Horror in video games is nothing new
yet it’s something some of us still can’t get enough of. The suspense of not
knowing is usually more freighting than the actual experience. We want to be
afraid and challenged at the same time. We want to yell at the screen in terror
and with excitement once we clear a challenge. The developers at Monolith have
been doing a tremendous job of satisfying those needs with F.E.A.R. but also the
underrated series Condemned. F.E.A.R. 2 takes us back into the world of the
little girl Alma and all of the twisted, bloody and unsettling experiences to go
along with her.
F.E.A.R. 2 takes place just before
the ending of the first game; this time with you playing the role of Sgt.
Michael Becket. You start the game in the same office building that you played
through near the end of the first game. This gave me a sense of deja vu because
I had been playing through the first game again recently. The locations and
layout were almost exactly the game just the graphics were much nicer with
better textures and more details. The same tight and intense first-person
shooter gameplay from the first game was still present. I started to get
worried that F.E.A.R. 2 was going to be more of an expansion than a true sequel.
Once F.E.A.R. 2 moved past the
ending events of the first F.E.A.R. is when the game really started to take
off. The game is still a very dark and moody game with tons of “Oh crap, what
was that?” moments to keep you on the edge of your seats. You start to
undercover more about Alma during some strange flashbacks during points of the
game. Alma also makes several appearances, sometimes helping you while other
times almost studying you. The game even includes some Condemned-like melee
combat quick-time events where you’ll have to frantically press the B button to
ward off certain fiends. You’ll find yourself hoping and praying your flashlight
keeps working because you never know what’s lurking in the dark.
As I mentioned earlier you still get
the same tight and intense gameplay from the first game. This time the AI is
even more impressive with enemy soldiers seeking out more cover and following
more elaborate schemes to take you out. The accuracy of the enemies is almost
deadly even on the normal difficulty but just not to a point of complete
frustration. The slow motion feature from the first game is still present, which
is extremely helpful when fighting several enemies at once. Yet the game just
doesn’t feel like you’re up against insurmountable odds.
There are plenty of weapons and ammo
found scattered in the game with even more dropped by fallen enemy soldiers. You’ll find what always seemed to be just the right amount of health packs and
armor to keep you alive in the game. Sure I died several times but that was
usually stupid mistakes I made playing the game, not anything to do with an
extreme difficulty. You might even find yourself zipping through the game in
under 10 hours if you’re careful enough.
The one new feature that really
impressed me about F.E.A.R. 2 was the Powered Armored Units. The Powered
Armored units are mech suits that you have to fight and sometimes control in the
game. Once you get inside one of these units you become an almost unstoppable
weapon that can spray rockets and unleash machine gun fire everywhere. You can
zoom in for a better aim or switch to a thermal view to find enemies hiding
behind cover. The viewpoint inside the unit is noticeably grainy like watching
on a computer monitor, especially when debris and weapon fire start going
everywhere. The units control like a lumbering tank but in a good way. When I
first read about these mech units I immediately dismissed them as something
completely unnecessary for an F.E.A.R. game. But now the overall “cool” factor
of controlling these units cannot be understated. Even though controlling them
is fun, actually trying to take one out with your normal weapons is another
intense experience that is fantastic.
Even with all of the great moments
in the game, F.E.A.R. 2 still feels like a game with an identity crisis. While
it wants to be a top-notch shooter -, which is does well – it still wants to be a
horror game. While the horror moments in the game will catch you off guard from
time to time the overall horror motif is lacking compared to its brother
Condemned. Now I’m sure this is obvious to the developers but for some gamers
going into the game they might expect more of a horror game than a shooter. Let
me say (type it) for everyone to understand: F.E.A.R. 2 is a shooter first and a
horror game second. The main point of the game is to run around and shoot the
enemy, there is hardly any real story that is played out within the game. What
story you do have is rather brief and still confusing during most of the game. If you want a more horror centric game make sure to check out Condemned if you
haven’t done so already.
F.E.A.R. 2 hits all the right
buttons to keep you entertained, scared and challenged. The action in the game
is still of the top-shelf flavor that should please hardcore and casual FPS
fans. The horror elements are just enough to scare the wits out of plenty of
gamers with some intense moments. The game is also a gory mess full of blood
that could even repulse some gamers with a weak stomach. F.E.A.R. 2 is a
worthy sequel that might be a little short but still offers plenty for fans of
the series.
Gameplay: 8.5
The gameplay does a great job of
challenging you with some interesting AI of the enemies. Even when I had to
replay some areas over again the enemies would usually act differently each
time. I might know where they will be coming from but their reaction to me was
usually different each time. The controls are very tight and responsive with
the no big problems or worries. My only complaint with the controls is the game
sometimes switched weapons on me when I would try to use a med kit. Pressing
down on the directional pad lets you use a med kit while pressing right will
change weapons. The game still follows the same linear approach from F.E.A.R.
with you going in one direction during most of the game.
Graphics: 8.9
The graphics in the game do a
remarkable job of portraying a ruined city on the verge of collapse with buildings
and locations torn apart in stunning detail. The game is extremely dark at
times in order to build suspense of what you don’t see. The game is full of
blood with plenty of splatter when you unload a shotgun at close range. The framerate was always solid and I never noticed any slowdown due to a large
number of enemies on screen.
Sound: 7.9
The voice acting in the game is top
notch with all of the actors doing a tremendous job with their lines. The music
is more of a minimalist approach as in most horror-based games. The music is
there to build up anticipation, which is does well but nothing that was really
memorable.
Difficulty: Medium
The difficulty on the normal setting
just feels right. Not too hard but not too easy. I found myself having to start
stages over again but usually only once or twice.
Concept: 8.4
I enjoy how the game tries to find a
balance between being a survival horror game and being a FPS. It might stumble
at times since the game is still centered upon an FPS but the horror elements
still work. I will say that I think developer Monolith is able to create some
stunning and horrific moments with ease. If Capcom ever wants to make a real
FPS Resident Evil game they should call Monolith first.
Multiplayer: 8.6
I wouldn’t be surprised if F.E.A.R.
2 becomes an Xbox Live favorite just for one mode: Armored Front. This mode is
simply “the capture locations on the map mode” we’ve seen in countless other FPS
games but with the Powered Armor Units in play. Each team has a Powered Armor
Unit they can use to try to gain control over more locations on the map. But
once someone is inside the mechs everyone is gunning for you, which creates an
amazingly intense experience. You want to take out the mech but you still don’t
want to give up a location to the other team. It’s a great cat-and-mouse type
of experience where you’ll always be struggling to find the perfect balance of
how to one up the other team.
Deathmatch and Team Deathmatch are
included but make sure you have plenty of players. Some of the maps are very
large, which can lead to everyone running around waiting to find someone to
shoot. Control is the same as Armored Front but without the mechs to create
havoc. Failsafe is a bomb mode where one team tries to detonate a bomb while
the other team tries to defuse the bomb. Blitz mode has teams stealing PHLAGs
from each others bases. The game does include an experience point system for
ranked matches. As you play more ranked matches you’ll earn more points and
additional achievements.
Overall: 8.5
F.E.A.R. 2 is a great game that
offers an intense single-player experience and a solid multiplayer experience. While the single-player mode might be somewhat linear and maybe a little too
short the overall experience is still top notch. You will be scared and you
will be challenged with some great AI. Multiplayer might not have the most
advanced features compared to other games but the Armored Front mode should be a
hit for everyone.
