War games are big, perhaps because it’s easier to fight a war in a video game than to face it in real life. The problem with most war-based games is the simple fact that the gamer never really feels in control. Also, gamers generally do not get to build a relationship with the others in the squad.

Medal of Honor: European Assault takes you back to WWII. While this is not a new theme for war games, they did manage to add some of the elements that are usually missing from this genre. Lock and load and get ready as we explore all that the newest Medal of Honor has to offer.

Gameplay

You start the game as a young intelligence officer, William Holt. He is the one they call in as a specialist in any scenario or mission. You get the chance to be thrown into a position of giving orders and leading the squad. While this may sound great, it also means that your orders may cause a member to go into a battle and die, or be a hero, depending on the situation. The game is setup in a way that that you have more freedom; it does not seem as though you’re just riding a rail from one objective to the next.

Before every mission starts, you will see real historic footage of battles or scenes taken from the war and also hear real veterans tell there tales. This alone helps gamers get into the role and care about the characters. It also adds a feeling of realism that other games in the past have failed to pull off. You will be briefed and given the primary objective along with a secondary objective. These must be done to succeed and move on within the game. While in the missions, you can trigger another new objective which opens the game up more and adds to the overall feeling of actually being on the front lines.

While this sounds great, it can also be a challenge since you are the one in charge. This means you must give orders and also heal your squad while still watching your own back. There is always at least one member of the squad you will have to run to or order to take cover. You don’t really hold their hands, so to speak, but you have to watch where your men are. As in any real war the main objective is important, but nothing is more important than your squad. Throwing in this element of the game not only adds to the realistic feeling but it provides for a bigger and more challenging experience.

You can follow any route to reach objective, although there are some places in each mission that defines the path you will take. If you watch carefully, you can find places to go outside the indicator and find new ways of getting through the mission. This will almost always open a new objective or mini-boss to fight within the mission. For the most part, the game is your standard FPS (first person shooter) war game. It throws in some new features and the chance to roam and explore, and also has some intense fire-fights and difficult objectives. Since you are the leader, it also means you need to keep an eye on the screen for the details, such as where to set a charge or where and when to grab secret documents.

MoH European Assault can be difficult, just try to remember everything that is flashed on screen. Luckily, the game is also set-up so when you get to an objective, it will give you the orders again. At the end of each mission you are rewarded medals and bonuses for not only completing the objectives, but for bringing back as many members of your squad alive. Another nice feature is that you can play the game over and find an objective or paths you missed initially, which adds replay value to the title.

Control / Playability

The controls are set-up similar to that of most war games, although you do have more options and the chance to adjust the axis and even cook a grenade before throwing it. There are also three preset control layouts, although the default one seems to work the best, they do have their differences, you’ll just need to find the one that suits you the best. Zoom control is manipulated via the left trigger and a click on the right analog stick performs a melee attack. The white button is for the med kit to heal yourself and the black button is to activate the adrenaline, which makes you invincible for a brief time. This feature is nice since the effect does not last long and does not make the game lose its realistic feeling.

You will also be able to give commands by a simple click of the left analog stick and recall it by using the D-pad. While the controls are fully loaded with options, the learning curve is still a solid 30-minutes to get down pat. All the controls respond well, although it will take a while to memorize everything without having to place the game on pause and look at the manual. Overall, the controls are solid and the new features work very well.

Graphics / Presentation

Graphically, the game looks good but it seems to go from great looking, to looking just plain average. The details of the weapons and the areas you are fighting in look very realistic, and the lighting effects are also well done; almost every object can be destroyed or used as in a real war. The members in your squad look realistic and will also show some great facial expressions. The black and white film footage adds a lot to the game and again will help gamers get into the missions a bit more.

There are a few places in each level that seems to have needed a bit more work and can be a little annoying. Then again, with the fast pace action you’re not there for a sight-seeing tour so it really is nothing that will affect the gameplay. Overall, the weapons going off and the fire blasts all look fantastic. When you cook a grenade and then throw it, for example, the blast is different than if you were to simply toss it at random. The amount of details added into the ships and even the uniforms show that care was taken to create more realistic-looking missions. While not perfect, the game has great graphics overall and the changes from one mission to the next are done well.

Medal of Honor European Assault Screenshot Medal of Honor European Assault Screenshot Medal of Honor European Assault Screenshot

Medal of Honor European Assault Screenshot

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Audio

The voice-overs at the beginning of each new mission are not actors, these are real life veterans telling their memories, and they were not enhanced or padded for the sake of the game. While they are not professionals, their stories are thought-provoking and really add something unique to the game. The other voice-over actors do a great job and are quite convincing as your squad members, as they will not just repeat the same lines over constantly. As far as the weapons, each one has a different sound, from a simple pistol to an ‘anti-air’ gun turret, the sounds are dead on. The fire-fights and the enemies also sound realistic and not just some fake German accents as we have seen in the past. While the music is mostly marching themes, it works to help set the tone for the missions.

Replay Value

European Assault offers some great missions as well as a four-player split screen option to play with friends. While not the same as an online mode, which would nave been great to see, it will provide some great fun with your friends. The real value though is the single player campaign; while it is a bit short, there are several difficulty settings to play around with. Even trying the next one up will make the game considerably harder. As mentioned previously, the way the game is presented, aloowing for more freedom, also adds to the replay value. No two missions will be identical, even though the changes are sometimes minimal, it does help add replay value. It really boils down to how much of a fan you are for this type of WWII shooter game.

Overall Score

Overall Score: 8.5/10 [not an average]

Additional Comments

The realistic feeling created in this game is something fans of war games should experience. Its a fun and challenging game that shows the series is moving forward in new ways. The intros alone and the honesty and compassion in each veteran’s voice is something that people need to hear in order to follow the realism and visceral tone of the game. It certainly adds a new perspective to the genre. The missions are not easy and having to help your squad really created a nice challenge. An online mode would have really boosted the overall score, but alone it stands up with other war games already available on the Xbox.

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