As a writer, I was excited to do the F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin review. After all, the Monolith production has been one of the most advertised, hyped, discussed and anticipated release of 2009. Plus, how could a writer not enjoy the endless possibilities of F.E.A.R. puns?
However, playing Project Origin, (a continuation of the original F.E.A.R.) is a horror-filled first-person shooter available for Xbox 360, PS3 and PC, to my surprise, was almost disappointing. Let me explain.
Warner Bros. Interactive
Feb. 10, 2009
F.E.A.R. 2, not unlike the demo, starts with a chilling sequence in which Delta Force member and protagonist Michael Becket, wakes up in the middle of a war-torn street. The buildings are on fire, the cars covered in ash, the landscape left in ruins.
In the distance, you see a vaguely familiar figure and are encouraged to follow it. As you get closer, you start to realize that it is the fabled Alma, a young woman with psychic powers and a constant rage due to the experiments her father put her through as a child. You continue to follow her, wandering further and further down the rabbit hole.
Eventually, Becket recovers from this dreamlike state to find himself sitting in an armored vehicle with some of his Delta Force squad members. It is explained to Becket that he and his team must arrest Genevieve Aristide, president of Armacham Technology Corporation, for attempting to destroy evidence regarding the experiments that Alma was put through. AKA Project Origin.
From that point on, players take Becket through many different spooky scenarios and environments, trying to figure out exactly what happened to Alma and the Origin project.
The story surrounding the Project Origin campaign was not always clear to me. As an experienced FPS player, I understood the main premise of the game: shoot anything that looked evil. However, throughout most of the game, I found myself wondering what exactly I was looking for and why exactly it was important.
Luckily for us “Objectively Challenged” folk, there is a very helpful feature to keep us plugged in on what is going on. Located on the loading screens between chapters, there are very helpful tidbits of text to help you catch up on the minor details that may come into play later in the campaign.
Though a significant portion of the storyline was unclear, F.E.A.R. 2 did some excellent things as well. First, lets start with the dialogue. Like most mature FPS, Project Origin has very adult-content dialogue. However, unlike most mature FPS, Project Origin actually makes it worth listening to. It was affective, decently acted and, best of all, it was funny. The humor really shined through when you are introduced to the character “Snake Fist” as some of the exchanges with him had me in stitches.
yea i agree the game was basiacly not as good as the first.
the only thing that was better than the first was the enviroments and the graphics (but just).
it had so much potental but fell so short its not scary, it may make your hair stand up at times but it does not make you jump like the first.
like the part in the school where you walk through the corridor than sudenly the lights flicker continuesly and the lockers blow open and closes.
thats creepy sends chills down your spine gets you ready for a fright expecting a climax but than to find out that was the climax.
it builds up to nuthing so to speak.
there was alot of points in the game where i was thinking this would of scared the shit out of me they build up to the fright well they build the intensity they make you feel un easy but dont know how to climax on that wich was verry dissapointing.
other than that the game is fun the weapons are perfect exept the shotgun its far to weak you pop an enemie in the head at point blank range and he just falls to the ground like you choped his legs off theres no recoil you would think he would go flying back but nope.
basicly if they change the horror make a build up like fear 2 than a climax.
and fix the shotgun.
and fix the combat, what i mean is you could do something 1000 times with 1000 different results like if i pop an enemie in the head with a shotgun and he dies should that be the case 100% of the time for that enemie? not number 1 dies 2 does not 3 does not 4 does and so on.
and my biggest gripe with the game.
NOT EVERY AREA HAS TO BE SO FRIGGEN DARK.
90% of the combat i would shoot at an enemie than blow them and myself up because there was a petrol bottle wich i could not see because its so friggen dark.
yes i understand its dark to build suspence.
but when your in a fire fight it helps if you can see ALL of your enemies and ALL of your enviroment not 80%.
so yea fix up those small things and it will be a 9+ game.