Game: Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne
Year (s): 2003
Company: dev. Remedy Entertainment
pub. Rockstar Games
Engine: MaxFX 2.0
Type: Third-Person Shooter
Price (as of April 20, 2012)
Regular price on Steam: $9.99 (or $15 the first two Max Payne games)
Lowest Buy-It-Now on eBay (new, with shipping): $50+
Game Time: about six hours
Obligatory Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLNO4oq2bx8
See Also
Max Payne Review: http://fpsandmtg.blogspot.com/2011_04_01_archive.html
Plot
There's a power struggle going on between nefarious bosses, and Max is set up to take the fall. Mona Sax is included as a half-ass love interest; other characters also return. Cutscenes are still done in the form of graphic novels, but there is NONE of the over-the-top similes and metaphors that made the original Max Payne story so entertaining. I hypothesize a different writer.
Engine and Gameplay
MaxFX 2.0 looks like the original MaxFX. It was acceptable for 2003, but terrible compared to the engines of 2004.
Gameplay, and most (perhaps all, it's been a while) of the weapons are the same. The player is required to play on the easiest setting before doing anything else, so the game goes faster, and the iconic bullet-time mechanic isn't as big a part of the game.
Expansions / DLC / Sequels
Max Payne 3 is due out in 2012, set in Sao Paulo, Brazil. It is being developed solely by Rockstar, without the original writer of the series. The game will use RAGE (Rockstar Advanced Game Engine). Personally, I think the name of the engine is dastardly slander against id's Tech 5 engine used in RAGE. Or, at least, confusing.
Final Thoughts
If you have the Max Payne bundle, this game offers more of the same, but without any humor, or much plot. While it clearly is not, this comes across as a third-party expansion. The first Max Payne was pretty sweet, and this is... not much worth the time. I wouldn't highly recommend this one.
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Friday, April 13, 2012
Quake 3 Arena Review
Game: Quake 3 Arena
Year (s): 1999 (original), 2000 (expansion)
Company: dev. id Software
pub. Activision
Engine: id Tech 3
Type: First-Person Shooter, multi-player emphasis
Price (as of April 13, 2012)
Regular price on Steam: $19.99 (includes expansion)
Lowest Buy-It-Now on eBay (used, with shipping): ~$20 for original + expansion
Obligatory Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmdNTj2rTOs
Plot... or not, that's ok too.
There is no plot, and the single-player campaign is purely a death-match tournament. The only continuity to other games are Space Marine characters from Doom, Stogg from Quake 2, and some familiar weapons and scenery.
Graphics
id Tech 3 looks a whole lot like id Tech 2 (the Quake and Quake 2 engine) that had been new only a couple years previous. It's definitely dated, with hard edges and polygonal-based everything. id released the source code for id Tech 3 in 2005.
Combat/Gameplay
Every map is a death match, and the winner is the first to reach X frags. Guns are standard out of the Doom/Quake universe; none with secondary fire modes. Jumping around is a great way to dodge, but otherwise the game is reflex and aim. Knowing the level is also paramount, as certain weapons, armor, and temporary power-ups (like quad damage, or speed, etc.) can give a player a huge edge.
Team Arena
Team Arena added a few team-based game types, the most notable being Team Deathmatch and Capture the Flag. New power-ups last until you die, and differentiate the team members. Some of these are Scouts, who move faster, or Guardians, who have full health and armor. Though the general interface is clumsy, Team Arena allows full bot support, letting a single-player like me kick ass alone. Note: all bots are not created equal; some seem to be completely superior to others.
Other Neat Stuff
Sonic Mayhem did the music for Quake 3, and Front Line Assembly did the music for Team Arena.
Quake 3 has been featured in professional gaming tournaments including QuakeCon, Cyberathlete Professional League, Electronic Sports World Cup, and others.
Fantasy author R.A. Salvatore wrote many of the bot chat lines, triggered usually by killing, or being killed by, a bot.
Final Thoughts
This game was good when it came out, and the multiplayer emphasis was popular. Everything since Doom has death match, so that component isn't a huge sell nowadays. Unreal Tournament had more game types (without an expansion), balanced bots, and (via secondary-fire) more weapon diversity. So, good game, but dated, and Unreal Tournament has more bang for the buck. No need to rush to buy this one.
