Medal of Honor (series)
Encyclopedia
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 (now known as Danger Close) and published by Electronic Arts
in 1999 for the PlayStation
game console. Medal of Honor spawned a series of follow-up games including multiple expansions spanning various console platforms and the PC
and Mac
.
combatant during World War II
, with the exception of the recent game
which lets players take part in the modern Afghanistan conflict (at times as a Combat Applications Group (Delta Force) operator, Ranger or DEVGRU operator), with weaponry appropriate to each time period. The player fights for the United States
(although groups such as the French Resistance
have been represented), and the identity of the main character varies between games. The games are often characterized by linear gameplay through recognizable WWII-era areas of conflict, which is sometimes presented in a cinematic tone (e.g., inspiration from modern films like Saving Private Ryan
, The Thin Red Line
and Enemy at the Gates
and the television mini-series Band of Brothers).
the series has focused on providing a more open-ended element to the games, allowing the player to have more options in each level and getting away from one linear path. In the later games in the series, the artificial intelligence (AI) of the enemies and fellow soldier
s has been notorious for being below or above current FPS expectations. The violence
, up to Medal of Honor: Rising Sun
is bloodless and simple, usually consisting of elaborate animations,
while the violence in Medal of Honor: Pacific Assault
and onward contains the occasional sprays of blood. The newest Medal of Honor
contains realistic figures, surroundings, and effects giving it a modern FPS look.
, Medal of Honor: Rising Sun
and Medal of Honor: European Assault
on the PlayStation 2
and Medal of Honor: Allied Assault
, Medal of Honor: Pacific Assault
and Medal of Honor: Airborne
for Microsoft Windows
. It was released on March 6, 2007.
, with its respective expansion packs, Medal of Honor: Spearhead and Medal of Honor: Breakthrough, Medal of Honor: Pacific Assault Director's Edition
, and Medal of Honor: Airborne
. It was released on September 22, 2008.
.
awarded the Medal of Honor series with a world record
for "Best-selling FPS franchise" in the Guinness World Records: Gamer's Edition 2008.
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...
games set in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, with an October 2010 reboot
Medal of Honor (2010 video game)
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...
based on the conflicts of present day Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
. The first game was developed by DreamWorks Interactive (now known as Danger Close) and published by 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...
in 1999 for the PlayStation
PlayStation
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
game console. Medal of Honor spawned a series of follow-up games including multiple expansions spanning various console platforms and the 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...
and Mac
Macintosh
The Macintosh , or Mac, is a series of several lines of personal computers designed, developed, and marketed by Apple Inc. The first Macintosh was introduced by Apple's then-chairman Steve Jobs on January 24, 1984; it was the first commercially successful personal computer to feature a mouse and a...
.
Plot
The Medal of Honor series puts the player in the boots of an AlliedAllies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
combatant during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, with the exception of the recent game
Medal of Honor (2010 video game)
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...
which lets players take part in the modern Afghanistan conflict (at times as a Combat Applications Group (Delta Force) operator, Ranger or DEVGRU operator), with weaponry appropriate to each time period. The player fights for the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
(although groups such as the French Resistance
French Resistance
The French Resistance is the name used to denote the collection of French resistance movements that fought against the Nazi German occupation of France and against the collaborationist Vichy régime during World War II...
have been represented), and the identity of the main character varies between games. The games are often characterized by linear gameplay through recognizable WWII-era areas of conflict, which is sometimes presented in a cinematic tone (e.g., inspiration from modern films like Saving Private Ryan
Saving Private Ryan
Saving Private Ryan is a 1998 American war film set during the invasion of Normandy in World War II. It was directed by Steven Spielberg, with a screenplay by Robert Rodat. The film is notable for the intensity of its opening 27 minutes, which depicts the Omaha Beach assault of June 6, 1944....
