One of the best FPS that i have ever played, the mechanics and IA´s were awesome, but i feel that most of the horror in this game did not belonged in here.
Everything about the first 15~ minutes of FEAR seems to be setting up the game to be a laughable flop. Drab environments, a silly plot concept that takes itself way too seriously, and attempts at horror that land with a wet thud.
Then the first combat encounter happens, and FEAR shows its brilliance.
Put simply, FEAR has some of the best combat in any first-person shooter I've ever played. Ruthlessly fast, stylish and substantive. Combat environments are intentionally cramped, mainly composed of small office spaces and narrow corridors, but this is a boon when combined with the reflex system, allowing the player a small window of time in which they can quickly and safely observe their labyrinthine surroundings and mount a superhuman assault. It's an incredibly addicting combat loop that makes the player feel powerful while simultaneously providing a genuine challenge.
The story definitely picks up after a while, but I was never all that interested in it, especially since it mostly plays out through audio logs that force you to stand still and listen to dialogue while nothing visually interesting occurs. The horror elements never become remotely scary either, unfortunately, although the clear influences from 90s J-horror are pretty entertaining.
Shotguns in video games have never surpassed the shotgun in FEAR, either. Maybe the sawed-off in Blood, but it's close competition.
Then the first combat encounter happens, and FEAR shows its brilliance.
Put simply, FEAR has some of the best combat in any first-person shooter I've ever played. Ruthlessly fast, stylish and substantive. Combat environments are intentionally cramped, mainly composed of small office spaces and narrow corridors, but this is a boon when combined with the reflex system, allowing the player a small window of time in which they can quickly and safely observe their labyrinthine surroundings and mount a superhuman assault. It's an incredibly addicting combat loop that makes the player feel powerful while simultaneously providing a genuine challenge.
The story definitely picks up after a while, but I was never all that interested in it, especially since it mostly plays out through audio logs that force you to stand still and listen to dialogue while nothing visually interesting occurs. The horror elements never become remotely scary either, unfortunately, although the clear influences from 90s J-horror are pretty entertaining.
Shotguns in video games have never surpassed the shotgun in FEAR, either. Maybe the sawed-off in Blood, but it's close competition.