MOH: Pacific Assault delayed again

Electronic Arts has decided to further delay PC first-person shooter Medal of Honor: Pacific Assault according to a carefully worded statement on the game's official website, which also mentions a new feature called Combat Squad Control. Pacific Assault is now expected to ship in November, having previously been expected in Europe a month earlier.

"EA has listened to the feedback of critics and consumers who have played an early build of Medal of Honor: Pacific Assault; their high expectations encouraged us to add some extra time to the development schedule in order to add new features and an extra coat of polish to the game," the statement read.

"Medal of Honor fans will benefit from some exciting additions. For the first time in the history of the series, players will be able to control their squad in the heat of battle, enjoying greater tactical manoeuvring through a new feature called Combat Squad Control."

"With Combat Squad Control, gamers under siege can bark orders on the fly, using only a single keystroke to order squad-mates to 'Advance!', 'Fall Back!', 'Give Suppression Fire!' or 'Assemble!' We believe that adding this new feature and giving the game more time for polish will pay out. It will help us build on the integrity of one of the greatest franchises in gaming."

If Combat Squad Control sounds familiar, then perhaps you've been watching videos of Gearbox Software's World War II shooter Brothers In Arms, which boasts a similar one-button squad control scheme. You can see how Pacific Assault was shaping up at EA's recent Hot Summer Nights event - and download a video of the game in action - by heading here.

Pacific Assault had originally been due out in early 2004, but at the time EA decided to hold the game back (along with The Sims 2) in order to make sure it was as good as it could be. CFO Warren Jenson said in January it was "on the cusp of being finished," adding "It's really about polishing the product."