Medal of Honor: Heroes 2
Score: 90% ESRB: Teen Publisher: EA Games Developer: EA Canada Media: UMD/1 Players: 1 - 32 Genre: Shooter/ First Person Shooter/ Action
Graphics & Sound: "Port" is obviously a four-letter word, but it can be one of those four-letter words, depending on the quality of the end product. Medal of Honor: Heroes 2 may not be ported in the strictest sense, but it is essentially the same game across all platforms, so it feels like a port. The PSP version stands up well against the other, at least in comparison to the Wii version - the graphics here are completely up to the task of immersing players in wartime Germany. Some of the things that don't work as well visually on the small screen are background details in areas like the sewer, where textures don't blend smoothly and end up look like blocky colors splashed on the wall. Particle effects such as smoke and explosions are decently rendered and the sheer volume of action in the game makes up for any lack of realism. The voice-acting and other material such as cut-scenes is preserved at least for this portable version in pristine form. The sound and music in Medal of Honor: Heroes 2 takes front stage; perhaps because the PSP lacks the sophisticated graphics of other consoles, it matters much more that the other senses are satisfied. The music can move from being atmospheric and moody to more rousing or martial themes. Much of the music, especially the clip that plays when you meet an objective, sounds like a John Williams' creation straight out of Indiana Jones. There is some serious downside in trying to translate a complex audio environment to a system with itty-bitty speakers. The best reason not to play on the PSP without headphones is that you miss out on the nuanced audio mix of battle sounds, voices, and music. The more major issue is that important indicators in the game are keyed to sound. In lieu of pick-up items to regain health, Medal of Honor: Heroes 2 shows you taking damage with a red haze that starts to crowd the edge of the screen and cause everything in the game to lose detail. This effect is awesome and is executed well here, but by the time you see the visuals, you are pretty close to kicking the bucket. The leading indicator for damage is the sound of a beating heart beginning to race. This sound effect is practical and lets you know when you need to get to cover. When playing without headphones, it is too easy to kick the bucket without realizing that you've taken heavy damage. Fault the portable all you want for being a bit less polished, but you can't deny that being able to take Medal of Honor: Heroes 2 on the road pretty much trumps any of the minor issues.
Gameplay: The style of play here is nothing new to fans of the series, but we never get tired of quality FPS titles. Medal of Honor: Heroes 2 breaks the bar set by previous versions and provides some truly innovative multiplayer elements. The ability to jam out with over 30 friends may seem like a foregone conclusion to PC gamers, but consoles - handheld or otherwise - have come late to the online multiplayer space. Who doesn't get excited about joining a large fight in progress and having the frenzy of battle raging around you? The main single-player mode has that quality, so why should multiplayer have to make huge sacrifices? Clearly the hardware and development skill has come of age and games like Medal of Honor: Heroes 2 showcase how the PSP is truly a "Next-Gen" system. The large-scale action is only available in Infrastructure Mode, but you still can get up to seven players together in Ad Hoc Mode. These aren't really "modes" since they only relate to how you connect with other players. What you play is identical, divided between three categories. The Deathmatch is so old by now, it must be called "Your daddy's Deathmatch," so we don't need to dwell on that. Run around, shoot people, try not to get shot. Forming a team to play the same way doesn't seem like it would be that much more exciting, but it is. Navigating the game world randomly gives way to moving in squads, trying to crowd the opposite team or ambush them strategically. Not having a great means for communicating on the system is a drag - it will be great when voice chat is completely integrated with this type of game and mostly into the system. The third style of play is a variation on Capture the Flag called Infiltration. This feels like a Deathmatch plus some additional challenge. It's fun and adds a bit more challenge for those players that want to move beyond strictly running and gunning. The strength of the multiplayer is sufficient to provide almost all the gaming action a person could need. How awesome it is to see that Medal of Honor: Heroes 2 includes a robust single-player experience, something the series has done very well. Those of us that care a great deal about how much fun we can have alone in a dark room in the palm of our hand (okay, that didn't come out right...) are all about the solo experience. Medal of Honor: Heroes 2 provides an easy ramp-up in difficulty that moves you gradually from training to taking on serious enemies. The primary objectives in each level are realistic for players of almost any level to achieve, with a few exceptions. The secondary objectives are difficult or hidden away, so they appeal to more core gamers or those playing through for the second and third time. The checkpoint system reduces the frustration if a primary objective eludes you, and the option to save at the end of a level is also available. There is a clear story you work through during the game and exploring the different locations behind enemy lines is exhilarating. Using different weapons isn't as fun as on the systems with motion control, since there isn't the same physical feedback. The variety of weapons and the realism of controlling heavy artillery is excellent. The design of the entire game is really without peer and even though there are some limitations imposed by the hardware, the Medal of Honor: Heroes 2 experience is preserved on the PSP without much lost in translation. The one mode that would have been great fun is the on-the-rails shooter experience filed under Arcade Mode on other systems. Why the developers didn't implement this is a mystery and a loss for the players.
