Medal of Honor

 PlayStation
Metascore
92

Universal acclaim - based on 17 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 16 out of 17
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 17
  3. Negative: 0 out of 17
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  1. Hot Games
    100
    The environments look spectacular, with appropriate decor lining every object in the huge stages and good use of shadows and lighting. Character animation is a riot.
  2. GamePro
    100
    It does create an eerie sense of tension and excitement. This is probably as close as you want to get to real battle.
  3. Games Domain
    100
    The weapons effects are likewise perfect, with the machine gun sounds being nothing short of thunderous and the sounds of bullets whizzing past your head being just like you'd imagine them.
  5. PSX Nation
    96
    What makes this game so great is that it uses a lot of cues from real life events to create believable and exciting missions... If there ever was a crowning jewel in first person shooters on the PlayStation, this is it.
  6. TotalGames.net
    95
    While Medal's mechanics are every bit as sophisticated as "Goldeneye," it's clear that PlayStation isn't up to the task in terms of graphics, though that shouldn't be any surprise. What is does have is gameplay by the trench-load, war movie tension and really grizzly violence.
  7. Absolute Playstation
    95
    The graphics are a bit grainy but the fine animation and attention to detail more than make up for it. There are tons of secrets to open up, lots of game options and intense challenging gameplay.
  8. IGN
    93
    With the exception of some occasoinally sticky controls and stuttering areas, this game is deep, varied, and fun as hell.
  9. Gamezilla!
    93
    The real stars of the game are the Nazi soldiers. Their reactions and behavior are unparalleled in any other PSX game. Actually, the enemy AI rivals PC games and even exceeds them in some places.
  10. Game Revolution
    91
    The closest Playstation will get to "Goldeneye," both in terms of system performance as well as the standard set by Mr. Bond's breakthrough gameplay. This game was a complete surprise, a great game released with little to no hype.
  11. Gaming Age
    91
    The environments are some of the most atmospheric I have ever experienced in a first person shooter - PlayStation or PC.
  12. All Game Guide
    90
    The game engine, story, graphics and sound are so realistic that the addiction won't let you go for a second!
  13. GameSpot
    85
    Nothing really adds to the game's realism like the enemy AI, which is more advanced than any we've seen in console first-person shooters before.
  14. GameCritics
    85
    The developers have taken the theme and backdrop story very seriously and it shows because the WWII iconography in MoH is captured beautifully not only in the costumes of the characters and the design of the architecture, but it also permeates through the detailed movie-like orchestra scores that make up the background music.
  15. Cheat Code Central Platinum
    85
    This game has some rough edges but on the whole you won't find a deeper FPS on the PlayStation. This takes the good old "Castle Wolfenstein" theme and breaks entirely new ground. For those thinking that "Tomorrow Never Dies" is gonna fulfill your "GoldenEye" dreams, forget it. Medal of Honor is the one.
  16. Total Video Games
    80
    Everything from the way the guns fire, to the way the enemies take a round to the chest, everything is done with complete authenticity.
  17. Electric Playground
    80
    If MOH has a noteable flaw, it’s that the sniper-scope---which you’ll often rely on heavily---has the odd drawback/realism glitch of not allowing you to see farther in actual, raw distance than you would normally...it merely brings targets into clearer, closer focus.
  18. Gaming Maxx
    70
    The missions are too short, the controls too slow, the graphics too dated, the characters too dull.

Awards & Rankings

4
#4 Best PS1 Game of 1999
10
#10 Most Discussed PS1 Game of 1999
15
#15 Most Shared PS1 Game of 1999

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
8.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 273 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 241 out of 273
  2. Mixed: 23 out of 273
  3. Negative: 9 out of 273
  1. art4321
    Oct 18, 2014
    10
    One of the best games i ever playedOne of the best games i ever played .… Full Review »
  2. Demon27248
    Dec 15, 2017
    3
    Mechanically one of the worst triple A shooters I've ever played. I also doubt it's just me playing now rather than on release as there wereMechanically one of the worst triple A shooters I've ever played. I also doubt it's just me playing now rather than on release as there were countless titles released by the point Medal of Honor came out that exceeded it in every way.

    The controls are clunky. Turning while moving reduces your speed, jumping is handled worse than any other game of its era + you need to get a run up to actually get over obstacles, and shooting is a mess. The game somewhat tries to replicate legacy 'Goldeneye' style controls despite playing on a controller with two analogue sticks, and removing the snap style of aiming, opting instead for a very slow standard aim method that you need to initiate with R2.

    The gunplay is equally bad. Comparing it against other console shooters of the time period, Medal of Honor is outdone by virtually every N64 shooter I've played, as well as the Rainbow Six Playstation game, which was in itself not very good to begin with. Due to the low draw distance, you can get shot by enemies you can't even see. Enemies AI is such that they don't react to gunfire within meters of them if they are not looking at you leading to comical situations where you can be engaged in a battle with one enemy and have another patrolling beside you. The levels feel completely on rails, which is not bad in itself, but miss an objective and it's either backtracking sometimes all the way to the start, or finish it up and have to redo it again. It feels incredibly obnoxious as this game carries the level design of a modern military shooter as opposed to a classic 'Doom-style' shooter with maze like design. There are also a few 'stealth' levels which involve you being disguised and having to show your papers to virtually everyone you meet while you kill people with a silenced pistol in a predetermined order. If you miss the paper presentation to any guard, even if you're not looking at them and walking to fast, the base goes on alert. They are a bit more open-ended and less linear than the combat levels, but sadly not any more fun to play.

    Last but not least, this game has numerous annoyances. I got shot through walls numerous times, I used a shotgun to insta-kill at medium range, despite a rifle taking two shots, even to the head, panzershrek wielding soldiers blew me up instantly from full health sending me back to the start of the level, enemies perform prefire animations lasting whole seconds, fail to shoot me in the back at point blank range and toss back virtually every grenade rendering them useless (there's no cooking available) unless I get a direct hit, instantly detonating it. They also die to their own grenade throws way more than mine.

    I feel the phrase 'hasn't aged well' is used more often than not to excuse the poor and overrated games of yesteryear. I cannot see this game being considered good in 1999. The sound design and orchestral score were good, yes, and the writing wasn't too bad, but that doesn't excuse the fact that the unpolished gameplay fails to reach anywhere near the same level as the other shooters on offer at the time, on both console and PC.    … Full Review »
  3. drlowdon
    Feb 17, 2013
    6
    The first Medal of Honor title doesn’t hold up well when played today but at the time it was certainly one of the better FPS titles availableThe first Medal of Honor title doesn’t hold up well when played today but at the time it was certainly one of the better FPS titles available on the PSone.… Full Review »
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