On December 7th 1941 the Japanese launched one of the most startling attacks in military history, decimating the U.S. naval fleet and killing thousands of unprepared marines with deadly dive bombings and torpedo attacks. This was a truly momentous occasion and one that eventually brought about the end of the Second World War. Many films have been created around this landmark battle but to the best of my knowledge no videogame has sought to deal with the sometimes sticky subject of Pearl Harbour. Who better then to handle such a sizable piece of history as the US's involvement in World War II than EA Games, with their latest first person shooter, Medal Of Honour: Rising Sun.

The first few minutes of Rising Sun is one of the most amazing I've ever experienced in a game, as your character Joe Griffin is torn from his hammock by a wholly unexpected bomb blast and has to find his way out of a soon-to-be submerged battleship in order to gun down the Japanese bombers darkening the sky. Admittedly the tension isn't there, as you know that you can take your time in getting out and that you aren't really in much danger, despite the ferocity of the aerial attack, but this set piece is a wonderfully crafted piece of videogame art, allowing you to get to grips with the controls in an enjoyable, unforced and yet functional fashion. The impact of the battle is as impressive as any intro and starts the game on a stratospheric note, with every aspect of the game from ambient sounds to screen shaking effects blending together magnificently to create a breathtaking opening scene.

Titles with such astounding openings, especially first person shooters, tend to shoot themselves in the foot, as more often than not this kind of vigour simply can't be carried through the rest of the title. Rising Sun is, sadly, one of those titles with a big smoking hole in its shoe. Past the first level, things go downhill - and fast. Almost every aspect of the game loses out to the monstrously powerful start and it feels like eating pate du frois gras after a red-hot balti; you know it's tasty, but you just can't appreciate it. After this huge set piece you are packed off toward the rising sun and a rather weak lost brother narrative ensues that sees you travelling from sweaty jungles to dusty urban hellholes in an attempt to stem the tide of the yellow peril. Along the way you meet some fellow soldiers that fit neatly into the nice stereotypes of, for example, the quiet sniper, the barking Sarge, the crazy explosives expert and the reserved British covert ops chap. Nothing outstanding can be said of the storyline but it does have the benefit of placing you in some interesting situations without stretching things too far.

The only specific addition to the MOH mechanic is the Banzai charge of the Japanese who, in certain situations, will attempt to fashion an attractive bayonet accessory from your innards rather than dive for cover and shoot. This is not something new to most FPS gamers and in all honesty doesn't play a major part in adding realism to the title. All the stock missions are there, from the sniper objectives to escorts to on-the-rail levels to team based setups and each is well executed and, for the most part, fits with both the story and the feel of the game. The weapon loadout is, in light of the historical background, a little dull up against the futuristic likes of Halo but the individual characteristics of each weapon shines through nicely and offers a well thought out strategy element. A two player co-op mode has been included, which offers some good multiplayer action and is definitely the way to play through.

Clunkyness runs rife throughout the game with aiming being a particularly difficult task. Running is lethargic and turning even slower at times, especially when the bazooka guys are about, the action becomes fiddly rather than frenetic. Add to this the unnecessarily claustrophobic feel of much of the title and in all honesty, up against Frontline, this feels like a bit of a loser. One of the biggest gameplay gripes is that your character is a bit too much of a superhero, you do everything on your own and almost single-handedly win WW2 - more of a team effort would have been nice.

The other grievance is the AI, which ranges from irritating to downright stupid. Yes, on occasion the Japs will charge with little or no regard for their own lives but more often than not they'll stand around taking bullet after bullet to the head before finally falling over and dying. Another grumble is that those of you expecting a long title will be disappointed in this, as it's one of the shortest FPS games I've played with just a little over five hours play time for the pro fragger. A few other problems are present here, like the lengthy stretches between saves, and it simply doesn't give a good representation of the Japanese ferocity that made them such a terrifying adversary during the war, coming off feeling sub par on the gameplay side of things. The missing online play is really not much of a loss, as despite some quality level maps and strategic action, the action in the online enabled PS2 version feels old and boring due to restricted options and limited play types.

Things on the graphics front aren't too shabby though, with some satisfying death throe animations and impressive explosions and effects throughout. Although the environments are plain, they do the job and make the more notable effects, like a dive-bomber bearing down on you, stick out a little more. As I wasn't in Asia during the Second World War, I wouldn't be able to comment on its realism, but the palette feels a tad overdone and increases the tedium of some of the longer missions. A steady frame rate, even in the multiplayer modes, rounds out the visuals nicely and it's fair to say that they've done enough right to make it a pretty game to play. On the audio side, things are again quite tidy with competent voice acting, lovely ambient effects and explosions, plus a level of gunfire that reflects the nature of the conflict. Often you can't hear your commander's instructions though, what with all the other sounds, but this isn't as much of a problem thanks to the handy mission guide.

Medal of Honour: Rising Sun is not a game to get excited about and in all honesty, I don't think anyone has. At times satisfying but more frequently irritating, Rising Sun just doesn't cut it. The accumulation of problems in both the gameplay and control areas isn't outweighed by the presentation and the lack of online play does nothing to help the cause - it's by no means a tragedy but considering Frontline it's by no means a success either. Longevity issues come into the equation and with that in mind it's difficult to advocate this as a viable purchase. This FPS doesn't deserve any accolade as high as a congressional Medal of Honour; a pat on the back and a "try harder next time" sounds about right.

Reviewed by Tom Leclerc for AceGamez (All Rights Reserved).