Harrison
20th November 2007, 17:16
I hate having to spell Honour as Honor, but that's the US based game title so it has to be.
Are there any fans of the Medal of Honor series here?
I've always quite liked the series, which has always delivered quite a fun War based First Person Shooter experience, that is never so serious to make things hard and so the game always remains enjoyable. If there is one element that has always been a slight limitation of the previous games in the series, it has been their linear nature.
I've been playing Airborne quite a bit so thought i would share my thoughts regarding the game.
The linear nature of these games has finally been changed (slightly) with airborne. Instead of having to basically follow a predefined path through each level you are now free to explore and complete each level in whatever order you like, and from whatever direction you wish. Each level is now basically a sandbox which you can explore and move around doing whatever you like. Although you do still have your mission objectives that need to be completed.
The biggest new addition to Airborne has to be the reason behind the name. You now play as a member of a US parachute regiment, and start each level from the air, jumping from a plane. This doesn't initially seem like an innovation or improvement, instead just something tacked on to the start of each mission, but it does offer useful tactics within each level.
When you jump from the plane you can see the whole mission level laid out below you and can direct your decent so that you land pretty much anywhere you like within the level. The easiest option is to aim for the green flares burning on the ground as these are the points held by your allies so you will be safer landing here, but equally you will probably find yourself pinned down with others fighting the enemy before you can advance. An alternative approach is to aim for a location within or behind enemy lines so you can clear out the enemy bunkers or places they are holding from behind to allow your allies through.
Therefore the airborne parachute element does add quite a big new element to the game. Also if you are killed you often find yourself re-spawning in the air, so can aim for a spot to land more tactical to the location you were last killed. A word of warning through. The game works on save points, so if you die you will need to redo everything beyond the last save point, so enemies you just killed may be alive again, so when working out where to come in to land take this into account.
During each mission your minimap/compass shows all possible objectives on the map. This allows you to pick which you want to try and accomplish so you don't have to complete each area in a set order, which is nice.
But the game is still scripted and after completing certain objectives on a map the level will progress, with you then moving forward to further objectives, normally working alongside computer controlled allies. This works well, because at the start of missions in the more open areas of the maps you find allies dotted throughout the maps fighting the enemy and you can move around supporting and fighting alongside any of them, but as the levels reach choke points it gives the feeling that everyone has reached this point, fighting forward, and are now working together to move forward again.
The weapon system has also been altered slightly from previous MOH games. Before each mission you can select the weapons you wish to begin with, and can take 2 main rifle/machine gun style weapons and a side arm with you. And then during a mission you gain bonuses for using a certain weapon more, being more accurate, stringing together kills, getting head shots etc... These give you bonuses in the form of weapons upgrades that speed up loading time, accuracy etc... This element of the game is therefore more arcade and less realistic, but it is a game and adds an extra element of fun to the game and rewards good weapon/shooting skill.
These bonuses are not carried forward throughout the game though and only remain active during the current mission, so once you start the next you are back to the basics.
So far I've been really enjoying the game. I always like WWII style FPS games. It still doesn't come close to my favourite, Return to Castle Wolfenstein, but if you also like WWII style shooters you will enjoy this game.
One element you don't always get in these games, which is present here, is the enemies shooting in their own languages. When you are fighting the Italians or Germans you hear then shouting and talking in German or Italian, which always adds a bit more atmosphere.
For this style of game, as an action first person shooter I would give it 8/10. But if you prefer a more realistic serious WWII experience you could maybe knock one or two points off the score.
Are there any fans of the Medal of Honor series here?
I've always quite liked the series, which has always delivered quite a fun War based First Person Shooter experience, that is never so serious to make things hard and so the game always remains enjoyable. If there is one element that has always been a slight limitation of the previous games in the series, it has been their linear nature.
I've been playing Airborne quite a bit so thought i would share my thoughts regarding the game.
The linear nature of these games has finally been changed (slightly) with airborne. Instead of having to basically follow a predefined path through each level you are now free to explore and complete each level in whatever order you like, and from whatever direction you wish. Each level is now basically a sandbox which you can explore and move around doing whatever you like. Although you do still have your mission objectives that need to be completed.
The biggest new addition to Airborne has to be the reason behind the name. You now play as a member of a US parachute regiment, and start each level from the air, jumping from a plane. This doesn't initially seem like an innovation or improvement, instead just something tacked on to the start of each mission, but it does offer useful tactics within each level.
When you jump from the plane you can see the whole mission level laid out below you and can direct your decent so that you land pretty much anywhere you like within the level. The easiest option is to aim for the green flares burning on the ground as these are the points held by your allies so you will be safer landing here, but equally you will probably find yourself pinned down with others fighting the enemy before you can advance. An alternative approach is to aim for a location within or behind enemy lines so you can clear out the enemy bunkers or places they are holding from behind to allow your allies through.
Therefore the airborne parachute element does add quite a big new element to the game. Also if you are killed you often find yourself re-spawning in the air, so can aim for a spot to land more tactical to the location you were last killed. A word of warning through. The game works on save points, so if you die you will need to redo everything beyond the last save point, so enemies you just killed may be alive again, so when working out where to come in to land take this into account.
During each mission your minimap/compass shows all possible objectives on the map. This allows you to pick which you want to try and accomplish so you don't have to complete each area in a set order, which is nice.
But the game is still scripted and after completing certain objectives on a map the level will progress, with you then moving forward to further objectives, normally working alongside computer controlled allies. This works well, because at the start of missions in the more open areas of the maps you find allies dotted throughout the maps fighting the enemy and you can move around supporting and fighting alongside any of them, but as the levels reach choke points it gives the feeling that everyone has reached this point, fighting forward, and are now working together to move forward again.
The weapon system has also been altered slightly from previous MOH games. Before each mission you can select the weapons you wish to begin with, and can take 2 main rifle/machine gun style weapons and a side arm with you. And then during a mission you gain bonuses for using a certain weapon more, being more accurate, stringing together kills, getting head shots etc... These give you bonuses in the form of weapons upgrades that speed up loading time, accuracy etc... This element of the game is therefore more arcade and less realistic, but it is a game and adds an extra element of fun to the game and rewards good weapon/shooting skill.
These bonuses are not carried forward throughout the game though and only remain active during the current mission, so once you start the next you are back to the basics.
So far I've been really enjoying the game. I always like WWII style FPS games. It still doesn't come close to my favourite, Return to Castle Wolfenstein, but if you also like WWII style shooters you will enjoy this game.
One element you don't always get in these games, which is present here, is the enemies shooting in their own languages. When you are fighting the Italians or Germans you hear then shouting and talking in German or Italian, which always adds a bit more atmosphere.
For this style of game, as an action first person shooter I would give it 8/10. But if you prefer a more realistic serious WWII experience you could maybe knock one or two points off the score.