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F.E.A.R. Files
The F.E.A.R. franchise returns to haunt FPS gamers.
November 16, 2007 | 6:21 AM PSTby: A. McDaniel
AMN's Review Policy: Our reviews are written for you. Our goal is to write honest, to-the-point reviews that don't waste your time. This is why we've split our reviews into four sections: What the Game's About, What's Hot, What's Not and Final Word, so that you can easily find the information you want from our reviews.
What the Game's About
F.E.A.R. (First Encounter Assault Recon) Files is comprised of the two expansion packs to the original F.E.A.R. When the original F.E.A.R. launched, it wooed gamers with its top notch graphics, haunting atmosphere, and exemplary AI. A year after its PC debut, the original was ported to the Xbox360 and Playstation3 consoles. F.E.A.R. files takes the two PC expansion packs: Extraction Point and Perseus Mandate, brings them to the console world and adds in a few extra features.
In the F.E.A.R. series, you take charge of a super powered agent that specializes in dealing with the paranormal. You have enhanced reflexes that give you the ability to slow things down while you take advantage of your enemies in real time. You are sent in to investigate and dispatch an army of clone soldiers being telepathically controlled by an insane ex-military commander.
The first expansion pack: Extraction Point begins immediately following the end of the original game. The helicopter that you assumed would take you to safety is brought down in an explosion, and its up to you and the surviving members of your team to make it safely to the second extraction point. Unfortunately, it seems that the replica army clones have been once again reanimated and you are still being chased down by Alma, your horror game's prerequisite creepy little girl.
The second expansion pack: The Perseus Mandate, actually puts you into the role of a member of the backup team sent in to assist during the events of the first game. You get to take control of yet another member of the F.E.A.R. team as you are sent in to retrieve data regarding a secret project from faceless evil corporation Armacham's data center.
What's Hot
F.E.A.R. files offers fans who picked up the first game in the series an opportunity to pick up exactly where the first story left off. The designers added in a ton of more guns and items, and several new enemies.
The instant action mode allows you to pick up and play in various game-based scenarios where you are judged by how well you play. Initially, this content comes across as the type of filler that is more at home on a handheld game, but as you try them out you will that these parts are easily the best part of the game.
Fans of the original's online multiplayer modes will find that multiplayer also returns here alongside the expansion packs. The latest version of the game includes exclusive multiplayer maps and allows you to incorporate the newer weapons into the mix.
What's Not
What set the original F.E.A.R. apart from most FPS games was that it was rather innovative at the time. Granted, the premise stole heavily from various other movie and game sources, but it was the first FPS to truly capture the creepy feeling of being in a horror movie. However, that was two years ago; technology has moved on. Nuances that F.E.A.R. pulled off well at the time have been trumped by more recent titles. Shortcomings that could have been overlooked at the time are now quite unacceptable. Despite playing as different characters in both expansion packs you still feel as though you are playing the same person with the exact same abilities.
With both being only expansion packs, the two games are pretty short asides that would not be able to stand on their own footing if they were packaged separate. With both games taking place in the same location as the original, it takes a high level of tolerance to deal with seeing the same surroundings for that long.
F.E.A.R. relies on visual effects and sound in order to create a dark and creepy atmosphere. The game's engine which hasn't been updated since its original release looks extremely dated here. The low polygon models look blocky compared to most of today's console landscape. At times, the characters will resemble palette-swapped figures out of the first Grand Theft Auto3.
Outside of the last-generation blockiness of the character models, the textures are ridiculously poor. The texture for the main character's arm is so horrible that you could easily mistake your sleeve for a giant marshmallow in the foreground. It's really hard to take the horror aspect of the game seriously when the enemies and apparitions appear so graphically ridiculous.
Outside of using graphics to achieve its scares, the game utilizes audio cues to build up its atmosphere. The problem here is that the voice audio isn't very clear, even with the proper sound settings. To make matters worse, there is no option to add subtitles. Simple audio accessibility for gamers with hearing problems should be standard for all games by this point. However, in a game where much of the audio is purposely static filled; bad audio makes it hard even for gamers with perfect hearing to understand transmissions or even simple spoken audio.
The engine really shows its age when compared to modern first person shooters. The implementation of physics seems quite antiquated. The AI is still pretty clever. Enemies will hide behind cover or flank you if you leave yourself open, but compared to other series the AI seems to have lost its edge. What was once great, now pales in comparison to modern console AI. Due to this, most of the corridor shooting sequences which comprise most of both expansion packs seems relatively easy for experienced players. It's not until you reach open spaces and the larger firefights that you will really have to put your reflexes and hand-eye coordination to use.
Final Word
F.E.A.R. Files offers gamers a brief chance to pick up where they last left off with the series, but due to the now archaic game engine, F.E.A.R. is no longer even as good as gamers remember. Most of both expansions take place in hallways, office buildings and loading docks, giving veteran players a severe case of déjà vu due to its repetitiveness. The instant action and new multiplayer maps pad out the package that would otherwise be over far too quick. If you want a bit more backstory while waiting on the true sequel to F.E.A.R., you should definitely check F.E.A.R. Files out. However you won't miss much by passing on these dated expansions.
