Reader Review

F.E.A.R. 2 - Project Origin
Reviewed on Xbox 360
by Daniel Ball

Horror-shooters are a rare thing in the gaming world these days. Rarer is the chance of any of the titles in the genre pulling off the combination of action and tension smoothly and without subtracting too much from either aspect. So naturally it’s refreshing when a game comes along that has the power to immerse you in every way and doesn’t have you itching for a better combat system or a creepier atmosphere.

F.E.A.R. 2 plants us into the shoes of Michael Beckett, our faceless and voiceless hero, sent into the Armacham facility as part of the elite squad, Dark Signal. You are soon shaken from your objective of apprehending the corrupt leader of Armacham and sent plummeting on a new journey for truth and for survival. Don’t worry, Alma’s back, and she’s as unnerving as ever. She’s not a little girl anymore, she has matured and so have her terrorizing capabilities.

The story of the game was fairly minimal in terms of up front information. You’re given the basics throughout dialogue in the game; the where, why and how to finish objectives, and as simple (and necessary) as this is, it never comes across as corny. Another feature for those wanting to learn more about the story (and who doesn’t?) is the inclusion of ‘Intel’ placed here and there in each level. ‘Intel’ consists of electronic pieces of data you can pick up which brings up more information about various aspects of the characters and story. It doesn’t work quite as well as in other games, such as Dead Space, where the Intel was almost always in the form of audio or video, which helped both the overall pacing of the game and the delivery of the story, however it definitely adds more depth to the game for those willing to take a momentary break from the action and delve further into the world.

Those of you who’ve played the original F.E.A.R. will remember its stomach-turning; ass-shifting scares and will probably avoid ladders like the plague, expecting the blackened eyes of Alma at the top of each one to be peering at you in lifeless hatred.

I admit I had quite high hopes about the scare-factor in F.E.A.R. 2, the memory of Alma’s gaze fresh in my mind still from the original game, my heart still missing that beat it skipped on my first play through. The scares are definitely still very much present in F.E.A.R. 2 but don’t go into it expecting the same experience as the first game. With the graphics and audio being substantially improved since, so are the scares, naturally, that they are different. There aren’t too many sudden scares however when they do come and lift you from your seat, they do so much more effectively. The tension in the game is built up expertly and will have you just itching for that heart-pounding moment of release.

When a game has me so alert and tense that it can make me jump at merely a slight noise in a dark room, it’s done something right.

The quality of the music (and audio effects) definitely surprised me whilst playing through the game. There’s a quiet, adequately tense ambient track that plays in the creepy exploration based parts of the game and as soon as you’re dropped headfirst into the action you’ll find yourself lost, palms sweaty, in building techno riffs and soloing guitars. It really adds the perfect backing track for the supernatural fights that take place in the game.

Layered over most tracks are moody, tension-building effects such as wispy breaths, glitching computers and footsteps. These work immensely well in creating a creepy atmosphere, even by themselves, detached from the music. My stomach was turned many times by the sound effects alone.

The graphics have been fantastically improved since the first game and add to both atmosphere and action. Lights will flicker in toilet cubicles stained with blood. Dead people on the floor, ripped to shreds, will have you wondering how and why they ended up there and most importantly if they’ll get up again! You will feel like you’re there during these moments, and when you encounter Alma, the mutilator, your heart will fly through your chest and you’ll frantically mash buttons because you really don’t want to be the next cadaver on the bathroom tiles.
When the scares have passed, and you’re settling down, you’ll be thrown into the action parts of the game where you might just be too busy admiring the enemies to shoot them. Though, when you gather the courage to destroy them, hit the slow mo button. You’ll be entranced at the beauty of the bullets flying at through their chests and grenades sending them halfway across the room.

The action this time around is fantastic and the AI is still very smart and will react to your each and every move. Play aggressive and fast and the enemies will hide and take you out when you let your guard down for even a second. Play it safe and you’ll find yourself being snuck up on and taken out. The slow mo function is essential on the harder difficulties (especially against snipers who will one-shot you the second you move out of cover) but if you set it to easy the slow mo is basically used so you can slow down time to admire your all powerful demolition of each enemy. It’s a mechanic that works well yet lacks substance.

