F.E.A.R. Review

Game: F.E.A.R.
Year (s):  2005 (orininal and Extraction Point) 2007 (Perseus Mandate)
Company:  dev.  Monolith Productions (original), TimeGate Studios (expansions)
            pub.  Vivendi Universal
Engine:  Lithetech Jupiter EX
Type:  First Person Shooter, Horror
What I Paid:  Steam sale!  Five bucks for FEAR plus both expansions


Plot

The story is told mostly by answering machine messages and hacking of laptops.  The game starts out with a battalion of clone soldiers, controlled by a psychic commander, get out of control.  As you progress, you learn the dark secrets behind the commander, the player, and a little girl named Alma.


Graphics

For a game that came out a year after Half Life 2 and Doom 3, it looks like it could have  come out a year before.  There are some particle effects, some good use of lighting, and the people look alright.  Aside from that,textures are basic and entirely two-dimensional, mechanical enemies exploding looks like crap, and the graphics are otherwise pretty underwhelming. 


Hallucinations

There are ghosts.  There are creepy scenes with blood and fire interspersed.  This game is lauded for the suspense approach to horror.  Intense firefight, something creepy.  They happen at set spots, but it keeps you on your toes.


Combat

Combat is pretty intense in FEAR, and a big part of it is SlowMo, a power that can be used for a limited amount of time for a huge advantage, then must recharge.  The player is always outnumbered, so that (and the occasional grenade) are important.  Player can carry three guns at a time, and can carry up to ten medkits.  All weapons can be used in melee attacks.    My only complaint about combat, even though it could be very difficult, is that there were only a handful of different types of enemies.  Many of the firefights are difficult enough to be memorable if you play it again a few years later.


Down-Loadable Content (DLC)

Two expansions were made by a third party, Extraction Point and Perseus Mandate.  As far as plot, they suck and are not canon.  As far as gameplay, there are a few different enemies, a few different guns, and mostly otherwise more of the same.  The creepy suspense is replaced by a more graphic and bloody horror style.  If you like the first one, these are fun, just don't expect any of it to matter in FEAR 2 or 3.


Final Thoughts

The Ultimate Shooter edition includes some bonus material about developing the game, a short funny machima clip (same group that does Red vs. Blue), and a short live-action cinematic with Alma and a doctor.  Nothing there that you wouldn't find on Wikipedia, but if you like the game a lot, well, you know.

Anyway, this is an intense shooter that runs pretty cheap, so if you haven't played it, I'd recommend it.  FEAR 2 came out in 2009, FEAR 3 is currently set to be released in May 2011.