Year (s): 1999 (original), 2000 (expansion)
Company: dev. id Software
pub. Activision
Engine: id Tech 3
Type: First-Person Shooter, multi-player emphasis
Price (as of April 13, 2012)
Regular price on Steam: $19.99 (includes expansion)
Lowest Buy-It-Now on eBay (used, with shipping): ~$20 for original + expansion
Obligatory Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmdNTj2rTOs
Plot... or not, that's ok too.
There is no plot, and the single-player campaign is purely a death-match tournament. The only continuity to other games are Space Marine characters from Doom, Stogg from Quake 2, and some familiar weapons and scenery.
Graphics
id Tech 3 looks a whole lot like id Tech 2 (the Quake and Quake 2 engine) that had been new only a couple years previous. It's definitely dated, with hard edges and polygonal-based everything. id released the source code for id Tech 3 in 2005.
Combat/Gameplay
Every map is a death match, and the winner is the first to reach X frags. Guns are standard out of the Doom/Quake universe; none with secondary fire modes. Jumping around is a great way to dodge, but otherwise the game is reflex and aim. Knowing the level is also paramount, as certain weapons, armor, and temporary power-ups (like quad damage, or speed, etc.) can give a player a huge edge.
Team Arena
Team Arena added a few team-based game types, the most notable being Team Deathmatch and Capture the Flag. New power-ups last until you die, and differentiate the team members. Some of these are Scouts, who move faster, or Guardians, who have full health and armor. Though the general interface is clumsy, Team Arena allows full bot support, letting a single-player like me kick ass alone. Note: all bots are not created equal; some seem to be completely superior to others.
Other Neat Stuff
Sonic Mayhem did the music for Quake 3, and Front Line Assembly did the music for Team Arena.
Quake 3 has been featured in professional gaming tournaments including QuakeCon, Cyberathlete Professional League, Electronic Sports World Cup, and others.
Fantasy author R.A. Salvatore wrote many of the bot chat lines, triggered usually by killing, or being killed by, a bot.
Final Thoughts
This game was good when it came out, and the multiplayer emphasis was popular. Everything since Doom has death match, so that component isn't a huge sell nowadays. Unreal Tournament had more game types (without an expansion), balanced bots, and (via secondary-fire) more weapon diversity. So, good game, but dated, and Unreal Tournament has more bang for the buck. No need to rush to buy this one.
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Left 4 Dead and Left 4 Dead 2 Review
Game: Left 4 Dead and Left 4 Dead 2
Year (s): 2008 (first one), 2009 (second one)
Company: dev. Turtle Rock Studios, Valve Corporation
pub. Valve Corporation
Engine: Source
Type: Cooperative Multiplayer First-Person Shooter
Price (as of April 1, 2012)
Regular price on Steam: $19.99 each
Lowest Buy-It-Now on eBay (new, with shipping): $10-$20
Game Time: Not Applicable
Obligatory Trailer:
Left 4 Dead Intro: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hnnMEv7A_w
Left 4 Dead 2 Intro: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sByyd5M2vYk
Plot
Left 4 Dead and Left 4 Dead 2 are both focused on four gun-toting people (unique characters in each game, though functionally the same) fighting against zombies in the greater New Orleans area. The four progress from one wave of zombies to the next, with a climactic battle at the end of each chapter, where they hold out until they can escape.
Graphics and Turtle Rock Studios
It's the Source engine, so you know what to expect. It was top of the line in 2004, and remains surprisingly resilient.
Turtle Rock Studios developed the first game, and were then acquired by Valve. Valve closed the doors of Turtle Rock's base, though they retained personnel willing to relocate from California to Washington. Both companies (or what was left of them) then developed the second game. For a brief span Turtle Rock Studios was named Valve South.
Combat/Gameplay
You're limited in the number of weapons and items that you can carry. Some health items are only temporary, and, except for the pistols, weapons have finite ammunition. These limits give a small degree of survival horror to the game, but only just. If you run out of health, you are restricted to your pistols and cannot move or use items until a companion helps you up. If they take too long, you die. Some enemies also have attacks that leave you helpless until an ally helps. For these reasons and the sheer number of zombies, the four have to stick together to get anywhere. Items can be used on, or given to, one another. The AI is very well done, and I usually find my bots being much better team players than I.
Left 4 Dead 2 adds a slew of additional multiplayer game types, the option to use melee in place of pistols, more campaign chapters, a few extra items and "special" zombies, and a bunch of new achievements.
Expansions / DLC / Sequels
So far, just the two games and nothing in the works.
