Medal of Honor: Airborne
- October 31, 2006 16:13 PM PST
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After a lengthy ceasefire, Medal of Honor redeploys into action. But can it keep up with Call of Duty's World War II reign?
From the folks that practically invented the World War II shooter comes the long-awaited next-generation version of Medal of Honor. Aptly titled Airborne, Electronic Arts' first crack at swiping a piece of the WWII first-person shooter throne back from Activision and its stable reign with Call of Duty, is something altogether different than scripted duck and cover. This installment of MOH allows players to pummel Nazi forces at their own will, and it's all about the air drop.
Air Assault
With WWII shooters a dime a dozen these days, developer EA Los Angeles needs an ace up its sleeve to distinguish the MOH series from the crowded pack. So up, up, and away it is, to dangerous skies above Axis-swarming European territory. For Private Boyd Travers and Pathfinder Eddie La Pointe, the mission is simple: jump, and jump fast.
Medal of Honor reaches new graphical heights on the Xbox 360
Airborne is all about the air drop, and the way the game plays out is set by a single parachute fall into enemy territory. For the most part, WWII FPSs are presented in linear nature with scripted events leading the drive to the finish. But EA is straying away from the former, striving to create the next-gen version of nonlinear. And the air drop is the entry point. How? The specific location of the parachute landing is completely open, allowing the player to designate their own starting point.
To Each Their Own
Floating down above the battleground gives the player a bird's eye view of the action, and the strategy begins even before the landing. Landing in the mix of Ally troops would be a safe bet, as would securing a rooftop location as a prime sniper spot. But one could also touch down deep in enemy lines and fight the battle from the inside out. It's completely up to the player. Ally troops will gather and fight alongside, but don't expect scripted events to come to your rescue. The path to complete level objectives is entirely each different player's whim.
In Airborne, it's all about the air drop
And as the first next-gen MOH game, there are certainly ample treats, to boot. The game engine has been rebuilt for amazing hi-def presentation, and the down-the-sight firearm view it wonderfully detailed and topped off with a cool motion blur. Ally and enemy A.I. utilize advanced battle tactics to take the best path of action, whether it attack, duck, or regroup, and virtually any object can provide cover.
Typical MOH controls take effect here, with noticeable upgrades including pressure-sensitive, stabilizing sniper controls. Furthermore, modding weapons (realistically) in-field is a must, such as slapping a grenade launcher attachment onto a Garand. And weapon proficiency skill increases throughout the game, so making use of new creations gets even more destructive as the game progresses.
