Medal of Honor Rising Sun

 Xbox
Metascore
65

Mixed or average reviews - based on 23 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 23
  2. Mixed: 13 out of 23
  3. Negative: 2 out of 23
Buy Now
Buy on
  1. GameNow
    100
    A masterpiece, plain and simple. From the opening Pearl Harbor sequence, to the rain-soaked midnight raids, to the machine-gun-mounted elephant rides, Rising Sun oozes with jaw-dropping quality at every single turn.
  2. Official Xbox Magazine
    88
    A very satisfying experience. [Holiday 2003, p.85]
    All this publication's reviews
  3. Next Level Gaming
    84
    The computer AI against you is not bad. I have found splashes of extreme stupidity with some enemy soldiers as they just stand there and wait for you to shoot them. But others will run at you with their bayonettes pointed, which will damage you.
  5. Play Magazine
    83
    Engaged me more heavily than any FPS I've played this year. [Dec 2003, p.54]
    All this publication's reviews
  6. Yahoo!
    80
    Each iteration of the Medal of Honor series has been better than the last, and Rising Sun is no exception. It would have been nice to see EA take a few risks and break formula, but the game's a great war shooter nonetheless.
  7. GameZone
    78
    While not making quite the same impact as Frontline, Rising Sun has its small share of thrilling moments that makes this a somewhat average installment of the Medal of Honor series. The game does, though, magnificently capture the essence of the era but it also accurately recreates war’s most brutal moments.
  8. Game Informer
    78
    Rising Sun seems content to merely maintain the status quo. [Dec 2003, p.168]
    All this publication's reviews
  9. IGN
    75
    While a lot of work has been done to make this an accurate experience that feels and sounds right, the gameplay itself lacks the upgrade that it needs.
  10. GMR Magazine
    70
    Feels a bit like Michael Bay's Pearl Harbor in that an attempt to make an epic WWII Pacific Theater experience results in a product with brilliant touches mixed with mediocrity.
  11. GameSpot
    64
    It's fraught with lots of minor gameplay problems that eventually add up to one major headache. Rising Sun isn't completely without merit, since it comes packaged with some nice extra materials and mostly solid production values, but the weakness of the gameplay itself undermines what could have been a much more enjoyable experience.
  12. Total Video Games
    60
    Whilst the strong presentation and authenticity is appealing, the overall result is a tired fps that suffers from fundamental flaws.
  13. TeamXbox
    60
    Simply doesn’t deliver what Xbox’ers are used to in terms of a quality first-person shooter.
  14. Game Over Online
    60
    Rising Sun begins in Pearl Harbor with a bang, but drags on to finish with a whimper.
  15. GameSpy
    60
    Extra grainy footage or not, and lame returns to the campaign to dig up cheat codes aside, this Medal of Honor experience is just good enough to romp through on a rental, should please fans of the series, but this is certainly not enough to justify a purchase.
  16. GamePro
    60
    True-blue Medal of Honor fans will still enjoy Rising Sun’s cinematic style, respectful and historically accurate atmosphere, and heavily arcade feel. But for many, the game will feel too familiar in a fast-food way, lacking that old Medal of Honor magic.
  17. Cinescape
    58
    Quite simply, the game offers nothing that you can’t get in the other games, and can’t have a better time getting in the other games.
  18. Electronic Gaming Monthly
    53
    As for enemy behavior, it's so embarrassingly bad at times, it's hard not to laugh. [Jan 2004, p.122]
    All this publication's reviews
  19. Edge Magazine
    50
    On retreading the levels enemy attacks become predictable puppet shows, with mad-eyed soldiers lining up to get killed exactly where they did many times before. It's the kind of repetition more commonly associated with lightgun games these days. [Christmas 2003, p.109]
    All this publication's reviews
  20. TotalGames.net
    50
    Half-baked at best, parts of the game appear only half-finished, with sections of polygons not actually meeting, despicable clipping and some truly stone-age AI.
    All this publication's reviews
  21. eToychest
    50
    If I were in EA management, I’d bash some heads to try and get the console branch of this franchise back on track, because frankly, it’s headed the way of the USS Arizona.
  22. Game Revolution
    50
    I also have to wonder what part of the world Uncle Sam dug up my own squad mates. They could often be seen running in circles and constantly blocking my line of fire. At least they were resilient; one of the guys was turned into Swiss cheese by an enemy bayonet and shrugged it off like nothing happened. Tough guys…tough guys.
  23. Xbox Nation Magazine
    40
    You can, in practically one extended sitting, blow through the entirety of this dumbed-down, bloodless, sanitized version of America's hard-fought victory. [Dec/Jan 2004, p.88]
  24. games(TM)
    40
    We were disappointed when "Frontline" failed to take advantage of its World War II settings, but it's galling to see that EA still hasn't got it right with Rising Sun. If there's ever a case against World War III, then surely this is it. [Christmas 2003, p.100]
    All this publication's reviews

Awards & Rankings

26
#26 Most Discussed Xbox Game of 2003
47
#47 Most Shared Xbox Game of 2003

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
5.9

Mixed or average reviews- based on 32 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 10 out of 32
  2. Mixed: 16 out of 32
  3. Negative: 6 out of 32
  1. JaydenPickens
    Nov 26, 2019
    7
    This was a fun game. Loved the story and how the collectibles unlocked interviews with war veterans that took part in the missions presentedThis was a fun game. Loved the story and how the collectibles unlocked interviews with war veterans that took part in the missions presented in the game. A good experience. The graphics are outdated these days, but who cares? Story and missions are cool, co-op is good as well. Nothing to hate here. Pickens approves.… Full Review »
  2. MyHumbleOpinion
    Jun 10, 2019
    5
    (2019 review) It's a semi-fun game that's enjoyable to revisit or to play for the first time if you're into retro gaming. The game is short(2019 review) It's a semi-fun game that's enjoyable to revisit or to play for the first time if you're into retro gaming. The game is short (9 missions) but for me that was a plus. I didn't want the game to drag on too long because after a while killing people almost seems like a chore. The guns are inaccurate and the enemies take too many shots in order to be killed. Would have been better if the whole game was close quarters because apparently if someone is 15 feet away you become an amateur with guns .
    Grenades are also a pain to use. They let you carry up to 20 which is nice but I didn't use them often because it was difficult to aim the throw and did a terrible job of killing the enemies most times.
    AI is dumb, of course. It's a 2003 game (over a decade and a half old) so one can't expect Uncharted level AI. Your teammates get in the way a lot and I would have preferred if they just weren't there.

    Overall for the game itself I give it a 5 even for back then. For going back and enjoying some retro gaming I give it a 6.    … Full Review »
  3. Rangaman
    Dec 16, 2015
    0
    This game is trash. The A.I. is dumb, many of the enemies have stupid attacks (no really high ranking officer, running at the Americans with aThis game is trash. The A.I. is dumb, many of the enemies have stupid attacks (no really high ranking officer, running at the Americans with a sword raised above your head is a perfect strategy), the campaign is the generic "Japanese bad, Americans good" patriotic and more-than-slightly-racist bull**** and the game's pathetic attempts at "realism" only result in the game feeling more dated than a Ford Cortina. Oh, the controls can only be described as garbage and the level design is just abysmal.

    One of the worst games I have ever played, period.    … Full Review »
See all user reviews »