F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin

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This game works quite well. Lots of levels are spent inside hallways of schools, hospitals, office buildings, and other such cramped locations. Sounds fine, but I found myself longing for some open space to play in. When you finally make it outside and you actually breathe a sigh of relief, I'd consider that to be a sign of a pretty good game.

This game is not one to play in a crowded room, or anywhere where there are lights on. Wait till it's dark and crank it up. While not as scary as Dead Space, I certainly had a few jumps during the playthrough of this one. Creepy scenery, eerie circumstances, sweet weapons, cool enemies, and an interesting story make this a blast to play.

At the time of this writing, I've still not played any multiplayer, so I can't comment on that. But the singleplayer is great fun.

All details aside though, this is pretty standard fare for an FPS. First-person perspective shooting. Lots of weapons and lots of enemies. Linear in structure. PSN Trophies that take quite a while if you want to get a platinum in everything.

For such a reasonable price, and even if you haven't played the first F.E.A.R., this is a quality purchase that is worth at _least_ one playthrough.

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I was expecting more from Alma and I got more then I wished for. Awsome title to have in your PS3 library and well worth the wait. I recommend this to anybody who played FEAR at all. Don't worry the PS3 of the first FEAR was a let down but if you played it for the PC then get this one. If not get it as a rental if you question it. Trust me won't be let down.

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So FEAR 2 is a sequel. But, you do not need to play the original to enjoy this game.

The story of FEAR 2 is dovetailed into the ending of FEAR 1. The opening level is rocked by a large explosion that marked the conclusion of FEAR 1. This is a nice touch. It ties the second game into the first one without beating you over the head with it.

You play Sgt. Beckett. A generic military soldier type of hero who's back story is largely forgettable. Your squad mates are equally a "cut and paste" kind of group. You are tasked with arresting a CEO of an evil corporation bent on bringing clone troopers to a military near you. The operation goes south when the explosion, I mentioned earlier, interrupts you. Oh, and those clone troopers are lead by psychic commanders that have a tendency to go psycho. This is due to their mother being locked in a dark room when she was a kid and suffered all kinds of physical and mental abuses at the hands of her father who turned her into a supernatural force to be reckoned with. And when the evil company tried to pull the plug on the whole operation, Alma (the aforementioned girl) breaks out to exact her revenge on the world.

This back story is the set up for FEAR 2. The game takes a little bit of time to get going. But, once it does, I found it interesting enough to see it through to the end. I like the "horror" elements the designers worked into the story. Seeing fleeting glimpses of a ghostly Alma walking across your vision can raise the hairs on the back of your neck. Speaking of Alma... The story never explains why Alma is a child in the first game and a woman in the sequel. I mean the sequel happens immediately after the first game, so why is she so much older? Kind of a major hole in the back story. But, I'm not going to lose any sleep over this.

As the story plays out, you encounter ghosts and flesh eating ghouls. The ghosts are not really enemies but the restless souls of the victims of Alma's rage or the explosion at the beginning of the story. The ghouls are rejects of the clone trooper program. Nice touches to the storyline. And to be sure you do not miss this, there are various documents littering the ground to give you little nuggets of information about the story. All of this doesn't save FEAR 2 from all the usual short fallings of the FPS genre.

The single player campaign is woefully short. And the multiplayer half is more of an afterthought. The graphics look a bit dated. I mean FEAR 2 looks like a FPS from around 2001 running on a high end PC. Complete with all the bump mapping and pixelization you would expect from a game from that year. This dated look pulls down the entire presentation. Plus, you are bound to get nauseated from the overly exaggerated bobbing back and forth motion of your character's head when he walks. I wish there was some way of turning this off.

The vehicle sequences are sorely lacking as well. Mostly due to you piloting a mech that is capable of raining down death on the multiple waves of enemies. It is a little pedestrian of a plot device to stretch out the story.

