F.E.A.R. Combat

I am a major fan of F.E.A.R., so it only seemed natural that I would love the multiplayer as well! I did, and although it isn't perfect, it comes very, very close! Let's begin the review:

Visuals:4/5
F.E.A.R. Combat is a good looking game. Plain and simple. The dynamic lighting is a little plain, but in a multiplayer FPS it really doesn't matter. Where the game shines is through visualizing damage. Every shot fired into your opponent sends blood splattering all over, as their body twitches and flails in realistic responses to your gun fire. The environment also responds realistically, leaving holes and shattered glass in the areas where battles are unsuing. Things go from awesome to unbelievable when grenades are brought into the mix. The grenades in this game are so satisfying to watch and use, it's a sin!
Unfortunately, the dynamic lighting brings with it a fatal flaw, the shadows are too dark. You can't see your enemy if they are hiding in shadows, right? That sounds cool in theory, but what if somebody has shadows turned off on their PC? Uh-oh, they now have an advantage. This right here is only one of my two gripes with this game.

Sound: 5/5
The sound for this game is very realistic. The guns all have a deep and powerful sound to them that just feels so good. This brings me to the second and last gripe I have with this game: when you knock something over, like a bucket or a book, it sounds wrong. It will make a weird-sounding thud that is either too loud or does not fit the object's size and material. It's not a big deal, but it is a still a gripe, nonetheless.

Controls: 5/5
Flawless, albeit a little confusing. The game has a lot of controls mapped to many different keys taht you can of course customize. Still, I would prefer to play this game on a controller, it would feel more natural. Still, I give it a 5/5 because as far as PC controls go, this is just about perfect.

Game play: 5/5
Riveting,  tense, and thoroughly exciting, F.E.A.R. combat is an action FPS at its core, so don't expect alot of sneaking around, it just isn't built for that. What we have here is a fast-paced and gory gun-fest that is deeply satisfying and at the same time challenging, because dying is so easy. There are tons of game types to choose from, every type of FPS mode you could ever want. No leader boards though, but that is fine for a free game anyway. My friends and I have had some OMG WTF moments in this game, let me describe one for you:
I was chasing him through a complex until we reached an exterior courtyard. I ran outside to chase him and noticed he was gone. I felt a chill run down my spine. Instinctively I spun around to see him crouching there on the rooftop.
Oh CRAP.
Moments like this will happen a lot, especially when playing with skilled players, who know how to effectively use the amazingly versatile melee attacks as well as set elaborate traps for unsuspecting souls to get caught in.
It is all so fun, and so finely tuned I can't find a single thing to complain about, gameplay wise.

Customization: 3/5
You can pick your name and change your player model, but there really isn't any variety to choose from. The game has avatars, but you must pick from a list, no custom avatars. It's a bummer, but again, it really doesn't matter. In a game like this.

Replay Value: 4/5
Not much I can really say here. Very addicting and loads of fun, will keep you coming back day after day!