Since we're playing catch-up, this time it's FEAR 2!
FEAR 2: Project Origin (Xbox 360, PC, PS 3)
I'm shamelessly addicted to survival horror games. It's just something I've had to accept. That in mind, I was excitedly awaiting FEAR 2's release. Day it came out, went out to my local Gamestop, picked it up, and popped it in with Poke watching me.
The game lives up to its survival horror title, to put it simply. I hear people criticize FEAR 2 for "cheap thrills" or just being "a bad game". I don't see how this game is bad. It has a story that draws you in, interesting characters, not to mention the game itself has a realistic feel and the weapons are neat and inventive. So to everyone who's hated on FEAR 2, i say no, no to your ignorance of a excellent game.
So to everyone new to FEAR, you really should start at FEAR 1, which is also a excellent game, to learn the complicated story better.
All of you FEAR junkies though, keep reading. So, the malevolent force known as Alma has been unleashed on the world, with catastrophic results. She has decimated an entire city and shows no sign of stopping. Michael Becket is sent in with a special forces team to put a stop to everything. The game essentially tells the story of Becket as he comes closer and closer to defeating Alma.
While the story is mainly text-driven, anyone who cares enough to read the text will enjoy the intricate story.
People have said FEAR 2 lacks a good ending, but I fail to see how this is the case. I found the ending shocking and provocative, and I'm sure any true FEAR fan would as well. All in all, the story is the least of this game's worries.
FEAR 2 provides a blissful and much needed array of enemies as opposed to the simple setup of two enemies in FEAR 1. Ranging from high tech black ops soldiers to psychotic failed experiments, FEAR 2 not only has a great range of enemies, but provides some excellent shock value as well. More psychological enemies appear, as Alma's desires begin to replace out world with hers. There is also a stage or two in which you enter a mechanized unit and tear apart the base of the Armacham security forces. It is in no way difficult and you get the feeling of god-like power as you sweep through the city, wrecking all in your path. Definitely a fun part of the game.
The number one enemy, however, is Alma. Throughout the game she terrorizes Becket and his team, leading some of them to strange deaths and ultimately falling in love with Becket. There are some truly shocking moments with Alma, and i can only hope they match them with FEAR 3.
The weapons are the centerpiece of any shooter, and FEAR 2 is no different. The Nailgun makes a return as a fan favorite, and yes, it still pins enemies to walls. There's a rocket launcher, and it's pretty hilarious, especially with FEAR 2's amazing graphics and physics. The SMG also returns, and, if anything, is better than the original. There is an all-new laser beam which really brings the pain, and also a new energy weapon that dishes out the death room by room (just stay out of the blast radius). There is a flamethrower but it isn't really a great weapon, much like the sniper rifle, which is quite terrible since the game is mostly close quarters combat. IN WHICH CASE THE AUTOMATIC SHOTGUN IS AWESOME andthepumpactiononesucks. There's also a pistol but no one cares unless you dual wield them and even then they're still just pistols. :/ Finally there is a 3-round burst fire rifle, much like the famous Halo battle rifle, which is very good and quite frankly sometimes feels like you're cheating to use it.
Slo-mo also makes a return and is more useful than before, or maybe I just never used it. Whatever the case, it seems more polished this time around.
Not much else to be said about the otherwise somewhat short single-player. Moving on to the multiplayer, I had very mixed feelings everytime i fired it up. It was quite unlike COD 4 or 5, or Halo 3 in that I am confident in my ability in all of those games and generally do well in the multiplayer; however, FEAR 2 seemed to have no ground in skill but rather in what armor class you could cheat the best weapons into. The game rarely seemed balanced, as sometimes I would be dominating in one game, and the next game i would get crushed terribly. I felt it had something to do with the matchups of each player's default weapon sets, because I know it wasn't my inexperience with the genre. Whatever the case, FEAR 2's multiplayer has a long, long way to go until it rises to the ranks of such as Call of Duty and Halo. That's not to say it isn't fun for a while, because it is, you'll just grow tired of it more rapidly than you would a different shooter.
All in all, and multiplayer achievements ASIDE BECAUSE I HATE THEM poijwrl9by,hjILJONH:(>G, FEAR 2 is awesome and if you liked the original you'll like the sequel.
9/10
Also, I personally can't wait for everything that's been announced recently! Next entry - A GIANT POST OF EVERYTHING GREAT THAT'S COMING OUT with yours truly.
Till next time everyone.
No comments:
Post a Comment