The PSP is
certainly not known for being the best platform for really great first-person
shooters but there are games that made a worthwhile attempt and come close to
gaming perfection. At the top of the list is EA’s Medal of Honor Heroes,
a portable first-person shooter that was designed specifically for the PSP and
handled decently enough. EA takes us back into the World War II frontlines with
Medal of Honor Heroes 2, a sequel that surpasses the original and becomes
one of the PSP’s best shooters.
The seconding
outing in the portable Medal of Honor series puts gamers in the GI boots
of Lieutenant Berg, an O.S.S. agent that infiltrates enemy territory to stop a
new kind of weapon constructed under the supervision of Hitler himself. This V2
rocket has the potential of being a huge threat to the Allied forces and must be
scrapped before it is put to use. This, of course, means you’ll have to battle
your way into enemy bunkers, shoot wave after wave of Nazi soldiers and
completing a number of mission objectives. The story, narrated by Lt. Berg and
told through mission briefings, isn’t deep but it still conveys the feelings the
Lieutenant had for the main mission objective and the need to see Hitler’s plan
crumble right before his eyes.
The Lieutenant’s
mission begins on the beaches of Northern France posing as a member of the 5th
Rangers as you push through the German defenses on the beach. This is but the
start of a short yet intense campaign that will have you infiltrating a port to
destroy U-boats, join a platoon as they attempt to take a monastery being used
by the Germans and join Baker Company as you help them liberate an
enemy-occupied village. Like every Medal of Honor game, there are a
number of bonus objectives to complete. Many of them are simple (gather
important documents and other Intel) while others can be a little more
challenging to complete (protect members of your squad or hunt down U-boat
commanders).
Much like the
first game, the fast-paced action will keep you on your toes and your finger on
the trigger … that, in this case, is the right shoulder button. Yet unlike
Medal of Honor Heroes, the controls in this sequel simply feel more
responsive and thus keep the action flowing smoothly. The control scheme is
familiar territory for a first-person shooter on the PSP but Heroes 2
somehow makes the controls work well enough that everything from switching
weapons to tossing grenades is done quickly and without delay. Even the
framerate runs smoothly so running and shooting or using the gun sight of your
Thompson machine gun or your shiny .45 automatic pistol handles like a dream.
While the
controls are a vast improvement and make the action quite addictive, the
single-player campaign is considerably short to the point that it ends just when
things get interesting. My biggest complaint, however, is not the length of the
campaign but the behavior exhibited by the enemy. There are times when you will
be impressed with the manner in which they provide covering fire for each
another or applaud their good aim. Then again, it’s hard to ignore the fact that
many of them will not move after you toss a grenade in their general direction
and many of them will run out blindly into your line of fire.
Still, even with
these problems, Heroes 2 offers a multiplayer mode that will definitely be a fan
favorite and will definitely be the reason you will be playing this one for a
long time. You can play the game with up to eight players using an Ad Hoc
connection but the real action comes from playing online via Infrastructure
mode. Online the game allows up to 32 players and you can play as the Axis or
Allied side in game modes such as Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch and Infiltration
(that acts as a Capture the Flag mode). Through the EA Nation service, you can
even keep track of the players you went up against to invite them for future
matches, kind of like a buddy list.
Visually
appealing as well, Medal of Honor Heroes 2 looks excellent on the PSP
widescreen and displays some impressive backgrounds and special effects. While
up close the textures can look a bit muddy in places, from afar they look better
than the original game in every way. Toss a grenade and watch your enemies get
tossed back by the blast. Shoot an enemy soldier in the arm and he will not only
drop his rifle but will also attempt to reach for it while behind cover. It’s a
nice little touch that adds more realism to the series. While the game’s
graphics are stellar, it’s the sound that takes center stage. The game’s
soundtrack soars and brings the same beautifully cinematic score found in every
Medal of Honor game. There are also some excellent sound effects that
come out nicely through the handheld’s speakers and the voice acting is actually
handled fairly.
Medal of
Honor Heroes 2
for the PSP not only outshines the first portable game in the
franchise but also manages to be a more than decent first-person shooter that
fits comfortable in your hands. Its single-player game is a short but sweet ride
back into the frontlines but it keeps good company with an excellent online
multiplayer component that will have you playing for a very long time to come.
If you’re looking for a great first-person shooter for your PSP, this is the
game you will definitely want to pick up right away.
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Gameplay: 8.0
It’s
challenging to design a first-person shooter that would work with the PSP
control scheme or the lack of a second analog stick but EA pulled it off nicely
in this game. With great controls, the action flows more smoothly this time
around and everything from aiming to tossing grenades simply work. It’s just too
bad that the enemies are really dumb.
Graphics: 8.5
The graphics
are a step up from the first game and everything from the backgrounds to the
explosions really looks good on the PSP widescreen. While the character models
are simply so-so, it’s hard not to ignore the fact that even your allies are all
clones of each another.
Sound: 9.0
Displaying the
same amazing sound effects, voice work and soundtrack found in all of the
franchise console games, the sound in Medal of Honor Heroes 2 is
impressive to say the least. The sound quality comes off excellently even
through the speakers but I highly recommend you play this one using earphones.
Difficulty:
Medium
The enemy AI
can be very inconsistent at times but you will almost always find yourself
overwhelmed by Hitler’s best. While the enemy can be great shots, they will
usually run out into your oncoming fire and a handful of them won’t even run
when a grenade lands near their feet.
Concept: 8.0
The
single-player campaign could have been a bit longer but it does outshine the
first Medal of Honor Heroes in nearly every way. The campaign does have
some good mission objectives true to the console offerings. There’s offline and
online multiplayer and it’s the reason you will be playing this one for a really
long time.
Multiplayer:
8.5
The online
multiplayer is the star of the show and for good reason … up to 32 players can
take each another on via Infrastructure mode in three different game types. The
good news is that the framerate runs as smooth as a baby’s backside. You can
play through Ad Hoc as well and it’s capable of allowing up to eight players.
Overall: 8.0
Short but
satisfying, Medal of Honor Heroes 2 is an action-packed first-person
shooter that handles it’s well enough on the PSP. Its few shortcomings are very
noticeable but easily forgivable thanks to the solid controls, good campaign and
excellent online multiplayer. Really, you can’t go wrong with this one if you
have a soft spot for the Medal of Honor franchise.
