The game is loosely based on parts of Operation Anaconda; specifically, the events surrounding the Battle of Roberts Ridge.

Praise was directed at the game's engaging multiplayer, audio and voice acting, the explosive, gritty and realistic single-player campaign while criticism was directed at the short length of the campaign, minor technical issues, and resemblances to other similar games like Call of Duty and Battlefield.

A sequel, Medal of Honor: Warfighter, also developed by Danger Close Games, was released in October 2012.

For half of the game, players assume the role of a Navy SEAL DEVGRU operator codenamed Rabbit.

AFO Neptune, composed of Tier 1 DEVGRU SEALs codenamed Mother, Voodoo, Preacher, and Rabbit, are sent to meet with an Afghan informant named Tariq who has intelligence on the Taliban.

While Drucker plans to use the Tier 1 operatives to reconnoitre insurgent positions in the valley and then have Afghan Northern Alliance soldiers eliminate them, Flagg is mistrusting of the locals and gives the Colonel a 24-hour deadline to deploy the 10th Mountain Division, the 101st Airborne Division, and the 75th Rangers.

Flagg, angry that Drucker still has not deployed conventional US infantry, unknowingly orders an AC-130U crew to open fire on the Afghan/US task force.

The surviving Northern Alliance forces panic and withdraw, leaving the Colonel no choice but to deploy the Rangers as ordered.

Surrounded and running out of ammunition, Ybarra radios Bagram for reinforcements, which arrive in the form of a pair of AH-64 Apaches, saving them from being overrun.

As they return to base, a Taliban ZU-23-2 anti-aircraft gun crew attempts to shoot the helicopters but are killed by sniper fire from Deuce.

Mother and Rabbit make it to the helicopter, but the Chinook is damaged by heavy enemy fire and forced to leave Voodoo and Preacher behind.

Defying orders to return to base, Mother and Rabbit re-insert at nighttime, barely escaping death when their Chinook comes under fire and crash lands.

Hernandez is wounded while attempting to open a spider-hole and Ybarra brings him back to the landing zone for treatment.

After engaging multiple enemy strongholds with the help of a CIA Predator drone, they locate Mother and the grievously wounded Rabbit.

Instead of pursuing another World War II title, EA Los Angeles decided to take the series to the modern era.

EA DICE, best known as the creators of Battlefield series, was tasked by Electronic Arts to develop the multiplayer mode for the game.

Another Linkin Park song, entitled "The Catalyst", was featured in the final Medal of Honor trailer set released on August 1, 2010.

Medal of Honor has received generally positive reviews from critics, praising the game's engaging multiplayer, audio and voice acting but criticizing minor technical issues, and resemblances to other similar games like Call of Duty and EA's very own Battlefield series.

[23] Eurogamer acknowledged that Medal of Honor has "a solid multiplayer accessory that owes a lot to Bad Company 2", and gave it an 8/10.

[22] Joystiq commended the single player experience but faulted the game's graphical power: "The framerate is shaky, and the lackluster texture work certainly doesn't help", stating that the single-player is ultimately enjoyable.

[28] According to Wedbush Securities analyst Michael Pachter, "Shares [are] down because apparently some investors are disappointed by these early reviews."

In a return statement, EA reminded the investors that critic's reviews are "highly subjective" and that "This is an essentially big achievement considering Medal of Honor has been dormant for several years.

"[31] The UK Defence Secretary Liam Fox criticized the game in advance of its release stating that it was "shocking that someone would think it acceptable to recreate the acts of the Taliban against British soldiers.

Due to pressure from various military officials and veterans organizations, the word Taliban was removed from the multiplayer part of the game and instead replaced with the term "Opposing Force."

The AAFES Commander Maj. Gen. Bruce Casella said, "Out of respect to those touched by the ongoing, real-life events presented as a game, Exchanges will not be carrying this product."

He continued, "I expect the military families who are authorized to shop the Exchange are aware, and understanding, of the decision not to carry this particular offering.

[42] On February 1, 2011, EA reported that the reboot of Medal of Honor was a commercial success with over 5 million copies sold from October to November along with Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit.

[43][44] "It's on a sharp uptick the last couple of years as we've driven high-quality titles ever higher in the charts, particularly in Europe but also in North America," John Riccitiello, EA CEO, said during the publisher's overnight Q3 earnings call.