MoV's visual charms top a long list of positives in a wide-ranging taste of the 'Nam experience...
Then the evolution of the Unreal, CryENGINE, Source, and similar game assemblers pushed the horizon to the edge of a player’s virtual vision, while at the same time allowing for a fetishistic level of detail in every imaginable type of terrain. Developers could offer players a bona fide run through the jungle instead of just another hedge maze painted up with green and brown textures. The average PC’s capabilities were finally more of a match for the tactical challenges and emotional tribulations that were already present in the story of Vietnam.
Men of Valor certainly uses the Unreal engine’s strength in rendering space and depth to create some genuinely impressive environments, where every boulder, tree, and crater is usable as a lifesaving source of cover. I thoroughly enjoyed every natural setting in the game – from the fluidly flowing rivers to the blasted, splintered forests left by high-altitude bombing – as well as the few human dwellings in the city of Hue. Throw in some amazing particle and sound effects, and it’s easy to get caught up in the Medal of Honor-style “You Are There” urgency for which the folks at 2015 were aiming. The final foray and retreat through a major snafu in Khe Sahn during MoV’s last levels was especially enjoyable as the culmination of every positive element in the game.
I’m not a huge fan of using checkpoints as a means of saving progress, but the system used in MoV made sense in that almost every level was neatly divided into specific encounters that required more situational involvement than incremental advancement through quicksaves might allow. Still, that understanding didn’t stop me from yowling with frustration when I caught a bullet with mere seconds remaining on the clock, which happened more than once just as I crossed the threshold of the ruined church during the Eagle Flight scenario. As long as I kept my movements cautious and covered, however, I was able to succeed at each semi-realistic skirmish with most of my flesh intact.
The inclusion of useful computer-controlled teammates is another recent FPS development. AI friendlies have come a long way since the cannon fodder of Half-Life’s Barneys or the horrendous babysitting duties found in Daikatana. Smooth, Greaser, Hodges, and the rest of the MoV gang managed to keep out of my line of fire, for the most part, and often plugged a dangerous enemy at a very opportune moment. The workaday banter during slow periods and excited exclamations exchanged over the roar of gunfire was competently performed and, more importantly for the latter, nicely varied; yet another welcome evolution in modern shooters has the developers recording more than just two repeating lines of dialogue for battle taunts.
I agree with anyone who feels that the character animation in MoV was somewhat lacking, as I witnessed a number of absurd behavioral tics that seemed more reminiscent of a budget title than such an otherwise well-produced game. However, I never experienced any problems with MoV’s combat mechanics. Even though the groups of opposing VC seemed to favor me as a target more than my allies – particularly during the very final sequence, a dash for safety made with limits on my maneuverability and means of self-defense -- I completely understood that victory was mine alone to achieve, so hiding out while my squadmates paved a path through every area was deliberately omitted from the MoV playbook. Once the day is won, Men of Valor leaves a lasting impression of a very challenging and panoramic experience that I recommend for anyone who wants to see and feel the rigors of jungle warfare in their most vivid representation to date.