi-player features your standard array of matches and can throw you into gunfights with up to 24-players. The vast amount of soldiers in your own miniature war only makes matches all the more tense with battlefields small and enclosed spaces often cluttered with buildings. With a constant fear of being stalked upon with a knife when you’re doing the exact same to an opponent, yet makes it all the more enjoyable. Unfortunately, the reinforced need to know your battle area through constant experience makes new players easy prey, especially if pit up against those who have ranked up in their military equipment and careers.

Though it’s not afraid to hide the fact that it is simply EA’s way of entering the FPS market with a rejuvenated franchise, Medal Of Honor is a solid enough shooter to at least be worth a rental for the campaign. The minor broken elements aren’t enough to deter FPS fans from an extensive playthrough. It doesn’t quite make the impact it hopes to in a market that increasingly hard to stand out in, but it potentially leaves the doors open for an exceptional sequel.