Final Thoughts
Both titles have some small amusements, like banter between characters, or references to movies. Each chapter of a campaign, as a load screen, has a mock movie poster, complete with slogan (these can be purchased as actual posters).
Left 4 Dead is a well-done co-op game, with solid AI to back you up. Gameplay is identical in each chapter though, so things are pretty redundant if you are playing with bots.
Left 4 Dead 2 adds quite a bit more to mostly end up with more of the same.
Don't get me wrong, these are not bad games. They are, if nothing else, quite well developed. If my friends also owned these, I think they could be a hard option to beat for co-op gaming. Playing them with bot companions is, though, mindless.
Year (s): 2008 (first one), 2009 (second one)
Company: dev. Turtle Rock Studios, Valve Corporation
pub. Valve Corporation
Engine: Source
Type: Cooperative Multiplayer First-Person Shooter
Price (as of April 1, 2012)
Regular price on Steam: $19.99 each
Lowest Buy-It-Now on eBay (new, with shipping): $10-$20
Game Time: Not Applicable
Obligatory Trailer:
Left 4 Dead Intro: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hnnMEv7A_w
Left 4 Dead 2 Intro: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sByyd5M2vYk
Plot
Left 4 Dead and Left 4 Dead 2 are both focused on four gun-toting people (unique characters in each game, though functionally the same) fighting against zombies in the greater New Orleans area. The four progress from one wave of zombies to the next, with a climactic battle at the end of each chapter, where they hold out until they can escape.
Graphics and Turtle Rock Studios
It's the Source engine, so you know what to expect. It was top of the line in 2004, and remains surprisingly resilient.
Turtle Rock Studios developed the first game, and were then acquired by Valve. Valve closed the doors of Turtle Rock's base, though they retained personnel willing to relocate from California to Washington. Both companies (or what was left of them) then developed the second game. For a brief span Turtle Rock Studios was named Valve South.
Combat/Gameplay
You're limited in the number of weapons and items that you can carry. Some health items are only temporary, and, except for the pistols, weapons have finite ammunition. These limits give a small degree of survival horror to the game, but only just. If you run out of health, you are restricted to your pistols and cannot move or use items until a companion helps you up. If they take too long, you die. Some enemies also have attacks that leave you helpless until an ally helps. For these reasons and the sheer number of zombies, the four have to stick together to get anywhere. Items can be used on, or given to, one another. The AI is very well done, and I usually find my bots being much better team players than I.
Left 4 Dead 2 adds a slew of additional multiplayer game types, the option to use melee in place of pistols, more campaign chapters, a few extra items and "special" zombies, and a bunch of new achievements.
Expansions / DLC / Sequels
So far, just the two games and nothing in the works.
Final Thoughts
Both titles have some small amusements, like banter between characters, or references to movies. Each chapter of a campaign, as a load screen, has a mock movie poster, complete with slogan (these can be purchased as actual posters).
Left 4 Dead is a well-done co-op game, with solid AI to back you up. Gameplay is identical in each chapter though, so things are pretty redundant if you are playing with bots.
Left 4 Dead 2 adds quite a bit more to mostly end up with more of the same.
Don't get me wrong, these are not bad games. They are, if nothing else, quite well developed. If my friends also owned these, I think they could be a hard option to beat for co-op gaming. Playing them with bot companions is, though, mindless.
Monday, March 26, 2012
Dead Space 2 Review
Game: Dead Space 2
Year (s): 2011
Company: dev. Visceral Games
pub. Electronic Arts
Engine: Visceral Engine
Type: Third-Person Shooter, Survival-Horror
Price (as of March 23, 2012)
Regular price on Steam: $19.99
Lowest Buy-It-Now on eBay (new, with shipping): $10.99
Game Time: 11 hours, first play, on normal
See Also:
Dead Space Review http://fpsandmtg.blogspot.com/2011/03/dead-space-review.html
Obligatory Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffx6AVsYsAk
Plot and Gameplay
Three years have passed since the events in the first game. Isaac Clarke wakes up in a straight jacket, with no idea where he is. Immediately, Necromorphs attack. Isaac must battle the Necromorph aliens, religious zealots, and people affected by The Marker once again in order to survive and escape. And in the process, he just might find some peace.
All of the gameplay elements game return, with a few minor adjustments. The only new mechanic is hacking, which doesn't come up too often. There are a few new enemies, and a few new weapons. The game seems a little easier and a little darker, but every bit a gory as the original.