Some of the more specialized weapons of the game give you little reason to use them once you realize how useful your ability to slow down time really is. It is that "bullet time ability" that helps you survive against overwhelming odds. And some of those specialized weapons just are not fun to use in bullet time. Plus, ammo for these weapons is very limited.

In the end, FEAR 2 is a worthwhile rental at best. I enjoyed it as such. I doubt many people would find it worth $60. The story is what carries the game. Not the graphics or the depth of game play. There are so many better FPS titles available on the Playstation 3 (like Killzone 2 or Call of Duty 4) that are worth your time.

I prefer to rate games on a scale of 10. So FEAR 2 earns a 7.5 out of 10 in my book.

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F.E.A.R. 2 is an exceptionally solid, atmospheric shooter that delivers real top notch action as well as some surprisingly genuine scares. There is a very convoluted story here that you may never quite grasp, but in the midst of this is a very good single-player campaign that lasts upwards of 10 hours and remains incredibly tense and thrilling from start to finish.

The F.E.A.R. series is sadly one of the more underrated series of games this console generation, which is unfortunate because it really shouldn't be. The games in this series deliver very intense shooting action against AI that is significantly more intelligent than the other FPSs it competes with, and F.E.A.R 2 is no different. The ability to carry 4 weapons and 4 grenade types keeps the combat very fresh and varied. Enemy types aren't the most varied, but their tactical intelligence always keeps you on your toes and forces you to think strategically. Certain segments of game allow you take control of a brutally powerful mech that decimates your enemies with chain guns and missiles. Overall, the gameplay mechanics are quite solid and the game really delivers in its action, making for a really enjoyable experience the whole way through.

Where this game really stands out is in its spooky atmosphere. Taking strong influence from supernatural Japanese horror films and mythology, you'll find that this is a game best played in the dark with your surround sound turned up. Ghostly apparitions, ghastly images, and creepy sound effects come at you at a perfect pace that is never under or overwhelming, particularly during sections in between major combat action. This is a stand out feature for the game, and one that really differentiates it from other games in the genre. It is not a game for those who are easily startled, but those who also enjoy a good scare, the blend of horror and intense combat make for a very satisfying experience.

The game isn't perfect. From a presentation perspective, it isn't quite on the level of other FPSs circa 2009 such as Resistance 2 or Modern Warfare 2. The graphics are suitable but won't blow your mind. The characters you come across can seem wooden and unmemorable, much of this having to do with the aforementioned convoluted narrative. But these are minor pickings in what is an otherwise very good game that stands apart from the pack with its well-paced, intense combat and its spooky atmosphere. It's a very good bargain at the price it's at now, and should definitely scratch the itch for gamers looking for a solid and very enjoyable shooter with a nice touch of creepiness.

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I can be a hard judge of Video Games and that is a fact! But have no Fear, I found F.E.A.R. 2: Origin to be the most awesome video game, I have successfully completed. I have cerebral palsy, among other disabilities so playing video games is difficult for me. F.E.A.R. 2: Origin set on Easy Mode was still quite the hand full for me to play. However F.E.A.R. 2: Origin had none of those extremely challenging hurdles or mini games tucked inside that made it impossible to finish. Not to say F.E.A.R. 2: Origin was not challenging because; it was indeed the most challenging video game I have ever played. F.E.A.R. 2: Origin was intelligently designed so it did more to challenge your senses. F.E.A.R. 2: Origin never got old or boring either. Using the Mech's to lay waste to the enemy was an awesome experience. Mech's are very powerful robots driven by humans that can wage destruction on a massive scale. Because the Mech's regenerated their abilities during times they were not fired on was an awesome touch that let me figure out unique awesome ways to win that were compatible with my brain and limited physical abilities. The weapons in F.E.A.R. 2: Origin were a lot of fun to use. The enemies died in so many unique ways with lots of blood spatter and gore thrown in. F.E.A.R. 2: Origin was a real festival of blood and gore if you had the gore option engaged. Of course if you want your enemy to die a less gore filled bloody death you have the option to turn Gore \ Realism feature Off in the games control center.

