Medal Of Honor: Airborne

It's seems like over the last few years you couldn't turn round without tripping over a dozen First Person Shooters set during the second world war. Mostly, they've been very linear slogs through sniper infested towns, bases and factories, running from one checkpoint to another. MOH: Airborne is a break from this tradition, as it forgoes the usual structure and tries for a more free-form game, where you can steer your parachute and land wherever you like. (Often as not, right beside an enemy platoon who use you as target practice before you can get your gun out). The checkpoints are still there but the difference is that this time you pick the order you choose to finish them in, or just run around shooting Germans for a while. This can get confusing as the maps are huge, spreading out in all directions, with buildings and rooftops all chock full of Hitler's guys. But with your allies helping out (with decent AI!) and upgradable weapons, shooting German's could get to be a habit again, as Airborne really blows a life-giving breath into the stagnating genre. The game is gorgeous to look at, using the Unreal 3 engine to make the 1940s prettier than ever before, and the control system has a few neat touches that'll hopefully become standard functions in future games. A pity then that its one flaw is being too short; with only six missions and a handful of multiplayer options it won't last a weekend. [Graeme Strachan]