| Gameplay | B+ |
|---|---|
| Controls | A+ |
| Graphics | B |
| Presentation | B+ |
| Audio | B |
| Value | B+ |
| Multiplayer | ++++++++ |
| Vital Stats | |
| Publisher | Electronic Arts |
| Developer | Team Fusion |
| Price | $29.95 |
| buy through MotionGaming | |
| MetaCritic score | 73 |
review by David V
Let's start right off by saying that Medal of Honor Heroes 2 is a great game, one of the best first person shooters on Wii. If you like shooters, you can just stop reading now and go get it. You won't be disappointed.
For the rest of you, let me tell you that while the game is not perfect, it is certainly worth a spin, especially if you're a veteran gamer. In this game, you are OSS officer Lt. Berg, and you're being sent on various missions, embedded with Marines and Army squads, to support the Allies during World War II. There are eight missions in all, starting with a beach landing, and carrying through various urban and rural settings. The main missions tend to be pretty significant, such as blowing up a new prototype V2 rocket. Each mission, though also contains two or three small submissions. You generally don't have to go out of your way for these missions, as they occur along the way. The game is linear, requiring you to go from point A to point B with a minimum of sidetracks or shortcuts, so you don't have a lot of freedom.
The gameplay can be pretty challenging. There are three difficulty levels, all of which are unlocked at the start. You have your choice of Green, Veteran, or Commando. I played the game on Veteran, and that difficulty level definitely pushed me. You begin each level with two weapons, typically a pistol and some type of long-barreled gun. Along the way, you can pick up other weapons, exchanging one of your current weapons in the process. You're limited to only two weapons, plus any grenades that you might encounter. You also need to manage your ammunition. You're only allocated a set amount, and after that you'll have to scavenge more or your gun is useless. Fortunately, there's a lot just scattered around in the levels, plus killing an enemy will frequently leave a stash of ammo behind -- but you have to hustle because it's only there for a short time.
The controls really shine in this game. Both the IR pointing and the motion controls work well, feel good, and are intuitive. The standard IR pointing is already pretty close to what most gamers will want to use, but if you find they're not quite to your liking, there are many customization options available. Pointing and looking works effortlessly. But the real surprise is in the motion controls. Or perhaps we shouldn't be surprised, since EA has demonstrated better than most how to do good motion controls. Whether it's putting the remote on your shoulder upside down to shoot a bazooka, twisting the remote to zoom in with a sniper rifle, or steering right and left to aim a machine gun or a mortar, it all feels intuitive and works accurately.
The graphics are fair to middlin', to be honest. Games like Metroid Prime 3 and The Conduit look better, but there's not much you can do with grey, bombed out buildings. The animations of the other soldiers range from good to stiff, but are acceptable. But it all runs solidly and I didn't notice a single frame rate hiccup, nor did I notice many graphics glitches such as clipping. The visuals are well-done, just nothing jaw-dropping. Likewise with the audio. There's little music in the game at all, and the sound effects are about what you would want or expect with a war game. There's a sprinkling of voice acting here and there, but nothing terribly elaborate.
The exception to this is in one of the recurring side-missions, which is to find a radio and pick up an intel message from HQ. You twist the remote back and forth to tune the radio, then press the A button to lock the channel. Done right, you'll receive a message about another side-mission you can complete. While you're tuning, the radio sounds will come through the Wii remote speaker, which is a nice touch. It's too bad that the voice message you're tuning into doesn't also come through the remote speaker.
In addition to the story mode, there's an arcade mode for each level with unlimited ammunition that you can plow through for points. There's also an impressive 32-player on-line multi-player mode with various modes such as capture the flag. These features really extend the lifespan of the game. If you're a fan of on-line gaming, this game is one of the few really good choices. Plus, it goes through the EA Nation servers, not Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, so the responsiveness is better than you typically get.
It's all wrapped up in a nice-looking package with easy to navigate menus, all
IR enabled. Medal of Honor Heroes 2 is a well-rounded package that shooter
fans will enjoy immensely. The Wii needs more games of this caliber.
