Medal of Honor Allied Assault Breakthrough

"Nifty additions, but very frustrating..."

Medal of Honor is a classic series, setting the trend for later WWII shooters. With historical accuracy and immersive atmospheres, Medal of Honor has achieved success in both the console and computer market. Starting with the excellent Allied Assault and expanded by Spearhead, Breakthrough adds another expansion to the classic game.

While Allied Assault and Spearhead took you across the Western Front and into Berlin itself, Breakthrough stands out by visiting a neglected front: North Africa and the Italian peninsula. As Sergeant John Baker, you must travel with your buddies across the deserts and forests of Africa and Italy, facing a relentless enemy. Breakthrough breaks new ground by covering areas not visited in other Medal of Honor games.

For the most part, the Breakthrough game engine is the same as Spearhead's, adding Italian soldiers and communication as well as Italian vehicles. Of course, the Italian front wouldn't be complete without Italian weapons. New weapons include the Beretta Model 34, the Carcano rifle and the Moschetto Automatico Beretta Model 38A. The British also gain new weapons, including the L42A1 sniper rifle, the Vickers Berthier MK3B machine gun and the PIAT anti-tank weapon. Opposing this new arsenal are new Italian tanks and artillery, adding to the feel of the game.

The missions are not indifferent to the missions in Allied Assault and Spearhead, involving both intense front line battles and undercover operations. Sgt. Baker must travel through sandstorms in Tunisia, take part in a glider landing in Sicily, and fight fierce battles in Monte Cassino, Anzio and Monte Battaglia. The environment effects are excellent, and the cutscenes have been refined since Spearhead. Indeed, the adrenaline rush from single-handedly defending a fortress against countless Germans storming your MG strongpoints is extremely well executed, replicated the apparent hopelessness of each battle. Clearly, Breakthrough is a testament to the experience gained in Allied Assault and Spearhead in these aspects.

Yet, there was an apparent need to break new ground rather than use the same engine with new cosmetic looks. One of the attempts to make the game more realistic is the restriction of ammunition. Enemies no longer commonly drop ammunition, with the bulk of ammunition coming from supply pickups that are few and far in between. Although it does simulate an aspect of realism, it gets ridiculous in many cases. It would be quite acceptable for short missions, but if I have to run across half the Italian peninsula, I appreciate being to pinch a couple of rounds off dead bodies. Even when carrying several weapons, you will find that you will have an extreme shortage of ammunition halfway through missions, forcing you to regulate your fire discipline to one or two rounds per target, often engaging in melee combat.

Which brings up the next flaw: the introduction of a separate hitbox for the helmet. This isn't a new concept, the console MoH games have had it since the beginning. Like the console games, the 'popping helmet' feature is extremely frustrating in that the helmet overrules all other damage calculations. Furthermore, the damage formulas themselves are quite poor and the results are very obvious. Enemies are over-responsive to hits, each going into the same hit animation and being immune for a fraction of a second. The following scenario is quite common in single player: you fire a sniper round into a target's face. Instead of dying, he clutches his stomach in supposed ''pain''. Another direct hit to the head makes his helmet fly off, inflicting no damage. It takes a third headshot to finally neutralise the poor bastard. Considering you only have so much ammunition, and that they seem to tear you apart quite easily, it makes running through the Italian countryside an extremely frustrating task.

The multiplayer aspect is practically similar to Spearhead, with the addition of several features and a new game mode and the inclusion of the weapons from Spearhead. Despite this, Breakthrough does not compensate for its poor single player experience, making it only worth buying to fill your collection rather than to play often. The cosmetic look has certainly improved, but the gameplay has taken a step back.

Graphics: 9/10
Sound: 10/10
Gameplay: 5/10
Replay: 7/10
Overall: 7/10

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 01/29/04