Yep, It's Medal of Honor
I went into this iteration of EA's World War II shooter completely psyched for the new gameplay mechanic of jumping out of airplanes, adding to my normal level of enthusiasm for shooting me some Nazis. It seemed like it could be a fresh take on a really tired out setting. The problem is, it's really not.
You'll immediately find that being able to choose your beginning location is usually nothing more than a gimmick, considering more often than not you'll need to start at points where the game "suggests" you start, marked by areas emitting green smoke. Usually there are two or three of these markers, each located close to an objective that must be completed. In most cases, it's almost easier to land at one point, complete the objective next to it, die, jump out of the plane again, choose another point, complete the objective next to it, die, and so on. Choosing NOT to land near the green smoke will put you in the middle of an intense firefight, and you can find yourself dead before you have the chance to take out your gun. Making the paratrooper mechanic seem a bit more like a legit strategical tool is the addition of hidden special drop points that will help you get a surprise attack on your opponents.
Once you're on the ground, you'll have the standard run of the mill objectives you've come to expect from a run of the mill shooter: blow up this communication equipment, destroy these anti-aircraft guns, take out that sniper, etc., etc., etc. The game does nothing new, and there really isn't any sense of excitement in the first few stages of the game. However, to its credit, MOH: Airborne does get progressively more exciting (and difficult!) as you progress through the game. Sound like something that should happen anyway? It is. But at least the difficulty and excitement curve work well, eventually leading to a momentous climax nearing the end of the game.
There are other shooters out there that deserve your time so much more than this game. It's pretty short though, so I'm confident you can rent it (if you really want to) and finish it over a weekend.
