Medal of Honor: Underground

Last updated • 6 min readFrom Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia

Medal of Honor: Underground
Medal of Honor - Underground Coverart.png
North American PlayStation cover art
Developer(s) DreamWorks Interactive
Publisher(s) EA Games
Producer(s) Scott J. Langteau
Designer(s) Lynn Henson
Programmer(s) Adrian Jones
Composer(s) Michael Giacchino
Series Medal of Honor
Platform(s) PlayStation, Game Boy Advance
ReleasePlayStation
  • NA: October 24, 2000 [1]
  • EU: December 1, 2000
Game Boy Advance
  • NA: November 25, 2002
  • EU: May 9, 2003
Genre(s) First-person shooter
Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer

Medal of Honor: Underground is a 2000 first-person shooter video game developed by DreamWorks Interactive and published by Electronic Arts. It is the second installment in the Medal of Honor series and was released for the PlayStation with an adapted port later for the Game Boy Advance.

Contents

In 2002, the game was re-released in Europe as part of the compilation Medal of Honor / Medal of Honor: Underground. It later was re-released a second time on the North American PlayStation Network for the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable. [2] It was the last game developed by DreamWorks Interactive when the studio was still jointly owned by Microsoft Games and DreamWorks SKG. [3] [4] During the game's release, the studio was renamed EA Los Angeles. [5]

Gameplay

The gameplay is much like its predecessor requiring the player to complete objectives by acquiring items, interacting with objects and destroying specified targets as well as the use of four different weapons and disguise against enemies. As well as new types of weapons, the new mechanics in the game are fighting against tanks and halftracks in three out of eight missions and fighting alongside friendly allies.

After completing the game, the player can play a non-canon bonus level, named "Panzerknacker Unleashed", in which the player plays as Lieutenant Jimmy Patterson. Many strange enemies are fought at a castle, including gun-toting and vehicle-driving dogs, knights carrying battle axes, zombie soldiers, robotic soldiers and several large nutcrackers, called Panzerknacker. The objective of all of the three missions available in this level is to build a Panzerknacker, who assists in the final mission. [6]

Game Boy Advance version

A version of Medal of Honor: Underground was released for Game Boy Advance in 2002-2003. It is a first-person shooter based on the PlayStation version. The game was developed by Rebellion Developments and published by Destination Software. Underground for the GBA features up to 4 players using the Game Boy link cable and lex levels. The game is played in a three dimensional environment. The game's objectives usually revolve around finding certain papers. There is no save system however, each level has a code to play again in the future which can be viewed by pausing the game.

Plot

Since 1940, France is occupied by Nazi Germany and ruled by the collaborationist Vichy regime. The game's protagonist, French Resistance commander Manon Batiste, assists her brother Jacques, who is killed in an attempted heist. Manon carries out her mission for the resistance until she is found and recruited by the OSS, who assign her around North Africa and Europe to foil the Milice and Nazis' defenses and plans of invasion until 1944, when Manon returns to help liberate Paris and avenge Jacques.

Development

The main character Manon Batiste is based on Hélène Deschamps Adams, a real-life member of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), [7] the forerunner of Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Adams appears in the game's final mission to brief Manon before the level. Hirschmann, Langteau and Henson researched by meeting up with people who had been involved with the French Resistance including Elizabeth Peet McIntosh and Deschamps Adams. [8]

Michael Giacchino explains that for "Manon, I wanted a theme that could convey one emotion at a particular moment, and then a completely different emotion the next without having to rely on two completely different themes. As a result, Manon's two main themes are very similar and yet very different. One version of the theme stays the course in a major tone, conveying a feel of great national purpose against the Nazi menace, and the secondary theme dips into a minor 6th chord which describes Manon's more intimate and emotional feelings as an individual and a woman who is pitted against the fascist war machine. Both of these themes are bookended with what liner notes author Paul Tonks has aptly named 'the resolve theme'. This theme was meant to represent the moments where Manon is called upon to steel her nerves and gather the courage to continue on with the fight....Manon travels to places that are not quite so militaristic as Jimmy Patterson. Her journey was a bit more 'scenic'." [9] Critic Ian Lace said of her theme: "One has to suppose that the main character of this new game, Manon, inspired by the exploits of Hélène Déschamps is French. Michael Giacchino has created a theme for her that in its first few notes irresistibly makes me want to anticipate the old pop song, 'Arrivederci Roma' which I found disconcerting because she is French and so much of the action, particularly at the beginning and end, takes place in Paris." [10]