, The Thin Red Line
The Thin Red Line (1998 film)
The Thin Red Line is a 1998 American war film which tells a fictional story of United States forces during the Battle of Mount Austen in World War II. It portrays men in: C Company, 1st Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division; in particular those soldiers played by Sean Penn, Jim...
and Enemy at the Gates
Enemy at the Gates
Enemy at the Gates is a 2001 war film directed by Jean-Jacques Annaud, starring Joseph Fiennes, Jude Law, Rachel Weisz, Bob Hoskins and Ed Harris set during the Battle of Stalingrad in World War II....
and the television mini-series Band of Brothers).
Gameplay
The gameplay originally focuses on the OSS (Office of Strategic Services), an American espionage organization during World War II, placing emphasis on using false papers and silenced pistols, but as the series and the technology has progressed, it has shifted emphasis towards front-line combat, and has now almost completely abandoned the original focus. Since the release of Medal of Honor: Rising SunMedal of Honor: Rising Sun
Medal of Honor: Rising Sun is the fifth installment of the Medal of Honor series, released by Electronic Arts in November 2003. Like its predecessors, Rising Sun is a first-person shooter set in World War II. Unlike predecessors,Rising Sun is set during the Pacific War. It features single-player...
the series has focused on providing a more open-ended element to the games, allowing the player to have more options in each level and getting away from one linear path. In the later games in the series, the artificial intelligence (AI) of the enemies and fellow soldier
Soldier
A soldier is a member of the land component of national armed forces; whereas a soldier hired for service in a foreign army would be termed a mercenary...
s has been notorious for being below or above current FPS expectations. The violence
Violence
Violence is the use of physical force to apply a state to others contrary to their wishes. violence, while often a stand-alone issue, is often the culmination of other kinds of conflict, e.g...
, up to Medal of Honor: Rising Sun
Medal of Honor: Rising Sun
Medal of Honor: Rising Sun is the fifth installment of the Medal of Honor series, released by Electronic Arts in November 2003. Like its predecessors, Rising Sun is a first-person shooter set in World War II. Unlike predecessors,Rising Sun is set during the Pacific War. It features single-player...
is bloodless and simple, usually consisting of elaborate animations,
while the violence in Medal of Honor: Pacific Assault
Medal of Honor: Pacific Assault
Medal of Honor: Pacific Assault is a first-person shooter computer game the story of which takes place during the Pacific War. It is the 7th installment of the Medal of Honor series.- Plot :...
and onward contains the occasional sprays of blood. The newest Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor (2010 video game)
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...
contains realistic figures, surroundings, and effects giving it a modern FPS look.
PC releases
- Medal of Honor: Allied AssaultMedal of Honor: Allied AssaultMedal of Honor: Allied Assault is a first-person shooter computer game developed by 2015, Inc. and created by Steven Spielberg. It is the 3rd installment of the Medal of Honor series...
(Lt. Mike Powell) - (Linux, Windows 2000 / 95 / 98 / Me / NT / XP, Mac OS) - 2002- Medal of Honor: Allied Assault - Spearhead (Sgt. Jack Barnes) - (Linux, Windows, Mac OS)
- Medal of Honor: Allied Assault - Breakthrough (Sgt. John Baker) - (Linux, Windows, Mac OS)
- Medal of Honor: Pacific AssaultMedal of Honor: Pacific AssaultMedal of Honor: Pacific Assault is a first-person shooter computer game the story of which takes place during the Pacific War. It is the 7th installment of the Medal of Honor series.- Plot :...
(Pvt/Pfc/Lcpl/Cpl/Sgt. Tommy Conlin) - (Windows) - 2004 - Medal of Honor: AirborneMedal of Honor: AirborneMedal of Honor: Airborne is a World War II first-person shooter computer game and the 11th installment of the Medal of Honor series. It was developed by EA Los Angeles and was released worldwide on the PC and Xbox 360 in September 2007. A PS2 and Wii version was set to be released but was cancelled...
(Pfc/Cpl. Boyd Travers) - (Windows Vista, XP) - 2007 - Medal of HonorMedal of Honor (2010 video game)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...
