[floatleft]http://www.snackbar-games.com/images/reviews/mohpa/cover.jpg[/floatleft][heading]It’s in the story[/heading]
As a WWII enthusiast, I really love to hear different stories from veterans who experienced WWII from every aspect of the war. From the battles of Africa, the seawalls of Normandy, to the sands of the islands of the Pacific, each veteran has a unique and vivid story to tell about their visions of the war. EA Games and the [i]Medal of Honor[/i] have always accurately recounted all the of tours of battles in WWII. [i]Pacific Assault[/i] is no different; [i]MOHPA[/i] captures the story of Tommy Conlin and his Marine squad as they touch the sands of many islands in the war. The story is beautifully written and told with a real solid documentary feel, including voiceovers and actual war footage. Playing this was just an awesome experience as a history buff and an FPS lover.
[floatright]http://www.snackbar-games.com/images/reviews/mohpa/ss02_thumb.jpg[/floatright]The story opens as you see yourself on a transport heading to storm the beach on the Tarawa Atoll. After being knocked out from an explosion, you start to experience some flashbacks…and so the story begins. You begin at boot camp where you are trained in tactical movement, first aid, weapons, and other helpful hints. Soon after, you are sent to Pearl Harbor. Upon arrival at Pearl Harbor, the empire of Japan begins to invade, and you are thrown into battle. After the invasion, you go on a series of missions from island to island to stop the Empire of Japan from winning the war in the Pacific.
[heading]Vacation Spots[/heading]
The war in the Pacific was a tough war for the U.S. to fight considering there were so many fronts to be fought on. So the war had to be fought one island at a time, inch by bloody inch. My PC uses an ATI 9600 Pro with 512 MB of RAM, and I must say the islands look beautiful when you run them at 1280×960. With lush vegetation and astonishing landscape, [i]MOHPA[/i] brings a whole new game to the [i]MOH[/i] series. With its new havoc physics system, using your environment to help you win the war is an added bonus. Realism is my main focus when I am diving into WWII games such as this one, with new generation graphics and physics. With so many island stops that make you think they almost look the same, each island actually has its unique challenges and features. Looking past the great vacation spots you hit in your tour, the residents of these islands aren’t very pleased to see you. The details on the Japanese soldiers are amazing, especially when they are a foot away, bayoneting you in the face. Enemy AI is very challenging, to say the least. As you maneuver to flank the enemy, they will in turn move tactically to your flank and counter your movements. They will also call for reinforcements by the truckload.
[heading]”They are shooting at us!”…”Shoot back!”[/heading]
MOH is known for going on solo missions and taking on the entire enemy army by yourself. Well, those days are over. Use commands to order your squad to give you covering fire, ask them to gather together, have them advance, or even ask them to retreat. In order for you to effectively defeat the enemy, you must know how to use your squad. Going in with guns blazing is just not very effective anymore. The enemy has become well aware of your L337 ways and will now just call for reinforcements and overwhelm you. And if you’re thinking of having your squad do all the work, you are mistaken. Your squad will need you to lead them; if you don’t, the enemy will take advantage and form a bonsai charge. The war is not won unless you suffer some injuries. When that happens, call your friendly Corpsman to patch you up. Use him wisely, though, as he has others to take care of too. Not to mention you can be a hero and help the wounded by giving them some bandages to hold them over until the medic arrives. These are key features that you want to use throughout your campaign to win the war. Although you will find yourself doing an array of tasks, shooting the enemy will be the main one. I must say, and to be quite honest, this part of the game does get quite redundant. But nevertheless, you have many other objectives to fulfill rather than to just eliminate the enemy. Multiplayer death match has eight different gametypes to choose from, but my favorite multiplayer mode by far is Invader mode.
[floatleft]http://www.snackbar-games.com/images/reviews/mohpa/ss10_thumb.jpg[/floatleft][heading]The new standard[/heading]
With next generation graphics and physics being implemented in future games, this is the new standard by which the gamer will be judging. Breaking into the next generation standard, [i]MOHPA[/i] has done an incredible job by adding more life and body to the [i]MOH[/i] series. This is definitely a must game for you WWII shooter fans. With great gameplay, historical accuracy, great graphics and sound, this game is a keeper. For history buffs, the director’s edition will have more historical content and extra features.