What the Game's About
F.E.A.R. (First Encounter Assault Recon) Files is comprised of the two expansion packs to the original F.E.A.R. When the original F.E.A.R. launched, it wooed gamers with its top notch graphics, haunting atmosphere, and exemplary AI. A year after its PC debut, the original was ported to the Xbox360 and Playstation3 consoles. F.E.A.R. files takes the two PC expansion packs: Extraction Point and Perseus Mandate, brings them to the console world and adds in a few extra features.
In the F.E.A.R. series, you take charge of a super powered agent that specializes in dealing with the paranormal. You have enhanced reflexes that give you the ability to slow things down while you take advantage of your enemies in real time. You are sent in to investigate and dispatch an army of clone soldiers being telepathically controlled by an insane ex-military commander.
The first expansion pack: Extraction Point begins immediately following the end of the original game. The helicopter that you assumed would take you to safety is brought down in an explosion, and its up to you and the surviving members of your team to make it safely to the second extraction point. Unfortunately, it seems that the replica army clones have been once again reanimated and you are still being chased down by Alma, your horror game's prerequisite creepy little girl.
The second expansion pack: The Perseus Mandate, actually puts you into the role of a member of the backup team sent in to assist during the events of the first game. You get to take control of yet another member of the F.E.A.R. team as you are sent in to retrieve data regarding a secret project from faceless evil corporation Armacham's data center.
What's Hot
F.E.A.R. files offers fans who picked up the first game in the series an opportunity to pick up exactly where the first story left off. The designers added in a ton of more guns and items, and several new enemies.
The instant action mode allows you to pick up and play in various game-based scenarios where you are judged by how well you play. Initially, this content comes across as the type of filler that is more at home on a handheld game, but as you try them out you will that these parts are easily the best part of the game.
Fans of the original's online multiplayer modes will find that multiplayer also returns here alongside the expansion packs. The latest version of the game includes exclusive multiplayer maps and allows you to incorporate the newer weapons into the mix.
What's Not
What set the original F.E.A.R. apart from most FPS games was that it was rather innovative at the time. Granted, the premise stole heavily from various other movie and game sources, but it was the first FPS to truly capture the creepy feeling of being in a horror movie. However, that was two years ago; technology has moved on. Nuances that F.E.A.R. pulled off well at the time have been trumped by more recent titles. Shortcomings that could have been overlooked at the time are now quite unacceptable. Despite playing as different characters in both expansion packs you still feel as though you are playing the same person with the exact same abilities.
With both being only expansion packs, the two games are pretty short asides that would not be able to stand on their own footing if they were packaged separate. With both games taking place in the same location as the original, it takes a high level of tolerance to deal with seeing the same surroundings for that long.
F.E.A.R. relies on visual effects and sound in order to create a dark and creepy atmosphere. The game's engine which hasn't been updated since its original release looks extremely dated here. The low polygon models look blocky compared to most of today's console landscape. At times, the characters will resemble palette-swapped figures out of the first Grand Theft Auto3.
Outside of the last-generation blockiness of the character models, the textures are ridiculously poor. The texture for the main character's arm is so horrible that you could easily mistake your sleeve for a giant marshmallow in the foreground. It's really hard to take the horror aspect of the game seriously when the enemies and apparitions appear so graphically ridiculous.
Outside of using graphics to achieve its scares, the game utilizes audio cues to build up its atmosphere. The problem here is that the voice audio isn't very clear, even with the proper sound settings. To make matters worse, there is no option to add subtitles. Simple audio accessibility for gamers with hearing problems should be standard for all games by this point. However, in a game where much of the audio is purposely static filled; bad audio makes it hard even for gamers with perfect hearing to understand transmissions or even simple spoken audio.
The engine really shows its age when compared to modern first person shooters. The implementation of physics seems quite antiquated. The AI is still pretty clever. Enemies will hide behind cover or flank you if you leave yourself open, but compared to other series the AI seems to have lost its edge. What was once great, now pales in comparison to modern console AI. Due to this, most of the corridor shooting sequences which comprise most of both expansion packs seems relatively easy for experienced players. It's not until you reach open spaces and the larger firefights that you will really have to put your reflexes and hand-eye coordination to use.
Final Word
F.E.A.R. Files offers gamers a brief chance to pick up where they last left off with the series, but due to the now archaic game engine, F.E.A.R. is no longer even as good as gamers remember. Most of both expansions take place in hallways, office buildings and loading docks, giving veteran players a severe case of déjà vu due to its repetitiveness. The instant action and new multiplayer maps pad out the package that would otherwise be over far too quick. If you want a bit more backstory while waiting on the true sequel to F.E.A.R., you should definitely check F.E.A.R. Files out. However you won't miss much by passing on these dated expansions.
February 8, 2010
