PixlBit

F.E.A.R.  playstation 3

(All photos courtsey of GH)

I finally got around and started playing FEAR. I've played a few levels of the game before, but stopped and never picked it back up.  So essentialy you're a new recruit for the unit FEAR (First Encounter Assault Recon), they are a combat unit that investigates paranomal activity for the government. You are going into a building looking for a rogue Leader named Paxton Fettel whom uses telepathic powers to take over some kind of Super Soldiers. You being the new recruit, you are of course, the Point man in the game.

There is a little girl in the game(or ghost) named Alma. I've made it to level 3 in the game and Im still not sure what her role is. The sound in the game is pretty good for special effects and music and gun fire but when the units talk to each other its hard for me to understand the conversations. I always use subtitles in games but I havent found how to turn them on in this game or if they can be turned on. Maybe later her role will be explained or be more clear.

This game has Long Load Times. Probably the longest load screens Ive ever seen on the PS3.

The graphics are pretty good. The lights and shadows work well but they are more like a high end Playstation 2 graphics. The graphics won't blow you away but they get the job done.

 

The game has a few puzzle or exploratory elements in the game. You need to look up, down, and in all corners to find ways to proceed in the game or find health and ammo. I was stumped here for awhile, I needed to get up on those pipes and it took me a little bit to figure it out. 

The horror atmosphere is really good. The little girl pops up out of nowhere, babies cry, whispers out of nowhere,shadows pass doorways and I've encountered a few jump scares that I enjoyed. Play it at night with the lights down low!

I watched a few video reviews before playing the game and all the reviewers raved about the Enemy AI being smart-good. And they are right, even by todays standards I think this game has the smartest enemy AI Ive ever experienced. The will flank you, run backwards while shooting at you, once I jumped up on a ledge chasing an enemy and he jump off the ledge to avoid me! I cant say Ive ever seen that in a video game.

But no game is perfect and that includes this one. It has a few funny glitches like the one above. Long load times and sub par PS3 graphics. But the main thing about the game is that it is Fun!

So I'm going to keep playing and I will keep ya'll posted on my progress.

Merry Christmas or Merry whatever you celebrate. Enjoy the day!

-GH