Producer Scott Langteau offers that "Underground had an entirely different feel than the original [Medal of Honor], and yet the gameplay was entirely familiar. That's what we tried to do, anyway. In Underground, it was personal. The game's front end was gritty and less militarily organized; it was rustic and roughly hewn. The same can be said for the game. Manon used petrol bombs and also used her femininity to gain access to restricted areas. We used the freedom of telling her backstory- she was in the French Resistance, then joined the OSS-to give the game its own flair and widely varied missions that took us all over Europe: Greece, Italy, etc." [11]

Producer Scott J. Langteau showcased the game at the E3 2000 along with Tony Rowe and Lynn Henson. [8]

Reception

The PlayStation version received "favorable" reviews, while the Game Boy Advance version received "unfavorable" reviews, according to video game review aggregator Metacritic. [12] [13] Jeff Lundrigan of NextGen said of the former version, "A terrific game gets a sequel that's in some ways even better. And after all, it's still true: at the end of the day, nothing is more satisfying than shooting a Nazi in the face." [26] Nintendo Power gave the latter version a negative review, a few months before it was released Stateside. [27] Air Gendrix of GamePro said of the former console version, "Fans of the first Medal will feel right at home with Underground, but the game also delivers enough new touches and surprises to prevent it from becoming merely a copycat sequel." [30] [lower-alpha 3]

GameSpot praised the makers of the PlayStation version for taking "a character from the original game named Manon Batiste and [placing] her in the lead role so that her full story can be told. This setting is a welcome change, as Underground provides a meaningful historical context that's rare in most video games today." [24] William Abner similarly described the same version as "a refreshing change of pace because you played Manon Batiste, a woman enlisted in the French Resistance." [31]

The PlayStation version was a runner-up for the "Best Sound" and "Best Shooter" awards at GameSpot's Best and Worst of 2000 Awards, which went to SSX and Perfect Dark , respectively. [32] [33] The same console version won the award for Sound at IGN 's Best of 2000 Awards. [34] Underground won the "Sound Design" and "Original Musical Composition" awards at the AIAS' 4th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards. [35] [36] It also won the award for "Best Sound" at the Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine 2000 Editors' Awards. [37]

Notes

  1. In Electronic Gaming Monthly 's review of the PlayStation version, one critic gave it 8/10, and the rest gave it each a score of 7.5/10.
  2. In GameFan 's viewpoint of the PlayStation version, two critics gave it each a score of 89, and the other gave it 88.
  3. GamePro gave the PlayStation version 4.5/5 for graphics, and three 5/5 scores for sound, control, and fun factor.

Related Research Articles

<i>Medal of Honor</i> (video game series) Video game series

Medal of Honor is a series of first-person shooter video games created by American film director and producer Steven Spielberg. The first game was developed by DreamWorks Interactive and published by Electronic Arts for the PlayStation in 1999. Medal of Honor spawned a series of follow-up games including multiple expansions spanning various console platforms and personal computers.

<i>Medal of Honor: Frontline</i> 2002 video game

Medal of Honor: Frontline is a first-person shooter video game, in the Medal of Honor series, and was published by Electronic Arts. The player character is Lt. Jimmy Patterson, from the American Office of Strategic Services. Frontline takes place during the events of the first game and chronicles Patterson's journey as he fights his way across Europe into Nazi Germany during World War II. Frontline was released in North America for the PlayStation 2 on May 29, 2002 and for the GameCube and Xbox consoles on November 7, 2002.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Giacchino</span> American music composer (born 1967)

Michael "Mike" Giacchino is an American composer of music for film, television, and video games. He has received many accolades for his work, including an Oscar for Up (2009), an Emmy for Lost (2004), and three Grammy Awards.

<i>Driver 2</i> Action video game by Reflections

Driver 2 is a 2000 action driving video game and the second installment of the Driver series. It was developed by Reflections Interactive and published by Infogrames for PlayStation. A port to the Game Boy Advance, titled Driver 2 Advance, was released in 2002, developed by Sennari Interactive and released under Infogrames' Atari range of products.

<i>NBA Live 2000</i> 1999 basketball video game

NBA Live 2000 is the 2000 installment of the NBA Live video game series. The cover features Tim Duncan of the San Antonio Spurs. The game was developed by EA Sports and released in 1999. Don Poier is the play-by-play announcer with Reggie Theus on color commentary. The game features Michael Jordan in his first official appearance in the series. The PC version of the game introduced EA's "Face in the Game" feature, allowing players to use custom facial photographs on created players. It was also the final NBA Live game released for Nintendo 64. NBA Live 2000 is followed by NBA Live 2001. A cancelled Game Boy Color version was in development by Handheld Games for THQ, but it was scrapped during testing.

