Medal of Honor (2010 video game)
Encyclopedia
Medal of Honor is a first-person shooter
video game and remake to the original Medal of Honor. Developed by Danger Close, a team within the EA Los Angeles
studio, and DICE, it is the twelfth installment in the Medal of Honor series
and was released for Microsoft Windows
, PlayStation 3
and Xbox 360
on October 12, . The game is a reboot of the series, taking place during the ongoing War in Afghanistan
.
Medal of Honors single-player campaign uses heavily modified Unreal Engine 3 while multiplayer uses the Frostbite Engine. The game uses dedicated servers for PC and consoles. However, the server files have not been made public and are only available for use through specific Game Server Providers. It is the first game in the Medal of Honor franchise to receive an M rating from the ESRB.
; specifically, the events surrounding the Battle of Roberts Ridge
.
operator codenamed "Rabbit", of AFO Neptune. For the remainder, the player alternates between the roles of a Delta Force
sniper code-named "Deuce", of AFO Wolfpack, as well as Army Ranger Specialist Dante Adams of the 75th Ranger Regiment, and AH-64 Apache
gunner Captain Brad "Hawk" Hawkins.
available, and the player must reach level 3 to unlock a combat scope. If a player earns a certain amount of points before dying, called a score chain, he or she earns a choice of an offensive support action such as a mortar strike or missile attack or a defensive support action such as intel or ammo. The player is not limited to one support action per life and can earn them continuously.
Gameplay features two opposing sides, the Coalition, usually referred by the in-game battle chatter to as "Python 1", against the Opposing Forces . The Coalition troops use American equipment such as the M16A4, M4A1, M21, AT4
and M9 pistol
, while the Opposing Forces represent forces similar to the Taliban and use according equipment such as the AK-47
, AKS-74U, SVD, RPG-7
and Tariq pistol
. Each weapon is designed to have a counterpart on both teams, although that counterpart may or may not have the same stats. Initially, the weapons are team-specific. However, as the player progresses, they will unlock weapons that are available for both sides, as well as unlocking the ability to use enemy weapons. Once reaching level 8 in any one class the player is considered Tier 1 and assumes a different appearance, and when killed the tier 1 player's killer receives 5 extra points for killing a tier 1 player.
On November 2, 2010, DICE released two DLCs for multiplayer—a game type called "Hot Zone", which is a king-of-the-hill style mode and another game type called "Clean Sweep", a last-man-standing game type. The hot zones are depicted by an orange diamond as seen in the image above.
squad from DEVGRU
, call sign
Neptune, composed of operators code-named Mother, Voodoo, Preacher and Rabbit are sent to meet with an Afghan informant named Tariq, who has intelligence. Neptune is ambushed by Chechen
forces, and fights their way through the village to recover Tariq. Shortly after extraction, Tariq informs them that the Taliban and Al-Qaeda
have a significant force composed of 500 to 1,000 combatants in the Shah-i-Kot Valley
. Neptune is tasked to secure Bagram Airfield with a contingent of ANA
soldiers. By March 2002, the airfield is re-purposed as a forward operating base
by NATO forces. U.S. Army Colonel R. Drucker, codename Jimmy, commands all local assets, is shown as a cautious, competent officer, in contrast to his commanding officer, General Flagg, who works in an office in the United States and is ignorant of the AFO
teams' role in the operation. While Drucker plans to use Tier 1 operators to reconnoiter insurgent positions in the valley and ANA soldiers to eliminate them, Flagg is mistrusting of the locals and gives the Colonel a 24-hour deadline to deploy the 10th Mountain Division
, the 101st Airborne Division
, and U.S. Army Rangers.
Meanwhile, Tier 1 teams are inserted into the area to perform reconnaissance and coordinate fire support. AFO Wolfpack, consisting of four Delta Force operators code-named Panther, Vegas, Deuce and Dusty eliminate enemy positions in two small villages and travel to their observation point "Clementine" while Neptune does the same to "OP Dorothy". After completing their mission ahead of schedule, Drucker sends ANA soldiers to eliminate several insurgent positions. Flagg calls in a rage, and unknowingly orders an AC-130U crew to open fire on friendly forces. The surviving ANA forces panic and withdraw, leaving the Colonel no choice but to deploy the Rangers as ordered. During insertion into the Sha-i-kot Valley, the Rangers come under heavy fire and a Chinook is shot down. The Rangers are pinned down by heavy machine guns, so a fireteam led by Sergeant Patterson consisting of Specialist Dante Adams, Corporal Hernandez and US Air Force Enlisted Terminal Attack Controller (ETAC)
Tech Sergeant Ybarra flank the enemy positions and destroy the machine guns. They move to secure another landing zone, but are ambushed by insurgents, who arrive in overwhelming numbers. Surrounded, and running out of ammunition, Ybarra radios Bagram for reinforcements, which arrive in the form of a pair of AH-64 Apache
s, facilitating the Rangers’ extraction. The Apaches move through the mountains destroying a Taliban armory and enemy mortar positions. As they return to base, a Taliban Anti-Aircraft Gun
attempts to destroy the helicopters; however, the AAA gunner is killed by Deuce.
