F.E.A.R. (Xbox 360, 2006)

The game is exciting at times. It uses the usual scare tactics we've seen in many movies, and incorporates them well. The Graphics are O.K. Special effects are really cool, but the level design sucks. They lack any real substance. Office, warehouse, basement. Thats all you get. The A.I. is incredible. They use cover well, call for back-up when they're out gunned, and may even try to flush you out of cover w/ a grenade. The slow-mo really is what sells this game, and it makes it well worth playing the single player for.

Multi-player is good, but the Assault rifle kills too quickly. I suggest disabling it before you play a match. But here is the games biggest problem in multi-player, and it's not really the games fault. It was released around the same time as Gears of War and Rainbow Six Vegas, both way better games. The point is that most people bought one of those other games, making it hard, and sometimes impossible to find a match. There just doesn't appear to be that many people playing this on-line. If you have a nice P.C. and multi-player is your thing, pick up that version. It doesn't suffer from bad frame rate like the 360 version, and it is well supported on-line. Also its way cheaper, plus there is an expansion pack available for that version.

However, the 360 version is good, especially the single player. But with so many other great shooters on a console, mostly known for great shooters (HALO!!!), it would be hard to chose this one over a game like Gears or Rainbow Six.

I've heard about it since it had came out on the PC and I was eager to play it on XBOX360. These are my thoughts about this game:

GRAPHICS - 4 out 5. Graphics and special effects are very well done. Animations are spectacular especially in slow motion. I really like animations of shooting weapons. The environments are not very diversified but everything looks really good on XBOX360 in HD.

SOUND - 5 out 5. music and sounds in the game are really well done and they add to overall creepy mood of the game.

AI - 5 out 5. AI is well done. Computer is pretty "smart". Enemy squads behave like real soldiers trying to flank you and attack from behind. If you do not watch your back you will get killed, if you wait to long in one place they will "flash you out with hand granades" etc. Action can get pretty intense especially in hardcore mode and believe me it is a lot of fun.

STORYLINE - 5 out 5. The story line is typical for a horror type game. The whole story unravels bit by bit as you go along. You have to check computers, listen to messages on answering machines to fully understand storyline in the game.

ORIGINALITY - 5 out 5. FEAR was developed by the same studio which created CRIMINAL ORIGINS. That is why FEAR is similar in many ways to CRIMINAL ORIGINS but in my opinion as original and creepy as latter.

This game should be played just like you watch a horror movies. At night, with lights out. Then the game it really gets to you and YOU WILL jump from your sit from time to time. Just like CONDEMNED CRIMINAL ORIGINS this game is for adults only.

Overall 5 out of 5

FEAR for the xbox 360 Review.

Gameplay 8 out of 10: Frantic small room battles your type of thing? well grab a copy of FEAR for the Xbox360! Guns blazing and particle effects galore! all in a nice creepy environment!!! particles are in the next section tho :) so hang tight.well you dont have to worry about a shortage of ammo seeing how theres stuff laying around each map.plus theres plenty of enemies to impale using the new gun not seen in the pc version!! the impaler which shoots out spikes and will leave a lifeless lump clinging to a wall or whatever the spike sticks them to!!!!!with a bunch of evil surprises lurking around any corner you never know what will hit you.the story kept me in this game to the end,and i couldnt stop playing until i found out what happens.I wont ruin the ending for you but i will let you know this game is well worth the pick up.

Pros: very fun! the creepy environment and the always action packed levels will keep you wanting more. the impaler alone is a reason to own this game!

cons: the leaning around the corner ability is pointless. could use better online mode.

Graphics 6 out of 10: please note that the graphics are not bad...it just im grading on a scale for next gen,and this game has already been released and the graphics arent much better then the pc version.the particle effects are cool! wall pieces flys everywhere so much to where it just clouds the room making the heated shoot out even more frantic.Watching a grenade go off in slow mo has to be one of the more awesome features of this game! and the physics seems pretty well balanced too things seem to re-act accordingly.

Multiplayer 3 out of 10: this is probably the reason why i cannot give this game a perfect 10.the multiplayer seems a bit uneven like some guns just have too much power and it seems to be the only thing people use.the pace of multiplayer maybe too much for some to handle.its really fast paced so you may or maynot be able to keep up with it.

pros: attaching your online enemys face to a wall with a spike priceless.

cons: unbalanced multiplayer.very fast paced.

Sound 9 out of 10: creepy sounds coming out of your surround will most likely make you paranoid and feel as if something is lurking behind you.EXACTLY what you want from a game like this.the guns dont sound as powerful as they should but overall the sound is great and well worth cranking up the surround for.

great game you owe it to yourself to pick this one up

Cheat Codes

The following cheats are available for F.E.A.R. on the Xbox 360 video game console. Cheats are entered as a profile name, and their use will disable further achievements in the game.

Unlock All Levels
Cheat code: F3ARDAY1 (entered as a profile name)
Note: This unlocks all levels in FEAR and will disable achievements from unlocking.

