The uncomfortable hammock sways serenely as you half doze and half listen the voices of the Andrew Sisters and your bunk mates who brag about their girl that waits for them back home.  Suddenly, without any warning, the entire ship jolts violently to the point that you are tossed out of your hammock and on to the cold floor of the USS Arizona.  An explosion rings in your ears and the soft voices of your bunkmates are replaced by cries of pain and fear.  As you make your way up to the ship’s deck, your eyes widen at the sight of thousands of Japanese fighter planes attacking without mercy.  This is how Medal of Honor: Rising Sun begins . . . dramatically and astonishingly realistic.

Then again, the Medal of Honor games have always been great at establishing the mood and the same can be said about Rising Sun.  Patterson, the hero of Medal of Honor: Frontline, is replaced by Joseph Griffin who is witness to the bombing of Pearl Harbor on the famous Day That Will Live In Infamy.  With America now joining the war against the Axis powers and the Empire of Japan, Griffin soon finds himself on an important mission to intercept a shipment of gold the Japanese plan to use to fund the war effort.  Taking this gold from them would cripple the Empire of Japan and so Griffin and a group of Allied soldiers hit the Pacific Theater and ready for action.

While the opening mission is quite unforgettable, the rest of the game falls straight into the usual first-person action of the previous Medal of Honor games.  There is no new innovative change in the gameplay but this is actually not a bad thing at all considering the fact that there is much to see in this game.  The game’s missions put you on a path to the main missions and, while the game leads you by the hand the entire way, the things you will experience will feel very authentic.  One mission puts you in Singapore creeping your way through a misty dock and eliminating enemies along the way.  Stealth is a required skill in this game so expect to use silenced weapons.

When the action gets hot, the game picks up quite quickly.  Your list of arsenal is true to the 1940s era and many of them don’t quite load the manner in which we are use to when playing first-person shooters.  Not only does this creatively make you feel as if you were part of the era but it also adds to the challenge.  And speaking of challenge, the Japanese were known for their direct fighting style and tendency to charge into their enemy’s banzai-style.  The fact that you will be in heavy foliage also makes the situation more tense.

The controls have not changed since the game’s last outing.  Aiming your weapon is simply just pulling back the left trigger and this makes for quick targeting but occasionally awkward aiming.  The somewhat shaky controls hinder you in many places but it still gives you a chance to concentrate on the interaction between your teammates and any situation you just happen to encounter.  You can also switch weapons on the fly, which is a good thing since the standard issue firearms of that time require much reloading.

The good news is that we once again get a multiplayer option and the best part about this is that there’s even a two-player co-op mode for the game’s main Campaign Mode.  The co-op game is seen split-screen style and it’s done rather well and is a very welcome addition to the Medal of Honor series.  There is also a multiplayer mode fit four up to four players.  The maps are plentiful for those mode and the game types--Free For All Match or Team Deathmatch.  The only thing missing with this picture is Xbox Live support that could have made this one a real winner.

Visually speaking, Rising Sun lacks the visual style that is true to the Xbox and the series in general.   There is no doubt that the graphics will be compared to another first-person shooter called Turok.  The reason behind this comparison is obvious--the two games share similar jungle settings and both don’t quite render foliage quite as impressively.  The framerate also drops on numerous occasions, most notably during fierce engagements with multiple enemies.  It doesn’t get bad enough that it becomes distracting but it certainly is something of a disappointment for us Xbox owners and fans of first-person shooters.  Still, the special effects are still simply the best.

Where the game really excels is the sound department and, thanks to the oh-so delicious THX Dolby Digital Sound support, this is also what brings the game to life.  Not only does the sound of gunfire seem to come from different locations, but you can also pin-point the exact location of an enemy shooter just by listening for their gunfire.  The game’s score is also quite beautiful with its Asian-influenced melodies that actually work with the game’s action and locale.  The voice work is also quite authentic and is handled excellently throughout the game. 

Medal of Honor: Rising Sun could have been one of the most historically brilliant action games of this year if it wasn‘t for its sometimes forced action sequences and rushed production feel.  While Frontline is still the best game in the series, Rising Sun has many great missions that gamers will still love to revisit a second time.  Gamers who expected greatness will be a bit letdown by this one, but it is still fun enough to play through.  

Gameplay: 7.0
The game does a brilliant job of transporting gamers to the specific timeline and does so by authentically capturing all the elements that make up the war’s key battles in that specific region.  Aside from this great element, the game has a few missions that really stand out as favorites.  However this doesn’t mean all is perfect.  Rising Sun still pushes you on a set path and there are many “forced” events that become rather predictable.  For example, you can wipe out all the enemies in one location but once you man a gun turret waves of enemies seem to just appear out of thin air.  Aiming is still a bit awkward.

Graphics: 8.8
Rising Sun is not as impressive as it should be and this is something of a disappointment.  There are many wonderfully detailed locations found in this game and the many characters that surround you--even the enemies themselves--look downright realistic.  You’ll find that there was a lot of attention placed on realism and watch enemies get cut down is something of a guilty pleasure.  Still, there are some sloppy graphical details in things like foliage and other environmental details.

Sound: 9.5
This is where the game really shines and a nice pat on the back should go to the talented sound department that added plenty of detailed sound effects, good voice acting and a masterful score.  The sound effects are loud and heavily laced with plenty of background noises.  Nothing is more creepy than sneaking through the jungle, the sounds of the wildlife drowning out things around you.  And when the scene explodes with gunfire and the sharp bang of a grenade, there’s nothing quite like it.  As for the musical score, it’s beautifully orchestrated and fits the game nicely.

Difficulty: Medium
War is hell, they say, and this little phrase proves to be correct when the battles become intense.  You’ll find that going up against these somewhat intelligent troops is quite a challenge and when they come running out at you with their bayonet, you know you’re in for trouble.  However, the game’s difficulty never becomes frustratingly difficulty but there are many moments where you’ll be overwhelmed by the enemy.  The most difficult parts of the game are when stealth becomes necessary.  Aiming your weapon can be a somewhat clumsy action so expect to curse the fact that you’ll miss several times throughout the game.

Concept: 8.0
The first fifteen minutes of this game are, quite simply, the most memorable action sequence found in a game to date.  While the rest of the game feels like your average first-person shooter, it’s the game’s historical accuracy and the intensity of the battles that clearly sets the game apart.  There are also a few bonuses that help push the replay factor just a bit.  For example, you can find hidden items such as a shovel and machete that you can use to cut a different patch.  While this doesn’t mean you’ll be able to discover all-new terrains that lead to new adventures, it’s helpful in locating a path that you can use to ambush the enemy.

Multiplayer: 8.5
The one thing Frontline lacked was a co-op mode that allows you to play through the game’s main story mode, but thankfully Rising Sun follows in the same footsteps as Return to Castle Wolfenstein: Tides of War in terms of it’s split-screen action.  There are some deathmatch-type games that is fit for up to four players and this is actually not bad at all but most of it has already been done before when Frontline added a multiplayer mode.  Sadly there is no Xbox Live support for this one.  Why oh why didn’t they add an Xbox Live multiplayer option?

Overall: 7.8
While not making quite the same impact as Frontline, Rising Sun has its small share of thrilling moments that makes this a somewhat average installment of the Medal of Honor series.  The game does, though, magnificently capture the essence of the era but it also accurately recreates war’s most brutal moments.  However, even the game’s wonderfully intense story can’t hide the fact that this game seems to lead you by the hand and doesn’t offer options to keep the action fresh.  Still, if it’s historical accuracy and plenty of action you crave, Rising Sun will not disappoint.