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GF Rating
7
Good
A Strange, Unpredictable Ride
posted by ATMiller (LAFITTE, LA) Jun 27, 2009
Member since Jun 2009
9 out of 9 gamers (100%) found this review helpful
Storyline: My first thought, "mindless shooting spree." There are no puzzles to solve, no clues to follow. The only backstory information you receive is generally irrelevant to the objective, which is to survive while at the same time putting as much lead in the enemy as possible. Still, with constant reminders of an enemy intelligence, i.e. numerous, impromptu appearances of the pseudo naked Alma, there is a glimmer of player dymanic. Unfortunately, this never really plays out, and in the end you are left with more questions then answers. Number one question is, "did this game really support this ending?" (No spoilers)
Gameplay: First person shooters can have a claustaphobic affect that can be distracting, especially if the designers try to mimic natural human balance in the character sight and aiming systems (example: cross-hairs go up and down as character breathes [which means that you have to deal with yours in the real world and theirs]). FEAR 2 is much more solid in this respect. Another gripe of this genre is the lack of peripheral vision that would give any real war veteran a heart attack. To compensate, the designers timed enemy attacks so that waves oftem come from predictable directions, not all at once from all sides.
Graphics: Excellent. This reminds one of a true city under psychic siege. The only problem is that, doesn't this kind of total destruction leave one to wonder why the protagonist even bothers? If the enemy has the power to wipe out millions in a blink, why let you live to give them their come-up-ance? This setting left me feeling hopeless, like that no matter who wins, we've all lost. M.A.D. at its finest. It is vital to point out that I am talking specifically about the various terrains, characters, etc., not simply story features, which says a lot about aesthetic.
Enemys: While the AI was somewhat intuitive, the baddies were actually quite lackluster. It felt like I kept having to kill the same seven or eight monsters/soldiers.
Gameplay: First person shooters can have a claustaphobic affect that can be distracting, especially if the designers try to mimic natural human balance in the character sight and aiming systems (example: cross-hairs go up and down as character breathes [which means that you have to deal with yours in the real world and theirs]). FEAR 2 is much more solid in this respect. Another gripe of this genre is the lack of peripheral vision that would give any real war veteran a heart attack. To compensate, the designers timed enemy attacks so that waves oftem come from predictable directions, not all at once from all sides.
Graphics: Excellent. This reminds one of a true city under psychic siege. The only problem is that, doesn't this kind of total destruction leave one to wonder why the protagonist even bothers? If the enemy has the power to wipe out millions in a blink, why let you live to give them their come-up-ance? This setting left me feeling hopeless, like that no matter who wins, we've all lost. M.A.D. at its finest. It is vital to point out that I am talking specifically about the various terrains, characters, etc., not simply story features, which says a lot about aesthetic.
Enemys: While the AI was somewhat intuitive, the baddies were actually quite lackluster. It felt like I kept having to kill the same seven or eight monsters/soldiers.
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GF Rating
7
Good
Worth Your Time
posted by tronics (WOODSIDE, NY) Mar 27, 2009
Member since Dec 2008
13 out of 14 gamers (93%) found this review helpful
Fear 2 is definitely worth your time. You should be able to get through it over a weekend. The controls are solid and at times genuinely scary. I've played Killzone 2 before I played this game, so I've become a bit spoiled by KZ's graphical prowess. At times, Fear 2 can look very dated but it doesn't detract from the gaming experience.
The times when the elements of horror shine best is when you are in a area in darkness while being stalked by ghosts, the atmosphere works. Unfortunately, those are few in favor of just straight forward FPS. The level design and mission objectives can get a bit repetitive but it does manage to entertain you enough to want to push through the end.
I find the ending to this game quite intriguing and honestly can't wait for Fear 3.
All in all, a worthy rental for the single player. Don't expect much out of multiplayer. Stick to COD or Killzone for those duties.
The times when the elements of horror shine best is when you are in a area in darkness while being stalked by ghosts, the atmosphere works. Unfortunately, those are few in favor of just straight forward FPS. The level design and mission objectives can get a bit repetitive but it does manage to entertain you enough to want to push through the end.
I find the ending to this game quite intriguing and honestly can't wait for Fear 3.
All in all, a worthy rental for the single player. Don't expect much out of multiplayer. Stick to COD or Killzone for those duties.
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GF Rating
6
Above Average
A step down for this promising series
posted by Solrina (CANDLER, NC) Aug 15, 2010
Member since Jul 2010
1 out of 1 gamers (100%) found this review helpful
I really enjoyed the first FEAR, shoddy graphics and all. I was seriously jazzed for the next installment, but was disappointed in many ways by what I found.
The game starts interestingly enough, taking place a bit before the end of the first game. You also have a name this time, as you are Delta Force member Michael Becket. Your mission is to capture Genevieve Aristide, a name fans of the first will remember. There are hints of more experiments, some of which seem to include our new hero and his team. Of course Alma returns to wreck havok amongst her new targets.
Once again I have to applaud the "reflex time" mechanics, as they work as well as the first game, and the great guns that always felt right to shoot. The game remains brutal. The music and sound are also rightfully creepy. The action remained entertaining as expected. The voice acting was solid, and I liked the character of "Snake Fist." It was also nice to see something new with the Mech levels, but those are not all that special to be honest.
I did had some problems with the game. First off, the graphics haven't improved much in my opinion. While I could overlooked the first, being a port of a two-year old game, this time around they had no excuse. The level designs were very flat and repetitive. Gone was the creepy atmosphere, replaced with predictable action/set pieces. I can barely remember the levels to be honest. The story this time just isn't as interesting. The final battle is just plain weird.
While the game is certainly not a bad one, I missed the genuinely disturbing feel of the first. This felt like just another shooter...I felt the story was missing the evil feel of the first. I will indeed be looking forward to the third installment, but I also hope it will find a way back to it's disturbing roots.
6 / 10
The game starts interestingly enough, taking place a bit before the end of the first game. You also have a name this time, as you are Delta Force member Michael Becket. Your mission is to capture Genevieve Aristide, a name fans of the first will remember. There are hints of more experiments, some of which seem to include our new hero and his team. Of course Alma returns to wreck havok amongst her new targets.
Once again I have to applaud the "reflex time" mechanics, as they work as well as the first game, and the great guns that always felt right to shoot. The game remains brutal. The music and sound are also rightfully creepy. The action remained entertaining as expected. The voice acting was solid, and I liked the character of "Snake Fist." It was also nice to see something new with the Mech levels, but those are not all that special to be honest.
I did had some problems with the game. First off, the graphics haven't improved much in my opinion. While I could overlooked the first, being a port of a two-year old game, this time around they had no excuse. The level designs were very flat and repetitive. Gone was the creepy atmosphere, replaced with predictable action/set pieces. I can barely remember the levels to be honest. The story this time just isn't as interesting. The final battle is just plain weird.
While the game is certainly not a bad one, I missed the genuinely disturbing feel of the first. This felt like just another shooter...I felt the story was missing the evil feel of the first. I will indeed be looking forward to the third installment, but I also hope it will find a way back to it's disturbing roots.
6 / 10
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