| Okay WW2 FPS |
A lot of people seem to not like this and, while I can understand their points, I found this okay if a little frustrating a times.
Basically you drop into the action taking a hard route or an easy one, then you go for your objectives via a variety of bad guys. Frustrations include a long time between checkpoint saves,the fact you have to keep parachuting in despite your checkpoint being on the ground, and the strange addition of hard to kill super-soldiers(?) near the end!
On the plus side the graphics are lovely and it can be intense fun at times. My XP machine was top spec two years ago but managed to cope well, (apart from some occasional freezing) and still enjoyed this. Yep it could have been better but it is still an acceptable shooter that will entertain you for a few hours |
3 Rating
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| Why this is an OUTSTANDING game |
First, let me say a few important words about the WWII First Person Shooter (FPS) genre:
Generally people think the market is; first, saturated with lots and lots of choices, and second, shrinking. In my opinion, the market is flooded with tons of junk, but only has 5 real true quality offerings for the PC. So I will continue to fork over $50 for each and every high quality product that hits the market - to me, they are worth it. I can't get enough of the gritty European WWII flavor offered. So yes, if you offer junk, the market is flooded and shrinking. If you hit the mark (like this game did) sales should be good - I know I will pay for quality.
To make this review helpful to you, let me list the genre games I consider worth $50 (if you don't own them, they are all MUST BUYS). Generally I don't care for weak graphics, choppy or linear game play, Pacific battlefield based, unrealistic "Wolfenstien" action, or basic run & gun. I enjoy historically accurate games that offer interesting storylines, set in Europe, with wide open battle field that I can attack from my own angels at my own rate. I much prefer sniping to run and gun.
1. The Granddaddy that started it all: Medal of Honor (MoH): Allied Assault & the Spearhead Expansion (the second expansion was too tedious and linear - "do exactly this, in exactly this order" - so I leave it out).
2. The giant step forward, Call of Duty (CoD) & its expansion. Superb levels of game play, and an added level of realism that the MOH series never really competed with.
3. CoD2. Although I found the Russian front less contextually engaging as the European flavor of the first CoD.
4. The little known and rarer offering of Commandos Strike Force. The Commandos series was historically an overhead strategy game, but after dismally failing in the third edition, the forth offering switched to a FPS style. The game was very inventive, and the missions were intellectually engaging (not just run & gun) - an outstanding and surprisingly fun game.
5. MoH: Airborne - explained below
I also enjoyed the Hidden & Dangerous Series, but it was too buggy and unstable to be considered a serious contender.
MOH: Airborne offers superb graphics with interesting storylines. The squads will not succeed (basically they will just hold the current line) without you personally turning the tide of battle. The maps are huge, and wide open, so you can run & gun if you want to, or slowly and strategically advance with long range shots. Mission objectives can be accomplished in any order you chose, at your own rate of advance (ex: knock out enemy communications, disable enemy explosives and secure the town).
Why this game is so much better than the competition:
* You chose how you want to play, you can run and gun if that is what you like, you can snipe if that is what you like, or some kind of combination.
* The more enemies you kill with a specific weapon, (including grenades & launchers), you earn upgrades for that specific weapon (like a scope, or larger ammo magazines, of matched and polished bolts for quicker reloads, etc.
* It is a perfect combination of enemy waves. Enemy waves will continue to re-spawn until a certain force size (depending on your location and battle) has been killed - after that point is reached, they stop spawning. Not as easy as kill the 6 guys there and you have cleared the area, and not as tedious as the endless re-spawn until after you take a certain position.
* The maps are huge and authentic feeling (expect for the last - which is very un realistic)
The only cons to this game are:
* First and foremost, it is way, way to short (6 large missions)
* The last map (and Elite Storm Troopers) are completely unrealistic and just plain silly.
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5 Rating
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| Great game,but difficult and frustrating at times |
I think this game exceeds even Call of Duty 4 as far as gameplay. It is a very tough game to play though, even at normal difficuly, what with the exceptional enemy AI and automatic saves to contend with. If not for the difficuly, I would have rated MOH Airborne 5 stars. The graphics are excellent and gameplay intense. After the first MOH, the series went into the toilet, until Airborne came along. Call of Duty overshadowed MOH, but not anymore. I just hope the developers continue the trend, but PLEASE give us manual saves in the next one. |
4 Rating
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