Medal of Honour review.

Well, it's been out for a while now, and i'm guessing you have either forked out for the game, or you're still sitting on the fence, what with Black ops just around the corner. I held out, but after a while I buckled, the temptation to see what EA have done with the first Medal of Honour game for the current gen systems. So here we go with gaming freaks review.

The plot:

Getting politics out of the way, the plot, like Modern Warfare 2 before it, is basically a confusing mess. I couldn't really tell what was going on from mission to mission. You follow both Tier 1 operatives, essentially the special forces, and Marines in and around the middle east conflict zones. I think it has something to do with chasing certain suspects, and there are a few rescue missions to rescue captured team members. Still in this day and age, we have storylines in games that feel like they are written by what a 12yr old kid would consider being a cool story. Where is the story in this game? Missing in action, from what i've seen.

What I liked:

Firstly, the sound. EA are known for their high production values, and this game does not disappoint. From the constant chatter of your teammates, to the cracks and bangs of allsorts of ordinance going on all around you, we have to give the devs kudos for the quality of the audio in this game. Playing it through a surround system is something to behold. The game controls well, not too far removed from the Call of Duty series. There are some great set piece levels, from the level where you are controlling the weapons systems of an Apache gunship, to using a sniper rifle to decimate the enemy from miles away, to storming through cave systems using your night vision scopes to negociate the darkness, there is never really a moment where the game goes stale or drags. Online is fast and furious, and veterans of the Battlefield series will feel right at home.

What I lothed:

Firstly, the campaign length. Ok, it's exciting, and as i've already mentioned some levels are just stunning to both look at and play....but, and it's a big one, most FPS veterans will go through the game in an afternoon. I clocked in completion of the campaign at around 4 hours, and it's pretty disappointing when you're just getting into what the game has to offer and then bing.....end credits roll. For the money that gamers are forking out for a game it's pretty inexcusable. At least give me a single player game that will last arouund 10 hours or so! The game in parts is essentially a fair ground ride.....you'll play the same levels again and again and the enemies will spawn in the same places, perform the same actions etc etc. It basically takes you out of the reality that they are trying to create. Gun play is fine, but due to the canned animations of the enemies you'll find in places that the bad guys just soak up bullets as they go through their pre-canned routines. Online play is very good, but it almost feels like Battlefield "lite", as you just don't have the depth and breath of that titles online modes. Maybe with a bit more play it will show some varity and depth, but from a few hours it won't make any converts of the Battlefield crowd.

The verdict?

EA have taken steps to bringing Medal of honour back, and may have won some fans in the process. Stellar production values and some genuinely exciting missions have their sheen removed by awful enemy AI, canned animations and criminally short campaign time. Even though I really enjoyed my time with the game, I can't recommend it at the current full whack at retail. Here's looking to the inevitable sequel to remedy what was troublesome with this game.

Rating: 6/10
(Xbox 360 version reviewed)