Truly a champion game build by champions to be played by champions.
Graphics: 9
Sounds: 9
Value: 8
Tilt: 9
Actual score: 8.8
It's now a reality that console bashing is a favourite past time sport for PC goers; all this fuss about being dumb down for the masses, the controls are hopeless, graphics are nothing short of viewing it on a mobile phone and so forth; it's like watching a tennis match – this back and forth slag fest. And I'll admit that I'm one of those players who constantly ridicule console players for the lack of game play. Yet there are games that we PC 'elites' do not like to admit that 'damn I wish this game ports to the PC, it will totally rocks' therefore will conclude it should be originally build for the PC anyway (but the reality is that the game wasn't even intend for the PC to begin with) and Medal of Honor: Allied Assault is one of those console based games that can really put many PC games to shame (but I'm not going to admit this).
Without further ado, the premise for MoHAA compose of six large missions loosely based on real life World War Two events. The hero of the story, Mike Powell will find himself parcipitating Operation Torch (British-American invasion of French North Africa), heading up to Norway grabbing the infamous Naxos radar detection, enduring the gruelling D-Day Operation Overlord campaign, getting the opportunity to snatch the most fearsome tank of WW2: the King Tiger then blow up the mustard production plant Schmerzen (which is a really unintelligent name as 'Schmerzen' means 'pain' in German). All of this requires the player to utilise every FPS skills imaginable as these campaigns can consist of sniping, stealth, relying on other team mates and naturally your skill to eradicate as many Germans (and the occasional German Shepard) as possible.
Throughout these missions, you'll be exposed to the weaponry and armaments typically for the 1942 – 45 period for both allies and axis groups ranging from the Colt and Walther pistol to the Kar-98k sniper to the submachine guns to grenades and M1A1 Rocker Launcher. Also noted that you'll get the opportunity to shoot in a moving vehicle and blast your way using the biggest, meanest tank for its time, the King Tiger. There will be at times you'll not be fighting alone as there are some missions that requires assistance from your fellow comrades and considering the game uses the Quake III engine, the AI for both Axis and Allies camps are acceptable; that is they will take cover, use suppressive fire and even lob a grenade to flush out a group of soldiers. In addition to all this, if you happen to have an AI medic, will fall behind and during the quiet moment/s will heal you – now that's what I call service!
Also being true to its name, if you go 'beyond the call of duty' (i.e. side missions) will have the opportunity to obtain a medal for all your effects consequently there are six to collect, one for each mission (as each mission can consists approximately four parts) and another one for completing the entire campaign on each level of difficulty (easy/medium and hard). There's also a hidden (but incomplete) mission where german shepards can actually open doors (clever dogs) and an easter egg (hint: mission two). So there's plenty to do during the single player campaign of MoHAA.
Once all done, you can jump online and battle out with other comrades using the Gamespy account for a game of death match, round based (similar to death match however no re-spawning) and objective (Allies or Axis have to plant one or more bombs at a given location and the other team have to defend this location). And let's not forget the excellent modding community with more skins, weaponry and single/multiplayer maps; yet I have seen only a few single player maps but plenty of multiplayer.
Unfortunately there are some key downsides to this wonderful game play. One of them is that once your foe dies there is some kind of 'build-in' timer that if you are not quick enough, the dropped weapon will disappear forever (which is a royal pain as ammo can be hard pressed to find). Also especially at the hardest difficulty setting, the AI seems to have a 'lock on' ability that almost guarantee a direct hit regardless if you are behind cover – that said, just the slightest show of flesh will assure a pounding from the Germans (I never thought the Germans are that good or could it be the superior weaponry they use). Lastly there are some maps that triggers 'spawning' Germans – I really don't understand why the developers do such diabolical acts of terror yet it wasn't my cup-of-tea mowing down piles of Germans just because the alarm was triggered...
The graphical software that fuels MoHAA is nothing other than the powerful id tech software Quake III engine. This engine has proved many times before of how versatile and resilient it is as visually this game is nothing short but luminous; that is entire landscapes render perfectly as considering some maps are very large indeed, the optimisation choices available will guarantee that any PC can play this game with minimal reduction of frame rates yet without the sacrifice of being a complete pixelated mess. The optimisation also adds features like weather effects, smooth characters' animation, fine-looking water ripples and the list goes on. The entire environments are all life-like (e.g. the sub's docking station: large and powerful; the towns and villages among rolling hills, the gloomy forests etc) all presents authentic qualities that brings you not just playing the game but feel for the game. Yet there are some clipping issues (e.g. floating dead bodies and weaponry that peer through walls) that can spoil that ever-so-beautiful scenry however it actually adds a bit of unintentional humour and deter the game play.
To compliments the outstanding graphics are the sounds in MoHAA. Just like the Quake series and practically anything else that runs on the Quake III engine expect ear-splitting gun-fire, thunderous explosions and zooming aeroplanes to dominate your soundcard and speakers. When things go momentarily quiet, you can also hear the dogs howl, the branches snapping beneath your feet, squeaky floorboards and the occasional Germans chattering to each other. The voice acting are quite well done as you'll hear the soldiers yell for cover etc however the pinnacle has to be the musical scores which are all composed professionally by the man himself Michael Giacchino (such a talented writer); the same guy who composed The Lion King, The Incredibles and the TV show Alias just to name a few.
Medal of Honor: Allied Assault is truly a champion game build by champions to be played by champions. From the storyline (which happens to be partially written by Steven Spielberg) to the graphics (Quake III engine) to the sounds and musical scores from one of the best composes around, one cannot deny that being a console port doesn't spell disaster. The entire campaign from start to finish (except for the last mission which feels more 'Hollywoodish' than an actual WW2 campaign) really makes the player feel like a soldier fighting the great war similar to what 'Saving Private Ryan' did to the viewing audience. That said it doesn't really glamorise what WW2 is like but try to bring in reality of the horrors and turmoils yet also having fun; but the irony of playing a WW2 game isn't meant to be fun but to educate people what could be avoided. Nevertheless, the message portrayed in Medal of Honor: Allied Assault is a dedication for all the brave soldiers fought in the war and especially to those who actually received the honourable 'Medal of Honour' medal – lest we forget.