MOH:Euro Assault incorperates many features found in other popular shooters, but still manages to come off feeling fresh
User Rating: 8.1 | Medal of Honor: European Assault XBOX
It is important to note that I am a big fan of WWII themed shooters, hence the high reviewer's tilt. It is also important to mention that I have only played the 1st few levels of this game. This having been said, so far I find MOH: European Assault to be the best console version of a MOH game yet. It's still not nearly as innovative or attractive as Brothers in Arms (Xbox version), and nowhere near as immersive as the PC version of Call of Duty, but it doesn't really try to reinvent the genre or do anything revolutionary. It tries to combine elements from many other shooters, and does so effectively. One gets the impression that EA realizes that they are no longer at the top of the WWII shooter heap, and desperately wants to regain some of the credibility the franchise lost during the dark days of Rising Sun. For WWII enthusiasts and/or fans of the MOH franchise without high end gaming PCs, MOH:EA succeeds in this respect, offering an entertaining experience both familiar and fresh. Pros: Gameplay - MOH:EA straddles the line between gritty realism (no in level saves, just finite 'revives', iron sight mechanic, mortal squad mates), with arcade action elements (Adrenaline - AKA temporary god mode, unrealistic ammo 'drops' from dead soldiers featuring cartoony icons, and the inclusion of minibosses). For the most part, it succeeds in blending these seemingly contrary approaches. The most important aspect of the experience, the gunplay, is fantastic. The lean mechanic is wonderfully implemented, and the feel of the hand-cannons seems spot on. Grenades don't seem to cook as they should, but then again I never really like the grenade mechanics of games that don't use the SOURCE engine. That's probably just me, though. Sound - If you've ever played a MOH game on any platform, this will come as no surpise. Voicework is plausible, but the gun effects are just perfect. Reverb and occlusion help increase the games immersiveness and sense of space... during a bunker raid on the 2nd level, I marvelled as the shots from my thompson echoed beautifully through the cement corridors. Simply outstanding in every respect. Presentation - I love the narration and historical footage which segue the levels together in a cohesive manner. Cons: Squad AI - On the one hand, I like that you have some guys under your command. It makes the game a much less solitary experience, and simulates the 'bring everyone home alive' sentiment absent in games where you assume the role of the one-man-killing-machine. On the other hand, the squad is at times woefully inept in combat situations, and proves to be more of a burden than a benefit. After playing Brothers in Arms, it is clear that the Xbox is capable of more functional and rewarding squad mechanics. It really feels like you have to babysit your guys, rather than feeling a sense of safety in their numbers. Without question the friendly AI the least succesful aspect of the game, although it's inclusion doesn't totally negate other positive aspects of the gameplay. Graphics - Sure, the graphics engine has some great things going for it. The tracers from bullets look really nice as they fill the enviornments with lead. Explosions are particularly stunning in this iteration of the series... you've never seen better particle effects in a console MOH game. The gun models are also particuarly nice looking. However, the blandness of the environmental textures and the cookie cutter appearance of both friendly and enemy soldiers makes the game appear drab and monochrome despite the aforementioned visual highlights. As I said, though, I have only played 2 1/2 missions thus far, all of which took place at night. When measured against other games in the MOH franchise, the graphics are much improved. However, when compared to several other truly outstanding FPS engines available to Xbox gamers (Riddick, Brothers in Arms, Halo, Deus Ex ), MOH:EA is merely middle of the road. Servicable, and an improvement for the console versions of the series, but not so hot relative to the Xbox's FPS big boys. In summation, this game will probably win you back to the MOH fold if Rising Sun left a crappy taste in your mouth. It seems as though the developers had this goal in mind... as MOH:EA seems to be competing against it's previous missteps and tarnished reputation as the fallen king of WWII shooters. MOH:EA succeeds in taking the franchise in some exciting new directions that, with the exception of the lackluster friendly AI and uninspired textures, should satisfy fans of the series. However, one gets the feeling that EA didn't set their sights terribly high when creating this game... that they just wanted to make it better than Rising Sun. When compared to other numerous quality shooters on the Xbox, the game is merely above average. In my opinion it's not nearly as good overall as the recent Brothers in Arms, but MOH: EA is still worth playing for fans of FPS games and WWII buffs alike.
