Scot slaps on his helmet, picks up his Thompson and marches on into the latest title in the Medal of Honor series.
It was inevitable really. While once at the forefront of console first-person shooters, Medal of Honor has been suffering from a lack of innovation for a while now. Now with the release of Call of Duty picking up acclaim wherever it lands, EA have found themselves with the monumental task of rebuilding their precious franchise and enforcing the moniker as the number one war-themed shooter.
Unfortunately, it doesn't happen here. Rising Sun will be disappointing to most, and despite featuring the many traits that made the series so popular in the first place, the problems that do plague the game aren't particularly easy to ignore. Which is a shame because underneath these niggles is an atmospheric, enjoyable campaign set at defining points of the Pacific conflict.
It all starts off so promising as well. You are woken from your bunker by the sound of an attack on your fleet and are quickly instructed to make your way to the surface and aid in the defence. The opening cut scene is a marvellous piece of cinematic direction, the sense of atmosphere only made stronger when you begin to wander around the doomed vessel.
However, survive this impressive level and you're then introduced to the problems that are ultimately the reasons for this title's downfall. Firstly, the graphics engine is in need of retirement and visually, Rising Sun can only be described as nothing more than sufficient. While the explosions and water effects predominantly featured during the opening mission are impressive, later on you'll find that the texturing is largely bland, while the character models and animations are by and large plain.
The weak A.I. doesn't help matters either, and enemies will often happily stand in front of you, either admiring the polish on your boots or suffering from a serious bout of amnesia. Allies display a similar lack of intelligence (OK - we appreciate that these are American soldiers, but still… - Ed) and you're often left fighting battles on your own while your squad stands by and watches on idly. You often get the feeling that if you were to take enough shots of hot lead from enemy fire, you could somehow turn it into a pencil and make out a huge "Kick Me!" sign for your brainless comrades.
The game does still convey a realistic sense of atmosphere, placing you on the frontline in those key missions from the war. The sound plays a big part in the game, with screams of agony, sounds of bullets and cries for help all adding to the deep atmospheric experience.
Yet, you do get the feeling that Medal of Honor has become a victim of its own success. Many games have taken elements of its successful formula and used it to build upon bigger and better ideas. Rising Sun's ruin is that it's failed to keep up with the competition, and as a shooter it's less of a success than XIII.
Still, you'll be hard pushed to find a more atmospheric experience on a console. Despite the flaws, it stills feels and plays like a classic Medal of Honor title, and fans of the series will embrace it with open arms.