 |
Product SummaryBrand: Vivendi Universal Format: CD-ROM Release Date: 2004-10-26 Platform: Windows 2000, Windows 98, Windows Me, Windows XP Model: 72245 Publisher: Vivendi Universal Product features: - First-person shooter set during the Vietnam War
- Includes major incidents from the conflict, such as the Tet Offensive
- 16 historical missions, from urban combat to dense jungle fighting
- Soundtrack includes rock classics from the late '60s
- Single- and multiplayer missions
Accessories:
Video Game Reviews of Men of ValorCustomer Review: Excellent game except for the checkpoints Summary: 3 StarsI found this game to be a pleasant surprise in terms of graphics, movement, weapons, story line, historical content, and atmosphere. I have a fairly high end system, so there were no video problems with everything set to max.
It is admittedly very linear. In an urban environment that is easily controlled without being annoyingly obvious, but in a jungle, you find yourself forced along a narrow route and sometimes can't duck behind a tree because it's outside your allowed path. On the other hand, I have no gripes with linear games. I find them more enjoyable, from a single player viewpoint, than open field games like STALKER and Fallout.
Where I really found the game frustrating was with the amount of time or distance you had to cover to get to the next checkpoint. The game doesn't allow you to save, so checkpoints are critical. It doesn't always tell you when you've hit a checkpoint and when it says "Saving Progress", that doesn't mean that you can quit the game and come back to that point later. It just means if you die, you will start from that point. I found myself going to the LOAD menu to verify the last save before quitting.
Also, if you die, you sometimes wind up having to restart from quite a distance back because of the infrequent checkpoints. If you happen to have low health, you might keep restarting just to die after only a few seconds, until you find a way to survive and restock you health. Of course, that's just a normal part of gaming, but this game goes through a scene where it shows and reads the letter describing your death. You can escape out of that screen and the stats screen that follows, but it's not quick. It reacts slowly and it fades to black. As a result, you repeatedly have to listen to the words "Dear Mr and Mrs. Roland Shepherd...". I found that annoying to the extreme.
On one mission, I didn't quite follow behind my squad like I was supposed to, so it missed the queue for the next step in the progress (planting claymores in the river). I finally restarted. That was a trivial problem, though.
Another minor irritation was that it would set your weapon to automatic whenever you restarted. Apparently it doesn't save your weapon status.
Finally, there are some places where the checkpoints happen before a cut scene. When you restart from that point, you have to listen to the cut scene whether you want to or not. I would have liked a way to escape out of the cut scenes.
In summary, I thought this game was really well done and compared very favorably with the COD and MOH series. I would have easily given it 4 stars if the checkpoints were closer together.
-Dave
Description of Men of ValorMen of Valor is a historical shooter that recreates infantry combat during the Vietnam War. Follow new recruit Dean Shepard as he and his Marine squad fight through the jungles of Southeast Asia, during the 1960s.
Shooter Games
|
 |
Mirror's EdgeElectronic Arts; Electronic Arts; Release date: 2009-01-13; Windows Vista; Video GamesBest price: $2.73Price in other shops: $19.99
Battlefield 1942: The Complete CollectionElectronic Arts; Electronic Arts; Release date: 2005-10-24; Windows XP; Video GamesBest price: $8.96Price in other shops: $9.99
Call of Duty: World at WarACTIVISION; Activision; Release date: 2008-11-11; Windows Vista; Video GamesBest price: $34.99Price in other shops: $49.99
Left 4 DeadElectronic Arts; Electronic Arts; Release date: 2008-11-17; Windows XP; Video GamesBest price: $24.00Price in other shops: $29.99
Halo 2Microsoft; Microsoft; Release date: 2007-05-31; Windows Vista; Video GamesBest price: $13.46Price in other shops: $19.99
WolfensteinACTIVISION; Activision; Release date: 2009-08-18; Windows Vista; Video GamesBest price: $29.96Price in other shops: $49.99
Grand Theft Auto IVRockstar Games; Rockstar Games; Release date: 2008-12-02; Windows 98; Video GamesBest price: $15.84Price in other shops: $19.99
Mass EffectElectronic Arts; Electronic Arts; Release date: 2008-05-27; Windows Vista; Video GamesBest price: $14.99Price in other shops: $19.99
Borderlands2K Games; 2K Games; Release date: 2009-10-26; Windows Vista; Video GamesBest price: $32.95Price in other shops: $49.99
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2ACTIVISION; Activision; Release date: 2009-11-10; Windows Vista; Video GamesBest price: $52.84Price in other shops: $59.99
|
Conflict: Denied OpsEidos; Eidos Interactive; Release date: 2008-02-13; Windows; Video GamesBest price: $1.88Price in other shops: $29.99
Conflict: VietnamGlobal Star; Global Star; Release date: 2004-10-05; Windows NT; Video GamesBest price: $3.49Price in other shops: $29.99
Medal of Honor: Pacific AssaultElectronic Arts; Electronic Arts; Release date: 2004-11-09; Windows 2000; Video GamesBest price: $7.50Price in other shops: $9.99
Vietcong2K Games; 2K Games; Release date: 2003-03-28; Windows NT; Video GamesBest price: $27.95
Code of Honor 2: Conspiracy IslandCity Interactive; City Interactive; Release date: 2008-07-29; Windows Vista; Video GamesBest price: $4.91Price in other shops: $19.99
Medal of Honor AirborneElectronic Arts; Electronic Arts; Release date: 2007-09-04; Windows Vista; Video GamesBest price: $19.99
BattleStrike: The Force of Resistance (jewel case)City Interactive; City Interactive; Release date: 2008-07-29; Windows Vista; Video GamesBest price: $9.86Price in other shops: $9.99
Brothers In Arms: Earned in BloodUBI Soft; Ubisoft; Release date: 2005-10-04; Windows XP; Video GamesBest price: $9.99Price in other shops: $19.99
Line of Sight: VietnamAtari; Atari; Release date: 2003-03-04; Windows 98; Video GamesBest price: $3.00Price in other shops: $19.99
Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30UBI Soft; Ubisoft; Release date: 2005-03-15; Windows 98; Video GamesBest price: $3.15Price in other shops: $29.99
|