Medal of Honor: Pacific Assault (PC DVD)

Product Details

The main demo level revealed at time of writing is set during the fierce battle for Guadlcanal as you try to repel a counterattack from hundreds of enemy infantry and attacking aircraft. Although the graphics are predictably improved over Allied Assault, the main technical advance here is the artificial intelligence of your squadmates. In a nice touch of extra realism you no longer find health power-ups but must protect your squad’s medic so that he can tend to your wounds. In fact the whole system of receiving injuries is now far more realistic as you get whiplash and motion blur and can even be knocked out on the ground and yet still recover if your medic is alive and finds you.

With over forty other levels in the game we’re also promised the chance to drive jeeps and tanks and even ride in a US bomber mission, switching between control of five separate gunner positions. It’s not clear yet how the game will stand up against other next-gen WWII titles but so far Pacific Assault is looking good and has a number of interesting new ideas to justify its presence on the field. --David Jenkins