Steven Spielberg wanted to make a game. That’s how it started. Most people forget that the same mind behind Saving Private Ryan basically invented the modern cinematic shooter. He was watching his son play GoldenEye 007 and realized that games could tell stories just as heavy as movies. That realization gave us the Medal of Honor games, a franchise that didn't just sell millions of copies—it actually changed how we remember history.
It’s easy to look at the stiff animations of the 1999 original now and laugh. But back then? Man, it was revolutionary. It wasn't just about clicking on heads. It was about the sound of a Garand pinging or the terrifying whistle of an incoming mortar. Before Call of Duty became a billion-dollar juggernaut, Medal of Honor games were the gold standard for authenticity and atmosphere.
The Spielberg DNA and the First Wave
The original game on the PlayStation wasn't a fluke. It was a calculated attempt to bring "educational entertainment" to kids. DreamWorks Interactive worked closely with Captain Dale Dye—the same military advisor who put the actors through hell for Saving Private Ryan. This wasn't some arcade romp. Dye insisted on realism in the movements, the weapon reloads, and the general "feel" of being a soldier in the 101st Airborne.
Honestly, the atmosphere in Medal of Honor: Underground still holds up. Playing as Manon Batiste, inspired by the real-life French Resistance fighter Hélène Deschamps Adams, was a bold move in 2000. It shifted the perspective from the front lines to the shadows of occupied Paris. It felt gritty. It felt dangerous.
Then came Allied Assault in 2002. If you were around for that launch, you remember the Omaha Beach level. It was a traumatic, visceral masterpiece. 2015, Inc., the studio behind it, eventually split off to form Infinity Ward and create Call of Duty. You can literally see the DNA of the modern FPS genre in those early Medal of Honor games. It’s the root of the entire tree.
Where the Series Lost Its Way
Success breeds imitation, and eventually, the series started chasing its own tail. By the mid-2000s, we were drowning in World War II shooters. European Assault and Rising Sun were okay, sure, but they started feeling a bit... routine? The spark was flickering. Rising Sun had a great opening at Pearl Harbor, but the rest of the game felt unfinished. Because it kinda was. Development was rushed to hit holiday windows, a classic gaming industry tragedy.
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The 2010 Modern Reboot Controversy
The biggest pivot happened in 2010. Electronic Arts saw the massive success of Modern Warfare and decided to take Medal of Honor games into the present day. They focused on Tier 1 Operators in Afghanistan.
It was controversial.
The UK’s Defence Secretary at the time, Liam Fox, actually tried to get the game banned because you could play as the Taliban in the multiplayer mode. EA eventually changed the name to "Opposing Force," but the damage was done. Politics aside, the 2010 reboot actually had a fantastic single-player campaign. It felt more somber and respectful than the "Michael Bay" style of its competitors. It focused on the quiet professionals, the guys in the dirt, rather than world-ending nukes.
Then came Warfighter in 2012. That was the nail in the coffin for a while. It tried too hard. The story was a mess of acronyms and confusing timelines, and the technical bugs at launch were legendary. Critics shredded it. The franchise went into a deep freeze.
The VR Resurrection: Above and Beyond
For years, fans thought the series was dead. Then, Respawn Entertainment—the Apex Legends and Titanfall folks—dropped Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond in 2020. It was a massive, high-budget VR title.
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It’s a polarizing game. On one hand, the hardware requirements were insane at launch. On the other, it contains some of the most moving documentary footage ever put into a video game. The "Gallery" feature includes interviews with real WWII veterans returning to the sites where they fought. It’s heavy stuff. It won an Oscar. Literally. The short film Colette, produced for the game’s gallery, won the Academy Award for Best Documentary (Short Subject) in 2021.
That’s the legacy of Medal of Honor games. They aren't just about the "pew-pew." They’ve always had this strange, respectful connection to the real people who lived through these events.
Why We Should Still Care
Why does a "dead" franchise matter in 2026? Because the industry has moved toward "Live Service" hero shooters and colorful battle royales. There’s a massive gap where "The Authentic Military Shooter" used to live.
Most modern games treat war like a playground. The early Medal of Honor games treated it like a museum—a place to learn, even while you were having fun. They used actual archival footage. They hired historians. They made sure the uniforms had the right buttons.
What People Get Wrong About the "Realism"
People often say these games were realistic. They weren't. Not really. You could still take ten bullets to the chest and heal by walking over a green cross. But they had thematic realism. The sound design was unparalleled. They used real recordings of firing ranges to capture the distinct crack of a Mauser versus the heavy thud of a BAR. That attention to detail is what created the "vibe" everyone remembers.
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The Future of the Franchise
Is a new game coming? Rumors swirl every year. With the success of gritty, tactical shooters like Hell Let Loose or Squad, there is clearly an audience for something more grounded. EA owns the IP, and they’ve been quiet. But the nostalgia for the "Pacific Theater" or a properly done "D-Day" is at an all-time high.
If they do bring it back, it shouldn't try to be Call of Duty. It needs to go back to its roots: a cinematic, story-driven experience that puts history first.
Actionable Steps for Fans and Newcomers
If you want to experience the best of what this series offered, don't just grab the newest one. You have to go back.
- Play Allied Assault on PC. You can find it on GOG or Steam. It runs on a potato today, but the atmosphere is still unmatched. Use a widescreen fix mod to make it look decent on modern monitors.
- Watch the "Gallery" from Above and Beyond. Even if you don't have a VR headset, you can find the documentary segments on YouTube. They are essential viewing for anyone interested in 20th-century history.
- Check out the soundtracks. Michael Giacchino (who did The Batman and Up) got his big break writing the music for the first Medal of Honor games. The scores are orchestral masterpieces that stand up against any Hollywood film.
- Emulate the PS1 classics. If you can handle the "tank controls," the first two games are masterclasses in level design given the limitations of 90s hardware.
The series is currently in a weird spot, but its influence is everywhere. Every time you lean around a corner in a shooter or hear a shell-shock ringing sound effect, you're seeing a ghost of what Spielberg and his team built decades ago. It wasn't just a game; it was a tribute.
To truly understand the evolution of the FPS, you have to spend time with the titles that prioritized the weight of the boots on the ground over the speed of the player's sprint. Revisit the 2010 reboot for its narrative or Allied Assault for its sheer intensity. Either way, these games deserve a spot in your library if you care about the history of the medium.
Next Steps for Enthusiasts:
- Download the "Medal of Honor: Allied Assault Revival" patch. This community-made fix is necessary for running the game on Windows 10/11 without crashes.
- Research the 2015, Inc. history. Understanding how this studio became the foundation for modern military shooters provides great context for why the early 2000s games felt so different from everything else.
- Explore the "Colette" documentary. It’s a 24-minute film that represents the pinnacle of the series' commitment to historical preservation.