Call of Duty Modern Warfare was the "Star Wars" of PC FPS games, changing expectations so much that even they struggled to match it with follow ups (Modern Warfare 2 and Black Ops).
Electronic Arts, the makers of the Medal Of Honor series, decided that if they couldn't beat COD they'd join them, updating the 2010 release (simply named Medal Of Honor) to the Afghan conflict of the early 21st century.
So, how does it compare?
It's a more 'realistic' game, at least in the plotting, where you get to play US Navy SEALs and Infantrymen fighting the Taliban (including elite 'Chechen' fighters) in the familiar mountains of Afghanistan (familiar from TV news and documentaries).
There are no chirpy Brits in this game, which is something I (as one) like about the COD games.
To be honest, it's an OK, but not particularly special game.
The action is remarkably repetitive and, dare I say it, rather easy (On the regular setting - I was probably 'killed' a dozen times in the whole game - I would imagine you could sail through totally unscathed on 'Easy').
The graphics are pretty good, owing much to the COD:MW series, although I don't believe they're quite a match in quality terms. On my quad core AMD/Raden 5750 graphics carded PC, there's no stuttering and game play is impressively smooth throughout.
The main thrust of the game, involves you as a member of a SEAL team operating up in the mountains where you go in search of the Taliban. At one point you get separated from two of your team and the rest of the game involves you battling increasingly numerous Taliban fighters in the mountains.
As I say, whilst this is done in a fairly realistic way with good graphics, it gets increasingly repetitive as you fight up slopes to clear camps, bunkers and cave complexes and the end is both anti-climactic and sudden and seems to come far too quickly.
There is an interlude where you act as a helicopter gunship pilot engaging some ground forces, but as with some other FPS games, this just seems a rather forced diversion, at odds with much of the rest of the game.
As you might expect of a 'modern' warfare game, you get to bring down air support and artillery fire with the aid of laser guidance weapons too and as you move through the game you can pick up enemy weapons or, a rather neat touch, ask your
comrades for ammunition for US weapons.
I got this for under a tenner and, at that price, it was good value, but if you're paying more you might feel a bit short changed.
