As I get older I am beginning to find myself a little more impatient. With this year’s release of EA’s much anticipated modern warfare version of Medal of Honor, I could no longer hold out on 360′s closed beta. Sorry EA’s Xbox team, you are just to slow. Luckily my trusty friend the PS3 was on stand by awaiting the code to play. Don’t worry 360 there’s more than one code in my possession, which I have to give props to fraggsNet for hocking me up with the beta code. Oh by the way not much has changed on the 360 status, other than another extension. EA, I believe more than a week has surpassed, so let’s get a move on. There’s not a whole lot to tell from what you are getting with the beta version. Basically all you get is two maps, and two game modes. Of course the playlist can be put on random and play both modes (Oh Boy!). Then you have all the customization of classes, of which you have three. Check your stats, awards, and leaderboards, all typical to online games.

The first thing you will encounter after selecting play now, besides your any game option, is your two game mode choices. The first is mission mode, this mode is specifically objective based. It’s your headquarters mode in other words. You wait and secure your team’s objective. In the mean time you kill enemies trying to take it from you. The map for this mission match is called Helmand valley. Helmand valley is a ruined city in the middle of a mountain valley. Team assault is the second play option you will find on MOH. This is like all online shooters versions of team deathmatch. Personally this is my favorite section; because I have so much to choose from. Like all other team deathmatch based games you kill or be killed. I prefer to kill. The other way and I get angrier than the WOW kid (minus trying to shove a directv remote in my anus). In team assault your team is given the task of getting the highest kill score. Kills are 10 points, headshots are an additional 5, and assists count as 5 points as well. The map for Team assault is located in the Kabul City Ruins, nothing to explain there. Killstreaks are also available in this section.

In the battlefield you will find different classifications. In this beta you will find three. First is your rifleman class. Rifleman starts out basic, and then as you earn more points, you get more gear. The next is the Special Forces, where your more stealthy gear comes in handy. The last is the sniper class, if you have any brains it would be self explanatory.  All these classes level up the same. Like I said the more points you earn the better the gear, weapons, and also the weapon add-ons. The highest level earned can reach lvl 14, the T1 warfighter. Then there wouldn’t be war without two sides fighting, the Coalition (the good guys), and the Insurgents (the bad guys).

Now let us get down to the visual aspect of this little jewel. Having seen any ruined city or mountain valley in the Afghan region, you will notice that these maps are not to far off from the real thing. A lot of your environment is destructible; this means if you are standing next to something that will explode you will explode as well. This is where I do not care for the team deathmatch map. There are way too many things everywhere, this inhibits a player from getting very many clears shots with an assault rifle. Of course for some players, find this preferable. The HUD stays true to most all other FPS games. Like regular team deathmatch in Call of duty series, you have a map, score, crosshairs, and the availability to know how many bullets you have. There is nothing different here, including your button layout. So if you have played Call of Duty like me, you should be able to jump right on. As for the game play, the only thing I noticed is when you die it becomes a little glitchy.  Playing it otherwise, is very smooth. I had no connection problems, so there must be a decent server backing this game.

Ok so let’s be real. For EA, in a perfect world there would be no Activision, no Infinity Ward, or even no Treyarch. Basically the Call of Duty series has ruined everything for everyone. Let me ask you this; have you ever played MAG for PS3, or Battlefield: Bad Company 2 on any platform, these games all fall way short. In no way shape or form do they compare to MW2’s addictiveness. All I have to say to EA and DICE is you better polish this turd up and get it right. You have a hard act to follow. I can honestly say I do not like what has been set before me so far, even though it is just a beta. 2010’s MOH has such potential, with DICE’s online play, and with EA’s MOH legacy. In the beginning they were the best war based games available. The story surrounding this game is amazing. The trailer looks awesome, but then again most video game trailers all look awesome. On a scale of 1-10, I have got to give this beta a 7. It’s fun and entertaining. It looks good and it plays good, but it just doesn’t cut the mustard. I just cannot see myself taking my MW2 disk out and putting this one in. At least until the full version is released with the campaign and bugs worked out.  I would much rather melt my brain to sweet sounds of death (courtesy of MW2).

Stupid Modern Warfare 2, way to ruin things.

Tweet me @cartwheelmurphy

Some great gameplay footage!!


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