The setting for World War II has
been used in many games over the years. In fact, the Medal of Honor franchise
has been using this setting longer than the war actually lasted (eight years and
counting). There are many reasons this setting has become such a success -: many
successful (and great) military operations, fascinating background information,
and being able to live out the stories of many war heroes to name just a few.
The latest game to use this setting is entitled Medal of Honor Heroes 2, but
does this game also capture the “magic” of this time frame, or is it starting to
get stale?
When players load the game for the
first time they will notice three options to choose from, the first being the
Campaign mode. The story for this mode is interesting and will hold players’
undivided attention until the ending credits. Players will take on the role of
OSS John Berg, who leads an invasion force in Normandy, going behind enemy lines
to cripple the Nazi regime. If players are not successful in this mission it
will spell doom for the allied troops when the Nazi’s show off their new and
powerful weapon.
A new mode that developers have
created for this game is Arcade option. This setting is made specifically for
the “casual gaming audience.” This situation follows the campaign’s story with
one major difference: all players have to do is shoot the enemy because the game
takes care of moving/walking around for them. Basically this mode is an
“on-rails” version of the campaign mode, and is really fun to sit back and fire
away. Another good way to illustrate how this game is laid out is to think of
Arcade Light Gun Games such as Time Crisis and House of the Dead, except set in
World War II.
The last mode for Medal of Honor
Heroes 2 is online multiplayer, which the developers did a great job on. This
approach allows gamers to play with up to 32 players online with rarely any lag.
There are three different modes players can partake in: Deathmatch, Team
Deathmatch, and Capture the Flag. There are also other options that players can
change during the course of the game such as kicking/banning bad players,
changing the map, or swapping out four different default weapons. For the
Nintendo Wii’s first online first-person shooter game, the developers did a
great job of covering all the bases. The only thing that really impairs this
portion of the game is the lack of online voice chat. Xbox Live has taught
players that being able to taunt or congratulate fellow gamers is a crucial part
of the online experience.
A big issue is that the enemy AI is
not as intelligent as it should be. No matter what skill level players choose
form, the enemies are a push over. They do not seem to react to various tactics
the player may confront them with as rationally as they should. For example,
when a grenade is tossed their way it appears they have an aversion to taking
cover and trying to make it out alive. Even though this is the case, the game is
still fantastic.
The graphics for this game are
enjoyable. The various levels have a unique look and feel to them. Also, all of
the character models are varied enough in the game to where it doesn’t seem as
if the players are killing the same person multiple times. Special effects are
also brilliant. The various explosions and gunfire look exceptionally realistic.
The fact that this game runs a silky smooth 60 frames per second makes this game
even better.
The only thing that is a huge
disappointment is the dying animations. When an enemy dies, around the time (or
at the same time) they hit the floor the body disappears. The first few times
the player will think of it as a glitch, but they will soon figure out this is a
staple of the entire game. In the beginning it becomes an actual distraction for
players, but later it becomes quite comical. While players know there are
graphical limitations, something like this has not been seen in a first-person
shooter for a long time, and should not have been an issue with this game.
The music for this game is decent.
The developers did a great job of incorporating the Wii-mote speaker in the
game, which makes it feel all the more realistic. This is really emphasized when
players are messing with the radio in a certain level and they hear the sounds
from the radio come out of the controller. Another Wii-mote segment happens when
players are looking for mines and they hear ”clicks” coming through the speakers
as they close in upon danger. It is this kind of immersion of audio in the game
which makes it more fun to play. The voiceovers don’t stand out and fit the game
completely.
Medal of Honor Heroes 2 is rated
Teen.
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Gameplay: 8.6
The aiming for Medal of Honor Heroes 2 is
really great. I liked that the developers gave players two control options – the
standard one, and one that uses the newly released Wii Zapper.
At the time of this review, I was
unable to obtain a Wii Zapper; the fact that the developers took the time to
make this game even more authentic by supporting it is terrific.
Graphics: 8.1
The graphics for Medal of Honor Heroes 2 are really great, and this is
made even better since the game runs at a smooth and silky 60 frames per second.
The disappearing dead soldiers is a real annoyance though.
Sound: 8.3
The audio portion of this game was well done. The soundtrack will stick
in player’s minds as they raise havoc with the enemies. The voiceovers are
decent, but nothing out of the ordinary for a game of this caliber.
Difficulty: Easy
The campaign can be beat within six-to-seven hours depending on player’s skill
level. The main problem with the difficulty is the AI is not too bright and is
basically a push-over for players.
Concept: 8.1
Including support for the Wii Zapper is really a nice addition to this
game. The arcade mode is also a nice treat that really adds replay value.
Multiplayer 8.6
Having the ability to play with up to 32 players is great! The online
mode is very smooth and I never encountered any lag. The only problem is the
lack of options while playing online.
Overall: 8.3
Medal of Honor Heroes 2 is a great first-person shooter game for the
Nintendo Wii. The aiming is very precise, which makes this game even more fun to
play. If you have a craving for this type of game, then this should be a
no-brainer.