(Spc. Dante Adams, Cpt. Brad "Hawk" Hawkins, "Rabbit", "Deuce") - (Windows) - 2010
Console releases
- Medal of Honor (Lt. Jimmy Patterson) - (PlayStation) - 1999
- Medal of Honor: UndergroundMedal of Honor: UndergroundMedal of Honor: Underground is a videogame that is the prequel to the World War II hit Medal of Honor. In Underground, the player takes the role of Manon Batiste , a French woman who appeared in the first game as an advisor...
(Manon Batiste) - (PlayStation) - 2000 - Medal of Honor: FrontlineMedal of Honor: Frontline-External links:*...
(Lt. Jimmy Patterson) - (PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube) - 2002; (PlayStation 3) - 2010 - Medal of Honor: Rising SunMedal of Honor: Rising SunMedal of Honor: Rising Sun is the fifth installment of the Medal of Honor series, released by Electronic Arts in November 2003. Like its predecessors, Rising Sun is a first-person shooter set in World War II. Unlike predecessors,Rising Sun is set during the Pacific War. It features single-player...
(Cpl/Sgt. Joseph Griffin) - (PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube) - 2003 - Medal of Honor: European AssaultMedal of Honor: European AssaultMedal of Honor: European Assault is the 6th installment in the long running Medal of Honor series. European Assault was released for PlayStation 2, Xbox and GameCube in June 2005. The game's story was written by John Milius, the writer of Apocalypse Now...
(Lt. William Holt) - PlayStation 2PlayStation 2The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
, Xbox, GameCube) - 2005 - Medal of Honor: VanguardMedal of Honor: VanguardMedal of Honor: Vanguard is the tenth installment in the Medal of Honor series of World War II first-person shooters. It was developed by Electronic Arts' Los Angeles studio with Budcat Creations and released for the PlayStation 2 and Wii on March 26, 2007, in the United States.-Plot:Players take...
(Cpl/Sgt. Frank Keegan) - (PlayStation 2, Wii) - 2007 - Medal of Honor: AirborneMedal of Honor: AirborneMedal of Honor: Airborne is a World War II first-person shooter computer game and the 11th installment of the Medal of Honor series. It was developed by EA Los Angeles and was released worldwide on the PC and Xbox 360 in September 2007. A PS2 and Wii version was set to be released but was cancelled...
(Pfc/Cpl. Boyd Travers) - (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3) - 2007 - Medal of Honor: Heroes 2Medal of Honor: Heroes 2Medal of Honor: Heroes 2 is a first-person shooter game for the Wii and the PlayStation Portable. It is an installment in the long-running Medal of Honor series of World War II games. Each version was built from the ground up for its respective system. The Wii version was announced at Nintendo's...
(Lt. John Berg) - (Wii) - 2007 - Medal of HonorMedal of Honor (2010 video game)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...
(Spc. Dante Adams, Cpt. Brad "Hawk" Hawkins, "Rabbit", "Deuce") - (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3) - 2010 - Medal of Honor 2 - 2012
Portable releases
- Medal of Honor: UndergroundMedal of Honor: UndergroundMedal of Honor: Underground is a videogame that is the prequel to the World War II hit Medal of Honor. In Underground, the player takes the role of Manon Batiste , a French woman who appeared in the first game as an advisor...
(Manon Batiste) - (Game Boy Advance) - 2000 - Medal of Honor: InfiltratorMedal of Honor: InfiltratorMedal of Honor: Infiltrator is an top-down third-person shooter video game, the sixth installment in the Medal of Honor series, and the second game for the Game Boy Advance...
(Cpl. Jake Murphy) - (Game Boy Advance) - 2003 - Medal of Honor: Heroes (Lt. Jimmy Patterson, Lt. William Holt, Sgt. John Baker) - (PlayStation Portable) - 2006
- Medal of Honor: Heroes 2Medal of Honor: Heroes 2Medal of Honor: Heroes 2 is a first-person shooter game for the Wii and the PlayStation Portable. It is an installment in the long-running Medal of Honor series of World War II games. Each version was built from the ground up for its respective system. The Wii version was announced at Nintendo's...
