Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

The Medal of Honor Collection brings together three cornerstone titles—Frontline, Rising Sun, and European Assault—each offering a distinct take on World War II combat. Frontline delivers tight, corridor-focused missions where precision and timing are key, setting the standard for cinematic WWII shooters. Rising Sun moves the action to the Pacific theater, introducing naval battles and stealthy infiltration into Japanese-held islands. European Assault expands the roster with four playable characters across diverse landscapes, from the frozen Arctic to the sun-drenched beaches of Normandy.

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Each game’s control scheme feels sharp and responsive, reflecting its era while still holding up for modern players. Weapon recoil and reload animations vary from title to title, giving a tangible sense of heft to rifles, submachine guns, and period-specific sidearms. A unified checkpoint system across the collection reduces frustration, yet the difficulty spikes in Rising Sun’s stealth segments and Frontline’s P.O.W. rescue will challenge even seasoned veterans.

Multiplayer modes, though limited by today’s standards, remain a nostalgic highlight. Frontline’s classic deathmatches and European Assault’s objective-based team battles showcase well-designed maps that encourage strategic positioning. While online lobbies are eerily quiet nowadays, local splitscreen and LAN support ensure you can still host adrenaline-fueled matches with friends.

Graphics

Visually, the collection is a testament to the early-2000s era of first-person shooters. Frontline’s gritty textures and muted color palettes immerse players in the chaos of D-Day and the French countryside. Rising Sun switches gears with vivid jungle foliage and atmospheric lighting that hints at tropical storms, while European Assault offers crisp, detailed environments ranging from snow-capped forests to bombed-out urban ruins.

On modern hardware, you’ll notice slight aliasing around weapon models and character edges, but the remastered widescreen support and stable frame rates breathe new life into each title. Particle effects in Rising Sun’s incendiary grenades and European Assault’s artillery barrages remain impressively satisfying, even if they lack the volumetric smoke and dynamic lighting seen in contemporary releases.

Cutscenes retain their pre-rendered charm, though textures can appear soft by today’s high-definition standards. Still, historical authenticity is woven through every frame—from period-accurate uniforms to the iconic silhouettes of Allied tanks. The UI remains faithful to the originals, with clear HUD indicators and mission briefings that feel straight out of the era.

Story

Medal of Honor: Frontline throws you into Operation Overlord with Lt. Jimmy Patterson’s daring mission to secure vital intelligence behind enemy lines. The narrative unfolds through a series of action-packed set pieces, balancing stealth sections with large-scale firefights. While character development takes a backseat to the adrenaline rush, the tight storytelling effectively conveys the urgency of the Allied campaign.

Rising Sun shifts to Ensign Robert Hawkins in the Pacific, where the plot delves into Japanese defenses and covert operations. Though the storyline occasionally leans on familiar wartime tropes, it offers memorable moments like rescuing downed pilots from shark-infested waters and sabotaging enemy supply routes under the cover of darkness. This tonal shift provides refreshing variety after Frontline’s European focus.

European Assault stands out for its anthology approach, presenting four distinct perspectives—from an OSS operative behind enemy lines to a French Resistance fighter. Each character arc contributes to a broader tapestry of the war effort, allowing players to experience pivotal battles across multiple fronts. The interconnected missions weave a satisfying narrative thread, even if individual story beats feel episodic.

Overall Experience

The Medal of Honor Collection is a time capsule of classic WWII gunplay that still packs a punch. As a bundle, it offers exceptional value, combining three full campaigns with multiplayer modes for both solo and cooperative play. The variety in theaters of war and mission objectives ensures that the collection never feels repetitive.

Fans of historical shooters will appreciate the attention to period detail, while newcomers can trace the evolution of the genre from cinematic set pieces in Frontline to the more varied, character-driven missions of European Assault. The lack of modern conveniences—like aim assist or in-game tutorials—might present a learning curve, but it also enhances the sense of accomplishment when you clear a tough stage.

Whether you’re revisiting these classics for nostalgia or discovering them for the first time, the Medal of Honor Collection remains a compelling package. Its mix of steady pacing, robust level design, and authentic WWII atmosphere makes it a worthy addition to any shooter enthusiast’s library. Prepare to storm beaches, infiltrate enemy fortresses, and lead daring rescue missions across three unforgettable campaigns.

Retro Replay Score

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