Review

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Electronic Art's new First Person Shooter for the PS2, "Medal of Honor: Frontline," is an extremely entertaining experience from a game play standpoint. In other words, it has a good plot, it is rarely confusing or frustrating, it doesn't have long loading times, it contains an excellent check-list, and it has controls which are completely familiar and logical.

However, from a technical standpoint, it merely makes a passing grade. We noticed that the impact recognition was spotty, at best, as at various points throughout the game we would shoot an enemy in the head and it would seem to go right through, not affecting him in the slightest. Also, there are several other glitches along the way, including being able to shoot certain enemies while they are behind a wall, or sticking through a wall, for that matter. The graphics are similar to that of N64 fare like Goldeneye and are fairly choppy and rigid. Another complaint we both have is that the game is relatively short. We finished it in two days. The game just didn't feel "tight" or quite ready to be published. Although, it is fun to play.

Game Play
As mentioned above, game play is a highlight. MOHF has a nice fluid feel and is reminiscent of other First Person Shooters (FPSs) like OO7: Agent Under Fire. Basically, you accomplish tasks by shooting or blowing up enemies or enemy vehicles. There isn't much puzzle solving, just running and shooting. There is a very handy checklist of tasks and by pushing the "Select" button, you are given hints if you get stuck. It took us a couple of different tries with controller configuration to get the one we like, and once we did, there was no stopping us. All in all, game play is smooth and frustration free.

Plot
The plot of MOHF is a nice change of pace from the ubiquitous sci-fi and modern military FPSs. You play as Lt. Jimmy Patterson in the heat of WWII. Your mission is to bypass the Germans and steal an experimental Nazi jet. In doing so, you play through 20 levels ranging from storming Omaha Beach, demolishing Panzer and Tiger tanks, contacting members of the Dutch Resistance, and using your sniper rifle in a variety of European town settings. If you conjure up images of "Saving Private Ryan" you can pretty much get the picture for what most of MOHF looks like. All of the missions are based on real WWII events and you are equipped with authentic WWII weapons like the Colt .45 and Browning Automatic Rifle.

Graphics
Unfortunately, the graphics in MOHF are quite disappointing. You'll notice this in the first level when you are storming the beach: look at the water. It's very flat and uninteresting. In fact it looks like the water from Quake for the N64. Just terrible. Especially since we've all seen such vivid and excellent water in PS2 games like Pirates: The Legend of Black Kat. OK, enough with the water. The rest of the graphics in the game are fairly choppy and jagged. Faces are very flat and without personality, explosions are nothing to write home about, and the buildings and streets are all very generic. But hey, it's not about the graphics, right? It just seems like for such a huge and popular game, EA would've spent a little more time on making it look as good as it plays.

Technical Merit
If you're a stickler for FPSs where direct head shots actually kill and enemies don't magically appear through walls, then you should avoid this game as you'll quickly become annoyed. Yes, just like in Goldeneye for the N64, you are sometimes able to shoot enemies through walls, take damage from enemies when you are behind walls/huge stones, see various ghost-like appendages defy modern physics, and find an enemy or two stuck in an odd place (like a haystack). If you don't mind these fairly minor and common glitches, and we don't, then you'll have no problem thoroughly enjoying this game.

Summary
Medal of Honor Frontline is a well thought out, historically interesting game which, if you can get by the poor graphics and a few glitches, proves to be an excellent renter. Pick this one up on a Friday after work (or school) and enjoy it for the weekend.

-Jeremy

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