F.E.A.R. 2: Origin is not just another shoot em' up gore fest, F.E.A.R. 2: Origin was a LOT of fun but it was also different in so many interesting ways. I wished Snake Fist hadn't gotten killed because; I liked him he was a true scruffy geek \ nerd like me minus the disabilities of course. The locales where the action takes place looked so real down to the signs in the buildings especially the school scenes. That school cafeteria was so real I could almost smell the over salted fat rich unhealthy rubbery food they serve students. I am trying hard to find one bad thing to say about F.E.A.R. 2: Origin and nothing huge comes to mind. The graphics were awesome. The sound was first rate not as good as the original Bioshock BUT still awesome. The audio set a creepy or frantic mood well whenever needed. The city scenes and subway interior scenes were equally well done. The unusual thing about F.E.A.R. 2: Origin was the attention to detail and the overall quality and attention to detail that was invested in every interior shot. F.E.A.R. 2: Origin had a fair share of destructible objects sprawled throughout the game. Nothing destroys the mood set by a video game more than an object easily destroyed in the real world that is impossible to destroy in the game.

F.E.A.R. 2: Origin also had some funny dialogue for the enemies as they got ready to kill you. I laughed my head off when an enemy would say, I've got him just the instant before I blew his head off. I loved it when a frustrated enemy would say he is moving too fast, or I need back up here. The timing of some of the enemies lines is pure comic genius. You have to be deep into the game to really enjoy the enemies funny one liners and assorted quips, I have heard some people say the character in F.E.A.R. 2: Origin has some pretty lame friends given that whenever the going gets rough they fade out. However I enjoy being a LONE WOLF when hunting things on video games. The most infuriating video games are those that pair you up with an inept but affable side kick you must continually get out of jams not of your own making. I know F.E.A.R. 2: Origin was a good video game because even on Easy Mode I died a lot in some places and not at all in areas where I am stronger like sniping. Despite lacklustre performance in other areas of video game play rare is the video game with good snipping guns that I do not get the expert trophy. F.E.A.R. 2: Origin's sharp shooter trophy is called "DEAD EYE" and Yeah I won it. Gun aiming in F.E.A.R. 2: Origin is so much better in F.E.A.R. 2: Origin compared to the truly stupid sideways reticle only gun aiming in the original F.E.A.R. Button layout was much improved in F.E.A.R. 2: Origin although some minor additional fine tuning to make some things flow better is needed.

The best thing about F.E.A.R. 2: Origin is the ability to slow down time as it was needed, worked everywhere and added so much to the funny situations it created during game play. The only gripe I had about F.E.A.R. 2: Origin and it is a tiny almost non-existent gripe is about the targeting system. In the heat of battle the target would be clearly in view and locked on, I'd fire my weapon hit the enemy and he would not die, spurt blood or in any way act as if he had been hit. I loved how you had to use the time slo feature just right to catch enemies at critical times of exposure. The best thing about F.E.A.R. 2: Origin was the AI control of the characters being the most realistic I have witnessed. The Replica soldiers were worthy prey because you truly had to hunt them down and kill them like the hell spawned vermin they were. Replica soldiers of all kinds never went quietly into that good night without my having to blow their brains all over the wall first. I only wish I could give more than five stars for fun and overall to F.E.A.R. 2: Origin because they were earned. It is a rare video game that I get this fervent about but F.E.A.R. 2: Origin is that rare fun that kept me engaged in the game like a true fiend like addict. I consider F.E.A.R. 2: Origin one of the must haves of any video game collection. I will be buying more copies of F.E.A.R. 2: Origin just because; I never want to be without the video games I enjoy so much they become addictive to me. Oh I will be replaying F.E.A.R. 2: Origin again and again as it never gets old for me. Treat yourself to F.E.A.R. 2: Origin by buying a copy. I love F.E.A.R. 2: Origin more than double recess and playing in water!