F.E.A.R. Review

I am blurry-eyed, a little tired and somewhat jumpy, and you know what? It feels damn good! (Just say no to drugs, kids -Mo)

Thank you, Monolith. Thank you for a number of reasons, but most of all, thank you for producing a game that doesn't cut any major corners - a complete and very polished FPS that restores my faith in gaming after a string of hit and miss major titles that I had to play over the past few months.

Carnage in slow-mo.

Drones from hell.

When a game is given an M rating (for mature), most often than not, that game is anything but... mature. There are two ways of looking at the word "mature". But then, such is the case with art. A work of art can be gruesome and yet have meaning and purpose to it, and that is what will separate it from an object that is simply gruesome for shock value. So while FEAR is mature in the sense that it's extremely violent and macabre, it is also mature in the way it presents the gore. FEAR clearly distinguishes itself as not "yet another game which uses violence as a cheap gimmick to attract pimple-faced teenagers looking to boost their tiny egos by playing 'games for grown-ups'". FEAR is an honest attempt by Monolith to produce a noteworthy interactive movie in the horror genre, which doesn't shy away from using harsh language and graphic violence to make the fantasy world as immersive and consistent as possible. The good news for gamers who are well past the point of regarding games as just a "pastime for teenagers", is that for once, we are treated by the developers as actual adults, with the ability to discern cheap trash from an actual attempt at an engrossing and well-told gameplay experience.

Once again, thank you Monolith.

As far as the actual plot is concerned, the way it is conveyed and how it develops is pleasing to say the least, while the core subject may be a bit too cliché. Still, FEAR plays a lot like Valve's Half-Life series, in the sense that the players feel like active participants in the events rather than just passive observers of the developing narrative. Of course, one must not neglect the perfectly implemented horror elements. Monolith does not rely on cheap tricks and DOOM 3-style "horror" to scare the player. Rather, the horror elements rely heavily on the story, the "aftermath" factor of System Shock fame, as well as brilliantly directed horror miniatures, which can be as subtle or as gruesome as the situation requires. The horror theme is never overused, and is simply brilliantly paced, consequently leaving the intended impact on the player.

Of course, this great set up would mean nothing without the basic mechanics of a great first person shooter.

So what does that entail?

First of all, the action is perfectly balanced in relation to how the single-player campaign develops. The game gets increasingly challenging as the plot thickens, allowing for the perfect mix of elements that make up addictive FPS gameplay. Also, because of the fantastic use of the slow-mo effect, the wide variety of powerful and versatile weapons, and the excellent use of particle effects, the choreography of the combat sequences alone is good enough to keep the player hooked. One sure way of telling when you are playing an excellent game can be based on the number of moments that are so cool in one way or the other that they make you go "Oh shit!" while you play. Simply put, this game features a lot of "oh shit" moments.

There are two ways of regarding the level design in FEAR. If we are to talk about the visual variety of the environments and of the enemy models, then you could say that FEAR is somewhat lacking. Most of the game will take place in environments that carry the same theme, and the same could be said about the enemies you will be facing. However, when talking about intelligent level design which works in such a way that it never makes the players feel too boxed in or as though they are being led on rails, while keeping the tempo up at all times by offering logical architectural solutions to each situation, then FEAR, like Half-Life 2, passes the grade with flying colors. I can only suspect that a lot of play testing went into making the single-player campaign as smooth as it is.

Those of you who have played the demo know already that FEAR features superb-looking special effects and AI code. There is not much I could add about the AI that hasn't been seen in the SP demo already. Barring a few minor incidents where the suspension of disbelief was shortly broken, the AI acts flawlessly, never allowing the player to even consider that he's battling bots rather than human opponents. The powerful physics engine and the high degree of interactivity that it allows only further strengthens the feeling of being part of a living and breathing world.

My only real gripe with the technology behind FEAR is that the FEAR engine is bad at rendering outdoor scenes. Hence, not a lot (if any) action will happen in proper outdoor settings, and if you look at the poor background textures in these outdoor settings, you'll immediately realize why that is. It could be that the engine was tailored for a game like FEAR, but then why waste so much time on your proprietary engine if you don't plan to license it for a wide variety of projects?