<i>FIFA 2000</i> 1999 video game

FIFA 2000 is a football simulation video game developed by EA Canada and published by Electronic Arts. It was the seventh game in the main FIFA series. The game was released for Microsoft Windows and PlayStation. A version for the Game Boy Color was developed by Tiertex Design Studios and published by THQ.

<i>Madden NFL 2001</i> 2000 American football video game

Madden NFL 2001 is an American football video game. It is the third in the Madden NFL series to include an NFL player, Tennessee Titans running back Eddie George, on its cover. In addition, it is the first game in the series to have a player, instead of John Madden featured prominently on the box art. Madden's picture is shown on a small logo, which would reappear for every following game until Madden NFL 06. It is also the first game in the Madden NFL series to appear on the PlayStation 2 game console. This is the first Madden game to feature NFL Europe teams.

<i>Need for Speed: Porsche Unleashed</i> 2000 racing video game

Need for Speed: Porsche Unleashed, released as Need for Speed: Porsche 2000 in Europe and Need for Speed: Porsche in Latin America and Germany, is a 2000 racing video game. It is the fifth installment in the Need for Speed series. Unlike other NFS titles, Porsche Unleashed centers on racing Porsche sports cars, with models ranging from years 1950 to 2000.

<i>Ms. Pac-Man Maze Madness</i> 2000 video game

Ms. Pac-Man Maze Madness is a maze chase video game developed and published by Namco for the PlayStation in 2000. It was later released for the Nintendo 64, Dreamcast, and Game Boy Advance. A remake of Ms. Pac-Man (1982), players control the titular character in her quest to stop a witch named Mesmerelda from stealing the Gems of Virtue. The game was well-received upon release, with critics applauding its simplicity and faithfulness to the arcade original. A sequel was in development around 2006, but was cancelled for unknown reasons.

<i>Medal of Honor</i> (1999 video game) 1999 video game

Medal of Honor is a 1999 first-person shooter video game, developed by DreamWorks Interactive and published by Electronic Arts for PlayStation. It is the first installment in the Medal of Honor video game series. The gameplay features the combined arms warfare of World War II, as the player completes various missions for the Office of Strategic Services.

<i>Ultimate Fighting Championship</i> (video game) 2000 video game

Ultimate Fighting Championship is a set of two video games based on the Ultimate Fighting Championship mixed martial arts promotion. One version was released for home consoles by developer Anchor for Sega Dreamcast in August 2000. This version was ported to PlayStation by Opus in November. A separate version was released for Game Boy Color by developer Fluid Studios in November of the same year. The game was published by Crave Entertainment in North America, by Ubi Soft in Europe, and by Capcom for Dreamcast and PlayStation versions in Japan.

<i>International Track & Field 2000</i> 1999 video game

International Track & Field 2000 is a track and field game for PlayStation in 1999 and Nintendo 64 in 2000. It was released in Europe under the names International Track & Field: Summer Games on the Nintendo 64 and Game Boy Color, International Track & Field 2 on the PlayStation and International Track & Field on the PlayStation 2 and in Japan as Ganbare! Nippon! Olympics 2000, where it was licensed by the Japanese Olympic Committee. Versions were also released for the Sega Dreamcast, PlayStation 2, and Game Boy Color as ESPN International Track & Field in North America. Maurice Greene, a former men's WR holder in the 100M dash, is the cover athlete.

<i>The Grinch</i> (video game) 2000 video game

The Grinch is a 2000 platform video game loosely based on the film How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Developed by Artificial Mind & Movement and published by Konami, the game was released in North America one week prior to the film's theatrical release—November 10, 2000. George Lowe does uncredited work as the narrator of the game. The Game Boy Color version was released that same month, which was ported for a release in Japan on November 22, 2000.

<i>Lego Rock Raiders</i> (video game) 1999 video game

Lego Rock Raiders is a video game developed by Data Design Interactive and published by Lego Media for Microsoft Windows and PlayStation. It is based on the Lego theme of the same name. The Windows version was released in 1999, while a differently built game for PlayStation was released the same year in Europe and in 2000 in North America.