Deuce and Dusty move up the mountains and ambush enemy patrols and mortar teams, providing sniper support for Neptune, who is in heavy contact on the adjacent mountain, Takur Ghar. Neptune withdraws over the ridge line, and fights their way to the extraction point. Mother and Rabbit make it to the helicopter, but the Chinook lifts off early due to heavy enemy fire, leaving Voodoo and Preacher behind. Defying orders to return to base, Mother and Rabbit re-insert at nighttime, barely escaping death when their Chinook comes under fire. They evade hostile patrols while searching for Voodoo and Preacher. However, the two operators are eventually compromised and forced to jump off a cliff in an attempt to escape, with Rabbit sustaining multiple gunshot wounds in the process. Both suffer injuries and are captured by insurgents. Back at Bagram, Colonel Drucker attempts to organize forces to extract Neptune. Wolfpack is too far to provide assistance. General Flagg refuses to risk additional losses, and only assigns an AC-130U gunship, which can only stay on station for 15 more minutes. Drucker defies orders and sends in a Ranger Quick Reaction Force to extract Neptune.
The Chinook is hit by heavy fire, three Rangers and a crew member are killed, and four more are injured. After securing the crash site for the wounded and medics, Hernandez, Ybarra, Adams and Patterson head for the mountain pass. Hernandez is wounded while attempting to find an entrance of a spider-hole and Ybarra brings him back to the landing zone. Adams and Patterson link up with Preacher and Voodoo and continue searching for Mother and Rabbit. After the four of them together assaulted two enemy strongholds with the help of a CIA Predator drone, they eventually locate the two missing operators tied up in a remote bunker, who were tortured by the insurgents. Rabbit is dying as his teammates evacuate him. The team calls for extraction, but the nearest helicopters are flying from Kandahar, some distance away. Rabbit's condition worsens and, despite his squad-mates' attempts, he succumbs to his wounds before extraction arrives. The seven survivors are safely extracted, along with the remaining Ranger QRF. While observing a pair of F-15Es bombing the remaining insurgent bunkers, Preacher collects a rabbit's foot
charm from Rabbit’s body, with Mother and Preacher noting that the war is far from over.
The game ends with a scene of two undercover operatives, sitting on a street in a town, conversing with each other in the Pashto dialect. As they converse about the quality of the tea they are drinking, they identify a man they are looking out for and stand to approach him.
's "New Divide
" was featured in the 2010 E3 multiplayer trailer. Another Linkin Park song, entitled "The Catalyst
", was featured in the final Medal of Honor trailer set released on August 1, 2010. The trailer featuring the song was directed by Linkin Park's own Joe Hahn
. The song was featured in the end credits of the game. The music for the game was composed by Emmy-nominated composer Ramin Djawadi
, who recorded his score with ethnic instruments, electronics and a string orchestra in Los Angeles. A soundtrack album was released on iTunes on October 5, 2010. A book was released around the time the game was released, written by Chris Ryan
and of the same name as the game, which explains the backstory of the game. Through the EA Gun Club website players who registered on the site and bought the VIP version of Battlefield: Bad Company 2 will be granted the M24 Sniper Weapon System sniper rifle for multiplayer immediately upon the game's release.
Electronic Arts
released multiplayer beta keys for the PlayStation 3
and PC
on June 21, 2010. The Xbox 360
beta was initially delayed, but eventually opened on July 20, 2010. This featured 3 different weapon classes, two different maps and two different game modes. EA announced a PC open beta for Medal of Honor. It started on October 4, 2010 and ran until October 7, 2010 11:59 PDT.
beta and a token to download Medal of Honor: Frontline
. Frontline is only available in the PS3 version (Frontline is included on the disc in European standard versions of the game, and the version that is prepackaged with a PS3, and can be installed to the harddrive but requires the Medal of Honor disc to function). The Limited Edition will also feature content out-of-the-box such as early access to weapons only attainable via upgrades and a Limited Edition exclusive Heckler & Koch MP7
personal defense weapon and the M60
Light Machine Gun
.
After the announcement of the Limited Edition, EA Los Angeles stated that they would release a special Tier 1 Edition in Europe. The Tier 1 edition will cost the same as the Limited Edition and feature the same benefits as the Limited Edition (including the Battlefield 3 Beta Key). Additionally, owners of the Tier 1 Edition will receive a code to have access to the Class Operational Tier 1, "a select group of soldiers in order to unlock the M60 Light Machine Gun". The Tier 1 Edition was released in Europe, on October 15, for all three platforms.
