Medal of Honor Allied Assault - A Few Tips Before You Begin

Playing PC Games is an enjoyable pastime for me, when I'm not writing. Nothing much has changed since I played Doom, Heretic (gorgeous and way ahead of its time!) and Wolf 3D on a computer in school.

Of course, technology has developed at such a rapid rate that after about two decades, any of the classics have to be run using DosBox, and one which I have experimented with in recent times.

But amongst all the games that I've played, whether it includes football, wrestling, car racing and so on and so forth, the real adrenaline rush, for me, has always been playing first-person-shooter games based in a World War II setting.

As experts reveal, the number of games that have been released in this genre and based on World War II are numerous but there are a few that really make the cut!

Medal of Honor: Allied Assault, a first person shooter created by 2015 Inc, and released almost a decade ago is one such game.

For veteran gamers, this might be old fare but just like 'Return to Castle Wolfenstein", another game released at the same time, it's one that I can't help but want to go back to, time and time again. Much like Heretic, which is probably one of the most visually creative games I've ever played - and still do.

Similar to most video games in this genre, the first level of the game includes training, and it's wise to get to know which keys initiate which command right off the bat - reload and crouch being the most important of the lot. Which you will use a lot under heavy enemy fire...

(I didn't find an option to 'peer' around corners, an option that is available in newer games, but in the end, that's what made the game all that much tougher.)

Your character, Lt. Mike Powell, will have to fight their way through a number of missions, which, in danger of stating the obvious, increases with difficulty as you progress from one mission to the other. Of course, you have to complete a set of objectives for each mission and while that makes the game very “linear”, what else can you expect from a game based on World War II?

Interestingly, and unlike several of these games that I've played in the past, you get to progress through a mission's levels, sometimes all by yourself but also with the help of friendly AI - an aspect that was new, when the game was released.

All in all, there's something for everyone, so if you're playing this game for the first time, here are a few tips & tricks that will help you progress through the game.

No matter how old this game is, one thing is for sure: each mission also requires you to take a clever approach when it comes to using your weapons and staying alive. There are just too many enemies around and the fighting can get really intense. You can't just do the run-and-gun thing which will only work if you've played the level a few times, and know your way around.

So, here are a few generic tips to keep in mind when playing Medal of Honor: Allied Assault:

#1: Reload, reload, reload...

Forgetting to reload can get you in trouble as the game has a funny way of throwing several enemies in your path especially if you forget to do so. Your Springfield Sniper rifle only has 5 rounds while your Thomson has 30 rounds. Those vital few seconds can make all the difference to completing a mission with ease or scampering around for health.

In fact, in certain missions there is a very short timespan given so as to reload before the next wave of Nazi attack. Make use of it!

#2: Friendly AI

Some missions will involve friendly AI who will support you through the mission (especially the missions involving Battle in the Bocage as well as Sniper Town, which is a part of the Day of the Tiger mission.) I've watched several videos where players just ignore the AI as if they weren't even there when it should be your first priority.

Not only will they provide covering fire but they will also be able to spot enemies and kill them especially if they're hard to detect. I noticed a couple of glitches, if one can call it that, in regard to this but in being realistic, you can't save all friendly AI. More about this later...

#3: Enemy AI are not Dumb

Back in the day when I was in school, we used to play games like Doom where you just shoot, shoot and shoot because your enemies would just run at you. The AI were really dumb, for all practical purposes, but this isn't the case today. Enemies in MOHAA are smarter than you'd think – they will crouch, hide and shoot at you from a distance and not just run at you, like some other games I've played in the past with one being Project I.G.I.

#4: Which Guns to Use?

The BAR is my favorite and appears only in one mission as far as I know. As you play through the levels, it will become abundantly clear that the gun that you will use the most is the Springfield Sniper rifle with the Thomson submachine gun a close second. Handy options that you will use to engage the enemy at close quarters as well as from a distance.

Use the Thompson, MP40 and BAR (or even the Colt) when you're close but feel free to use the sniper rifle over large distances for its accuracy and deadliness - and especially if enemy AI have sniper rifles themselves. With that said, it must be pointed out that using the Springfield sniper rifle efficiently can make a big difference as you move through the missions...

#5: Take Point... and Your Time, Seriously

A couple of times during the game, you will be asked to 'take point'. Soldiers who are asked to do so in real life are the ones who are asked to 'go first' into battle while the rest follow. Even if this gives you a rush of adrenaline, take your time. You won't have to look for ammo or health just when you need it most.

Most of all, being reckless can mean that friendly AI can die making the game all that harder, so being tactical is a good idea too. You just cannot gun down all your enemies... as there will be a whole lot of nasty (and accurate) surprises waiting for you.

Instead, let the enemy come to you... and they will!

#6: Crouch as Much as You Can

The game allows you to crouch while moving or run while standing up. Any guesses as to which one will prevent you getting hit regularly?

Of course, while this is slow, it still is very useful in certain missions - ones where you are outnumbered by Nazis. Even Rambo knew when to use stealth and when to attack aggressively.

#7: The Compass

Yes, we all know what the compass is there for... to provide direction as we move to the next objective. But that's not all – let's say, you're playing Sniper Town, and it's hard for you as well as the friendlies to find a sniper who keeps shooting at you (with deadly accuracy) from a long way away, the compass will actually indicate which direction you're being attacked from.

(For example, if an enemy is shooting at you from a position straight ahead, the part of the compass indicating North turns red. You'll know what to do from there on.)

That really helps especially in a level like Sniper Town... but works just as well in other levels too.

#8: Use YouTube Walkthroughs (Only if You're Stuck)

There are a bazillion walkthroughs of Medal of Honor: Allied Assault on YouTube, and most of them are really good. For the sake of enjoying the game, play it first and if you find it difficult to get past a certain point in the game, then use the walkthroughs on YouTube by entering the mission name.

Or else it's no fun, don't you think?

#9: Use Obstacles for Cover

Enemy AI use obstacles for cover, so while this might seem elementary, it's not such a bad idea to use cover yourself. Whether this includes rocks, cars, buildings, trees or even tanks, make sure that you give the enemy AI a challenge to get their shots in accurately. A practice that will come in handy when you are playing the first part of Mission 3: Operation Overlord, believe me.

You don't want to be facing an MG42 or snipers without any cover!

#10: Watch Out For Ammo

No matter which level you play, you'd rarely run into problems with conserving sniper rifle ammo but the same cannot be said when using other guns. Always pick up MP40 ammo for your Thomson from Mission 2 onwards. As for other guns like the BAR, it's a good idea to conserve ammo for vicious gun battles later on.

For example, when you start the “Battle in the Bocage” mission, use the BAR sparingly until you get to the third part of the mission where the fighting is intense. (Tip: Firing a couple of rounds from your BAR is enough to kill the enemy, so it can prove vital in such situations.)

So, are there any other tips that I missed for first-time players? Please feel free to share in the comments section below.

If you want to get a real "feel" of the game... watch the video below!