Medal of Honor (series)

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This article is about the 'Medal of Honor' video game and series. For information on the American Medal of Honor, see Medal of Honor.
Medal of Honor
Developer(s): DreamWorks Interactive, Electronic Arts, 2015 Inc., Rebellion Developments, Netherock Ltd., TKO Software, Budcat Creations, EA Canada
Publisher(s): Electronic Arts
Creator(s): Steven Spielberg[1]
Release date(s): 1999–present
Genre(s): First-person shooter
Mode(s): Single player, Multiplayer, Online Multiplayer
Platform(s): PC (Linux, Windows), Mac OS X, Xbox, Xbox 360, PlayStation, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, GameCube, Wii, Game Boy Advance
Website: Medal of Honor Franchise Website

Medal of Honor (MoH) is the name of a series of first-person shooter games set in World War II. The first game was developed by DreamWorks Interactive (currently known as EA Los Angeles) 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 Apple Mac.

Contents

[edit] Plot

The Medal of Honor series puts the player in the boots of an Allied combatant during World War II, with weaponry appropriate to the time period. The player fights for the United States (although groups such as the French Resistance have been represented), and the main character's name varies between versions. 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 miniseries Band of Brothers.

In the later games in the series, the artificial intelligence (AI) of the enemies and fellow soldiers has been notorious for being below or above current FPS expectations. The violence is usually bloodless and simple, usually consisting of elaborate animations.[citation needed]

[edit] Controversy

Screenshot of Omaha Beach in Frontline, the level that many consider to define the series (Being played in 3D mode).
Screenshot of Omaha Beach in Frontline, the level that many consider to define the series (Being played in 3D mode).

In Germany, the MOH series is a controversial video game because of its delicate World War II subject matter. This game series is uncensored in terms of flags, and the swastika can often be found. This conflicts with German laws which state that the swastika may only be used in historical references. The game was put on the index of youth-endangering media by the German BPjM in 2000, making it only available for people over 18; advertising for it had to be discontinued.

Since the controversy that the "MoH" series had raised back when the first title was released on the PS1, EA has taken precautions to eliminate all the Nazi related content from their games before shipping the final product to Germany. This often results in the removal/change of all Nazi related content and blood effects from the game's build.

[edit] Gameplay

The gameplay originally focused on behind-enemy-lines intelligence gathering, or some other type of special missions, 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 European Assault 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.

[edit] Games in the series

[edit] External links

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Medal of Honor series
Video games
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