F.E.A.R. 2 Unbiased and Untainted Review
When the original F.E.A.R. came out, I heard stories from people that it was the creepiest game ever. I, of course, never experienced this firsthand since at the time I was a little too young and my computer was a little too crappy to play it. When the game was ported to the Xbox 360, I contemplated getting it, but the age of the graphics engine and the poor port quality quickly turned me away from the idea. So here I am today, presenting you with this review of F.E.A.R. 2 without any bias due to the original. In essence, this is a F.E.A.R. virgin's review, as pure as it gets.
Graphics
The graphics in this game are amazing and easily rival those of Gears of War 2. From the well detailed environments to the realistic gun models and mo-capped character models, this game is beautiful. The frame rate is smooth and I very rarely, if ever, encountered a noticeable framerate drop. One thing I did notice was the presence of some low-resolution textures, particularly when viewing minute details, such as a sign or writing on a wall. This is of course no problem to the game itself and is only apparent to those paying complete attention to the details, but it is a bit annoying to try to get closer to read something on the wall and realize that those jaggies around the edges won't go away.
Story
Being new to the F.E.A.R. franchise, I expected to be completely confused by the story. This, however, was not the case. Monolith did a good job of reintroducing the basic storyline from the first game and there were very few times when I felt lost by the plot. The story does a good job of building up tension and suspense, crescendoing throughout the game. The only place where I felt that Monolith faltered was with the ending. Usually in a game ending, you are either treated to a spectacular ending that culminates the plot of the main campaign (A la Gears of War 2) or with a twist ending where you are completely surprised with the outcome (such as Prince of Persia.) I feel that Monolith was unable to create either of these endings, instead going for a very "so what" ending that doesn't really tie of the plot of the game and only creates a cliffhanger for the next installment of the series (like Halo 2.) Another complaint I have is in the way that the story is presented. While I can appreciate flushing out more minute story details through collectable items, I feel that Monolith relies on intel items way too much. A few more cutscenes would have been welcome.
Gameplay
The gameplay in F.E.A.R. 2 is just a standard run and gun affair, with little deviation from the formula. One thing I do appreciate is the absence of the regenerative health aspect that has become so common in FPSs. I think that the inclusion of a set amount of armor and health contributes to the sense of terror within the game. Another slight deviation is the ability to flip over cover to protect yourself with. It’s a good idea, but I feel that it is poorly implemented, since you have to be in just the right position to flip over the cover (which is extremely difficult in an intense firefight) and there is usually some more readily available cover already laid out for you. The slow motion mechanic I feel is both a blessing and a curse for this game. It definitely is fun to use (I mean, who doesn't like seeing a soldier's body disintegrate from a shotgun blast in slow motion), but I felt that I would be relying on it too much. The fact that the slo-mo meter refilled so quickly made it so that I could basically spend entire fights in slow motion. Unlimited slow motion also detracted from the overall horror experience, I felt, since when something jumped out at you, you could just trigger slow motion and obliterate them. I think that it would have been better and contributed to the intensity of the game if the slo-mo meter was a limited resource (like the stasis ability in Dead Space.) This, in my opinion, would definitely make the game more tense and scary.
Closing
In closing, I think that F.E.A.R. 2 is a very respectable, if not formulaic, FPS that will deliver to anybody seeking a little excitement during the first quarter videogame slump. The graphics are impressive, the story is decent, and the gameplay will make any Halo freak feel right at home (for better or for worse.) In my opinion, you could get away with renting this game, but the atmosphere is so great that you won't be disappointed if you buy it, either.
Graphics - 5/5
Story - 4.5/5
Gameplay - 4/5
OVERALL - 4.5/5
