Medal of Honor
  Publisher: EA
  Availability: Available in leading stores
  Genre: Modern First Person Shooter

  Reviewed by: Rohit Shirke on PC

  Rating: 8.1/10

This is the first time Medal of Honor has ventured out into the modern scenario as all its prequels have been based on World War 2. Medal of Honor is a good Single player campaign but the story line lacks a punch. There are also a few glitches in the game here and there which include visual flaws and some technical glitches which include invisible walls and finding the perfect spot to be in so that the game executes the next mandatory scripted sequence. These few glitches can be really annoying at times but never the less the game is quite engaging.

The modern fps genre has dominated by CoD and BFBC series till now and Medal of Honor had a lot of expectations to meet. The most unique aspect about MoH is that it is based on a real world conflict and this is what makes it stand out from the rest.

Gameplay:

Campaign Mode:

In this mode you start off as a part of an American military effort to find and eliminate Taliban forces, and the grounded-in-reality premise feels more immediate than those that feature fictional enemies. Medal of Honor hasn’t taken a wider representation of the conflict and instead has focused more on the characters and soldiers on the field which has given a serious appeal to the game.

The fights are tough at times, although it is recommended to play in the Hard mode as the Easy and Normal modes can be a real cakewalk for hardcore fps gamers. Although the game has a weak storyline the gameplay of the campaign is quite engaging and keeps you hooked on to the game. You are mostly engaged in heated firefights or quietly infiltrating enemy encampments which includes sneaking up on your enemies and butchering them with your knife.

On-foot missions are punctuated by thrilling moments when you direct powerful air support on enemy encampments. For example some missions need you to orchestrate air strikes and it is enormously astounding to watch a laser guided bomb dropped by and F-15 devastate an enemy camp right in front of your eyes. You also need to guide the AC 130 and A-10 Warthogs in some of the missions.

You also get to annihilate some enemies using a gunship in one of the missions. Cannons, Rockets and Hellfires are the perfect ingredients for a Taliban massacre and gamers will surely enjoy this particular mission in the game.

The nicely varied environments provide an attractive array of places to wage war, and even though the visuals suffer from some technical imperfections, the fact that the whole campaign takes place in one region of the world creates a good sense of solidity.

It's easy to keep track of who you are and where you fit into the battle even though you play as multiple characters. EA and developers Danger Close have stressed the inclusion of "Tier 1 Operators" in MOH - special operations personnel that act outside of officially documented military actions. In the fist mission itself you are a member of the 4 man Tier 1 special ops team who are working under cover behind enemy lines securing an intelligence asset from the enemy in the city of Gardez.

The game has a series of cut scenes throughout which provide a good dramatic set-up and the great battlefield chatter creates a pragmatic battle experience.

You play as different soldiers throughout the game and this provides different combat experiences, and the game transitions between protagonists in logical ways. For example, after fighting your way through enemy artillery positions, you find yourself facing a terrifying onslaught that threatens to overwhelm your squad as you’re running out of ammunition. Your desperate stand ends in a dramatic rescue, and you then play as rescuers as they take on their next mission. Things proceed at a good pace, and it's stimulating to realize that all of the exciting action you are engaged in takes place within the bounds of a realistic military operation. Although I did feel that the game ended too fast.

Although the developers have tried to make MoH as realistic as possible the game often stumbles upon some unfortunate glitches and problems. As the campaign immerses you in dialogues amongst your squadmates, much of this chatter is delivered on the run, but there are times when your progress is halted at a flimsy door or a short rocky ledge to let your squadmates talk. There are also a lot of invisible walls that prevent you from going off the beaten path. These two elements seem designed to keep you in line so you can experience the campaign the way it was meant to be experienced, but they can feel heavy handed and restrictive at times. The enemy AI is smart and foolish at the same time. For example the Taliban soldiers do take cover reasonably well but they often stick their heads out from behind the covering position in a predictable way.

Tier 1 Mode:

This mode requires internet connectivity as you are timed as you play through individual campaign missions on the hardest difficulty. This mode is perfect for gamers who are looking for a challenge. Performing headshots, melee kills, and kill streaks gives you an added time advantage.  After completing the level, you are ranked on an online leaderboard in a bunch of different categories which include fastest time, most headshots, and longest distance kills. The challenge of going slowly enough to survive but fast enough to register a strong time creates an exciting sense of anxiety, especially if you're competing against a friend or a rival. The game has a great multiplayer mode as well.

Graphics & Visuals:

I played this game using the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460 and it did complete justice to the graphics of the game as it magnificently highlighted all the visual elements of the game. The widely varied environment provides an excellent setting for war. The explosions and its after effects are very well portrayed. The characters are well animated as well. Although if you have played BFBC2, you will find the graphics are on the same level.

The game is definitely worth a buy simply because of its unique real world battle scenario. The game has a lot of challenges to offer and it will surely be loved by fps gamers. The game is available for console and PC and is available in retail stores all over India.

The Good:

      -     The game is unique from others as it is based on a real conflict.

-         Gameplay is engaging and the campaign is well placed

-         Tier 1 mode is quite challenging and fun to play

The Bad:

-         Enemy AI can be really predictable at times and the normal and easy modes are really a no contest

-         Quite a lot of technical glitches. (eg. Invisible walls, gameplay gets stuck)

-          Story line lacks punch

-         Game feels short and could have had a better ending.