"The most entertaining exchanges of gunfire one can experience..."

Introduction

F.E.A.R. succeeds on at least one level and delivers a cohesive, visceral, and visually unparalleled experience. I have played many first person shooters and have been quite pleased with the movement toward a more cinematic experience (if I may use that overused term). While some sub-genres of first person shooters, such as the WWII themed games, use carefully scripted events and specific enemy layouts that meld with the interactive encounters, there still exists those that tend to keep the interactive experience dynamic. To be more specific, F.E.A.R. does have scripted events, but they are for the most part kept separate from the enemy encounters. In most cases, this would take much away from the firefights, but F.E.A.R.'s remarkable physics engine and incredible graphics fill in all the gaps and make for a gratifying experience.

Visual

I really cannot recall a better looking game. Despite the fact that I could only run it on medium settings, the visuals were very remarkable. Although the settings were somewhat drab and a little repetitive in some cases, the level of detail was some of the best I've seen. The lighting was one particular aspect that was visually impressive, yet it was not implemented as well as it could have been. Every enemy and ally in the game have very detailed characters models that move and react in ways that show off the power of the game's physics engine. Unfortunately, there is very little deviation in enemy models, no more than a few types that you will encounter. The other non player characters have somewhat unique body structures and skin textures (one fat programmer in particular). When the bullets start flying, the visual effects are truly at their best. Bullets will tear through anything and everything, leaving holes in walls and ceilings, chunks taken out of pillars, and dust from boxes and plywood scattered through the air. This can lead to some tense encounters when it is not always possible to see your enemy through the debris and dust. The aftermath of each firefight finds the dust settling, debris scattered about, bodies lying and sometimes bleeding or dismembered in heaps on the floor, and smoke rising from spent gun barrels and bullet holes in the walls and ceilings. There were several times when I simply soaked it all in as I healed, reloaded, and regrouped for the next encounter. If this weren't already enough, there is also adrenaline mode, a bullet-time style experience wherein the world slows down. F.E.A.R. pulls this off incredibly well, creating perhaps the most impressive bullet-time experience I have seen yet. Each bullet's trail can be seen and each hit recorded on the enemy as blood spills, and arms, legs, and heads all react to each. The interesting weapon designs make for some truly impressive deaths that seem almost too real at times. One weapon in particular, a nail gun of sorts, shot steel darts that embedded into the enemy. A direct hit to the forehead would send the enemy into a 360 spin straight into a nearby wall or pillar where the dart would then embed itself and hang the unfortunate soldier where he landed. Of course, this occurred with a satisfying splatter of blood on the wall or pillar. There were some other very impressive weapons that created some very grisly deaths, but finding these weapons and witnessing their effects is all part of the experience. The non-interactive scripted events revolve around the central plot that drives F.E.A.R. These events are also very well done (though a bit contrived from recent Japanese horror flicks) and can scare the hell out of you at least a few times. Aside from some dull area design, F.E.A.R.'s visuals are worth the time investment and can be downright breathtaking at times.

SCORE: 10/10

Sound

Sound is so very important in any first person shooter and F.E.A.R. also excels in this regard. The adrenaline mode sound effects are a real highlight. Several encounters ended with the last of the adrenaline meter draining away while I listened to the sharp raps of metal on wood or stone as the spent casings hit the floor. Moments like this stand out and are remembered long after the credits have rolled.The sound of each weapon discharge is sharp and clear and adds an extra bit of tangibility to each exchange of fire. In addition to shredding the environment, the bullets themselves ring with unique sounds when colliding with boxes, stone, metal, and body parts. The sound effects during the semi-interactive and non-interactive story scenes fit well with the theme and help to create an aurally creepy (if not entirely original) experience. Most of the game is kept silent, with very few audible cues to introduce a new area, however the scattered cues to the horror scenes are well done and keep you on your toes for the next few moments while waiting for something to occur.

SCORE: 9/10

GamePlay

The visuals, sound, and physics engine are the focus and highlight of the game. The gameplay itself is standard fair for first person shooters. If not for the incredible graphics and physics of the game, the storyline would really be the only part that would stand out and unfortunately that would not be enough to warrant a purchase. The environments can be a bit repetitive, though some are quite interesting. There are also some well designed interactive elements, though these are nothing beyond what has been done before. The enemy encounters are the crux of the game here and the gameplay itself really does the least of the work. F.E.A.R. is about the visuals and the physics. The gameplay alone is average at best.

SCORE: 6/10

Story

F.E.A.R. is a horror themed first person shooter that manages some small surprises, but is ultimately not all it could have been. The material it draws from is very reminiscent of Japanese horror such as 'The Ring' and 'Ju-on: The Grudge' and the presentation is sufficiently creepy and can surprise and shock you at least a few times. Unfortunately, much of the rather sparse plot is predictable at best. I do not want to give the impression that I did not thoroughly enjoy the story, but from an objective viewpoint there is little originality and too few surprises. The high point is the presentation, which manages to turn these negatives into an entertaining experience.

SCORE: 7/10

Conclusion

From the length of each section, one can tell that F.E.A.R. is all about the visual presentation. Regardless of its other shortcomings, F.E.A.R.'s strengths support the entire venture admirably. There is much fun to be had simply soaking in this experience. Graphics of course never make a game, however in this case, the graphics, audio, and most importantly the physics make up for somewhat mediocre gameplay and a predictable plot. F.E.A.R. is the type of game that creates excitement over what is coming in the next generation of games.

FINAL SCORE: 8/10

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 11/21/05