Canadian Defense Minister Peter MacKay
has also criticized the game, saying he "finds it wrong that anyone, children in particular, would be playing the role of Taliban" and that "Canada and its allies have fought far too long in Afghanistan and it's not a game". Some Danish veterans were appalled by the game that takes place in the Helmand province where Danish troops are stationed. Danish Defense Minister Gitte Lillelund Bech
finds it "tasteless" and supports Danish veterans who oppose the game. However she has said she will not legislate on the subject and has confidence in the ability of Danish youth to discriminate between right and wrong. Various branches of the US Military, including the US Navy
and US Army
and Air Force
Exchange Services have banned the sale of the game on all United States Military Bases worldwide, but military personnel can still buy the game off base and it will be allowed on base. The reason given by a spokesperson for the US Navy was that it is, "out of respect for the men and women serving and their families."
Due to pressure from various military officials and veterans organizations, the word Taliban was removed from the multiplayer part of the game in which players would directly play as the Taliban, instead replaced with the term "Opposing Force." The singleplayer campaign as well as overall gameplay will not be affected by the change. However, even in light of this change, the game will still not be sold on military bases. The AAFES Commander Maj. Gen. Bruce Casella said, "Out of respect to those touched by the ongoing, real-life events presented as a game, Exchanges will not be carrying this product." He continued, "I expect the military families who are authorized to shop the Exchange are aware, and understanding, of the decision not to carry this particular offering."
Game Informer magazine awarded it a 7 out of 10. Eurogamer acknowledged that Medal of Honor "has a solid multiplayer accessory that owes a lot to Bad Company 2", and gave it an 8/10. TheSixthAxis stated that the "real star appears to be the multiplayer" and that "shooter fans will find enough to enjoy" and awarded it an 8/10. PlayStation Official Magazine awarded it 8/10, praising its overall gameplay and production but labeling the ending as "a complete non-event".
Joystiq commended the singleplayer experience but faulted the game's graphical power: "The framerate is shaky, and the lackluster texture work certainly doesn't help", stating that the singleplayer is ultimately enjoyable. However, Joystiq states that the game's "initial impressions coupled with the obvious lack of features give me little reason to abandon Call of Duty's multiplayer offerings.", and gives it a 4 stars out of 5. Game Informer magazine reports that as a result of the mixed reviews of the game, EA's stock dropped 6% on release day.
"According to Wedbush Securities analyst Michael Pachter, "Shares [are] down because apparently some investors are disappointed by these early reviews." In a return statement, EA reminded the investors that critic's reviews are "highly subjective" and that "This is an essentially big achievement considering Medal of Honor has been dormant for several years. This is the first year in rebooting the franchise. Medal of Honor is part of a larger EA strategy to take share in the shooter category. This is a marathon not a sprint – today’s Medal of Honor launch represents a step forward in that race."
A teaser for the sequel was released, packaged in with copies of Battlefield 3
. An article done by Greg Goodrich on the Medal of Honor webpage indicates that there will be four new units, only one of whom's unit patches have been revealed, with the remaining four to be revealed later. It has not been stated whether or not these new units will replace the ones who starred in the singleplayer portion of Medal of Honor, or if they will simply be added alongside them.
First-person shooter
First-person shooter is a video game genre that centers the gameplay on gun and projectile weapon-based combat through first-person perspective; i.e., the player experiences the action through the eyes of a protagonist. Generally speaking, the first-person shooter shares common traits with other...
video game and remake to the original Medal of Honor. Developed by Danger Close, a team within the EA Los Angeles
EA Los Angeles
EA Los Angeles is a video game developer founded originally in 1995 as DreamWorks Interactive LLC, a subsidiary of DreamWorks SKG....
studio, and DICE, it is the twelfth installment in the Medal of Honor series
Medal of Honor (series)
Medal of Honor is the name of a series of first-person shooter games set in World War II, with an October 2010 reboot based on the conflicts of present day Afghanistan. The first game was developed by DreamWorks Interactive and published by Electronic Arts in 1999 for the PlayStation game console...
and was released for Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
, PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
and Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
on October 12, . The game is a reboot of the series, taking place during the ongoing War in Afghanistan
War in Afghanistan (2001–present)
The War in Afghanistan began on October 7, 2001, as the armed forces of the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the Afghan United Front launched Operation Enduring Freedom...
.
Medal of Honors single-player campaign uses heavily modified Unreal Engine 3 while multiplayer uses the Frostbite Engine. The game uses dedicated servers for PC and consoles. However, the server files have not been made public and are only available for use through specific Game Server Providers. It is the first game in the Medal of Honor franchise to receive an M rating from the ESRB.
