Drama. Medal Of Honor loves it. It might be the kind of hero-worshipping, teary-eyed, American drama that immediately triggers our gag reflex, but the high points - Frontline's D-Day landing, Rising Sun's Pearl Harbor chaos - are some of the most spectacular moments on PS2. But the battle-lines have been redrawn. Call Of Duty's non-stop action and the flanking squad tactics of Brothers In Arms: Road To Hill 30 mean that Medal Of Honor needs to put up an A-bomb-strength counter-attack to reassert itself as the premier WW2 shooter. Sadly, European Assault isn't up to the task.

Sitting uneasily between the strategy of Brothers In Arms and the one-man-wins-the-war angle of previous Medal Of Honor games, European Assault slaps a Lieutenant's badge on your character, William Holt, and gives him three soldiers to look after. In addition, the characteristic corridor-style levels have been dropped to accompany the new buddy-assisted gameplay, encouraging you to out-flank enemies with your squad while rewarding players who have the tactical skills to step back and calculate the best way to advance. Essentially, they're just bigger corridors, but by scattering multiple objectives all over the place (some are optional, but produce bonuses if completed) you're so busy you hardly notice.

Commanding troops is a low-carb squad experience, with orders limited to 'Go there' or 'Come here'. It sounds quick and effective, and your men's fearless approach to obeying orders would normally be an inspiration - but often the end result is irritation. Ordering the squad behind cover can result in two members doing so while the remaining man doggedly plants himself in front of the obstacle. Or take this example: a later level sees you advancing across a field criss-crossed with trenches, the air torn with gunfire. Reaching the Nazi line you point with your crosshair and press L2 to order your men into the enemy trench. Only, instead of following you, for reasons known solely to Artificial Intelligence and the Almighty, they shun the easy option of leaping down into the trench and opt to sprint deep behind enemy lines, through the Nazi bullets, past three tanks and then decide to attack the Hun from the wrong side, getting royally perforated in the process. With the new, wider approach making for some big, flowing levels, it's a shame that you can't rely on your men to obey orders.

On the whole, the squad control gets in the way of MOH's traditionally arcadey flavour. Particularly when your boys keep wandering in front of your scope while you're trying to line up a shot. But forget about everyone else, carry on regardless, and the wide levels can give you the freedom to experiment with tactics, resulting in some fast-paced battles - like the second mission of the French campaign. Invading a Nazi-occupied harbour, you're given three distinct options: attack to the left, right, or loop around the harbour buildings for another objective, leading underground. Next you're advancing across a huge industrial yard to flush out a bunker position and control the area. Complete that objective and Nazi reinforcements arrive, turning the battlefield on its head, so you're now trying to escape as the enemy attack.

Ironically, what used to be the best thing about the series has now become its most obvious flaw: desperately Hollywood-scripted gameplay. When running to a bridge in the final campaign, for instance, the wider boundaries give you a view of the far bank. There's a machine gun nest but no gunner, so you move up and skirt down the bank, under the bridge to avoid fire. Still no enemies appear. Then, as you leave the last bit of cover, soldiers spring up and start shooting - you've just stepped on the invisible line that triggers the next bout of carnage. And while the action feels punchy - Jerry crumbles satisfyingly when spuffed full of bullets - you know that, once you stop moving, the entire war will grind to a halt, waiting while you finish your popcorn.

The first Africa level is the same - an open area with plenty of scope for tactical thinking, but only if the game wants to co-operate. Use the sniper rifle to try and take out the line of machine guns in the distant trench and you'll find the gunners haven't arrived. Once you've cleared the battleground and taken the trench you're attacked by a group of soldiers who miraculously emerge behind your lines.

Complete an earlier objective and a tank appears, rolling up the hill towards you, presumably having flown across the impassable boundary between your position and the remaining Nazis. It's not quite as destructive to the atmosphere as the huge ammo/health icons that litter the game, screaming, "You're playing a videogame!" in your ear, but it highlights how formulaic the Medal Of Honor series has become.

The shooting might be solid, and it still makes for some enjoyable shootouts, but European Assault doesn't hold up against its fierce WW2 competitors. For a series that sells itself on dramatic, awesome moments, this just doesn't bust enough blocks. Tank attacks and air strikes set to unbearably pretentious trumpet-music can't match Call Of Duty's incredible Stalingrad siege, and your forgettable squad mates don't capture any of that game's personality. The war's moved on, but this big-budget-movie-wannabe is injured and flagging behind the rest. It's now a case of 'keep up or die' for Medal Of Honor.

Graphics 60%
Muddy blandscapes and weak animation.

Sound 60%
Meaty weapon retorts, awful music.

Gameplay 60%
Old-fashioned and totally unconvincing.

Lifespan 50%
Too few levels and only mildly challenging.

Overall 60%
Forever trying to force-feed you scripted moments, Medal Of Honor's bigger, free-form levels only serve to pinpoint just how out of date it is.