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PC | Action | F.E.A.R.

Boxart for F.E.A.R.
F.E.A.R. 126 screen shots
  • GRAPHICS: 5.0
  • SOUND: 5.0
  • CONTROL: 4.5
  • FUN FACTOR 5.0
  • AVG USER SCORE 4.8
  • AVG CRITIC SCORE 4.6
Winner of the GamePro Editor's Choice Award

Review: F.E.A.R.

Review by Bones | 10/19/2005 | 11:09:42 AM PST

Violent, challenging, and surprisingly intelligent, F.E.A.R. fulfills all our wishes for a powerfully innovative and groundbreaking FPS game.

Amongst the glut of sub par, so-so and typically trite shooters that currently flood the market, Monolith's F.E.A.R. stands as a terrifying and wonderful reminder of the amazing creative potential inherent to first-person games. Both a technical and narrative masterpiece, F.E.A.R combines elements of science-fiction and horror with a beautiful aesthetic presentation and incredible enemy A.I. The amazing end result is capable of converting even the most diehard console gamers into temporary PC FPS fans.

Believe the Hype
While even the best big-name games typically fail to live up to all of the expectations placed on them, F.E.A.R. is able to fully support its own heavy hype. Graphically, F.E.A.R is a sight to behold, packed with jaw-dropping lighting and particle effects as well as outstanding character animation that exploits the game's killer physics engine. However, all this graphical goodness does come at a price, as F.E.A.R demands serious PC hardware to be appreciated in its true form. That said, if you're able to run F.E.A.R. at its higher settings without melting your motherboard, you are in for one of the most satisfying audio/visual experiences imaginable.

Slow-motion Slaughter
But as the multifaceted gameplay proves, F.E.A.R. is much, much more than dazzling special effects. Assuming the role of a new recruit in the elite F.E.A.R. unit (First Encounter Assault Recon), you have a plethora of powerful weapons and skills at your disposal. In addition to your impressive arsenal, you can swim, climb, dive over obstacles, lean out from behind cover, slow down time with superhuman reactions (ala Max Payne), and perform a variety of kick-ass kung fu melee moves, all backed by a highly intuitive and responsive control scheme. All of these abilities become essential as you face off against an army of super soldiers who fight and react with bloodthirsty zeal and frightening efficiency. In fact, F.E.A.R.'s surprisingly intelligent foes put other dimwitted, duck-and-cover FPS enemies to shame, and help maintain a sense of panic and excitement throughout the game.

Be A.F.R.A.I.D.
The outstanding story mode is also matched by an entertaining and very fast paced multiplayer mode that puts a few interesting twists on old genre standards by incorporating cool skills like in "Slow-Mo Deathmatch" and features a solid set of map varieties and distinct game types. Simply put, F.E.A.R. is the game Doom 3 was supposed to be--only smarter, scarier and better looking. Even if you don't normally play FPS games, anyone who can stand a few good and gory scares (and who's PCs are up to the challenge) owes it to themselves to experience F.E.A.R... You'll likely be frightened--but you definitely won't be disappointed.


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