By Marc Saltzman
Gannett News Service
Many — if not most — video games are grounded in fantasy, usually involving monsters, aliens, robots or mythological creatures.
But Electronic Arts' popular "Medal of Honor" games aim to re-create the life of an American soldier in Europe during World War II, and the series does so with respectful accuracy. In fact retired Capt. Dale Dye of the U.S. Marine Corps, the pre-eminent military advisor to Hollywood, also acts as a historical advisor to the "Medal of Honor" series.
The latest chapter in the franchise — "Medal of Honor Frontline" for Sony's PlayStation 2 — is a sobering yet entertaining action title for players willing to enlist in battle.
The game begins with a pitch-black screen, except for this chilling poem:
And when he gets to Heaven
To Saint Peter he will tell:
One more soldier reporting, Sir –
I've served my time in Hell.
The screen then fades to a Higgins boat packed with American soldiers slowly pulling up to a French beach. The date is June 28, 1944, just three weeks after D-Day.
With a scene not unlike the beginning of the movie "Saving Private Ryan," the player, who assumes the role of Lt. Jimmy Patterson, finds himself dodging bullets and bombs while climbing up the beach to enter a German compound. Fellow soldiers cry for help, planes roar overhead and explosions blast sand to obstruct the view.
This interactive introduction to the game is gripping, and while not quite as chaotic as other segments of this 15-hour adventure, it sets the tone for the rest of the game.
Other missions such as those that take place in towns, across bridges and on trains and submarines, require a player to be skilled with more than 20 authentic weapons, work cooperatively with a squad of soldiers and use cunning stealth. One memorable scenario in Holland requires the player to acquire civilian clothing to blend in behind enemy lines.
"Medal of Honor Frontline" is played from a first-person, 3-D perspective so that all the action takes place through the "eyes" of the player. No doubt this viewpoint adds to the game's incredible immersion factor. As do the graphics, which are eerily convincing — even if they aren't quite as sophisticated as those in other PS2 titles.
Even more impressive, however, is the orchestral score by the award-winning composer Michael Giacchino. The game includes more than 70 minutes of original music — and the score is now being sold separately on CD. The game also features incredible sound effects and competent voice-acting.
There are a few minor complaints with the title, such as a steep learning curve for controlling the action and the player must complete an entire level before saving his or her progress, but fortunately it doesn't deter too much from the riveting game play.
Quite simply, "Medal of Honor Frontline" is one of the best action games for the PlayStation 2 and serves as a rare example of how to successfully evoke emotion in an interactive medium.
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