- Medal of Honor: Underground
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Medal of Honor: Underground 
Developer(s) DreamWorks Interactive (PSX)
Rebellion Developments (GBA)Publisher(s) Electronic Arts (PSX)
Destination Software (GBA)Distributor(s) Electronic Arts (PSX)
Zoo Digital Publishing (GBA)Composer(s) Michael Giacchino Series Medal of Honor Platform(s) Game Boy Advance, PlayStation, PlayStation Network Release date(s) PlayStation
Game Boy Advance
PlayStation Network[1]
- NA June 11, 2009
Genre(s) First-person shooter Mode(s) Single-player, Multiplayer Rating(s) Media/distribution Download Medal of Honor: Underground is a videogame that is the prequel to the World War II hit Medal of Honor. In Underground, the player takes the role of Manon Batiste (Based on Helene Deschamps Adams), a French woman who appeared in the first game as an advisor. The plot of the game begins before the original Medal of Honor, when Manon fights for the French Resistance before America entered the war. As the plot progresses, Manon is recruited to the OSS and takes on covert missions in occupied Europe and Africa. Missions include the sabotage of a V-1 flying bomb factory and rescuing prisoners of war. Levels include, occupied Greece, North Africa, Monte Cassino and Germany. The first and last levels are set in Paris, at the beginning and end of the Nazi occupation.
Medal of Honor: Underground was initially released for the PlayStation video game console on October 23, 2000. In 2002, the game was re-released in Europe as part of the compilation Medal of Honor / Medal of Honor: Underground.[2] It later was re-released a second time on the North American PlayStation Network for the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable as a 474 MB file for $5.99 on June 11, 2009.[3] It was developed by DreamWorks Interactive (currently known as EA Los Angeles) and was published by Electronic Arts. The game is known as Medal of Honor: Resistance in France.[4][5] Prima released a strategy guide for the game in 2000 featuring the same cover art as the original PlayStation release.[6]
Contents
Gameplay
After completing the game, the player can play a non-canon bonus level, named "Panzerknacker Unleashed", in which the player plays as Lt. Jimmy Patterson, who has been sent to a castle after the Allied Forces received a distress signal from there. Many strange enemies are fought at the castle, including dancing dogs which are armed with machine guns and drive half-tracks, knights carrying battle axes, rotten zombified soldiers and several large nutcrackers, called Panzerknacker. The objective of all of the three missions available in this level is to build your own Panzerknacker, who assists you in the final mission.[7]
Plot
Patrick Klepek explains how "Gamers who played Medal of Honor will remember Manon, part of the French Resistance, who was an enormous help toward his efforts. Still set in the era of World War II, the year is 1940 and the German armies have overrun Manon's town. Attempting to survive with her brother and the few people still around in her town, Manon's best companion, her brother, is tragically killed during a routine raid to retrieve weapon supplies. Manon then sets out to meet up with her brother's contacts in order to fight against the Nazis. It will take all her strength and perseverance in order to move up the ranks in the OSS so that she can head back home and help in the liberation of her nation."[8] According to GamePro, Manon is a "young member of the French Resistance introduced as Jimmy Patterson's 'control' in the original Medal of Honor. Set prior to the start of the original Medal of Honor game, Underground follows Manon's journey from a naive member of one of France's first resistance movements to that of a seasoned veteran recruited by the OSS who ultimately becomes a key figure in the Allied invasion at Normandy."[9] The "final mission" has Manon return to Paris to assist in its liberation from German occupation.[10]
Development
Main character Manon Batiste is based on Hélène Deschamps Adams, a real life member of the OSS,[11] the forerunner of CIA.
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'."[12] 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."[13]
Producer Scott Langteau offers that "Underground had an entirely different feel than the original MOH, 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."[14]
Game Boy Advance version
Medal of Honor: Underground is also a Game Boy Advance game released on November 25, 2002. 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.
Reception
GameSpot praises the gamemakers 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."[15] William Abner similarly describes the game as "a refreshing change of pace because you played Manon Batiste, a woman enlisted in the French Resistance."[16] RealPoor ranks her among the 12 Best Female Characters in Video Games, declaring that we "know Manon as a French resistance woman who appeared as an advisor in the first MoH game. In the sequel for PlayStation called Medal of Honor: Underground, she is the main character who takes on covert missions in occupied Europe and Africa."[17]
References
- ^ "Medal of Honor: Underground," IGN.com.
- ^ "Medal of Honor / Medal of Honor: Underground," GameFaqs (2009).
- ^ Grace Chen, "PlayStation Store Update," PlayStation.Blog (Jun 11).
- ^ "Game's entry on GameKult". Business Wire. May 8, 2000. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2000_May_8/ai_61930823. Retrieved 2008-04-03.
- ^ "EA Press Release". Business Wire. May 8, 2000. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2000_May_8/ai_61930823. Retrieved 2008-04-03.
- ^ Alan Barasch, Medal of Honor Underground: Prima's official strategy guide (Prima Games, 2000).
- ^ Air Hendrix, "Medal of Honor Week: (Almost) Everything Else You Wanted To Know But Were Afraid To Ask" GamePro (March 29, 2002).
- ^ Patrick Klepek, "Review of Medal of Honor: Underground," Gaming Age (11/22/2000).
- ^ "Medal of Honor: Underground," GamePro (2009).
- ^ "Medal of Honor: Underground," GamePro (2009).
- ^ William Talley, "$20 Game of the Week & Lost Classics: Post Veteran Day Special," POWET.TV (Nov.16, 2008).
- ^ As quoted in Gary Huff, "Interview with Michael Giacchino," Soundtrack Review Central.
- ^ Ian Lace, "Medal of Honor (Underground) CD Review," MusicWeb International (January 2001).
