Men of Valor

You know something's wrong when a game hits the shelves just in time for Christmas and it's already been patched twice. You really have to worry when a Bonus Level Pack has also been released, otherwise known as the rest of the game'. Clearly, there were some last-minute deadline issues leading up to the release of Men Of Valor, and it shows. Without the patches it's an unplayable, crashladen mess, and even with them it lacks the polish that games used to have before the industry buried its conscience in a New Mexico landfill, underneath five million crushed ET cartridges.

It's a shame, because in many respects Men Of Valor is an excellent war-themed FPS. It's certainly the best solo Vietnam shooter to date, effortlessly outstripping Vietcong, Conflict: Vietnam and the derisory Shellshock Nam '67. More importantly, in the battle of the big, heroically named war epics it unexpectedly slips into second place, nosing ahead of the erratic MOH: Pacific Assault. (Which is sweet justice in a way, given that 2015 made Medal Of Honor great in the first place.)

Extreme Prejudice

However, as much as we'd like to punish the game for not fulfilling its true potential, there's no denying its wily charms. It's got a superbly gritty atmosphere, features some excellent use of the word motherf...., and looks as sharp as a pungi stick in a mantrap. Even the script and storyline are of a high quality, if a little laboured, as you follow the progress of the war from a small show of US arrogance to a fullblown jungle apocalypse.

The set-up is familiar enough. It's 1965. The situation in Vietnam seems contained, and American troops in Da Nang know that they're there primarily as a deterrent. As Dean Shepard, a young black Gl fresh out of boot camp, you throw a football gaily with your squad mates Greaser, Hoss and Smooth, little knowing that within 13 bullet-riddled missions you will have been ambushed, shot, blown up and killed more times than you can remember. (And that's not even counting multiplayer games.)

Along the way, you'll take in historical actions such as Operation Starlight, Khe Sahn and the Tet Offensive, with all the booby traps, village-burning and tunnel-clearing that implies. However, while the mixture of small, squad-based incursions and grand chaotic battles is familiar, the game manages not to come across as simply another Allied Assault clone.

For a start, there's a lot less of the scripted rail-rides than the formula usually demands, concentrating more on tightly directed firefights than big showy set pieces. The dense jungle setting is used to excellent effect to create tension, forcing you to hug trees like your best friend and scan the foliage constantly for enemy presence. The need to bandage every wound to prevent massive blood loss also keeps you constantly on your toes.

When you do get thrown into an on-rails section, it's brief and efficient, not attempting to outdo the competitors with the biggest and best special effects. However, whatever it loses here Men Of Valor makes up for with tight mission design and a pleasing variety of objectives. Whether you're laying an ambush or extracting an enemy POW, there's always an excellent feeling of involvement and comradeship, thanks in large part to the expletive-riddled banter of your pals.

Aside from crafting a very coherent and convincing atmosphere, this highlights the fact that your only real concern is survival, which is reflected in the uncompromising gameplay. There's nothing of valour going on here - you mostly sneak from tree to tree, mowing down men and women indiscriminately and looting the corpses for ammo and med packs as you go.

Can't Jump, Won't Jump

Sadly, the game is not without its quirks, many of them traceable back to its Xbox connections. For one, there's no jump function. It may seem ridiculous in this day and age, but it's actually not as much of a handicap as it sounds. More crippling by far is the lack of a quick-save option, reducing you to frustrating and often widely spaced checkpoints.

The biggest booby trap of all, however, is the Al. It's not so much that it's bad - in fact it's admirably ambitious in places - it's more that it lets you down when you least expect it. Like when one of your squad buddies walks straight past a VC gunman while you're reloading, allowing Charlie to walk right up and blow your head off. Or when an idiotic team-mate plants himself right in your line of fire just as you've lined up a tricky sniper shot. What are they - fools? It's enough to make you turn commie.

As for the enemies, they often spawn right before your eyes, something that simply should not happen in a 21st-century shooter. There are also some terrible trigger points where hundreds of VC troops will pour out of a tiny hut until you reach the magical point in the level that makes them stop.

Despite these blips however, Men Of Valor is a thoroughly enjoyable game. Yes it's frequently frustrating, but it remains compelling throughout, and will certainly tide you over until the next Call Of Duty expansion pack turns up.