Logan Booker invades Tarawa Atoll, dodging Zeros while being a hero.
While Allied Assault recreated war-torn Europe complete with complementary D-Day landing, Pacific Assault puts the player in control of a United States marine assigned to a platoon at Pearl Harbor. Anyone familiar with the major engagements of WW2 will recognise the infamous date of 7 December, 1941 and what it meant to the US and the world. Fifteen minutes - that's all it takes to throw the player into the deep end, and become part of one of the defining moments of not only the game itself, but of World War 2 - the bombing of Pearl Harbor by the Japanese, perhaps the largest aerial assault during the entire six-year conflict.
The fight is recreated in amazing detail, from the whistling of 800-kilo torpedoes from Japanese Nakajima bombers and the zooming of Zeroes, to the deathly screeching of sinking ships and buckling hulls, crying almost in concert with the spine chilling and haunting orchestral score. Music, sound and visual effects blend together to create a unique and unparalleled gaming experience.
Considering the game is based on the now obsolete Quake 3 engine, it's quite an achievement by EA Pacific that the game looks as great as it does. The studio has gone to great lengths to bring the technology up to scratch, implementing support for both Shader Models 1.1 and 2.0, upping texture resolutions and adding complex character models. Pacific Assault still shows it age in places, the lack of character shadows being the most noticeable.
Gameplay is for the most part the same as Allied Assault. Significant changes come in the form of two new game mechanics: bandaging and ordering. Using the arrow keys (on the default configuration) the player can issue orders to his computer-controlled teammates at certain times during engagements. These orders include 'Forward'; 'Assemble'; 'Covering Fire' and 'Back'. The AI is a little rough in places, but if you give orders properly your companions will usually follow them.
In addition to taking orders, your teammates will regularly report their position and activities. For instance, if they spot an enemy or need to reload, they'll let you know about it. Not only does this enhance the game's realism, it also gives combat tangible depth and more obviously, helps with situational awareness. Unfortunately, you comrades can never die outside of what the story dictates, so like most first person shooters, it's your survival first.
The game however does reward you for putting your life on the line. Called 'Hero Moments', you'll receive cues in-game when you have an opportunity to act heroically. Like medals, Hero Moments are 'collected', allowing you to relive them at any time.
Pacific Assault is an awesome gaming experience and anyone who is a fan of the series won't be disappointed. It tops previous Medal of Honor titles in impeccable style and pays homage to what was perhaps the darkest period of human history.
Issue: 133 | February, 2012