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First person shooters (and to some extent, third person as well) haven’t had much luck on portable machines. The lack of two analog sticks makes precise aiming a chore, and basic movements feel rather unnatural. On the PSP in particular, shooters have been a hit and miss affair, giving the latest, Medal of Honor Heroes, an instant handicap.

More Medal!

The original WWII shooter series still manages to be in fine form on the small screen thankfully. From its PSOne roots, to various PC and PS2 iterations, Medal of Honor has covered a lot of now-familiar historical ground. Heroes, however, manages to feel at least somewhat fresh simply due to a lack of competition. Shoving players into the boots of three soldiers from previous MoH games, this tour takes you through new mission on the Italian coast, streets of Holland, and the frigid Ardennes forest.

There are 12 large battlefields to traverse in Heroes, and once you plow through those, the game includes skirmish modes for even more Nazi-killing fun. The single-player game is surprisingly good, but feels retro. Indeed, Heroes is somewhere between the original PSOne and PS2 versions of the game in both the gameplay and the presentation. The graphics aren’t stunning, and resemble a very polished PlayStation game. The game looks good overall, and the large varied levels and the various soldiers have a decent level of detail.

War is Better with Real Friends

The AI, on the other hand, is remarkably old school—your fellow soldiers and the enemy tend to wander right into the line of fire, although their path-finding abilities are solid. The controls, as expected, take some getting used to. Aiming or moving with the face buttons feels strange at first, but the action feels comfortable after a couple missions.

As a single player game, Heroes has plenty to offer, but the multiplayer functionality is what knocks the game out of the proverbial park. Medal of Honor supports up to 32 players during online battles, includes a rudimentary, but useful command and communication system for team-based game, and makes this one of the pinnacle choices for on-the-go internet gaming. The battles usually run amazingly well, and the solid gameplay, vintage weapons, and six different multiplayer game offerings (ranging from deathmatches to a variety of familiar team-based variations) would make this a fine online game on any system.

Honorable Discharge

Medal of Honor Heroes is easily one of the best portable remakes on the PSP. The single player game is entertaining, and the multiplayer options are remarkable. Heroes isn’t simply one of the best shooters on the system, but the best multiplayer action game on any portable system.

Article by: Jason D'Aprile