Medal of Honor: European Assault

THE BAD:
- Multiplayer options limited
- No online multiplayer options
- Very short: only eleven missions, quite quick
- Overall limited value is crippling

SUMMARY:
There's no question that if you ask a gamer to name a World War Two shooter, they'll name a MEDAL OF HONOR game first. From back in the glory days of the PSone, when the original first-person shooter reigned over all, to the present day with the Platinum release of EUROPEAN ASSAULT, this series has represented unsurpassed quality in the field.

EUROPEAN ASSAULT is no exception to the rule. EA Los Angeles (makers of GOLDENEYE: ROGUE AGENT among other things) have spared no expense in the look, feel and authenticity of this title. The graphics are just brilliant, proving there is life after PlayStation3 for the most successful games console of all time. The battlefield before you has men running all over, shouting to each other for cover fire as fuel tanks explode in a hail of splintered wood and tracer bullets. These production values on the visuals, coupled with the top-notch THX-approved sound and swelling, emotional musical score, make for a very compelling blast through the war-torn landscape of World War Two. Blasting Nazi stormtroopers to hell has never been more satisfying and enjoyable.

The control layout is pretty standard to MEDAL OF HONOR and all other first-person shooter fans, with one possible exception: L2 commands your squad members. Up to three men will follow you in your mission, and by pointing your crosshairs at a location and tapping L2 you can send them there. This adds a tactical dimension to play: if you're low on health, send your men forward to protect you. If you want to save your squad for a bigger battle, shove them behind some cover and scout ahead yourself. It really pays to keep an eye on them and help them survive the battle, and not just because you're rewarded with extra medkits for each squad member who survives the mission.

With one or two possible exceptions that only last a few minutes, EUROPEAN ASSAULT is very non-linear in the approach to missions. Your objectives are scattered about across a large area and it's up to you how to proceed. Extra objectives are unlocked through exploring different places on the map, and many act as bonus tasks that aren't essential for completing the mission. For example, assassinating a Nazi commander and stealing documents from his corpse won't help you sabotage the fuel depot, and you can avoid him and still win. But for getting that all-important Gold Medal at the end of each mission, you must complete all your secondary objectives. It adds replay value for certain, but usually your first time through a certain map will reveal most, if not all, the goals. It's a nice thought but execution of it could be tighter.

EUROPEAN ASSAULT keeps you on your toes for the duration of the single-player campaign with this non-linear approach, constantly forcing to watch all angles, check your fire, and take cover. Unfortunately, you'll do all that for an evening and realise you've completed the game. The replay value depends on the secondary objectives, and perhaps getting them all will take longer than an evening, but overall the action is short and the game will be over quickly. Moving to multiplayer is also severely crippled by the lack of online options: you get a standard split-screen four-player deathmatch mode with no AI Bots and a handful of different-sized maps. It can be fun for one or two blasts with your mates, but then you'll move on.

It's a shame, then, that EUROPEAN ASSAULT doesn't last longer, because while it does last it's amazing. A definate step in the right direction for the MEDAL OF HONOR crew, for sure, but it's a very small step indeed. If you want to lose an afternoon killing Nazis, go ahead and rent EUROPEAN ASSAULT. Otherwise, you'll be trading it back in if you do purchase a copy.