<i>Kiss Pinball</i> 2000 video game

KISS Pinball is a video game developed by Wildfire Studios and published by On Deck Interactive for Microsoft Windows in 2000. A port for PlayStation, developed by Tarantula Studios, was released by Take-Two Interactive in 2001.

<i>NFL Blitz 2001</i> 2000 video game

NFL Blitz 2001 is a video game developed and published by Midway for the Dreamcast, PlayStation, Nintendo 64 and Game Boy Color in 2000.

<i>Le Mans 24 Hours</i> (video game) 1999 video game

Le Mans 24 Hours is a video game released for the PlayStation, Game Boy Color, Dreamcast, PlayStation 2, and Microsoft Windows. The Dreamcast version was ported and published by Sega in Japan on 15 March 2001, while the PlayStation 2 version was ported and published by the same company on 13 June. Based on the famous 24 hours of Le Mans race in France, the player is invited to race the entire 24-hour endurance course or take part in a simpler arcade mode. The game also featured tracks such as Bugatti Circuit, Brno Circuit, Road Atlanta, Suzuka Circuit, Donington Park and Circuit de Catalunya, as well as a weather and night system.

<i>Road Rash: Jailbreak</i> 2000 video game

Road Rash: Jailbreak is a racing video game developed by EA Redwood Shores for the PlayStation and Magic Pockets for the Game Boy Advance, and published by Electronic Arts for PlayStation in 2000 and for Game Boy Advance in 2003. It is the sixth and final game in the Road Rash series.

<i>The World Is Not Enough</i> (PlayStation video game) 2000 video game

The World Is Not Enough is a first-person shooter video game developed by Black Ops Entertainment and based on the 1999 James Bond film of the same name. It was published by Electronic Arts and released for the PlayStation on November 7, 2000, shortly after the release of its Nintendo 64 counterpart. The World Is Not Enough is the successor to Black Ops Entertainment's 1999 title Tomorrow Never Dies and uses an improved version of its engine. The game received mixed reviews from critics, who criticised its short length and lack of multiplayer mode.

<i>X Games Pro Boarder</i> 1998 video game

ESPN X-Games Pro Boarder, also known as X Games Pro Boarder, is a video game developed by Radical Entertainment and published by Electronic Arts and Sony Computer Entertainment Europe for the PlayStation and Windows in 1998.

