OK, imagine the basic multiplayer from Bad Company 2. Now speed it up--a faster running speed, and generally peppier play. Then redesign the support systems so that instead of finding UAV stations on the battlefield, you call them in after getting a certain number of kills, much like Modern Warfare 2. The difference is that MOH's support abilities work off of points, not just kills. This is more of a layer of abstraction, as kills get you points. Then give the game maps that allow for a focus on team deathmatch--called Team Assault here--instead of the objective-based focus of Bad Company 2 (though, I should note that MOH does have objective-based modes too, including one that plays an alarm as soon as you plant explosives on a crate).
== TEASER ==
Now, I'm certainly simplifying things a bit for brevity's sake, but by and large, that's how it feels. Like Bad Company 2, you'll earn things like avenger kills and various ribbons or medals for your in-game performance. The game will utilize a dedicated server setup and allow up to 24 players to play at once.
The developers are touting improved hit detection as one of the improvements over Bad Company 2. The weapons are also selected a bit differently. You'll be able to build a basic weapon load-out between spawns--starting with the weapon itself and modifying it at a maximum of three points, like the rail, the barrel, the magazines, and so on. You'll also level up as you play and earn experience, moving from the starting rank of US Ranger up to the ultimate level, a Tier 1 Operator. Reaching Tier 1 status also allows you to unlock your very own beard, just like the shaggy-looking dude on the game's cover.
It looks nice, and I especially like the way the game's HUD looks. It has a sort of faux-dot-matrix look, almost like a giant pinball machine backglass display for numbers and other points of interest. Weapon fire and other sound effects seemed pretty good, too, especially when people are fighting at a long distance.
I guess it's a case of mismanaged expectations, but maybe it's too much for me to expect DICE to build an entirely new multiplayer experience. And considering the popularity of the Bad Company games, maybe basing Medal of Honor so heavily on that is a smart move. But I was expecting something that felt all-new, and it doesn't take much more than a couple of matches to see that Medal of Honor's multiplayer isn't entirely new.