Medal of Honor: Rising Sun
3 stars
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Platform: PS2, XB, GC
Genre: Shooter
Price: $49.99
Thankfully, somebody got the message that there are only so many European battles you can fight before the action becomes monotonous.
The latest game in EA’s superlative series of World War II shooters switches the action to the Pacific, beginning with a stunning re-creation of the sneak attack on Pearl Harbor.
EA handles the switch in opponents expertly. Japanese soldiers were known for their tenacity, and the combatants in the game behave accordingly. The Japanese troops attack ferociously until the end and display smart defensive moves — it’s as if EA is showing respect for your skills as a gamer by making these island fights particularly difficult.
“Rising Sun” is Part One of a much larger story arc EA has planned for the Pacific Theater.
This game stars one of two brothers separated during the Pearl Harbor bombings, and his story takes him to Guadalcanal, into a prison break and on a quest for Yamashita’s Gold.
The action is fairly linear. It’s as if you’re being dragged along for the ride and shooting at things as you go. But, hey, that’s a console shooter for you — “Half-Life,” this is not.
For now, only the PlayStation 2 version of “Rising Sun” is capable of online play. So if you have multiple systems and a nice net connection, it’s the logical choice — but know that the game looks a little better on the Xbox and GameCube.