Unlike the first installment, Isaac is no longer a faceless, voiceless character. Dead Space 2 adds multiplayer game types to the franchise.
Visceral Engine
Dead Space 2 runs on Visceral Engine, where the first Dead Space used The Godfather engine with Havok physics. All that being said, it looks just like the first game (graphics roughly comparable to id Tech 4).
Expansions / DLC / Sequels
DLC in the form of bonus suits and weapons are a free patch on the PC version. A map pack, as well as a short single-player campaign, are only available on the console versions.
Dead Space 3 has not been officially announced, but rumors about the setting and story events litter the internet.
Final Thoughts
Dead Space 2 is, for the most part, more of the same. I like the series well enough, but I feel the first game really stood out in a way this one does not. I recommend playing Dead Space. If you like that, you'll enjoy Dead Space 2.
Year (s): 2011
Company: dev. Visceral Games
pub. Electronic Arts
Engine: Visceral Engine
Type: Third-Person Shooter, Survival-Horror
Price (as of March 23, 2012)
Regular price on Steam: $19.99
Lowest Buy-It-Now on eBay (new, with shipping): $10.99
Game Time: 11 hours, first play, on normal
See Also:
Dead Space Review http://fpsandmtg.blogspot.com/2011/03/dead-space-review.html
Obligatory Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffx6AVsYsAk
Plot and Gameplay
Three years have passed since the events in the first game. Isaac Clarke wakes up in a straight jacket, with no idea where he is. Immediately, Necromorphs attack. Isaac must battle the Necromorph aliens, religious zealots, and people affected by The Marker once again in order to survive and escape. And in the process, he just might find some peace.
All of the gameplay elements game return, with a few minor adjustments. The only new mechanic is hacking, which doesn't come up too often. There are a few new enemies, and a few new weapons. The game seems a little easier and a little darker, but every bit a gory as the original.
Unlike the first installment, Isaac is no longer a faceless, voiceless character. Dead Space 2 adds multiplayer game types to the franchise.
Visceral Engine
Dead Space 2 runs on Visceral Engine, where the first Dead Space used The Godfather engine with Havok physics. All that being said, it looks just like the first game (graphics roughly comparable to id Tech 4).
Expansions / DLC / Sequels
DLC in the form of bonus suits and weapons are a free patch on the PC version. A map pack, as well as a short single-player campaign, are only available on the console versions.
Dead Space 3 has not been officially announced, but rumors about the setting and story events litter the internet.
Final Thoughts
Dead Space 2 is, for the most part, more of the same. I like the series well enough, but I feel the first game really stood out in a way this one does not. I recommend playing Dead Space. If you like that, you'll enjoy Dead Space 2.
Monday, March 12, 2012
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
Game: Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
Year (s): 2007
Company: dev. Infinity Ward
pub. Activisiion
Engine: IW engine 3.0
Type: First-Person Shooter
Price (as of March 12, 2012)
Regular price on Steam: $19.99
Lowest Buy-It-Now on eBay (new, with shipping): $13
Game Time: 11 hours, first time, on hard
Obligatory Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JC3UMJ2It4
Plot
The Cold War taught us that Russians are the enemy, and we learned from terrorism that the middle east is full of bad guys, too. In Call of Duty 4, you alternate missions between American and British special forces, shooting both Russian and Arab "ultranationalists." Yee-haw.
Infinity Ward and IW engine
Infinity Ward was started in 2002 by a team of programmers that had been working on a Medal of Honor game. Everything in the Infinity Ward portfolio is a Call of Duty title.
The IW engine has been used in multiple Call of Duty titles, as well as James Bond games. It's built on GtkRadiant (a free map-editor from id, originally used in Quake 3). IW has been modified for other COD titles; the newest runs on IW engine 4.0. Graphically, IW is comparable to other games released around 2007.
Combat/Gameplay
This may be the franchise that popularized the , "taking cover briefly cures bullet wounds" mechanic. Unless there is a story-based reason for this mechanic (magic, technology, it doesn't take much) I think it's ridiculous.
Generally, you crawl from cover to cover. Haste or exposure lead to a quick death. Your squad follows you, and they are invincible. You must keep pushing forward, or the enemies seem to just keep coming. Parts of the game are on a timer. When it's not stupid easy, the game is a pain in the ass.
