Cold Fear

Cold Fear is far better than expected, a grisly little survival-horror dynamo with terror to spare. Resident Evil fans, take note.

F.E.A.R. is Vivendi's upcoming PC shooter. And Cold Winter just arrived on the PS2. Now we have Cold Fear. Do these game publishers conspire in order to create game name confusion, or what?

Revival Horror
Most survival-horror games ultimately boil down to roaming in circles and jiggling door knobs. Cold Fear is no exception. "Is this the right door?" you'll ask yourself again and again, only to be answered with your character snarling, "Damn, it's locked." Damn, indeed. But once the storyline kicks into gear, and cadavers start sprouting tentacles, Cold Fear finds its purpose.

For what it is--a glossy update on Resident Evil 4--Cold Fear is remarkably effective. For one, the setting is unique. You begin on a storm-drenched whaling ship that lurches to and fro endlessly. This swaying heightens the tension by limiting your vision (as well as your aiming abilities). Same goes for the curtains of pounding rain; Aside from being a wonderfully atmospheric visual effect, the constant downpour jacks up the suspense by concealing your foes. And what foes they are.

The Exocels are squirming, tentacle-sprouting abominations dredged from the bowels of some ancient tar pit. And they're seriously pissed off. The battles with these wriggling, elastic critters are the stuff of nightmares. Luckily, the controls are (mostly) up the challenge. You can even move while aiming and reloading, something that's impossible in Resident Evil 4.

Fear Me
Cold Fear's jaw-dropping visuals steal the show, oozing high-res malevolence at every turn. It's enough to make you wonder why Sony and Microsoft are so obsessed with hurrying expensive new consoles to market--these amazing graphics will do just fine, thanks. The rusted-out derelict whaling ship boasts so many disturbing details and dark corners that it's practically a character unto itself.

That said, the Xbox version offers the superior visual experience. Its advanced lighting system casts advanced real-time shadows (much like Doom 3), a high-tech feature the PS2 hardware simply can't match. Cold Fear also looks great on the PS2, but its comparatively primitive lighting (the flashlight and shadows look far simpler) can't inspire the same level of primal dread. The freaky sounds help pick up the slack, pumping out dynamic music that reacts to the action.

Cold Fear is an impressive achievement, and the first game to offer a serious alternative to the venerable Resident Evil series. Resident Evil 4's massive arsenal gives it an edge, but Cold Fear's maneuverable controls are a huge advantage. Call it a tie.

Whether you're bummed about missing the GameCube-only Resident Evil 4 or you're looking for a new thrill, pick up Cold Fear post-haste. But if you've got a choice, spring for the darker, freakier Xbox version.

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zomiehunter

cold fear was one of those games i picked up on the $ 9.00 and under table at the game store while looking for a role playing horror style game. i played stupid hill,i mean silent hill 2 and was all washed out from being bord to death ! anyway i got the game home,and just had a hard time pitting it down.the game play is great, and lots of action to ! lots of jump out and scare you in it.the game came out in 2005,the same time resident evil 4 ( one of the best games ever ) came out. and i'm allmost sure thats why it didn't fly straight to the top.but i'm here to tell you,if you like action, and horror together when your playing,this is it,and its low budget ! i have seen it for $4.99 you can get it for the first x-box,but its not backards comp. with the 360. ok , put it in , turn up the sound,and out with the light.its time to light up some zombies !!!!!!!!!!!

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