I haven’t played much of the original F.E.A.R. since it first came out over three years ago, but when the sequel was announced, I was excited. I liked the idea of a cutting-edge shooter combined with Japanese horror from the original game, and wanted to see what Monolith (who also make the Condemned games) would do with the franchise next. F.E.A.R. 2 isn’t nearly as cutting-edge as the original was, but it doesn’t have to be, because its solid story, sweet weapons, and the variety of levels makes it a good choice for shooter fans and a worthy sequel all-around, even if some aspects stick out as a little under-cooked.
The basic gameplay is simple but rewarding. It’s your now basic shooter with slow-motion elements that we’ve come to see as familiar, but since F.E.A.R. was one of the first games to really nail this style of game, it stands to reason that the sequel would stick to the same guidelines. However, a number of awesome weapons go a long way to spice things up, like a huge rifle that can nail enemies to walls with a cool blue glow, or a laser that scorches enemies and turns them into giblets (yay gibs!).
It also lays on the atmosphere pretty thick, leading to a constant sense of uneasiness throughout. The game begins with a bunch of dread-inducing flashbacks and dream sequences, and the end picks up on the cues developed early on, culminating in a weird, disturbing, and satisfying conclusion that also leaves the series wide open for later instalments. This is not your Zone of the Enders-style “Yes, there will be a sequel” sort of copout.
The middle ground, though, is where the game loses some of its steam. The horror elements really drop off during the game’s second act, and Project Origin’s weaknesses begin to show more frequently. The artificial intelligence, for example, is pretty stupid for the most part. I rarely found myself being flanked or otherwise outsmarted by the enemies as I did in the original, and generally I found it easier and quicker to simply turn on slow-motion and rush in with the Assault Rifle or Automatic Shotgun until everyone was a bunch of red paste. Don’t get me wrong, that looked awesome, but it was a tad disappointing to see the enemies succumb to the most primal run-and-gun tactics, on the game’s Easy or Normal difficulties.
Taken as a whole, though, F.E.A.R. 2 is a pretty good game. It won’t be the finest shooter of 2009, but it’s something that’s worth checking out, particularly if you played the first game. It certainly looks great, with believable looking characters and some really disturbing, gritty effects that and laid on nice and thick when the game decides to pull you into Alma’s world. It’s also worth restating that the final chapters really pull you into the game, arguably a lot better than the first F.E.A.R. ever did. The sound design goes along with the creepy visuals, for the most part, although some truly awful and at times really inappropriate music ruins the mood. Some of the tracks sound like a mix between elevator Muzak and really bad techno.
Luckily, not even techno-esque music can keep a very good shooter down. If you like shooters, this is a game worth playing.