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Medal of Honor Rising Sun

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Medal of Honor Rising Sun
68
7.8 User Score:

Mixed or average reviews

Based on 30 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

Based on 64 votes
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Game Info

Publisher: Electronic Arts

Developer: EA LA

Genre(s): First-Person Shooter, Action

Players: 4

ESRB Rating: T (Teen)

Release Date: November 11, 2003

Summary

Step into the boots of a World War II soldier and survive Pearl Harbor. The epic saga of World War II continues with Medal of Honor Rising Sun. The war has shifted to the Pacific Theatre, and its outcome depends on you. Play as Marine Corporal Joseph Griffin in a far-reaching tale of two brothers that weaves its storyline from this title into the next game in the award-winning MOH franchise. As Japanese forces seek to expand their dominion over the Pacific, you must use stealth, commando tactics, and sabotage to turn the tide in your favor. Featuring real-life historical battles like Pearl Harbor and Guadalcanal, over 20 authentic WWII weapons, highly intelligent enemies, and a heroic cast of characters that fight on your side from level to level, Medal of Honor Rising Sun delivers the standard-setting experience for all action games. [Electronic Arts]

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

100

GameNow

A masterpiece, plain and simple. From the opening Pearl Harbor sequence, to the rain-soaked midnight raids, to the machine-gun-mounted elephant rides, Rising Sun oozes with jaw-dropping quality at every single turn.

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90

PSM Magazine

Solid gameplay wrapped in an engaging story with a dab of multiplayer madness on the side makes for one tasty gaming meal. [Holiday 2003, p.39]

87

Next Level Gaming

No, the game doesn't look as good as a "SOCOM II," but the gameplay I think is pretty solid, and it's got some really good online play to it.

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83

Play Magazine

Engaged me more heavily than any FPS I've played this year. [Dec 2003, p.54]

81

TotalGames.net

The end result is that we get another decent Medal Of Honor Game set in the same Medal Of Honor mould when everyone knows that if your going to survive in the jungle you're going to have to adapt to survive.

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80

Games Radar UK (Pre-2006)

The single-player campaign doesn't cover much new ground but the multiplayer takes no prisoners. [GamesMaster]

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80

IGN

While a lot of work has been done to make this an accurate experience that feels and sounds right, the gameplay itself lacks the upgrade that it needs.

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80

Yahoo! Games

Each iteration of the Medal of Honor series has been better than the last, and Rising Sun is no exception. It would have been nice to see EA take a few risks and break formula, but the game's a great war shooter nonetheless.

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78

Game Informer

A decent enough way to get your World War II on, but does nothing to move the genre forward or distinguish itself from other FPS games. [Dec 2003, p.136]

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76

GamingWorld X

The single-player campaign is only eight missions long, and over before you know it. While the multiplayer online games are fun, they are too simplistic to last as long as other games tailored for online like "SOCOM 2" or "Rainbow Six 3."

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75

GameZone

It's a shame to see a game that could have been spectacular turn out to be just a little bit above average.

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74

GameBiz

The graphics looked washed out and lacked textures and seemed dated.

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71

Worth Playing

The soundtrack perfectly compliments the World War II motif, transitioning flawlessly from one epic instrumental to another.

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70

Armchair Empire

While bitching about the problems with the enemy, if you manage to hit your enemy with a bullet, I’d make sure to hit him repeatedly… head shots aren’t necessarily fatal, and shots to legs can usually be walked off after bouncing around for a few seconds.

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70

GMR Magazine

Feels a bit like Michael Bay's Pearl Harbor in that an attempt to make an epic WWII Pacific Theater experience results in a product with brilliant touches mixed with mediocrity.

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70

Official U.S. Playstation Magazine

It's not a bad game, but then again, it's not the be-all and end-all Pacific-theater FPS we expected. The primary emphasis on gloss and glamour over gameplay and challenge suggests that Rising Sun is geared more toward the tyro rather than the savant.

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64

GameSpot

It's fraught with lots of minor gameplay problems that eventually add up to one major headache. Rising Sun isn't completely without merit, since it comes packaged with some nice extra materials and mostly solid production values, but the weakness of the gameplay itself undermines what could have been a much more enjoyable experience.