The player can carry two guns at a time, including one pistol, two identical sniper rifles, and half a dozen very similar automatic rifles. One level has the player be an aerial gunner, and segments of other levels have turret-based gameplay. These segments are a nice distraction, but brief, and at no point does the player pilot a vehicle.
This Game Is Popular
Modern Warfare has more than 90% on metacritic, and was highly acclaimed by multiple publications. Awards include best graphics of E3 2007. best shooter of the year, game of the year, best story, best shooter ever... the critics loved it.
I don't know why. 2007 brought us BioShock, Crysis, Half-Life 2: Episode 2, and Unreal Tournament 3. These all have lusher environments, actually have plots, and (except for Episode 2) have a longer single-player campaign. These alternatives offer more diverse and enjoyable gameplay experiences. Even at their worst points, I prefer them to Call of Duty 4's finest moments..
Expansions / DLC / Sequels
Call of Duty is a big franchise, with lots of titles and expansions (more than I care to list). This particular game has no expansion content.
Final Thoughts
So, there's a tank level. You and a handful of infantry kill lots of Arabs while escorting the weak, defenseless tank. No, you can't drive the tank. Wonderful! And yet, this was the highest-selling game of 2007, and has sold over 13 million copies across all platforms to date. Lots of people love this game. I think it's a pretty stupid game, which fails to engage or impress the player to any height of entertainment.
Year (s): 2007
Company: dev. Infinity Ward
pub. Activisiion
Engine: IW engine 3.0
Type: First-Person Shooter
Price (as of March 12, 2012)
Regular price on Steam: $19.99
Lowest Buy-It-Now on eBay (new, with shipping): $13
Game Time: 11 hours, first time, on hard
Obligatory Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JC3UMJ2It4
Plot
The Cold War taught us that Russians are the enemy, and we learned from terrorism that the middle east is full of bad guys, too. In Call of Duty 4, you alternate missions between American and British special forces, shooting both Russian and Arab "ultranationalists." Yee-haw.
Infinity Ward and IW engine
Infinity Ward was started in 2002 by a team of programmers that had been working on a Medal of Honor game. Everything in the Infinity Ward portfolio is a Call of Duty title.
The IW engine has been used in multiple Call of Duty titles, as well as James Bond games. It's built on GtkRadiant (a free map-editor from id, originally used in Quake 3). IW has been modified for other COD titles; the newest runs on IW engine 4.0. Graphically, IW is comparable to other games released around 2007.
Combat/Gameplay
This may be the franchise that popularized the , "taking cover briefly cures bullet wounds" mechanic. Unless there is a story-based reason for this mechanic (magic, technology, it doesn't take much) I think it's ridiculous.
Generally, you crawl from cover to cover. Haste or exposure lead to a quick death. Your squad follows you, and they are invincible. You must keep pushing forward, or the enemies seem to just keep coming. Parts of the game are on a timer. When it's not stupid easy, the game is a pain in the ass.
The player can carry two guns at a time, including one pistol, two identical sniper rifles, and half a dozen very similar automatic rifles. One level has the player be an aerial gunner, and segments of other levels have turret-based gameplay. These segments are a nice distraction, but brief, and at no point does the player pilot a vehicle.
This Game Is Popular
Modern Warfare has more than 90% on metacritic, and was highly acclaimed by multiple publications. Awards include best graphics of E3 2007. best shooter of the year, game of the year, best story, best shooter ever... the critics loved it.
I don't know why. 2007 brought us BioShock, Crysis, Half-Life 2: Episode 2, and Unreal Tournament 3. These all have lusher environments, actually have plots, and (except for Episode 2) have a longer single-player campaign. These alternatives offer more diverse and enjoyable gameplay experiences. Even at their worst points, I prefer them to Call of Duty 4's finest moments..
Expansions / DLC / Sequels
Call of Duty is a big franchise, with lots of titles and expansions (more than I care to list). This particular game has no expansion content.
Final Thoughts
So, there's a tank level. You and a handful of infantry kill lots of Arabs while escorting the weak, defenseless tank. No, you can't drive the tank. Wonderful! And yet, this was the highest-selling game of 2007, and has sold over 13 million copies across all platforms to date. Lots of people love this game. I think it's a pretty stupid game, which fails to engage or impress the player to any height of entertainment.
