Medal of Honor 2010 Multiplayer Preview

So it’s the second day of E3 2010, and you know all about the new Medal of Honor, right? Wrong.

About a month ago, I was lucky enough to get my hands on the game at the Medal of Honor Community Day, and while I haven’t been able to speak about it due to embargo, I’m now able to talk about it all I want. So sit back, relax, and get as much info as you want on Medal of Honor 2010.

What we got to play for the better part of a day is multiplayer, and considering how most people I know of play their games, it’s what I’m going to focus on. First things first, the basics. Just like Bad Company 2, there will be 24 players allowed in online matches. The dedicated servers have been updated and improved, the Frostbite engine that the game is running on has been enhanced, and it’s going to release on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC this October 12th in the US and October 15th in Europe. Now, with that out of the way, let’s get on to the gooey, gooey goodness, shall we?

Combat Missions

The first game type we were shown and got to play around with was the Combat Mission. It’s an objective-based game type similar to Rush Mode in battlefield: Bad Company 2. The map we got to play on was called “Helmand Valley” and it’s actually based on the Helmand Province in Afghanistan.

Combat Missions rely extensively on teamwork. There are multiple objectives to complete, and the maps go on and on, just like in Rush Mode. For instance, in the Helmand Valley map, the first objective as the attacking Ranger forces is to blow up a road block impeding your forward progress. It’s kind of a fatal funnel, so cover fire is definitely a bonus. Once you’ve achieved that (if you can, of course), you have to clear and take the town immediately beyond the road block. With that out of the way, you have to move up to take a bunker that has a computer you need to hack. When the hacking is complete, you have to take a building that holds an anti-aircraft weapon on the top.

If you could keep up, you’ll notice that there’s a ton of stuff to do. The Combat Missions were noted to be similar to the single player mode, and with good reason. It feels like a single player mission in multiplayer, and it’s a great mission, at that!

Team Assault

The second game type we got our hands on is my personal favorite, Team Assault. You could be forgiven for calling it deathmatch because that’s exactly what it is. We played TA on Kabul City Ruins, which in my opinion is the most convincing ghost town I’ve ever had the pleasure to play.

There is destruction, but it’s nowhere near the amount found in the Bad Company series. You can destroy environment ‘filler’, like vehicles, barrels, & random clutter in the area, but walls aren’t able to be blown up. While some people will be upset by this, the effect on gameplay isn’t as major as those gamers would expect it to be. The rule, though, is that “If a bullet can break it, it’ll break.”

A good rule of thumb to remember for the beta, if this map is in there, is that there is nowhere safe in this level. You think you’ve found the perfect sniper spot? It’ll seem that way until you get knifed in the back.

Weapon Customization

Being class-based, there’s a certain standard you expect as far as multiplayer goes. Luckily, MoH covers this, because there’s a fair amount of weapon customization available to you. Unlike other games we know of, you can update you weapon layouts during the game. While you’re waiting to respawn, hit a button, and you’ll bring up the customization screen.

Each weapon gets three mod slots that change your weapon’s bonus effects and looks in-game:

• Rail – Holds sights, etc.
• Barrel – Barrels, grips, etc.
• Base – HP ammunition, ammo upgrades, etc.

Support Actions

Support Actions in MoH are similar to perks, but are dealt with a bit differently. For one, the better you do in game, the bigger and faster your Support Actions will affect the game. Racking up score chains is a quick way to get access to the better gear, as the system promotes skill. Getting headshots at long range? You’ll rack up those points with a switftness.

“But what do I do with these points, DJ?” Well, for starters, you get a choice between Offensive and Defensive tactics. Using the D-Pad, you get to make your choice: Left for Offensive & Right for Defensive. Of course, offensive actions are things like air strikes & defensive actions are UAVs and armor boosts.

Leveling Up & Unlocks

You start off as a Ranger online. The more you play & the better you get, the higher you level until you hit Tier 1 status. As you get higher level, the look of your character will change – and only Tier 1 operatives get the epic beards. This can help you as well, though: an enemy with a beard is likely more well versed in the game. Taking that player out could likely be a help for your team…

Everyone likes unlocks, and MoH doesnt’ disappoint. The more you play, the more you unlock, with the added bonus of a skill-based system that rewards good players with a constantly changing “Skill Rating”. To keep your skill rating high, though, you’ve gotta keep playing. If you drop out from gaming for awhile, your skill rating will drop.

PC Stuff

While I spent my time with the console version of the game, I did glean a bit of PC information that will be vital to PC users interested in Medal of Honor:

• There will be no mod tools. (Lame, I know)

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• You can rent a server from EA if you so choose, which implies that you won’t be able to get them anywhere else
• The PC version of the game will. have a playlist-like system that allows you to set gametypes & lists.
• PC Multiplayer uses the Punkbuster system
• Mods have the ability to boot people
• Windows servers will be used.

Miscellaneous Info

There’s a ton of information above, and some of it fits elsewhere. This is that elsewhere.

• The Matchmaking code has been rewritten & improved on since Bad Company 2.
• Squad support is in the game, but it’s not as deep as Bad Company 2.
• The Quote of the Day on game day was “It’s all about shooting people in the face”. Yea, one of the developers said that. It’s good to know they have our best interests at heart!

Conclusion

If you’ve read this far, you know about as much as there is to know about Medal of Honor’s multiplayer. I haven’t said much about my personal preference on the game, but it’s safe to say that I’m a big fan. I could talk days and days about this, but you’ll get to see it for yourself in a very short time when the Medal of Honor Multiplayer Beta starts up.

Enjoy the Medal of Honor Multiplayer gallery below & see you online soon!

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