Medal of Honor: Airborne

A couple of years ago, you might have struggled to imagine a mobile phone WWII game could ever hope to convey the same level of tension and atmosphere as a PC and console title like, say, Call of Duty.

After all, these epic war productions take inspiration from films such as Saving Private Ryan, mixing big, unexpected explosions with the shouts and screams of your comrades in battle, not to mention the confusion through the smoke-filled set-pieces of exactly who is allied and who is enemy.

But mobile titles are rapidly gaining ground in their continuing battle for gaming acceptance. And while Medal of Honor: Airborne on mobile doesn't quite have the cinematic visuals (although the 3D, slightly overhead graphics are exceptionally good), its gameplay is immersive and the action relentless from the off.

Playing as part of an airborne division, you (and sometimes others members of the division) begin each level by parachuting into a fresh battlefield.

Sandbags are your friends. Walking up to them initiates your soldier to take automatic cover and a visual indicator in the shape of a blue circle beneath your feet shows when you're safely tucked out of harm's way. If it turns red, then you know you're in danger of being hit by enemy fire.

More so than many similar action shooters on mobile, MoH Airborne is all very strategic. There are times when leaving cover and taking aim out in the open is the only way to flush out enemies but, generally, this gets you floored quicker than attempting to cross the M25 with a bucket over your head. Here, you have to think if you want to stay on your feet.

Supply crates hidden around areas contain vital items such as grenades, health packs and flares. Grenades are particularly handy auto-aiming weapons that take down gun turret-toting enemies or squads, while letting off a flare calls in support from an armed, parachuting co-soldier.

One of the most impressive aspects of Airborne is how the controls have been implemented. They're incredibly simple, with a lot of context-sensitive actions, yet the game still feels very deep.

Moving is done with the thumbstick, or keypad, with the obligatory fire function mapped to a button, and you scroll through weapons using the right softkey, so can easily flick from rifle to sniper rifle to grenade from the safety of cover.

And that's really all that's needed, since covering is done automatically. It's not the only auto-function, either. When you reach a mortar gun or bunker which needs blowing up as part of an objective, the dynamite is selected and placed by just pressing fire when standing next to the object. It's a simple touch that promotes a fluid gaming experience, enabling the atmosphere to remain intact.

Missions, meanwhile, are nicely varied. Typically, most levels are completed by clearing out enemy soldiers and blowing up equipment, but these troops are all packing different types of weaponry and using a variety of tactics.

In Normandy, for instance, there are snipers to watch out for. Roaming red crosshairs scour the land and lock on if they see you out of cover for longer than a split-second, then take you down mercilessly with terrifying speed.

In Grave, enemies man mortar cannons. These can reach you even when behind cover but are far slower at lining up. Stand still for too long, however, and a large red circle appears, soon followed by an explosion you won't survive.

Levels quickly build up increasingly greater numbers of enemies and the variety of weapons all homing in on you at once, forcing you to rethink tactics and keep on your toes at all times. Some sections are tough to the point of killing you within seconds, but a great sense of achievement is felt when you eventually fight your way through the hoards.

Besides, a regenerating health bar helps with the difficulty level as there's generally the option to just leg it to safety and wait for it to fill back up again. With the AI not quite clever enough to pick up on this tactic and come after you, though, it's tempting to spend a lot of time retreating and waiting 20 seconds before progressing onwards again.

The AI also affects your allied troops, who are both a help and a hindrance in equal measures. The latter results from them not being fully trained in tactical combat. For example, once you realise that rushing an almost dead enemy and finishing him off with a swift rifle-in-the-face rewards you with a dropped item, it's obviously something that is worth doing to any soldier without backup. But as your comrades just keep shooting until everyone's dead on the ground, it's hard to pick anything up when they're around.

Other gripes include the auto-cover, which sometimes seems to get your soldier stuck for a few seconds. In extreme split-timed sections which see you rushing gunners when they're reloading, it's frustrating to find that getting to the next bit of cover isn't as smooth as it could be.

In just about every other way, however, Medal of Honor: Airborne is a successful shooter. The range of real-life battles and environments is impressive and there are enough levels to keep you ducking and covering for some time. Just don't sign up if mindless shooting is what you're after, or you'll be cursing those cover-shattering mortars at every sandbag you cower behind.