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Quickflicker Deck
Quickflicker
60 Card Format
Green, (Black, Blue, Red, White)
4 Elvish Piper
4 Quicksilver Amulet
4 Defense of the Heart
3 Angel of Despair
2 Woodfall Primus
3 Rune-Scarred Demon
2 Hamletback Goliath
1 Sedris, the Traitor King
4 Mistmeadow Witch
2 Flicker
2 Followed Footsteps
4 Birds of Paradise
4 Utopia Tree
1 Land Grant
LANDS
Forests
Multicolor Lands
2 Safe Haven
WIN METHOD: Damage- Creatures
DECK EFFECTIVENESS:
INHERENT WEAKNESSES:
DISCUSSION
This is a spin on the Quicksilver Amulet/Elvish Piper + Big Creatures deck, modified to abuse "enters the battlefield" creature effects. This is the current deck, but it hasn't been played yet.
60 Card Format
Green, (Black, Blue, Red, White)
4 Elvish Piper
4 Quicksilver Amulet
4 Defense of the Heart
3 Angel of Despair
2 Woodfall Primus
3 Rune-Scarred Demon
2 Hamletback Goliath
1 Sedris, the Traitor King
4 Mistmeadow Witch
2 Flicker
2 Followed Footsteps
4 Birds of Paradise
4 Utopia Tree
1 Land Grant
LANDS
Forests
Multicolor Lands
2 Safe Haven
WIN METHOD: Damage- Creatures
DECK EFFECTIVENESS:
INHERENT WEAKNESSES:
DISCUSSION
This is a spin on the Quicksilver Amulet/Elvish Piper + Big Creatures deck, modified to abuse "enters the battlefield" creature effects. This is the current deck, but it hasn't been played yet.
Monday, February 27, 2012
F.E.A.R. 3 (F.3.A.R.) Review
Game: F.E.A.R. 3 (AKA F.3.A.R)
Year (s): 2011
Company: dev. Day 1 Studios
pub. WB Interactive Entertainment
Engine: Despair Engine (modified)
Type: First-Person Shooter
Price (as of February 27, 2012)
Regular price on Steam: $39.99
Lowest Buy-It-Now on eBay (new, with shipping): $25
Game Time:
Single-player campaign: about 15 hours, both characters played through on default
Obligatory Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPjU2Bq4e3Q
See Also:
F.E.A.R. Review: http://fpsandmtg.blogspot.com/2011/01/fear-review.html
F.E.A.R. 2 Review: http://fpsandmtg.blogspot.com/2011/02/fear-2-review.html
Plot and Horror
FEAR 3 follows the two brothers from the first game (Point Man and Fettel) as they fight Armacham mercenaries, zombies, and ghosts in an attempt to stop Alma from giving birth. As far as franchise continuity, FEAR 3 throws it out the window. Characters that were clearly killed are back, and others behave quite uncharacteristically (the most glaring example is that Alma isn't homicidal). It's a mess.
The plot also fails to make sense in and of itself. You spend half the game trying to rescue a prisoner, and when you finally reach him... you kill him. Armacham has a Latin-American city under martial law, for some reason. Et cetera.
Director John Carpenter (Halloween, Escape from LA) was brought on board for this. His style doesn't convey the prevalent apprehension that was iconic of the first two FEAR titles. There's a couple of weak jump-scares in FEAR 3, but nothing memorably creepy or scary.
Day 1 and Despair
Day 1 has developed about ten games that I've never heard of. This is the only one I've played. Monolith developed the first FEAR, FEAR 2, and the FEAR 2 expansion. TimeGate developed the FEAR expansions, which were not considered canon.
The Despair Engine is graphically comparable to the Monolith's Jupiter EX engine. The only difference to note is that character faces are now simpler and more cartoony. Day 1 carried gameplay elements, weapons, fonts, voice actors, sound effects, and I'm pretty sure some textures from FEAR and FEAR 2. They did a good job of keeping the general look of the series with their own engine.
Combat/Gameplay
You can play as either Point Man or Fettel, by yourself or in two-player co-op. Point Man was the original protagonist, and utilizes the slow-motion super reflexes that the series is known for. Point Man was presumed to have died at the end of FEAR (he wasn't in FEAR 2 at all), but apparently did not.
Fettel was the original antagonist, and may have been a vampire. He died at the end of FEAR, came back as a ghost in a non-canon expansion, and came back as a possessed Replica soldier in a FEAR 2 expansion. In FEAR 3 Fettel is clearly a ghost and there are no Replica forces. Go figure. He can carry no weapons, but can throw fireballs, possess people, and hold enemies defenseless in the air.