I have to address the gore included in this game. It certainly adds to the one-man-army feeling you get destroying everything and everyone but I can’t help but wonder if the enemies had to expel 4 litres of blood each bullet they received. Then I realised that it doesn’t matter because the sheer absurdity makes it immensely fun to watch.

Which brings us to the tools of destruction you will be using.  You can now carry up to four weapon types (thank God!), which can be swapped out with any weapons you find lying around the level. There are also four grenade types including the immensely fun incendiary grenade which, when used, allows you to sit back and watch the engulfed enemy struggle for his life. It’s great for distracting the enemy so you can make a break for that crucial health pack or armour.
Using proximity mines tactically can be immensely satisfying. Placing a mine in a doorway, teasing the enemy and then retreating while he blindly chases you to his impending doom will fill you with a great sense of accomplishment.

Most of the weapons are back including the 10mm HV Penetrator (now simply named “The Hammerhead”) which will nail enemies to the wall by whatever limb you choose, which can be quite humorous.  With larger scale environments you, of course, need a sniper rifle, and the game delivers with a rather generic looking sniper rifle that luckily surprises with its sheer torso-ripping power.  The machine guns in the game (as crucial as they are) don’t seem to have a sense of power but are still fun enough and will be your main weapons throughout the game.

The multiplayer in F.E.A.R. 2 is fun; however it’s just not fantastic. You’ll find yourself having great fun blowing apart countless players with a mech and you’ll leap with joy when your carefully placed proximity mine annihilates a player who met it halfway up a ladder. This all deteriorates though when you realise the online lacks the substance (and excuse my constant comparisons) of such games as Call of Duty 4 or Halo 3 where strategy was key and weapon variety was immense.

There is definitely an issue with connection. I found myself dropped from games randomly, at different stages of matches, for no apparent reason. I simply received a connection lost error message and had to find another game. It’s never fun to put so much effort into a game only to have it ultimately mean nothing.

Another issue I had was the auto-balancing of teams. Nobody wants to move to the losing team simply because one person on their side quit. I honestly thought team balancing was an archaic concept. I can’t remember a game that’s implemented it in years and for good reason too. It borders on unacceptable in this instance because not only does it suck away at the fun it interrupts the game bringing it to a standstill while it attempts to work itself out.

F.E.A.R. 2 is primarily a single player game and its whole appeal, ie. the scares, the story even the slow-mo mechanic, can’t possibly be translated to multiplayer. The game is stripped bare and you’re left with simple FPS gameplay. The gameplay is fantastic, don’t get me wrong, but it cannot stand on its own.  The multiplayer was obviously an afterthought (Although the maps were quite well made) and used to try and extend the games playtime and I have to wonder if perhaps they could have forgot about the multiplayer altogether and worked harder on the campaign.

F.E.A.R. (the original) copped a lot of flack about its level design, the criticism being that the levels were quite repetitive. It’s apparent that the developers took note of this fact and addressed the issue in F.E.A.R. 2.   I found myself constantly surprised and delighted at the variety of levels, which range from corporate buildings to underground labs and even elementary schools.  Each level is designed stunningly and will have you exploring all over the place as well as simply admiring the view.  The levels in multiplayer were well designed also but as I’ve said, a chore to play in because of connection issues.

Overall: F.E.A.R. 2 is a fantastic and well made game that will immerse you fully; however it’s not without shortcomings. The multiplayer lacks any real depth and will probably only hold your attention for a few matches (if you can get into/finish one).  The scares are still as terrifying, the scripted battles are very strategic and involving, and there’s a great sense that you’re playing an intelligent, polished game. Being such a terrific experience the campaign only clocks in at about 7-8 hours and really isn’t enough to satisfy.  If you’re a fan of the first F.E.A.R. then you can’t afford to miss this one. Just don’t go into it expecting a clone. It’s definitely a game all its own. If you didn’t play the first, now’s the time to get into the series. It’s accessible for new players and deep enough for veterans. It is stunning in its visual and audio prowess and atmosphere and will have you fully immersed in it.  If you can don’t mind a short campaign and don’t expect much (at all) from multiplayer you’ll have a ball playing F.E.A.R. 2. It’s definitely an experienced not to be missed.

 Have you played this game? Why not submit your own review on Arcade Horror here?

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