Gameplay
The gameplay is designed to be authentic, as EA had hired several consultants from the United States military in order to give inspiration to the developers. Typical in-game objectives are similar to those issued in real life such as raiding terrorist hideouts, hostage rescues and undercover operations. The game is loosely based on parts of Operation AnacondaOperation Anaconda
Operation Anaconda took place in early March 2002 in which the United States military and CIA Paramilitary Officers, working with allied Afghan military forces, and other North Atlantic Treaty Organization and non NATO forces attempted to destroy al-Qaeda and Taliban forces in the Shahi-Kot...
; specifically, the events surrounding the Battle of Roberts Ridge
Battle of Takur Ghar
The Battle of Takur Ghar was a short but intense military engagement between United States special operations forces and Taliban insurgents fought in March 2002, atop Takur Ghar mountain, Afghanistan. For the U.S...
.
Single player
The single player campaign takes place in Afghanistan, in 2002. For half of the game, players assume the role of a DEVGRUUnited States Naval Special Warfare Development Group
The United States Naval Special Warfare Development Group , commonly known as DEVGRU and informally by its former name SEAL Team Six , is one of the United States' four secretive counter-terrorism and Special Mission Units .The vast majority of information about DEVGRU is highly classified, and...
operator codenamed "Rabbit", of AFO Neptune. For the remainder, the player alternates between the roles of a Delta Force
Delta Force
1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta is one of the United States' secretive Tier One counter-terrorism and Special Mission Units. Commonly known as Delta Force, Delta, or The Unit, it was formed under the designation 1st SFOD-D, and is officially referred to by the Department of Defense...
sniper code-named "Deuce", of AFO Wolfpack, as well as Army Ranger Specialist Dante Adams of the 75th Ranger Regiment, and AH-64 Apache
AH-64 Apache
The Boeing AH-64 Apache is a four-blade, twin-engine attack helicopter with a tailwheel-type landing gear arrangement, and a tandem cockpit for a two-man crew. The Apache was developed as Model 77 by Hughes Helicopters for the United States Army's Advanced Attack Helicopter program to replace the...
gunner Captain Brad "Hawk" Hawkins.
Multiplayer
Medal of Honor's multiplayer was developed by EA Digital Illusions CE. Multiplayer is class based, with three classes available – Rifleman, Special Ops, and Sniper. The player earns experience during gameplay to level up and unlock additional weapons and weapon accessories. For example, at the start of the game the sniper class does not have a proper sniper scopeTelescopic sight
A telescopic sight, commonly called a scope, is a sighting device that is based on an optical refracting telescope. They are equipped with some form of graphic image pattern mounted in an optically appropriate position in their optical system to give an accurate aiming point...
available, and the player must reach level 3 to unlock a combat scope. If a player earns a certain amount of points before dying, called a score chain, he or she earns a choice of an offensive support action such as a mortar strike or missile attack or a defensive support action such as intel or ammo. The player is not limited to one support action per life and can earn them continuously.
Gameplay features two opposing sides, the Coalition, usually referred by the in-game battle chatter to as "Python 1", against the Opposing Forces . The Coalition troops use American equipment such as the M16A4, M4A1, M21, AT4
AT4
The AT4 is an 84-mm unguided, portable, single-shot recoilless smoothbore weapon built in Sweden by Saab Bofors Dynamics...
and M9 pistol
M9 Pistol
The Beretta M9, formally Pistol, Semiautomatic, 9mm, M9, is a 9×19mm Parabellum pistol of the United States military adopted in 1985. It is essentially a military specification Beretta 92F, later the 92FS....
, while the Opposing Forces represent forces similar to the Taliban and use according equipment such as the AK-47
AK-47
The AK-47 is a selective-fire, gas-operated 7.62×39mm assault rifle, first developed in the Soviet Union by Mikhail Kalashnikov. It is officially known as Avtomat Kalashnikova . It is also known as a Kalashnikov, an "AK", or in Russian slang, Kalash.Design work on the AK-47 began in the last year...
, AKS-74U, SVD, RPG-7
RPG-7
The RPG-7 is a widely-produced, portable, unguided, shoulder-launched, anti-tank rocket-propelled grenade launcher. Originally the RPG-7 and its predecessor, the RPG-2, were designed by the Soviet Union, and now manufactured by the Bazalt company...
and Tariq pistol
Beretta M 1951
The M 1951 is a 9 mm semi-automatic pistol, developed during the late 1940s and early 1950s by Pietro Beretta S.p.A. of Italy. The pistol was produced strictly for military use and was introduced into service with the Italian Army and security forces as the Modello 1951 , replacing the 9 mm...
. Each weapon is designed to have a counterpart on both teams, although that counterpart may or may not have the same stats. Initially, the weapons are team-specific. However, as the player progresses, they will unlock weapons that are available for both sides, as well as unlocking the ability to use enemy weapons. Once reaching level 8 in any one class the player is considered Tier 1 and assumes a different appearance, and when killed the tier 1 player's killer receives 5 extra points for killing a tier 1 player.
