It’s been nine years since the Playstation 2 release of Medal of Honor Frontline. In that time the first person shooter has progressed to become one of the most popular gaming genres. It were titles like Frontline and the early Call of Duty games (finest hour) which really sparked the love for the FPS. Now EA have released the Frontline HD remake – Is it still a remarkable game or has it aged to that point where it should be left as a gaming memory?
Frontline is certainly not remembered for its story. It’s the usual WW2 story that we have seen many times in the past even before Frontline’s first release, this means you get an uninspired and boring adventure. As an American soldier, Lt. Jimmy Patterson, you are assigned on mission to find and destroy a secret Nazi weapon. The operation sees you travel through Nazi controlled Europe, namely through the Netherlands and Germany. A positive about the campaign is its length – expect a fair few hours to complete it all the way through. It’s the main gameplay where Frontline makes up for the lack-lustre underlying plot.
As a first person shooter there needs to be a lot of variety in guns, and Frontline doesn’t disappoint with the weapons on offer. You can utilise British, US and German weapons from the classic Garand to the efficient MP40 and the powerful BAR. The amount of weapons on display allows you to choose different tactics while playing. Silenced weapons mean you can approach the battlefield stealthily and the long range sniper rifles allow you to take out multiple enemies from a distance. Other than weapons offering different ways to play, there are certain missions in which disguise is essential to completing them. You need to get your hands on enemy apparel and ID papers in order to get through patrols and infiltrate Nazi headquarters. It’s these types of missions that offer something fresh.
Frontline contained some really spectacular set pieces and gameplay sections at the time – whether they are up to the same standard so long after release is another matter. The first level features the U-boat landings at Normandy which is a brilliant set piece. Approaching the fortifications at the top of the beach with artillery firing all around is just as fun as it sounds. Other than that some parts of the game feature you travelling through a mine full of Nazi soldiers whilst sitting in a mine cart, it’s very similar to Indiana Jones.
I’m sure everyone who has played Frontline in the past will remember most of the single player and the gameplay on offer, so the standard of the visuals will be what gamers are interested in. Unfortunately, Frontline has aged, and by a considerable amount. At the time the game looked great but compared to the visuals of video games this generation it looks bad, and that’s putting it lightly. The textures are blank, the character animations are lifeless and even the weapons and vehicles look really bland. The only graphical improvements that I have noticed are of the water, which looks quite realistic in fact. Other than that it seems as though none of the remainder of the game has been re-touched in any way – it is disappointing.
The trophy support is a nice addition. This really helps in improving the re-playability of the game and also should promote the use of all weapons. However, it’s not enough to really persuade you to purchase the remake unless you are a trophy hunter.
Overall Frontline is one of the best first person shooters to be released. However, it is really a game that should be left to nostalgic memory. Although the gameplay is still enjoyable the visuals and overall presentation is no where near up to the standards of video games released today, which is understandable. The complete lack of noticeable re-touching to the game makes this even worse.
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