Characters level up based on points. Points are gained on a per-level basis by completing challenges, like getting twenty kills with the shotgun.
Expansions / DLC / Sequels
Currently there is only fan speculation of further FEAR titles.
Final Thoughts
The Good: FEAR 3 has fun gameplay and looks a lot like the other games. Having two character options, as well as co-op with a friend, stretches the game out to longer than the typical twelve-hour shooter.
The Bad: FEAR 3 isn't frightening at all, and I'm really not sure why they went with the guy that directed Big Trouble in Little China. The plot makes no sense, and the most positive thing I can say is that the game is better than a few games that are worse.
The Verdict: This is a disappointing continuation of a franchise I rather enjoyed. I suggest skipping this one and pretending FEAR 2 was the end of the series.
Year (s): 2011
Company: dev. Day 1 Studios
pub. WB Interactive Entertainment
Engine: Despair Engine (modified)
Type: First-Person Shooter
Price (as of February 27, 2012)
Regular price on Steam: $39.99
Lowest Buy-It-Now on eBay (new, with shipping): $25
Game Time:
Single-player campaign: about 15 hours, both characters played through on default
Obligatory Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPjU2Bq4e3Q
See Also:
F.E.A.R. Review: http://fpsandmtg.blogspot.com/2011/01/fear-review.html
F.E.A.R. 2 Review: http://fpsandmtg.blogspot.com/2011/02/fear-2-review.html
Plot and Horror
FEAR 3 follows the two brothers from the first game (Point Man and Fettel) as they fight Armacham mercenaries, zombies, and ghosts in an attempt to stop Alma from giving birth. As far as franchise continuity, FEAR 3 throws it out the window. Characters that were clearly killed are back, and others behave quite uncharacteristically (the most glaring example is that Alma isn't homicidal). It's a mess.
The plot also fails to make sense in and of itself. You spend half the game trying to rescue a prisoner, and when you finally reach him... you kill him. Armacham has a Latin-American city under martial law, for some reason. Et cetera.
Director John Carpenter (Halloween, Escape from LA) was brought on board for this. His style doesn't convey the prevalent apprehension that was iconic of the first two FEAR titles. There's a couple of weak jump-scares in FEAR 3, but nothing memorably creepy or scary.
Day 1 and Despair
Day 1 has developed about ten games that I've never heard of. This is the only one I've played. Monolith developed the first FEAR, FEAR 2, and the FEAR 2 expansion. TimeGate developed the FEAR expansions, which were not considered canon.
The Despair Engine is graphically comparable to the Monolith's Jupiter EX engine. The only difference to note is that character faces are now simpler and more cartoony. Day 1 carried gameplay elements, weapons, fonts, voice actors, sound effects, and I'm pretty sure some textures from FEAR and FEAR 2. They did a good job of keeping the general look of the series with their own engine.
Combat/Gameplay
You can play as either Point Man or Fettel, by yourself or in two-player co-op. Point Man was the original protagonist, and utilizes the slow-motion super reflexes that the series is known for. Point Man was presumed to have died at the end of FEAR (he wasn't in FEAR 2 at all), but apparently did not.
Fettel was the original antagonist, and may have been a vampire. He died at the end of FEAR, came back as a ghost in a non-canon expansion, and came back as a possessed Replica soldier in a FEAR 2 expansion. In FEAR 3 Fettel is clearly a ghost and there are no Replica forces. Go figure. He can carry no weapons, but can throw fireballs, possess people, and hold enemies defenseless in the air.
Characters level up based on points. Points are gained on a per-level basis by completing challenges, like getting twenty kills with the shotgun.
Expansions / DLC / Sequels
Currently there is only fan speculation of further FEAR titles.
Final Thoughts
The Good: FEAR 3 has fun gameplay and looks a lot like the other games. Having two character options, as well as co-op with a friend, stretches the game out to longer than the typical twelve-hour shooter.
The Bad: FEAR 3 isn't frightening at all, and I'm really not sure why they went with the guy that directed Big Trouble in Little China. The plot makes no sense, and the most positive thing I can say is that the game is better than a few games that are worse.
The Verdict: This is a disappointing continuation of a franchise I rather enjoyed. I suggest skipping this one and pretending FEAR 2 was the end of the series.
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