(Lt. John Berg) - (PlayStation Portable) - 2007
Medal of Honor Collection
Medal of Honor Collection is a set of three games: Medal of Honor: FrontlineMedal of Honor: Frontline
-External links:*...
, Medal of Honor: Rising Sun
Medal of Honor: Rising Sun
Medal of Honor: Rising Sun is the fifth installment of the Medal of Honor series, released by Electronic Arts in November 2003. Like its predecessors, Rising Sun is a first-person shooter set in World War II. Unlike predecessors,Rising Sun is set during the Pacific War. It features single-player...
and Medal of Honor: European Assault
Medal of Honor: European Assault
Medal of Honor: European Assault is the 6th installment in the long running Medal of Honor series. European Assault was released for PlayStation 2, Xbox and GameCube in June 2005. The game's story was written by John Milius, the writer of Apocalypse Now...
on the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
and Medal of Honor: Allied Assault
Medal of Honor: Allied Assault
Medal of Honor: Allied Assault is a first-person shooter computer game developed by 2015, Inc. and created by Steven Spielberg. It is the 3rd installment of the Medal of Honor series...
, Medal of Honor: Pacific Assault
Medal of Honor: Pacific Assault
Medal of Honor: Pacific Assault is a first-person shooter computer game the story of which takes place during the Pacific War. It is the 7th installment of the Medal of Honor series.- Plot :...
and Medal of Honor: Airborne
Medal of Honor: Airborne
Medal of Honor: Airborne is a World War II first-person shooter computer game and the 11th installment of the Medal of Honor series. It was developed by EA Los Angeles and was released worldwide on the PC and Xbox 360 in September 2007. A PS2 and Wii version was set to be released but was cancelled...
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...
. It was released on March 6, 2007.
Medal of Honor 10th Anniversary Bundle
Medal of Honor 10th Anniversary Bundle is a bundle of three games for the PC: Medal of Honor: Allied AssaultMedal of Honor: Allied Assault
Medal of Honor: Allied Assault is a first-person shooter computer game developed by 2015, Inc. and created by Steven Spielberg. It is the 3rd installment of the Medal of Honor series...
, with its respective expansion packs, Medal of Honor: Spearhead and Medal of Honor: Breakthrough, Medal of Honor: Pacific Assault Director's Edition
Medal of Honor: Pacific Assault
Medal of Honor: Pacific Assault is a first-person shooter computer game the story of which takes place during the Pacific War. It is the 7th installment of the Medal of Honor series.- Plot :...
, and Medal of Honor: Airborne
Medal of Honor: Airborne
Medal of Honor: Airborne is a World War II first-person shooter computer game and the 11th installment of the Medal of Honor series. It was developed by EA Los Angeles and was released worldwide on the PC and Xbox 360 in September 2007. A PS2 and Wii version was set to be released but was cancelled...
. It was released on September 22, 2008.
Cancelled games
In the history of the Medal of Honor series, two games are known to have been cancelled: Medal of Honor: Fighter Command, a flight-sim-esque game that was to be released for the PlayStation 2, and Medal of Honor: Rising Sun 2, the sequel to Medal of Honor: Rising SunMedal of Honor: Rising Sun
Medal of Honor: Rising Sun is the fifth installment of the Medal of Honor series, released by Electronic Arts in November 2003. Like its predecessors, Rising Sun is a first-person shooter set in World War II. Unlike predecessors,Rising Sun is set during the Pacific War. It features single-player...
.
Awards
Guinness World RecordsGuinness World Records
Guinness World Records, known until 2000 as The Guinness Book of Records , is a reference book published annually, containing a collection of world records, both human achievements and the extremes of the natural world...
awarded the Medal of Honor series with a world record
World record
A world record is usually the best global performance ever recorded and verified in a specific skill or sport. The book Guinness World Records collates and publishes notable records of all types, from first and best to worst human achievements, to extremes in the natural world and beyond...
for "Best-selling FPS franchise" in the Guinness World Records: Gamer's Edition 2008.