Medal of Honor: Underground

Medal of Honor: Underground is a WWII-based first-person shooter for the PS1 and GBA platforms, a continuation of the Medal of Honor released in 1999, exclusively on the first PlayStation. The original version of the game, developed by the creators of the original from DreamWorks Interactive studio, was released in the autumn of 2000 on the PlayStation platform. Two years later the game was converted to handheld Game Boy Advance, which was created by Rebellion Developments studio. In both cases we are dealing with the same game, but due to the significant limitations of the portable Nintendo console, the version for this platform clearly departs from the original in technical terms.

Story

The plot of the game is a kind of prequel to the events described in the first part of the cycle, and its action takes place even before the opening of the second front. While playing, we play the role of an unusual for the genre character, i.e. Manon Batiste - a member of the French resistance movement, recruited by the U.S. Bureau of Strategic Services. Fans of the series will surely remember the character from the original, in which she advised the main character of the game, Jimmy Patterson. During the game Manon has a number of missions taking place in countries such as France, Germany, Italy, Greece and Morocco, such as sabotaging enemy actions, rescuing prisoners of war or simply eliminating enemies.

Mechanics

The mechanics and construction of the Medal of Honor: Underground does not differ significantly from the standards set by the predecessor. The player has eight main missions to play, divided into smaller stages, in which specific tasks have to be performed. While playing, of course, there is no shortage of opportunities for an open exchange of fire with enemies, however, as in the original, some tasks require creeping or undercover action on enemy territory. The heroine has twelve different weapons at her disposal, such as pistols (Walther P38, Colt M1911), machine guns (MP40, Sten), rifles (G43, StG44, Browning M1918), as well as rifles, armoury, grenades, Molotov cocktails, and even a crossbow. Each weapon has its own unique properties and is better or worse suited for use in certain conditions.

Compared to the first Medal of Honor, it is worth noting the improved AI of the opponents, which worked well already in the original. However, the biggest drawback of the game remained its linearity. Only one path almost always leads to the target, and sometimes it happens that the heroine's ability to move is limited by invisible walls.

Game modes

In addition to a one-player campaign that can be played at three difficulty levels, the versions on both platforms also offer modest multiplayer options. On the Sony console it is known from the original mode of competition on the split screen. In the Nintendo handheld version, up to four players can have fun simultaneously thanks to the Game Boy link cable.

Technical issues

Technically Medal of Honor: Underground on each platform is significantly different from each other. In the case of the PS1 console, we can again admire the impressive graphic design, known from the original, and the whole thing was realized with a truly cinematic momentum. In the musical layer we are accompanied by an epic soundtrack, for which Michael Giacchino is again responsible. In the case of Nintendo's handheld, we are dealing with poorly detailed maps, and the signs include problems with perceiving opponents and difficulties in tracking them due to the lack of analogue knobs. The soundtrack is also much weaker. It should be noted, however, that the Medal of Honor: Underground for Game Boy Advance console is one of the few shootouts for this platform, in which we observe the action from the perspective of the first person.

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Last updated on 10 December 2007