- ^ As quoted in Air Hendrix, "Medal of Honor Week: Sound Design & Creating Good Sequels," GamePro (March 29, 2002).
- ^ Shoemaker, Brad (2000-11-03). "Medal of Honor Underground Review". GameSpot. http://www.gamespot.com/ps/action/medalofhonorunderground/review.html. Retrieved 2009-12-24.
- ^ William Abner, Gamer's Tome of Ultimate Wisdom: An Almanac of Pimps, Orcs, and Lightsabers (Que, 2005), 105.
- ^ windshell, "12 Best Female Characters in Video Games," RealPoor (Apr 30, 2009).
External links
Medal of Honor series Historical era Medal of Honor (1999) · Underground · Allied Assault (Spearhead · Breakthrough) · Frontline · Rising Sun · Infiltrator · Pacific Assault · European Assault · Heroes · Vanguard · Airborne · Heroes 2Modern era Medal of Honor (2010)Steven Spielberg filmography 1970s Duel (1971) · The Sugarland Express (1974) · Jaws (1975) · Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) · 1941 (1979)1980s Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) · E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) · Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983; one segment) · Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) · The Color Purple (1985) · Empire of the Sun (1987) · Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) · Always (1989)1990s Hook (1991) · Jurassic Park (1993) · Schindler's List (1993) · The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997) · Amistad (1997) · Saving Private Ryan (1998)2000s A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001) · Minority Report (2002) · Catch Me If You Can (2002) · The Terminal (2004) · War of the Worlds (2005) · Munich (2005) · Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)2010s The Adventures of Tintin (2011) · War Horse (2011) · Lincoln (2012)Production
creditsI Wanna Hold Your Hand (1978) · Used Cars (1980) · Continental Divide (1981) · Poltergeist (1982) · E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) · Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983) · Gremlins (1984) · Back to the Future (1985) · The Goonies (1985) · Young Sherlock Holmes (1985) · The Color Purple (1985) · An American Tail (1986) · The Money Pit (1986) · *batteries not included (1987) · Harry and the Hendersons (1987; uncredited) · Innerspace (1987) · Empire of the Sun (1987) · Three O'Clock High (1987; uncredited) · The Land Before Time (1988) · Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) · Back to the Future Part II (1989) · Always (1989) · Dad (1989) · Arachnophobia (1990) · Back to the Future Part III (1990) · Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990) · Joe Versus the Volcano (1990) · An American Tail: Fievel Goes West (1991) · Cape Fear (1991) · We're Back! A Dinosaur's Story (1993) · Schindler's List (1993) · The Flintstones (1994) · The Little Rascals (1994; uncredited) · Casper (1995) · Balto (1995) · Twister (1996) · Men in Black (1997) · Amistad (1997) · Deep Impact (1998) · The Mask of Zorro (1998) · Saving Private Ryan (1998) · The Last Days (1998) · The Prince of Egypt (1998; uncredited) · The Haunting (1999; uncredited) · Wakko's Wish (1999) · The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas (2000) · Evolution (2001; uncredited) · A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001) · Jurassic Park III (2001) · Men in Black II (2002) · Catch Me If You Can (2002) · The Terminal (2004) · The Legend of Zorro (2005) · Memoirs of a Geisha (2005) · Munich (2005) · Monster House (2006) · Flags of Our Fathers (2006) · Letters from Iwo Jima (2006) · Disturbia (2007; uncredited) · Transformers (2007) · Eagle Eye (2008) · Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009) · The Lovely Bones (2009) · Hereafter (2010) · True Grit (2010) · Super 8 (2011) · Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011) · Cowboys & Aliens (2011) · Real Steel (2011) · The Adventures of Tintin: Secret of the Unicorn (2011) · War Horse (2011) · Men in Black III (2012) · Cloud Atlas (2012)Television Night Gallery (1970) · Columbo (1971) · Amazing Stories (1985–1987) · Tiny Toon Adventures (1990–1992) · A Wish for Wings That Work (1991; uncredited) · Tiny Toon Adventures: How I Spent My Vacation (1992) · Family Dog (1993) · seaQuest DSV (1993–1995) · Animaniacs (1993–1998) · ER (1994) · Pinky and the Brain / Pinky, Elmyra & the Brain (1995–1999) · Freakazoid! (1995–1997) · High Incident (1996–1997) · Toonsylvania (1998) · Invasion America (1998) · Band of Brothers (2001) · Taken (2002) · Into the West (2005) · On the Lot (2007) · United States of Tara (2009–2011) · The Pacific (2010) · Falling Skies (2011–present) · Terra Nova (2011–present) · The River (2012–present) · Smash (2012–present)Games The Dig (1995) · Medal of Honor (1999) · Medal of Honor: Underground (2000) · Boom Blox (2008) · Boom Blox Bash Party (2009)Short films Tummy Trouble (1989; played with Honey, I Shrunk the Kids) · Roller Coaster Rabbit (1990; played with Dick Tracy) · Trail Mix-Up (1993; played with A Far Off Place) · I'm Mad (1994; played with Thumbelina)See also Firelight (1964) · Amblin' (1968) · Something Evil (1972) · "Kick the Can" (Twilight Zone: The Movie segment) (1983) · Bee Movie (2007)
Filmography · Amblin Entertainment · DreamWorks · USC Shoah Foundation Institute for Visual History and Education · AmblimationCategories:- 2000 video games
- Electronic Arts games
- First-person shooters
- Game Boy Advance games
- Interactive Achievement Award winners
- Medal of Honor games
- PlayStation games
- PlayStation Network games
- Rebellion Developments
- Video games developed in the United Kingdom
- Video games developed in the United States
- Video games set in France
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