![]() ![]() Our man in JapanĪnd the high quality AI would be nowhere near as impressive as it ends up being were it not for the outstanding capabilities of the graphics engine, which - when maxed out - features some quite beautifully crafted character models not only exquisitely and uniquely detailed with some finesse, but animated to a quite remarkable level. Their deadly precision is only occasionally marred by some sloppy detection and unwillingness to flee when their own lives are clearly in danger, but we suspect much of their weaknesses are there to give the player a decent shout rather than flaws in the AI itself - you have to draw the line somewhere, and the challenge presented on the default Normal level is well pitched, being a marked cut above, say, Halo 2's supposed 'Normal' difficulty. The Japanese foe too puts up an often (but not always) masterful display of tactics, flanking weaknesses and taking the opportunity when present to rush screaming right at you with their Bayonettes wielded high above their heads. Pressing the attack or falling back when outnumbered, tackling enemy with real skill and precision, the feeling of being involved in a real battle is nailed right from the word go - and far more convincing a display of buddy AI than we've ever had the pleasure of witnessing in any game of this type. The range of animation and the dynamic responses from both sides have to been seen to be believed marines creep along in hunched formation, each taking up convincing cover, rarely if ever bumping into objects or each other, traversing obstacles with ease and barking a multitude of orders and observations every step of the way. It's not until your deployment in Makin Atoll that the game really comes into its own in the dense, dangerous jungle environs with a series of deadly but hugely impressive sorties that instantly reveal just how far EA has come with the brand, both in terms of its outstanding visualisation of the conflict and the consistent suspension of disbelief from both sides of the AI war.įar surpassing previous MOH titles and topping even the excellent cinematic achievements served up by breakaway team Infinity Ward (Call Of Duty), the depiction of the battles throughout the game are a huge leap forward for war-based shooters, largely thanks to some evidently sophisticated AI behaviour that warrants serious applause. Up on deck we emerge somewhat bamboozled by the flames and explosions, only to oblige with a spot of plane shooting with the standard issue mounted cannons. Much like the beginning of Rising Sun, we then get an extended opportunity to dodge lead and admire the exceptionally pretty scences of carnage on the trademark on-rails shooting section, before boarding a sinking boat to rescue numerous sailors from burning to death. Filling the boots of Marine Trooper Tommy Conlin, you and your invincible platoon follow a typically brutal against-the-odds campaign against the Japanese, taking in the initial assault against Pearl Harbour in December 1941, and progressing to Makin Atoll, then onto the tropical island of Guadalcanal, before climaxing with the beach assault of Tawara.Īfter the flash forward false start in Tawara we get an annoyingly unskippable Boot Camp training exercise before an innocuous jeep ride around Pearl Harbour HQ comes to an abrupt halt with the relentless arrival of dozens of Japanese bombers intent on razing the whole place to the ground. Set - surprise surprise - in the Pacific Theatre of World War II 1941 to 1944, the premise is ostensibly similar to Rising Sun. While we're happy for you to draw an audible gasp at such a bold statement, allow us to prepare you for this shocking revelation by filling you in on some of the basic background. Pacific Assault, without doubt, is among the best FPSs you'll play this year. Clearly 2015's departure a few years back can't have helped a great deal, and no doubt added at least an extra year to its prolonged development cycle, but next to Men Of Valor we know which we'd rather play. ![]() Pacific Assault, while not breaking ranks from anything that made the series such a commercial draw for gamers fond of its bombastic, cinematic style, has so much going for it that it's a genuine puzzle how EA managed to instil so much fear among the very people rooting for it. We awaited the results of EA LA's four-year long toils with the bated breath of underachievement. We'd probably go so far as to say that we were fully expecting Pacific Assault to be - at best - generic, scripted, corridor-based fare, and at worst a disgrace to the brand in the same way that Rising Sun completely insulted the intelligence of any right-thinking gamer. After such a resoundingly disappointing demo release a few months back it's fair to say that the long-awaited second PC Medal Of Honor had somewhat fallen off our radar. ![]()
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