References

  1. IGN staff (October 25, 2000). "Medal of Honor Underground Ships". IGN . Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on January 13, 2023. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
  2. Chen, Grace (June 11, 2009). "PlayStation Store Update". PlayStation.Blog. Sony Interactive Entertainment. Archived from the original on July 20, 2023. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
  3. "Electronic Arts buys DreamWorks Interactive from Microsoft Games and DreamWorks". The New York Times . February 25, 2000. Archived from the original on July 20, 2023. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
  4. Kary, Tiffany (February 24, 2000). "EA buys Dreamworks Interactive". ZDNet . Red Ventures. Archived from the original on December 6, 2022. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
  5. Parker, Sam (January 29, 2003). "EA consolidates studios, closes Westwood". GameSpot . Fandom. Archived from the original on March 2, 2014. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
  6. Air Hendrix (March 28, 2002). "Medal of Honor Week: (Almost) Everything Else You Wanted To Know But Were Afraid To Ask". GamePro . GamePro Media. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011.
  7. Talley, William (November 16, 2008). "$20 Game of the Week & Lost Classics: Post Veteran Day Special". POWET.TV. Archived from the original on July 20, 2023. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
  8. 1 2 Hoyle, James (January 28, 2018). "Medal of Honor Underground Retrospective – History In The Making". PSU.com. PlayStation Universe. Archived from the original on March 26, 2022. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
  9. Giacchino, Michael. "Interview with Michael Giacchino". SoundtrackReview.net. Interviewed by Gary Huff. Archived from the original on February 27, 2012. Retrieved September 20, 2015.
  10. Lace, Ian (January 2001). "Medal of Honor (Underground): Film Music CD Reviews". MusicWeb International. Archived from the original on July 20, 2023. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
  11. Air Hendrix (March 27, 2002). "Medal of Honor Week: Sound Design & Creating Good Sequels". GamePro. GamePro Media. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011.
  12. 1 2 "Medal of Honor: Underground critic reviews (GBA)". Metacritic . Fandom. Archived from the original on July 13, 2023. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
  13. 1 2 "Medal of Honor Underground critic reviews (PS)". Metacritic. Fandom. Archived from the original on June 5, 2023. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
  14. Barnes, J.C. "Medal of Honor: Underground (PS) - Review". AllGame . All Media Network. Archived from the original on November 16, 2014. Retrieved September 20, 2015.
  15. Rector, Brett (October 26, 2000). "Medal of Honor: Underground - PlayStation Review". Gamecenter. CNET. Archived from the original on November 10, 2000. Retrieved January 25, 2022.
  16. Edge staff (December 2000). "Medal Of Honor Underground (PS)" (PDF). Edge . No. 91. Future Publishing. p. 111. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 16, 2022. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
  17. Boyer, Crispin; MacDonald, Mark; Kujawa, Kraig (December 2000). "Medal of Honor Underground (PS)" (PDF). Electronic Gaming Monthly . No. 137. Ziff Davis. p. 218. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 26, 2022. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
  18. Suciu, Peter (November 30, 2000). "Medal of Honor: Underground". The Electric Playground . Greedy Productions Ltd. Archived from the original on March 24, 2003. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
  19. Fitzloff, Jay (November 2000). "Medal of Honor Underground (PS)". Game Informer . No. 91. FuncoLand. Archived from the original on February 12, 2008. Retrieved September 20, 2015.
  20. Mylonas, Eric "ECM"; Weitzner, Jason "Fury"; Ngo, George "Eggo" (November 2000). "Medal of Honor 2 [sic] (PS)". GameFan . Vol. 8, no. 11. BPA International. p. 25. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  21. Van Stone, Matt "Kodomo" (November 2000). "Medal of Honor: Underground". GameFan. Vol. 8, no. 11. BPA International. p. 94. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  22. Liu, Johnny (November 2000). "Medal of Honor: Underground Review (PS)". GameRevolution . CraveOnline. Archived from the original on September 8, 2015. Retrieved January 25, 2022.
  23. Provo, Frank (February 3, 2003). "Medal of Honor: Underground Review (GBA)". GameSpot. Fandom. Archived from the original on December 12, 2004. Retrieved January 25, 2022.
  24. 1 2 Shoemaker, Brad (November 3, 2000). "Medal of Honor Underground Review (PS)". GameSpot. Fandom. Archived from the original on January 8, 2001. Retrieved January 25, 2022.
  25. Perry, Douglass C. (October 31, 2000). "Medal of Honor Underground (PS)". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on December 16, 2022. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
  26. 1 2 Lundrigan, Jeff (December 2000). "Medal of Honor Underground (PS)". NextGen . No. 72. Imagine Media. p. 136. Retrieved January 25, 2022.
  27. 1 2 "Medal of Honor: Underground". Nintendo Power . Vol. 159. Nintendo of America. August 2002. p. 146.
  28. Kennedy, Sam (December 2000). "Medal of Honor Underground". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine . No. 39. Ziff Davis. pp. 170–71. Archived from the original on January 27, 2001. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
  29. Porter, Alex (2000). "Medal of Honor Underground (PS)". Maxim . MaximNet, Inc. Archived from the original on January 27, 2001. Retrieved September 20, 2015.
  30. Air Hendrix (November 2000). "Medal of Honor Underground (PS)" (PDF). GamePro. No. 146. IDG. pp. 128–29. Archived from the original on January 13, 2005. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
  31. Abner, William (2005). Gamer's Tome of Ultimate Wisdom: An Almanac of Pimps, Orcs, and Lightsabers. Que. p. 105. ISBN   9780789734655.
  32. GameSpot staff (January 5, 2001). "Best and Worst of 2000 (Best Sound Runners-Up)". GameSpot. CNET. Archived from the original on May 27, 2001. Retrieved January 25, 2022.
  33. GameSpot staff (January 5, 2001). "Best and Worst of 2000 (Best Shooter Runners-Up)". GameSpot. CNET. Archived from the original on June 18, 2001. Retrieved January 25, 2022.
  34. IGN staff (January 30, 2001). "PSX Best of 2000: Sound". IGN. Snowball.com. Archived from the original on April 17, 2001. Retrieved January 26, 2022.
  35. "Fourth Interactive Achievement Awards: Outstanding Sound Design". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences . Archived from the original on April 18, 2001. Retrieved January 26, 2022.
  36. "Fourth Interactive Achievement Awards: Outstanding Original Music Composition". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on November 6, 2001. Retrieved January 26, 2022.
  37. OPM staff (April 2001). "Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine 2000 Editors' Awards (Best Sound)". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine. No. 43. Ziff Davis. p. 34. Archived from the original on April 19, 2001. Retrieved November 11, 2023.