Medal of Honor Allied Assault: Spearhead

"Finally, a Lee-Enfield..."

Medal of Honor: Allied Assault was an amazing game, the first Medal of Honor to reach the PC. With a solid basis on which to create the game, it certainly did not disappoint. However, we have seen the bloody beaches of Omaha and the stealthy infiltration missions enough. What next?

Spearhead is the expansion to Allied Assault, and changes the perspective to that of Sergeant Jack Barnes, an American paratrooper. One again, you head out to battle. This time, you're not landing on Omaha Beach, you're dropping in from the sky. That's right, you're parachuting into Normandy the hard way. The opening scene is reminiscent of the Omaha Beach landing scenes, and instantly throws you into the chaos of battle. German AA guns immediately open fire before you even leave the plane, and as you descend from the dark sky you see your comrades plummet to their deaths and Allied ships shot down by the handful, breaking into pieces of debris and colliding with other planes. A few flashes, and you find yourself hanging through the roof of a small house. As the Germans run in, this is where you take control...

Wielding your trusty Garand, the feel of previous Medal of Honor games is relived. However, it soon changes, as you encounter the AA gun that shot you down, and swing it towards an incoming truck and open fire. Simple as it may be, never before have we had that experience as Jimmy Patterson or Mike Powell. A brief stroll brings you to a squad of British paratroopers, and it is here where you begin to experience Spearhead.

Spearhead brings an assortment of new weapons. Early on, you pick up a set of British weapons: a Lee-Enfield rifle, a Sten submachine gun, Mills grenades and even a Webley revolver. Each weapon is modeled off real images and sounds, just like previous Medal of Honor weapons. Later on, you use new German weapons, such as the Nebelwerfer and Gewehr 43 (for you Frontline fans), and even fight alongside Russian soldiers with Ppsh submachine guns, SVT-40 sniper rifles and the classic Mosin-Nagant.

Unlike previous games, you are involved in more squad action, ranging from British paratroopers to Russian and American forces. You are still the one in control, but having 3 to 4 men providing support is certainly a welcome aspect.

Spearhead also brings you to new locations that have not been visited before. Not only are you dropped into the middle of Normandy, but you also fight the desperate Battle of the Bulge, and even ride a tank into Berlin itself. Certainly, Spearhead aims to go where no other Medal of Honor game has gone before.

With the new features come more Multiplayer options. With more maps and options, players are able to enjoy a more diverse online play. Using GameSpy Arcade, players are able to use Russian, British, American and German weapons as seen in single player, and are able to call votes to certain options.

However, remember that Spearhead is an expansion, not a stand-alone game. Having only 3 missions, it leaves a sense of emptiness, despite the new historical clips and original compositions. It is very short, and even the multiplayer aspect has many flaws, including imbalanced weapons and several poor map designs.

Overall though, Spearhead maintains the excellence of the Medal of Honor series, and is a must for fans of Allied Assault.

Graphics: 9/10
Sound: 10/10
Replay: 7/10
Overall: 9/10

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 09/25/03