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60

Gamer.tv

A real disappointment... falls a long way short of reaching the benchmark of its console predecessor.

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60

Game Over Online

Rising Sun begins in Pearl Harbor with a bang, but drags on to finish with a whimper.

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60

PSX Nation

Besides basic online deathmatch options and a new set of PTO locales and situations for new recruit Joseph Griffin to step in and save the day, Rising Sun’s average visuals and linear-to-a-fault level design leave us just as cold as “Frontline” did a year ago.

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60

G4 TV

The few moments of true excellence are sadly overshadowed by some dull level design and lackluster enemy AI. Still, the game provides enough juice to keep the avid "Medal of Honor" fan happy.

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60

GamePro

True-blue Medal of Honor fans will still enjoy Rising Sun’s cinematic style, respectful and historically accurate atmosphere, and heavily arcade feel. But for many, the game will feel too familiar in a fast-food way, lacking that old Medal of Honor magic.

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60

GameSpy

A cookie-cutter, linear romp through the sweatier, jungle-infested portions of the Pacific conflict that's sure to almost satisfy fans of the series (especially those craving a split-screen co-op mode -- it's in there!), but leave pretty much everyone else shortchanged; especially in the graphics and gameplay department.

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58

Cinescape

Quite simply, the game offers nothing that you can’t get in the other games, and can’t have a better time getting in the other games.

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53

Electronic Gaming Monthly

As for enemy behavior, it's so embarrassingly bad at times, it's hard not to laugh. [Jan 2004, p.122]

50

Game Revolution

I also have to wonder what part of the world Uncle Sam dug up my own squad mates. They could often be seen running in circles and constantly blocking my line of fire. At least they were resilient; one of the guys was turned into Swiss cheese by an enemy bayonet and shrugged it off like nothing happened. Tough guys…tough guys.

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50

Edge Magazine

On retreading the levels enemy attacks become predictable puppet shows, with mad-eyed soldiers lining up to get killed exactly where they did many times before. It's the kind of repetition more commonly associated with lightgun games these days. [Christmas 2003, p.109]

40

Eurogamer

A formulaic, by the numbers FPS with zero innovation, demented AI and a crushing lack of inspiration.

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40

Gamestyle

There is nothing ultimately redeeming about Medal of Honor: Rising Sun - because ultimately it marks the lowest point in the series.

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40

games(TM)

We were disappointed when "Frontline" failed to take advantage of its World War II settings, but it's galling to see that EA still hasn't got it right with Rising Sun. If there's ever a case against World War III, then surely this is it. [Christmas 2003, p.100]

What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this game is 7.8 (out of 10) based on 64 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Jesse S. gave it a4:
When will they stop making the exactly same game!? There is fun to be had with this title, but its more like an expansion pack for Medal of Honor Frontline. You'll definitley feel like you're playing the same game, with a different map pack and with different enemies.

Sam S. gave it a 9:
Multi player rocks!!!!!!!

Tim M. gave it a 10:
Sweets Game 've played RS is way better then frontline.

R K gave it a 0:
It is worth spicing up jeffrey ps crappy game.

Hello D. gave it a 4:
Complete sh..

Ted P. gave it a 10:
This game is the best ever ww2 game period. i think all these game player's are dum for what they said about this game.

Douglas J. gave it a 3:
The game play itself was as good as the far superior Frontline and the initial (very short) Pearl harbor mission was incredible, but that's where the postitives end. This game was not much more than a series of jungles as you take a corner and shoot someone, cross a bridge and shoot someone, ride an elephant and shoot someone. The quick ending was a maddening dissapointment and seemed to fall where the middle of the game should have been. Where Frontline had all kinds of extra nuances (shoot a window, it shatters, shoot a hanging pan, it pings and rattles on its hook), nothing of the like was available here. There seemed to be zero AI with the enemy, and apart from the sound effects the atmosphere was equivalent to N64's Doom. I completely regret paying retail price for this disappointing follow up to one of the best games to have been released in the recent past.

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