But with the release of Goldeneye on Nintendo 64 all that changed. Companies finally realized they couldn't rely on network play alone-an option not even available to consolers just yet-to provide the more gripping thrills. Enter Medal of Honor for Sony's ever-surprising PlayStation hardware, perhaps the most enthralling and immersive FPS ever created, and Robotopia's PlayStation GAME OF THE YEAR. It's that good, and arguably, the industry's first certifiable Goldeneye killer.

You play the role of all American, Jimmy Patterson, a soldier so skilled that even G.I. Joe would be green with envy. Your enemy this time around is the evil to end all evils, the ground forces of Hitler's thousand year Reich. It's you vs. the Nazi party. What's at stake: the free world and the lives of millions.

The game revolves around historically accurate places and events from World War 2. Your primary duties include sabotage, reconnaissance and killing every kraut with the guts to point a weapon in your direction. The weapons at your disposal are all authentic, even handling like their real world counterparts. The M1 rifle is far more accurate then the Thompson sub-machinegun, but the trade-off is a lower rate of fire. The shotgun is powerful, but with its buckshot spray, it's useless against long range targets. Basically, you have to really think before drawing a firearm because the wrong choice can mean the difference between life and a twenty-one gun salute funeral. In addition to pistols and rifles, you also have bazookas and grenades at you disposal, all with varying levels of effectiveness depending on the mission and level design.

I won't lie and say this game wouldn't be better served on the likes of Dreamcast, with its superior graphic capabilities, but I have to admit this is probably the first game where the PSX's limitations may have actually enhanced and perfectly suited the theme of the game. The gritty shades of dingy gray, and washed out hues really capture the ambiance and feel of old newsreel footage, and 1950's war flicks. The warping textures and slight glitches, as irritating as they are in other games, don't at all detract from Medal of Honor. The frame rate is zippy and holds at a steady 30 fps in most cases, with the occasional dip on the more complex backdrops. Thankfully, enemies can fill the screen, with the game continuing to be playable. I also like the authentic representation of tracer fire. The lack of hardware z-buffering in PSX's architecture means you might sometimes have problems going through doors and negotiating corners, but nothing too serious.

The levels themselves are amazing, fully recreating the carnage and mayhem of war ravaged Europe. You'll traverse bombed out towns, well fortified Nazi encampments and bases with cavernous, dank depths. Best of all, when on a Nazi naval vessel, sneaking around and disguised as one of them, you'll actually be asked the infamous line "Can I see your papers".

Matching the game's visuals is some of the finest audio to grace a console, period. Gun samples are incredibly accurate, and the score is downright phenomenal; it's a cross between something out of Indiana Jones and Nazi party anthem. Your can fully envision rows of SS storm troopers Zieg Heiling to this game's tracks. Ambient effects are splendid. You'll hear distinct German coming over loud speakers-wonderfully acted I might add-echoing dog barks and warning whistles when your presence has been detected by patrolling sentries. The programmers do everything in their power to create that "you are there" experience, and believe me, that's exactly how you'll feel. The audio is also Dolby Pro Logic compatible. For those of you with the proper rig, you'll be aural heaven. All the sound effects are directional sensitive. If shots or voices emanate from behind you, then the corresponding sound will come from the rear speakers; ricochet effects will ping off to the left or right speakers, while your own rounds will stay in the center channel, accompanied by the obligatory shell cases clattering to the floor. Make sure to have a really good subwoofer as well, because this game's explosions thunder down to a room shaking 32hz. (A friend of mine with a low-end home theater setup had problems with clipping and overloaded amps during mid volume playing sessions. I recommend a receiver with a minimum of 80 watts per channel, including the subwoofer with a driver no smaller than 8 inches with high excursion design to prevent damage.)

Building upon Medal of Honor's many other fine points is unarguably the best AI, I repeat, the BEST AI ever in a videogame. Doubt me. Try throwing a grenade, and watch as they throw it back at you, kick it away or dive on it to protect their comrades. And soldiers wont just stand out in the open and get mowed down like sheep, they'll take cover behind corners and in alcoves. If you have them outgunned they'll fall back to safer positions and regroup. Damage is collision accurate. Shots to the head kill with one round, but shoot them in the leg or arm and they'll react accordingly. And while non-fatal hits might knock bad guys down, making them appear dead or dying, their really just wounded and will rise again to bust a cap in your ass and kill you dead. So make sure to finish them, this includes V2 scientists, who are prone to fake surrender, but will shoot you in the back as soon as you turn away.

On a side note, running and shooting is almost useless. You'll actually have to stop and aim to shoot accurately and kill bad guys quickly, just like in real life. Now for Medal of Honor's only significant downside. The multi player game is adequate, but PSX's lack of horsepower just can't cut it anymore. The two-player split screen is slooooow, which detracts from the experience substantially. Thankfully, there are plenty of codes and secrets to keep you coming back for more, with enough variation in missions and levels overall to keep you busy for a while (I beat all the levels, secrets not included, in two days of continuous playing.)

Many of our grandfathers are veterans of WW2, and it's real shame we Generation X'ers will never have the chance to fill their shoes and be donned with the title "Saviors of the World". Ah well, who wants to get shot at anyway. We'll have to be content with vicariously reliving their heroics through books, the History Channel, Saving Private Ryan on DVD, and Medal of Honor. Other games like Resident Evil 3 and Final Fantasy 8 may have had huge marketing blitzes and clout of name, but in 1999 Medal of Honor was definitely PlayStation's finest hour.

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