On November 2, 2010, DICE released two DLCs for multiplayer—a game type called "Hot Zone", which is a king-of-the-hill style mode and another game type called "Clean Sweep", a last-man-standing game type. The hot zones are depicted by an orange diamond as seen in the image above.
Plot
During the opening days of the invasion of Afghanistan, Tier 1 operators of a Navy SEALUnited States Navy SEALs
The United States Navy's Sea, Air and Land Teams, commonly known as Navy SEALs, are the U.S. Navy's principal special operations force and a part of the Naval Special Warfare Command as well as the maritime component of the United States Special Operations Command.The acronym is derived from their...
squad from DEVGRU
United States Naval Special Warfare Development Group
The United States Naval Special Warfare Development Group , commonly known as DEVGRU and informally by its former name SEAL Team Six , is one of the United States' four secretive counter-terrorism and Special Mission Units .The vast majority of information about DEVGRU is highly classified, and...
, call sign
Call sign
In broadcasting and radio communications, a call sign is a unique designation for a transmitting station. In North America they are used as names for broadcasting stations...
Neptune, composed of operators code-named Mother, Voodoo, Preacher and Rabbit are sent to meet with an Afghan informant named Tariq, who has intelligence. Neptune is ambushed by Chechen
Chechen
Chechen may refer to:*Chechen people, an ethnic group of the Caucasus*Chechen language*Chechen-Aul, the village at which Peter the Great's forces were stopped in 1732 by Noxçi people, later better known as "Chechens"*Related to Chechnya...
forces, and fights their way through the village to recover Tariq. Shortly after extraction, Tariq informs them that the Taliban and Al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda is a global broad-based militant Islamist terrorist organization founded by Osama bin Laden sometime between August 1988 and late 1989. It operates as a network comprising both a multinational, stateless army and a radical Sunni Muslim movement calling for global Jihad...
have a significant force composed of 500 to 1,000 combatants in the Shah-i-Kot Valley
Shah-i-Kot Valley
The Shah-i-Kot Valley is a valley located in Afghanistan's Paktia province, southeast of the town of Zormat. The terrain in and around the valley is notoriously rugged, located at a mean altitude of...
. Neptune is tasked to secure Bagram Airfield with a contingent of ANA
Afghan National Army
The Afghan National Army is a service branch of the military of Afghanistan, which is currently trained by the coalition forces to ultimately take the role in land-based military operations in Afghanistan. , the Afghan National Army is divided into seven regional Corps. The strength of the Afghan...
soldiers. By March 2002, the airfield is re-purposed as a forward operating base
Forward Operating Base
A forward operating base is any secured forward military position, commonly a military base, that is used to support tactical operations. A FOB may or may not contain an airfield, hospital, or other facilities. The base may be used for an extended period of time. FOBs are traditionally supported...
by NATO forces. U.S. Army Colonel R. Drucker, codename Jimmy, commands all local assets, is shown as a cautious, competent officer, in contrast to his commanding officer, General Flagg, who works in an office in the United States and is ignorant of the AFO
Advanced Force Operations
Advanced Force Operations is a term used by the United States Department of Defense to describe a task force that encompasses personnel from 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta , DEVGRU and United States Army Intelligence Support Activity . According to Gen...
teams' role in the operation. While Drucker plans to use Tier 1 operators to reconnoiter insurgent positions in the valley and ANA soldiers to eliminate them, Flagg is mistrusting of the locals and gives the Colonel a 24-hour deadline to deploy the 10th Mountain Division
10th Mountain Division
The 10th Mountain Division is a light infantry division of the United States Army based at Fort Drum, New York. It is a subordinate unit of the XVIII Airborne Corps and the only division-sized element of the U.S. Army to specialize in fighting under harsh terrain and weather conditions...
, the 101st Airborne Division
101st Airborne Division
The 101st Airborne Division—the "Screaming Eagles"—is a U.S. Army modular light infantry division trained for air assault operations. During World War II, it was renowned for its role in Operation Overlord, the D-Day landings on 6 June 1944, in Normandy, France, Operation Market Garden, the...
, and U.S. Army Rangers.
