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'fear is coming after you again ... and again!'
 Developer: Day 1 Studios (Xbox 360 version)
Publisher: Sierra Entertainment
Category: : Horror FPS
Official Site
Platform: X-Box 360
Might look like: Condemned ?
Date posted: 21 December 2006
Written By: Brad
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Are YOU afraid of Little Girls ?
Primarily a challenging FPS, the horror elements are played out through a series of interactive cut scenes and set pieces. This is a visceral experience as you are thrown into intense bloody fire fights against highly adaptive and intelligent adversaries.
F.E.A.R's cinematic opening sequence shows insane military commander Paxton Fettel confined to a cell, in a sequence inspired by films like "the Grudge" and "Ringu", an apparition takes possession of Fettel who is telepathically linked to an army of cloned super soldiers and he goes on a city wide rampage.
First Encounter Assault Recon (also known as F.E.A.R.) are called in to investigate.
This game has A.I. (artificial intelligence) which elevates it above anything you've yet seen on your XBOX 360. The A.I. will flank you issuing commands to each other, even diving through windows and calling for back up, close up the cloned soldiers lash out with a brutally effective array of melee attacks.
So, what's more?
I see DEAD people !
Cinematic from the very outset the styling of F.E.A.R. draws you in with subtle visual cues that get you jumping at your own shadow.
It does this with interactive cut scenes and flashbacks to set the mood. It plays out like a movie borrowing heavily from the Japanese horror genre.
You'll find your nerves shredded by some startlingly effective sound programming.
Disembodied voices surround you, sounds come from behind, you spin around to illuminate the corner and then you hear "flashlight!". Your position is given away and all hell breaks loose as you're drawn into a fire fight for your life.
There is a tension that remains throughout the game as you are haunted by spectres, each dark corner and shadow has you reeling, you'll use your flashlight tentatively for fear of attracting unwanted attention.
The story fleshes itself out through eerie answer phone messages and gives background information on laptops as you try to investigate what's happening around you.
  
F.E.A.R.'s Gameplay
This is one of the most challenging FPS's on the platform due largely to the phenomenal AI used in Monoliths latest first person horror title.
If you loved "Condemned" you will be hooked immediately, if you didn't, F.E.A.R. is still one of the most atmospheric shooters on any platform so you'll love it anyway.
The AI break from routine to track you down using squad tactics. When you get cornered its time to delve into your adrenaline fuelled Slow-Mow, so you can exhibit heightened reflexes. This mode produces a slow motion bullet time not unlike the 'Max Payne' or 'Matrix movie series'.
Each time you enter Slow-Mow you embark on a series of truly cinematic action sequences during which you can execute some awesome melee moves to great effect.
This elevates this incredible shooter to another level as you twirl around fighting for survival amidst a hail of bullets and explosions.
Plumes of shattered concrete hang in the air reducing visibility and concussion grenades emit shock waves on exploding that radiate visually from the point of explosion.
When the battle's over, the dust settles, the flames subside, you'll find bodies pinned to walls with metal spikes and eviscerated bodies everywhere. Scary.
Guns, guns, guns !
The weapons make a First Person Shooter (FPS) and F.E.A.R. has a well balanced collection of weapons.
The shotgun produces some great kills with decapitations and in close proximity you can blow an enemy in half, the prone body twitching at your feet.
By far the best weapon is definitely the 'Type Seven Energy Weapon'. Its effects are as satisfying as the "Gravity Gun" in "Half Life 2".
You can tangibly feel the weight of the weapons you wield as it effects your movement and response time. Each has a specific sound on reloading and recoil on firing adding weight to the overall atmosphere as you bear down on targets.
  
Multiplayer
The 360 version has exclusive multiplayer maps over the PC version.
It is a great looking generic online lag-free multiplayer fragfest. The gameplay is fast and frenetic though it doesn't captivate you like its single player counterpart.
While the environments are in complete keeping with the Single player mode, with all the weapons at your disposal, it still looses its edge as their is no element of FEAR.
Ranked matches are created and controlled by the hosts which means you end up playing against clans, who have adapted games to suit themselves, with weapon restrictions to suit their style of gameplay.
Many of my team mates were huge Counter strike fans and the fast paced action really suited them, but it didn't feel very tactical.
Conclusion
This is an outstanding Horror title from the same stable as "Condemned" though infinitely less scary.
There is a constant element of FEAR as you play through this great-looking FPS which has fantastic sound with a brilliant cinematic score and even better gunfights.
The story line is told through interacting with the games environment and the more you explore the more you uncover. Probably the most atmospheric First Person Shooter on the 360 delivering brilliant gunplay against truly awesome A.I.
If F.E.A.R. had lived up to its advertising campaign it would have been terrifying. My wish was that it had to be played with the lights on. Instead, watch out for little girls as you crawl through air vents in abandoned factories and keep out of lifts.
-Brad
Ratings
Manual:
75 % |
Graphics:
85% |
Music & Sfx:
90% |
GamePlay:
87% |
|
This game scores
on our 5-point Rating System
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