Medal of Honor: European Assault

GameZone

Carnage, carnage, carnage. That's what you get when you open the box. Medal of Honor: European Assault may not be the most challenging game in the series, but it's certainly the most brutal.

IGN

Sure there is nothing particularly inventive or innovative about the game's features, but played as a whole, the overall experience is still very satisfying. It's good despite the faults in AI, the less than attractive visuals, and an unnaturally slow beginning.

BonusStage

The only real major problems that keep European Assault from being an absolutely stellar game like its Frontline predecessor is the fact that there is no online multiplayer and the rather short campaign mode.

Pelit (Finland)

An honourable war game that has nothing to be ashamed of. There is plenty of killing and the action looks and sounds like the real thing. [Sept. 05]

XGP Gaming

The short single-player campaign really puts a damper on what would have otherwise been a terrific experience. The lack of online play is puzzling.

PSM Magazine

Beyond all the new stuff, MOH:EA works because it's simply well designed. [Sept 2005, p.80]

Boomtown

There's clearly a bright future for the franchise, though it's perhaps time EA let the team take a few risks - let more folks than just Americans play - perhaps give us a choice who we want to play as.

AceGamez

It's easy to get to grips with, satisfying to play and provokes some pastime thinking with its well-told story, complimented with old-fashioned clips.

GameSpy

The one major area where European Assault fails to deliver is on the multiplayer side of things. While there are plenty of cool gametypes, from old standards like Deathmatch to some interesting objective-based games, the only way you can play with friends is on a single TV.

Stuff

A pleasant surprise. Yes, we were still creeping through bombed-out aircraft hangars and taking over bunkers brimming with Nazis, but we were enjoying ourselves for the first time in ages.

GamePro

The shifty A.I. and the blistering enemy fire aren't the only things that make Euro Assault the toughest MOH to date. Health power-ups and revives are at a premium and if you die you have to restart the mission from scratch.

Yahoo! Games

Both atmospheric and exciting, and there isn't much higher praise for a historical first-person shooter than that.

Official U.S. Playstation Magazine

The nonlinear design, careful difficulty ramp, and outstanding presentation bring this one above the pack. And hey, at least it doesn't have an Omaha Beach level.

Maxim Online

It may not appease the history buffs, but it will delight the trigger-happy.

Game Informer

The Xbox shold definitely be your machine of choice this time around. The PS2 version looks noticeably worse in all respects. The choice is clear. [July 2005, p.118]

GameSpot

The game's wide-open levels actually encourage players to explore, giving the series a fresh feel compared to past games and other World War II shooters. Unfortunately, a very brief campaign and no online multiplayer means the fun doesn't last long.

Detroit Free Press

It was maddening to nearly finish a mission, then die and have to start over. There are no checkpoints, but that's part of this game's challenge.

Armchair Empire

It’s just a shame that the fun is over a little too quickly but if you were disappointed by Rising Sun, then MOH: EA will give you new faith in a series that seems to be going in the right direction again.

Play Magazine

A mostly successful game that feels like it's simply bored of its own existence. [Aug 2005, p.47]

Gamer's Hell

A definite step-up from its series predecessors, and, surprisingly, it’s a fairly decent console shooter.

games(TM)

Electronic Arts’ decision to free the series from simply being one man on a very direct mission by creating a virtual battlefield is a wise one but one that hasn’t quite reached as far as it could. [July 2005, p.106]

Cheat Code Central

The tired old Deathmatch may squeeze a few extra hours of enjoyment out of this game but it's just too generic for my tastes. An online mode would have been a much better addition and may have influenced my recommendation of a rental into a purchase.

Pelaaja (Finland)

With European Assault, EA promised to fix all the errors of "Rising Sun" and reinvent the genre as a whole. A bit surprisingly, the game does almost all of this, but for the first time in the series, the technical limits of the current console platforms negatively affect the game play. Despite these difficulties, European Assault successfully combines the intensity of "Call of Duty" with the cinematic and epic feeling of the Medal of Honor series to deliver a more open and less linear game play experience than before. [June 2005, p.68]

Computer and Video Games

A definite improvement on "Rising Sun," but the squad control has been done better in "Brothers in Arms," and "Call of Duty" provides the same level of intensity. Instead of being a standout title, European Assault is really just another WWII shooter. [PSW]

netjak

European Assault hasn't broken down any barriers or added much to the FPS genre, but the gameplay additions make it a small step forward and also a pleasant return to form for the series.

Sydney Morning Herald

Long-term appeal is doubtful with only 11 missions available and a lack of online support for multiplayer action.

Computer Games Magazine

Yet another one of those blandly respectful WWII shooters, with all the reverence for history of a five-day bus tour. [Aug 2005, p.90]

DarkStation

EA's latest in the MoH franchise adopts a more interesting open-ended squad-based shooter approach, but falls short due to a mediocre multiplayer offering.

IC-Games

Despite a few flaws, the Medal of Honor franchise is still on the right road. It might still be a fair way behind the excellent Call of Duty series but Activision will definitely be looking over their shoulders from this point on.

Electronic Gaming Monthly

I enjoyed watching the fireworks as my pyromaniac character exploded another radio tower/tank/U-boat/door, but between history class and explosions, Assault didn't keep my blood pumping.

1UP

If you can stomach the somewhat random difficulty during the single-player campaign, you'll be treated to a mostly exhilarating trip through the different battles of Europe, including a virtual take on the Battle of the Bulge.

Game Revolution

Gives World War II games a bad name by skimping on the essentials - story, A.I. and multiplayer - to focus on floating icons and the art of hiding behind crates. Instead, just hide your wallet.

Edge Magazine

European Assault is one of the ugliest current-gen games we’ve seen. Boring textures, a weak palette and a flimsy design ethic all round make it appear like slightly dressed up PSone data. The animation seems inspired by amateur puppetry and even the menus look like they were knocked up in the last day before submission. [Aug 2005, p.94]