Meanwhile, Tier 1 teams are inserted into the area to perform reconnaissance and coordinate fire support. AFO Wolfpack, consisting of four Delta Force operators code-named Panther, Vegas, Deuce and Dusty eliminate enemy positions in two small villages and travel to their observation point "Clementine" while Neptune does the same to "OP Dorothy". After completing their mission ahead of schedule, Drucker sends ANA soldiers to eliminate several insurgent positions. Flagg calls in a rage, and unknowingly orders an AC-130U crew to open fire on friendly forces. The surviving ANA forces panic and withdraw, leaving the Colonel no choice but to deploy the Rangers as ordered. During insertion into the Sha-i-kot Valley, the Rangers come under heavy fire and a Chinook is shot down. The Rangers are pinned down by heavy machine guns, so a fireteam led by Sergeant Patterson consisting of Specialist Dante Adams, Corporal Hernandez and US Air Force Enlisted Terminal Attack Controller (ETAC)
Tactical Air Control Party
The Tactical Air Control Party, commonly abbreviated TACP, is a small team of Army, Marine or Air Force personnel who provide airspace deconfliction and terminal control of Close Air Support at battle group level or below...
Tech Sergeant Ybarra flank the enemy positions and destroy the machine guns. They move to secure another landing zone, but are ambushed by insurgents, who arrive in overwhelming numbers. Surrounded, and running out of ammunition, Ybarra radios Bagram for reinforcements, which arrive in the form of a pair of AH-64 Apache
AH-64 Apache
The Boeing AH-64 Apache is a four-blade, twin-engine attack helicopter with a tailwheel-type landing gear arrangement, and a tandem cockpit for a two-man crew. The Apache was developed as Model 77 by Hughes Helicopters for the United States Army's Advanced Attack Helicopter program to replace the...
s, facilitating the Rangers’ extraction. The Apaches move through the mountains destroying a Taliban armory and enemy mortar positions. As they return to base, a Taliban Anti-Aircraft Gun
ZU-23-2
The ZU-23-2, also known as ZU-23, is a Soviet towed 23 mm anti-aircraft twin-barreled autocannon. ZU stands for Zenitnaya Ustanovka - anti-aircraft mount.-Development history:...
attempts to destroy the helicopters; however, the AAA gunner is killed by Deuce.
Deuce and Dusty move up the mountains and ambush enemy patrols and mortar teams, providing sniper support for Neptune, who is in heavy contact on the adjacent mountain, Takur Ghar. Neptune withdraws over the ridge line, and fights their way to the extraction point. Mother and Rabbit make it to the helicopter, but the Chinook lifts off early due to heavy enemy fire, leaving Voodoo and Preacher behind. Defying orders to return to base, Mother and Rabbit re-insert at nighttime, barely escaping death when their Chinook comes under fire. They evade hostile patrols while searching for Voodoo and Preacher. However, the two operators are eventually compromised and forced to jump off a cliff in an attempt to escape, with Rabbit sustaining multiple gunshot wounds in the process. Both suffer injuries and are captured by insurgents. Back at Bagram, Colonel Drucker attempts to organize forces to extract Neptune. Wolfpack is too far to provide assistance. General Flagg refuses to risk additional losses, and only assigns an AC-130U gunship, which can only stay on station for 15 more minutes. Drucker defies orders and sends in a Ranger Quick Reaction Force to extract Neptune.
The Chinook is hit by heavy fire, three Rangers and a crew member are killed, and four more are injured. After securing the crash site for the wounded and medics, Hernandez, Ybarra, Adams and Patterson head for the mountain pass. Hernandez is wounded while attempting to find an entrance of a spider-hole and Ybarra brings him back to the landing zone. Adams and Patterson link up with Preacher and Voodoo and continue searching for Mother and Rabbit. After the four of them together assaulted two enemy strongholds with the help of a CIA Predator drone, they eventually locate the two missing operators tied up in a remote bunker, who were tortured by the insurgents. Rabbit is dying as his teammates evacuate him. The team calls for extraction, but the nearest helicopters are flying from Kandahar, some distance away. Rabbit's condition worsens and, despite his squad-mates' attempts, he succumbs to his wounds before extraction arrives. The seven survivors are safely extracted, along with the remaining Ranger QRF. While observing a pair of F-15Es bombing the remaining insurgent bunkers, Preacher collects a rabbit's foot
Rabbit's foot
In some cultures, the foot of a rabbit is carried as an amulet believed to bring good luck. This belief is held by individuals in a great number of places around the world including Europe, China, Africa, and North and South America. It is likely that this belief has existed in Europe since 600 BC...
charm from Rabbit’s body, with Mother and Preacher noting that the war is far from over.
The game ends with a scene of two undercover operatives, sitting on a street in a town, conversing with each other in the Pashto dialect. As they converse about the quality of the tea they are drinking, they identify a man they are looking out for and stand to approach him.
Marketing and release
Linkin ParkLinkin Park
Linkin Park is an American rock band from Agoura Hills, California. Formed in 1996, the band rose to international fame with their debut album, Hybrid Theory, which was certified Diamond by the RIAA in 2005 and multi-platinum in several other countries...
's "New Divide
New Divide
"New Divide" is a song by American rock band Linkin Park. The song is released as a single and was recorded specifically for Michael Bay's film Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. The song serves as the film's theme, and was released as a single on May 18, 2009...