Achievements

The following achievements can be unlocked in F.E.A.R. on the Xbox 360 video game console.

Afraid - 0 points.
Finish a multiplayer game with a negative score.

Ammo Hog - 35 points.
Win the Campaign using less than 500 rounds of ammo.

Armacham - 5 points.
Complete Interval 7 in the Campaign.

Assaulter - 5 points.
Kill 50 enemies with the G2A2 in any ranked Multiplayer games.

Belly Gunner - 5 points.
Kill 50 enemies with the turret in any ranked Multiplayer games.

Black Belt - 5 points.
Kill 50 enemies with Round House Kicks, Flying Kicks, or Slide Tackles in any ranked MP games.

Brawler - 5 points.
Kill 50 enemies with Punches or Rifle Butts in any ranked Multiplayer games.

Bullet Sponge - 5 points.
Use 50 armor vests in the Campaign or Instant Action.

Dead Eye - 35 points.
Kill 150 enemies with Headshots in any ranked Multiplayer games.

Demolitions Expert - 35 points.
Kill 200 enemies with the N6A3, AT-S or M77 in any ranked Multiplayer games.

Disintegrator - 5 points.
Kill 50 enemies with the Type-7 in any ranked Multiplayer games.

Dual Machinist - 5 points.
Kill 50 enemies with the SM15 in any ranked Multiplayer games.

Environmentalist - 5 points.
Kill 10 enemies with barrels, fire extinguishers or fuse boxes in the Campaign or Instant Action.

Explorer - 35 points.
Find every Health Booster and Reflex Booster in the single player campaign.

Explosives Expert - 5 points.
Kill 3 or more enemies with a single N6A3, AT-S or M77 in the Campaign or Instant Action.

Exterminator - 35 points.
Kill every enemy in the Campaign.

Feared - 5 points.
Complete every Instant Action map on any difficulty except Low.

Fearless - 35 points.
Win the Campaign on any difficulty except Low.

Fearless Flagman - 75 points.
Successfully capture 50 flags in ranked CTF or SlowMo CTF games.

Fearsome - 100 points.
Complete the Campaign on Extreme difficulty.

Grenadier - 5 points.
Kill 50 enemies with the N6A3 in any ranked Multiplayer games.

Initiation - 5 points.
Complete Interval 2 in the Campaign.

Intel - 5 points.
Gather every phone message and lap top in the Campaign.

Medic! - 5 points.
Use 50 Medkits in the Campaign or Instant Action.

MP 100 - 5 points.
Participate in 100 rank Multiplayer games of any type.

MP 1000 - 75 points.
Participate in 1000 ranked Multiplayer games of any type.

Multiplayer Victory - 75 points.
Win any ranked Deathmatch, SlowMo Deathmatch, or Elimination Multiplayer game.

No Fear - 35 points.
Win every Instant Action map on Extreme difficulty.

No Juice - 65 points.
Complete the Campaign on any difficulty without using any boosters.

Perforator - 5 points.
Kill 50 enemies with the 10mm HV Penetrator in any ranked Multiplayer games.

Pistoleer - 5 points.
Kill

F.E.A.R on the 360 is pretty much a direct port from the PC version, with the exception of a 10-15 minute bonus level played as another character. Nothing ground breaking, but it's something. So if you've already played the PC version, there's basically nothing new here. For the have-nots of the PC installment you're in for a treat. You start off as an operative of the unit called F.E.A.R. or First Encounter Assault Recon. Assault than Recon? Yeah I know it doesn't make much sense but you got to give the publishers credit for trying. The story is very compelling and I'd rather not give too much away. Just picture Half-Life 2 and The Ring movie.

This title has something special, that one thing that most games can only dream of having. Absolutely awesome A.I. (Artificial Intelligence), period. F.E.A.R's A.I. is bar-none the best I have ever experienced. Ever. Most developers make the mistake of thinking "tough A.I." is simply having the enemy take more hits and aim better than you. This is wrong. The average grunt in F.E.A.R (or rather clone) die just as easy as you. But that's not to say they're all that easy to get to either. The beauty of these guys is that they act like real soldiers. They lay suppressing fire to flank, blind fire around corners and even toss well placed grenades for good measure. All while shouting orders between each other. Bundled with the unnerving story, very intimidating for first timers.

Unfortunately thats where all the "Awesome" ends. The multiplayer is weak and rife with issues. It says it supports up to 16 players (8vs8) but that's just not the case. Any more than 10-12 people and things just chug. It's just not designed for that many people. It also doesn't help having small maps. Nearly every map is a series of uncreative maze-like hallways with one or two open areas to fight it out in (if you're lucky). Even with teams, it just ends up as run-n-gun deathmatches with people spread out, lost in hallways and duct work. Theres just no strategy to it. It's fun until you realize how shallow it all is. It's a real shame considering how solid the single player gameplay is. So much potential lost. I'm still scratching my head on this one.