F.E.A.R. isn't just a state of mind

What F.E.A.R. stands for is as unimportant as the story line of the game. As atmosphereic as F.E.A.R. is, it has nothing to do with the story. Through most of the game; hints of what is going on is sprinkled through out in the form of phone messages and laptop files. So where does the fear come from in the game? Well, it comes from the advanced AI. They flank, they work as a team, and most importantly they are patient. The AI in F.E.A.R. is its greatest selling point. I mean when enemies adapt to your game plan you get a nerving feeling. A feeling you can't even get playing online against human opponents. Graphiclly F.E.A.R. is very pretty, for a time. Eventually the bland drab colors just wash away any art direction that may have impressed you in the beginning. Depending on your graphic card the game looks very impressive in fire fights that cause an orgy of flying chunks of concrete fill a room. What also causes the game to feel bland is the lack of enemies. You'll be shooting through most of the same baddies and unfortuantly with the same guns. None of which seem to stand out. The audio is also impressive in the same way, very striking at first go, but toward the middle the graphics and sounds just become bland. The effects of the bullets flying and cracking their targets can be very satifying. Enemies shout orders at each other. You'll regularly hear them panicing or asking for back up and that adds another layer of realism to the enemy AI. Had it not been for the repeditive level design, average weapons and recycled enemy types, F.E.A.R. could have been a perfect game. In the end you are just praying for something other then action to motivate your actions. You forget you are super soldier and get lost in a string of exciting, yet pointless, battles. Enjoyable as a rollercoster, just don't expect the ride to take you anywhere.