" was featured in the 2010 E3 multiplayer trailer. Another Linkin Park song, entitled "The Catalyst
The Catalyst
"The Catalyst" is a song by American rock band Linkin Park. Released on August 2, 2010, it is the first single from their fourth studio album, A Thousand Suns, which was released on September 8, 2010...
", was featured in the final Medal of Honor trailer set released on August 1, 2010. The trailer featuring the song was directed by Linkin Park's own Joe Hahn
Joe Hahn
Joseph "Joe" Hahn , better known by his stage name, Mr. Hahn, is an American turntablist and director best known as the DJ and sampler for the band Linkin Park.-Personal Biography:...
. The song was featured in the end credits of the game. The music for the game was composed by Emmy-nominated composer Ramin Djawadi
Ramin Djawadi
Ramin Djawadi is a German composer of orchestral music for film and television. He was born in Duisburg, Germany to an Iranian father and German mother...
, who recorded his score with ethnic instruments, electronics and a string orchestra in Los Angeles. A soundtrack album was released on iTunes on October 5, 2010. A book was released around the time the game was released, written by Chris Ryan
Chris Ryan
Sergeant ‘Chris Ryan’ MM is the pseudonym of a former British Special Forces operative and soldier turned novelist...
and of the same name as the game, which explains the backstory of the game. Through the EA Gun Club website players who registered on the site and bought the VIP version of Battlefield: Bad Company 2 will be granted the M24 Sniper Weapon System sniper rifle for multiplayer immediately upon the game's release.
Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts, Inc. is a major American developer, marketer, publisher and distributor of video games. Founded and incorporated on May 28, 1982 by Trip Hawkins, the company was a pioneer of the early home computer games industry and was notable for promoting the designers and programmers...
released multiplayer beta keys for the PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
and PC
Personal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
on June 21, 2010. The Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
beta was initially delayed, but eventually opened on July 20, 2010. This featured 3 different weapon classes, two different maps and two different game modes. EA announced a PC open beta for Medal of Honor. It started on October 4, 2010 and ran until October 7, 2010 11:59 PDT.
Editions
The Limited Edition version of Medal of Honor will include an invite to the Battlefield 3Battlefield 3
Battlefield 3 is a first-person shooter video game developed by EA Digital Illusions CE and published by Electronic Arts. The game was released in North America on October 25, 2011 and in Europe on October 28, 2011 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and EA Mobile confirmed a port for...
beta and a token to download Medal of Honor: Frontline
Medal of Honor: Frontline
-External links:*...
. Frontline is only available in the PS3 version (Frontline is included on the disc in European standard versions of the game, and the version that is prepackaged with a PS3, and can be installed to the harddrive but requires the Medal of Honor disc to function). The Limited Edition will also feature content out-of-the-box such as early access to weapons only attainable via upgrades and a Limited Edition exclusive Heckler & Koch MP7
Heckler & Koch MP7
The MP7 is a German submachine gun manufactured by Heckler & Koch and chambered for the 4.6×30mm cartridge. It was designed with the new cartridge to meet NATO requirements published in 1989, as these requirements call for a personal defense weapon class firearm, with a greater ability to defeat...
personal defense weapon and the M60
M60 machine gun
The M60 is a family of American general-purpose machine guns firing 7.62×51mm NATO cartridges from a disintegrating belt of M13 links...
Light Machine Gun
Light machine gun
A light machine gun is a machine gun designed to be employed by an individual soldier, with or without an assistant, as an infantry support weapon. Light machine guns are often used as squad automatic weapons.-Characteristics:...
.
After the announcement of the Limited Edition, EA Los Angeles stated that they would release a special Tier 1 Edition in Europe. The Tier 1 edition will cost the same as the Limited Edition and feature the same benefits as the Limited Edition (including the Battlefield 3 Beta Key). Additionally, owners of the Tier 1 Edition will receive a code to have access to the Class Operational Tier 1, "a select group of soldiers in order to unlock the M60 Light Machine Gun". The Tier 1 Edition was released in Europe, on October 15, for all three platforms.
Controversy
The online mode created a controversy when it was revealed that in the multiplayer mode of Medal of Honor, players could play as the Taliban. The developers responded by stating the reality of the game necessitated it. "Most of us having been doing this since we were 7 – if someone's the cop, someone's gotta be the robber, someone's gotta be the pirate and someone's gotta be the alien", Amanda Taggart, senior PR manager for EA, told AOL News. "In Medal of Honor multiplayer, someone's gotta be the Taliban." The UK Defence Secretary Dr Liam Fox criticized the game in advance of its release stating that it was "shocking that someone would think it acceptable to recreate the acts of the Taliban against British soldiers". "At the hands of the Taliban, children have lost fathers and wives have lost husbands". "It's hard to believe any citizen of our country would wish to buy such a thoroughly un-British game. I would urge retailers to show their support for our armed forces and ban this tasteless product."Canadian Defense Minister Peter MacKay
Peter MacKay
Peter Gordon MacKay, PC, QC, MP is a lawyer and politician from Nova Scotia, Canada. He is the Member of Parliament for Central Nova and currently serves as Minister of National Defence in the Cabinet of Canada....