Difficulty: There are three different levels of difficulty you can choose before launching a new mission. At the lowest level, the enemy soldiers are really stupid. The A.I. overall in this version is not tweaked as well as one would like to see. Soldiers in some areas will run by you to stand at their post while you blast away at them. Other soldiers in the same area will shoot with deadly accuracy and take you out as a running target. The level of challenge based on enemies feels a bit unbalanced at the most basic setting. Dialing up the difficulty creates a more realistic reaction in enemies. They'll consistently seek cover, take potshots from behind objects, and grab available artillery to take you out. The behaviors unique to enemies at the higher level of difficulty include tossing and returning grenades, sniping with deadly accuracy, and attacking or flanking your position. Accuracy of enemy shooters is eventually equal to your own, making it imperative that you master the use of different weapons and the use of cover. The squad component of Medal of Honor: Heroes 2 in this version isn't much to note. Your allies will almost always seem to disappear, off running some errand while you end up carved into shawarma. The idea of a cooperative campaign or mission in this format needs to be more fully explored. Fighting against bots and CPU A.I. in the context of single-player isn't nearly as fun as unpredictable human opponents. All the same, there are plenty of moments in Medal of Honor: Heroes 2 where you'll have sufficient challenge. Other objectives cross the line and force you to replay again and again to hope for that moment of luck or well-placed grenade.
Game Mechanics: These handheld consoles are in many ways ill suited to the FPS genre. They feel small in big hands and clumsy when multiple buttons need to be navigated in quick succession. The upside is that they can contain a good gaming experience with no wires and accessories required, if done right. The controls in Medal of Honor: Heroes 2 for PSP are fair to middling. Turning around, moving quickly, and adjusting the camera are clunky. Even switching from the default controls that have strafing on the D-pad and aiming on the analog stick doesn't solve the problems. Camera on one side or another is just a patch. The real solution is to equip a handheld with two analog sticks and let the fighting begin. The beauty of a DualShock or similar accessory is the ability to use both thumbs independently but on the same time of object. Here we have four buttons on one side and an analog slider on the other. Playing in any configuration, the key is just to get used to the controls. Since what the game does with multiplayer is somewhat experimental, one hopes that the developers are interested in rolling out a beta, reviewing the results of what we did, and then initiating contact. Before you think Richard Dreyfuss with his mashed potatoes, remind yourself that aliens haven't come back in any measurable numbers since the sixties or seventies. Even bell-bottom pants have come back from the seventies! Led Zeppelin is poised to come back! There aren't any aliens in Medal of Honor: Heroes 2, unless they are hiding out in one of those cute French chateaus... The experience of cutting through wave after wave of German troops with a machine gun or mowing them down on your turf or even tossing a pineapple into their midst to watch them run for it is extremely satisfying. The environment contained in the game feels incredibly real and makes you think about what the soldiers in German territory during the war really experienced. The fun factor on Medal of Honor: Heroes 2 is very high and especially so after you consider the multiplayer games and the replay value in single-player. You'll want to go back and complete the single-player modes in order to unlock specials within the game by completing those secondary objectives. The FPS action out there is biased toward shooting aliens or monsters, but it's also easy to get excited about defeating Nazis. As Indiana Jones proclaimed in the third movie upon walking into a Nazi lair, "Nazis! I hate these guys." Indiana could have saved himself a lot of sore bones if he only knew that defeating Germans was as simple as saving up money for Medal of Honor: Heroes 2, popping it into your PSP, and storming the beaches of Normandy. The rest, as they say, is history - but this time you get to make history.
-Fridtjof, GameVortex Communications AKA Matt Paddock
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