Medal of Honor

2007/09/21

It is common knowledge that some of the MoH games didn’t really follow actual historical events (with the exception of MoH: Allied Assault), but tried instead to provide an intense experience of battle. The locations however, stem from actual places and a great deal of effort was made to give the player scenarios that had never been used before. Players who are already familiar with the previous titles of the series or games similar to these like Call of Duty need new settings and new variations of entertainment as well. You must then accordingly, fight your way through levels that have never before been present in any other game in this form; and approaching the map via parachute allows you to see the battlefield from another perspective. The story line of a first person shooter set in World War II isn’t really that original, but some of the great cut scenes provide a nice dramatic touch.

You are a member of the American paratroopers who must, after a short briefing, fly to the levels via airplane and parachute out of the roaring steel giant at a specific point. Your landing position can be crucial in determining the outcome of a battle. Depending on the landing position you select, you can experience the game in very different ways. The fairly safe landing positions are marked with green smoke, and you will often find supplies or equipment there. If you land at a heightened position, you can eliminate a large number of your opponents at the beginning of the mission, thus making your advance easier. If the landing position is not marked, you may occasionally find yourself caught between surprised and trigger happy opponents, and you must first fight for your own survival. Every level has five additional secret landing zones, for which you will get a specific award if you manage to reach them.

The player is catapulted right into the middle of the action during the first few minutes of play in MoH: Airborne. It soon becomes clear however, that the basic principles of the game have not changed all that much. MoH: Airborne is a fast-paced action game, which is backed by excellent staging. The controls are classic and, apart from approaching by parachute, there is nothing new in this department. The landing position can be determined by using the movement buttons while in approach. This must be done carefully, however. If you come in at the wrong angle or you don’t push the forward button at the right moment, you will land on your stomach, which means that your alter ego will need more time to make himself ready for combat. A good landing however, lets you dive right into the action.

You play the role of private Boyd Travers, and as such must complete a variety of mission objectives. Most of the time this involves neutralizing artillery or facilities; a few of your colleagues are also there to accompany you on your bullet-ridden path. Once in a while you must eliminate a tank or sniper, but acts of sabotage have the highest priority. Your colleagues will take a shot once in a while, but are more there to contribute to the atmosphere than to offer support. You are allowed to have a gun and two heavier weapons on you at all times, supplemented by numerous grenades. Once you have learned how to successfully use your weapon you can give it up to three upgrades, which is quite an interesting system. These upgrades can for example, cause more damage, be loaded quicker, or have less recoil. In some cases, you can even select a riflescope, a bayonet or a grenade launcher attachment for your firearm before the start of each mission.

MoH: Airborne is still fun right from the start, even though we have already fought our way through countless other games like this. The authentic arsenal of weapons and the terrific staging accentuated by a sensational soundtrack, play a big part in this. The animation of the wounded opponents is a feast for the eyes unparalleled by anything currently on the market; they sag over the crates with unbelievable realism, or fly through the air when a grenade hits them. Because of this, MoH: Airborne can only be recommended to those who aren’t extremely sensitive. The game is particularly brilliant when large numbers of opponents appear. If numerous enemies are attacking you, the grenades that land nearby and the missiles (leaving behind wisps of smoke) whizzing past your ears, will inevitably make your heart race.

In spite of all of the great impressions that MoH: Airborne made, it still managed to occasionally leave a bitter taste in our mouths. The AI allows the opponents and colleagues to seek cover behind a crate or a tank trap, and while firing both parties can change their positions, but for the most part it seems like they are doing so in a pointless and haphazard manner. Sometimes opponents don’t return fire, or will dash out of a bunker into which you have just thrown a grenade and press themselves up against a wall right before your very eyes. This doesn’t really afford them much cover; for that they would have to be on the other side of the wall…

Although the game seems at its strongest in situations where you are faced with many opponents, there are moments when you get too much of a good thing. If you die, you almost always start back in the air, and sometimes you will be shot even before you manage to land. The opponents that you have already defeated will also always return in the same spot after a respawn and sharp shooters in particular, who surround the landing zone and open fire on you from all sides, will have you impatiently grinding your teeth.

The levels in MoH: Airborne are quite large and their openness is very convincing. Because you approach by parachute, there is no place you can’t go to, which affords endless options and strategies. The surroundings and the panorama fit the scene quite nicely, but unfortunately the level architecture corrodes easily under certain conditions, which consequently makes it seem somewhat lifeless. Many of the locations still manage to provide enough atmosphere through burning objects, crashing aircrafts, flak, or constantly sinking of paratroopers. The vastness of the levels can sometimes be a double-edged sword however, and although they are clearly marked, a lot of effort is required to get to the next mission objective. You must be prepared for some long marches before you can continue on your path.

On the way to your last mission you will meet various opponents, including a few super soldiers, who are armed with machine guns or bazookas. Depending on the type, an enemy may require several hits before it is eliminated, and sometimes battling numerous elite stormtroopers may eat up all of your life points. The life indicator consists of four boxes that replenish themselves if no damages are received for a short period of time. In order to replenish them entirely, you must use one of the available medipacks. Despite everything, the game progresses well and at the appropriate moment, you find your way to the next objective or destination.

We have one small criticism right off the bat: there is no LAN function in MoHA’s multiplayer part. We could only play it using EA’s own network, which requires you to have an account in advance. There are three different modes of multiplayer in MoH: Airborne. In “Airborne Teammatch”, the Axis Powers have to fight off the Allies dropping from the sky. The team with the most frags at the end of a specific period of time is the winner. The second mode, “Regular Teammatch”, is similar to this, but the Allies spawn on the ground instead of jumping out of airplanes. Due to the lack of servers, we were not able to test this mode, because none of the 10 open servers had it activated. The third multiplayer mode is objective-based. Both teams must capture 3 flags (similar to Battlefield 2), in which the middle of the three flags requires two soldiers to capture it. The team that manages to control the most flags for the longest period of time wins.

Because of the strategically awkward spawn positions of the Axis Powers, at the present time, the team balancing seems a little uneven. As we have already mentioned, in the first few days after the release of MoHA, there weren’t enough servers to allow every player to satisfy their online needs. When we wanted to take a closer look at the multiplayer part, we found only 10 dedicated servers, and most of them were already in use or protected by a password. Those of you who were hoping to be able to play a quick game of MoH: Airborne now and again will be disappointed. The 1.1 patch, which will also be offered to clients as a dedicated version, is supposed to provide some relief in this matter.

Many of the animated cut scenes in MoH: Airborne are done really well. Explosions and muzzle flashes from heavy artillery look sensational. It is wonderful to observe the virtual perception of the eyes (which are still accustomed to the dark) changing as you exit a dark bunker and enter the light of the outside world. The backdrop surrounding the events of the war is also appropriate, and columns of smoke rising up from the horizon compliment the scenery beautifully. A few clipping errors (which may cause deformations or a hit opponent to freeze) and the overexposure of certain parts or elements, tarnish the otherwise impressive graphics.

From a musical standpoint MoH: Airborne is, just as its predecessors were, outstanding. Calls are answered according to the environment, and the music alone is often enough to create a fantastic atmosphere. A few of the weapons sound a little hollow or tinny, but thanks to the otherwise bombastic sound effects, this doesn’t carry a lot of weight. It is seldom that the sound of a game contributes so much to the playing experience. On the whole, the graphics, and more specifically the music of MoH: Airborne, are very persuasive.