has also criticized the game, saying he "finds it wrong that anyone, children in particular, would be playing the role of Taliban" and that "Canada and its allies have fought far too long in Afghanistan and it's not a game". Some Danish veterans were appalled by the game that takes place in the Helmand province where Danish troops are stationed. Danish Defense Minister Gitte Lillelund Bech
Gitte Lillelund Bech
Gitte Lillelund Bech is a Danish politician who has been Defence Minister representing the Liberal party, Venstre. She entered office in January 2010, when she replaced Søren Gade after a cabinet reshuffle.-References:...
finds it "tasteless" and supports Danish veterans who oppose the game. However she has said she will not legislate on the subject and has confidence in the ability of Danish youth to discriminate between right and wrong. Various branches of the US Military, including the US Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
and US Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
and Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
Exchange Services have banned the sale of the game on all United States Military Bases worldwide, but military personnel can still buy the game off base and it will be allowed on base. The reason given by a spokesperson for the US Navy was that it is, "out of respect for the men and women serving and their families."
Due to pressure from various military officials and veterans organizations, the word Taliban was removed from the multiplayer part of the game in which players would directly play as the Taliban, instead replaced with the term "Opposing Force." The singleplayer campaign as well as overall gameplay will not be affected by the change. However, even in light of this change, the game will still not be sold on military bases. The AAFES Commander Maj. Gen. Bruce Casella said, "Out of respect to those touched by the ongoing, real-life events presented as a game, Exchanges will not be carrying this product." He continued, "I expect the military families who are authorized to shop the Exchange are aware, and understanding, of the decision not to carry this particular offering."
Reception
Medal of Honor has received generally positive review scores with an average Metacritic score of 75%. In general, critics praised the game particularly for its engaging multiplayer, audio, and voice acting, but criticized the level designs, minor technical issues, and resemblance to other similar games like the Battlefield series.Game Informer magazine awarded it a 7 out of 10. Eurogamer acknowledged that Medal of Honor "has a solid multiplayer accessory that owes a lot to Bad Company 2", and gave it an 8/10. TheSixthAxis stated that the "real star appears to be the multiplayer" and that "shooter fans will find enough to enjoy" and awarded it an 8/10. PlayStation Official Magazine awarded it 8/10, praising its overall gameplay and production but labeling the ending as "a complete non-event".
Joystiq commended the singleplayer experience but faulted the game's graphical power: "The framerate is shaky, and the lackluster texture work certainly doesn't help", stating that the singleplayer is ultimately enjoyable. However, Joystiq states that the game's "initial impressions coupled with the obvious lack of features give me little reason to abandon Call of Duty's multiplayer offerings.", and gives it a 4 stars out of 5. Game Informer magazine reports that as a result of the mixed reviews of the game, EA's stock dropped 6% on release day.
"According to Wedbush Securities analyst Michael Pachter, "Shares [are] down because apparently some investors are disappointed by these early reviews." In a return statement, EA reminded the investors that critic's reviews are "highly subjective" and that "This is an essentially big achievement considering Medal of Honor has been dormant for several years. This is the first year in rebooting the franchise. Medal of Honor is part of a larger EA strategy to take share in the shooter category. This is a marathon not a sprint – today’s Medal of Honor launch represents a step forward in that race."
Sequel
Danger Close chief and MoH executive producer Greg Goodrich revealed the news that Medal of Honor 2 is in development at Danger Close on February 18, 2011. "Yes, Danger Close is currently working on the next Medal of Honor. Just recently, EA announced that the reboot of Medal of Honor was a big success with over 5 million copies sold. We wanted to take a moment to thank each of you for supporting us, our new studio and our storied franchise. We would especially like to thank all of the long time Medal of Honor fans out there who have stuck with us over the years. It's going to be a fun ride for the Medal of Honor franchise. We are happy to have you aboard."A teaser for the sequel was released, packaged in with copies of Battlefield 3
Battlefield 3
Battlefield 3 is a first-person shooter video game developed by EA Digital Illusions CE and published by Electronic Arts. The game was released in North America on October 25, 2011 and in Europe on October 28, 2011 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and EA Mobile confirmed a port for...
. An article done by Greg Goodrich on the Medal of Honor webpage indicates that there will be four new units, only one of whom's unit patches have been revealed, with the remaining four to be revealed later. It has not been stated whether or not these new units will replace the ones who starred in the singleplayer portion of Medal of Honor, or if they will simply be added alongside them.