Don't get me wrong, this is a solid, enjoyable, well-developed FPS. But, it has issues, serious gameplay issues that hinder the overall experience. Some may say I'm nitpicking, but after experiencing the glorious AI in Halo, I notice some glaring flaws strewn throughout this entire adventure. Why can't EA just give their developers more time?

For a minute, let's forget about its obvious shortcomings and focus on the more positive aspects of Medal of Honor: Frontline. For starters, the graphics are very nice. Not gorgeous nor memorable nor even impressive, but they suit the game very well. Characters are stylishly textured, with medals, backpacks, water bottles, and other military paraphernalia adorning their polygonal bodies. These minor touches stand out in a big way, giving off an authentic pizzazz that the series has been known for. All characters move at 30fps, which is a bit of a letdown considering this is the PS2 we're talking about.

60fps would have looked absolutely glorious, but alas, it just wasn't meant to be. Perhaps in the Xbox version (HA!).

Honestly though, nobody really cared about what the characters in the first two MoH games looked like, and most are unlikely to care a third time around. Why? Because the world in which MoH takes place is far and away the most captivating FPS world ever created. Yes, even more so than Halo. From the emotional opening level of "Your Finest Hour" to the viciously intense "Arnhem Knight", each level was obviously crafted with an eye for detail that eludes all other titles in this genre. You'll travel over farmland, through European towns that have been captured by German forces, and demolished cities that serve as a battleground for you and the evil Nazis. As you make your way through these levels, you'll see and interact with many different NPCs. Women stare out the window and scream as snipers attempt to take your head off. A disgruntled townsman will grab his shotgun from a shed and aid you in a fire-fight. And my particular favorite: a young man, hiding in a secret compartment of a ceiling, drops some grenades on the floor as you pass through a house, and then quickly goes back into hiding. All of this attention to minutiae almost helps your forget about the clipping.

Yikes, did I say clipping? Unfortunately, I did. The clipping is horribly annoying and, in most cases, absolutely deadly. One level in particular, "Yard by Yard", has you carefully walking from, well, yard to yard, all the while decimating Nazi bastards. The problem is the Nazis have special weapons (sarcasm, people) that allow them to fire through walls and doors with pinpoint accuracy. There were many times I snuck up on some enemies, taking them out with my silencer, only to have the bad guys inside the house begin firing through the solid walls. Kind of takes away from the authenticity of the experience. Even worse is getting shot by a sniper who isn't there - that is to say, he's covered by a wall, so you can't shoot him, but he can hit you over; and over; and over.

Now I'm not the biggest fan of console first-person shooters. More to the point, I'm not a fan of the poor control that often plagues console FPS's. Frontline does little to negate these feelings. Controls such as jumping, climbing, crouching, firing, walking, and cycling through weaponry are all done with simplicity - and can be reconfigured to please your specific playing style. Ah, but targeting, an important aspect of a game in which the roundabout theme is to target enemies, seems, well, less then stellar, and at times just plain horrendous. I've hit guys in the head with my sniper rifle up to three times and they didn't even flinch. I once sprayed my Thompson machine gun across a guy lying on the floor and he sat up and shot me! These are supernatural Nazis that are easily able to recover from a point blank gunshot to the cranium. The first few times you won't mind, but after you've played the same level five or six times, these hiccups will really begin to be irritating. A damn shame this all is, because I know if the boys at EA had a few more months to toil away at the targeting glitches, this would easily be one of the best first-person shooters on a console platform.

Also, the AI, which isn't half as bad as the targeting can be, has a few quirks. Occasionally footsteps can be heard echoing off in the distance. One might assume an attack is forthcoming, but really it's just an enemy running in place for an eternity, 'less you end his suffering with a well-placed bullet to the brain. One level had me meet up with an NPC officer, who was to accompany me throughout my mission. "Cool," I thought! We entered a small village and took enemy fire. I hit the floor, whipped out my sniper rifle and went to work. Meanwhile, my buddy emptied the clip of his machine gun into the wooden fence a mere few meters in front of him.

Now here's the toughest part of the review. I even went so far as to talk it up with gamers at other message boards, just to make sure I hadn't gone crazy. They confirmed my dreaded accusation: Frontline has a glitch so inexcusable that the game is rendered entirely unplayable. While walking through a scene I'll label "Sniper Alley," I was shot and suddenly my gun was pointing at the floor, none of the buttons worked, and all I could do was run in circles. I pressed Start, shut the analog control off then on, and resumed play. To my dismay the target button and the attack button were totally useless. Like I said - entirely unplayable. This has only happened four times over a play period of 15 hours, but it happened nonetheless, and it is rather annoying, especially when in combat.

All right, I've criticized enough. Believe it or not, I still have some gushing praise aimed squarely with the latest Medal of Honor edition, or more precisely towards its magnificent composer, Michael Giacchino. Credited for his work on the previous Medal of Honor titles, Giacchiano's caliber has reached a new level, composing something of a three-peat, so to speak. Avid movie fans will can especially develop a greater sense of appreciation as many of the game's soundtrackers were heavily inspired from a series of war epics. Saving Private Ryan and Full Metal Jacket are, (at least for me, anyway) are among the most recognizable. Each track bodes well with the on-screen mayhem perfectly - with respective rise and dips when appropriate. Next to Maximo, it's the best soundtrack to tap my eardrum this year.

As sweet as the music is, the sound effects are just as good. Bullets whiz through the air, guns reload, airplanes fly overhead. Each sound is as authentic and perfect as the last. In fact, for a while, I shut off all the music and played the entire game with only the sound effects. It was quite exhilarating, walking through a quiet town, then gunfire erupting around me, and bullets ricocheting off walls, cars, and windows. I recommend giving it a try.

Gallery Mode actually has some of the creators of Frontline revealing their methods for creating the sound. Many other nice little bonuses can be viewed through this gallery including some World War II propaganda footage.

Electronic Arts has been kind enough to add some extra features for those who can endure all 19 levels - a feat that, in reality, isn't all that difficult to do. There are more than 15 weapons to be used throughout the game and even a couple of secret ones as well. There is a password section that allows an assortment of cheats to be implemented. Rubber grenades, one-hit kills, and all that sought of guff can be unlocked.

When all is said and done (and shot), is Medal of Honor: Frontline worth your precious time? Yes, I think it is. The adventure is imbued with enough memorable moments throughout to warrant a play. The first level alone deserves a rental, simply because nothing like it has ever been done in a video game before. MoH: Frontline has most of the ingredients required for a superb FPS, but due to some faulty targeting and lackluster AI, it winds up as very good FPS shooter, instead of becoming - like the war it is based on - a great one.

· · · BebopLover