Fear 3 Review

[Critterbot]

The first F.E.A.R. game (and to a somewhat lesser extent the second) did a MUCH better job at scaring me than this one, gameplay was good, but for a game with a name like this it didn't scare me much.

Want a really scary game? Check out Amnesia: The Dark Descent.

 

[Slycne]

Well obviously that's PR, they have to say it's scary when the question is worded like that. Like I said, it should lose points for trying to be scary when it isn't, but reviewers are overwhelmingly focused on that aspect when there's also terrific gunplay not being given enough credit. I never said it was a minor feature, but it is less significant than the game's core mechanic.

It's difficult to hype up a firefight with PR, it's easy to advertise horror. I feel that most reviewers were biased by FEAR 3's marketing to the point where 75% of every review is dedicated to how the game lacking in scares. Yeah it didn't quite live up to it's marketing, but can't we get beyond that at least a little and review the whole game?

Alright but how is "we wanted to recreate the feel of the tea house scene in Hard Boiled" any less PR speak?

There's a balance too it all though. On the flip side, I don't think it's fair to ignore portions of a game for a review either. For example, there were comments about one of the latest sonic games that if you just ignored all the werehog levels then it was at least 7-9/10 or Final Fantasy XIII gets good after 20 hours in.

There are also plenty of games are sold on their action alone, and I have every confidence that the devs could successfully market a mostly action based FPS with some horror elements. They still choose to push horror as being a major focus, so people are understandably dinging them a little. All told the game is still reviewing fairly well. I'd certainly recommended it, but I want people to know what they are getting.

 

[Nurb]

TRANSLATION: It's COD: Haunted house

 

[Animyr]

Story was a letdown, and the series stopped being scary after it was explained to you in considerable detail what Alma was. Gameplay's fun though.

 

[The Rogue Wolf]

TRANSLATION: It's COD: Haunted house

That's kind of the gist I picked up from the written review, and the video pretty well stamped it in gold. Which is a pity, because the first FEAR did a great job with tension (not so much with actual fear, but hey) and the second one at least had its moments. Also, mandatory-for-all-intents co-op does not sit well with me (see: Resident Evil 5).

 

[Subject7]

I have a confession to make. I'm actually grateful that they toned down the horror cause I can't stand being constantly tense. Heck the only reason I played Dead Space was because I'd already seen a walkthrough of it on youtube.

Shameful I know

 

[Aptspire]

I personally liked that game (and those of you saying its too short, you might wanna replay it as Fettel, if only for the different ending)

 

[Metalrocks]

I have a confession to make. I'm actually grateful that they toned down the horror cause I can't stand being constantly tense. Heck the only reason I played Dead Space was because I'd already seen a walkthrough of it on youtube.

Shameful I know

lol, dead space isnt scary. it was in the first 2 levels but after that it was over. you saw the monsters already from a distance. cant say thats scary. nothing surprised me or created a tense atmosphere. the sound was good though. always hear here and there something (if you have a surround sound system).

 

[Onyx Oblivion]

Also, mandatory-for-all-intents co-op does not sit well with me (see: Resident Evil 5).

It's not mandatory-for-all intents like RE5. The game never makes you pause at a door, call your AI partner to come help, have her get stuck on a rock and make you restart checkpoint. And then force you to manage inventories together and shit.

It's just STRONGLY encouraged.

 

[Treaos Serrare]

Why is Alma portrayed as this lustful seductress in this game promo, honestly brutal psychosis aside such things induce a boner and urge to use said boner rather than go off to kill her

 

[Metzeten]

How does the co-op work? If the point man can slow down time/accelerate his perception, wouldn't that then cause the same affect for the fettel player if he was even remotely close?

Does not compute.

 

[00slash00]

honestly, did anyone ever actually find any of the fear games scary? being shocked every now and then and being scared are two very different things, and fear has always relied on shock scares. also, most of the scares required you to be looking in the right place at the right time, and usually i wasnt. ive never been crazy about the fear series but at the end of the day, they are one of few pc shooters that actually has a single player campaign with a decent length, and for that reason ill probably get this.

one question though, they said its meant to be played co-op. has anyone played it single player? i prefer to play shooters single player and would like to know if its still fun even if youre just playing it by yourself

 

[00slash00]

How does the co-op work? If the point man can slow down time/accelerate his perception, wouldn't that then cause the same affect for the fettel player if he was even remotely close?

Does not compute.

thats a good point. id imagine maybe point man would just be moving extra fast during that time or something...in fact i hope thats the case, because thats a damn funny mental image

 

[Metzeten]

How does the co-op work? If the point man can slow down time/accelerate his perception, wouldn't that then cause the same affect for the fettel player if he was even remotely close?

Does not compute.

thats a good point. id imagine maybe point man would just be moving extra fast during that time or something...in fact i hope thats the case, because thats a damn funny mental image

Except the issue I see with that solution is that the bullet time causes the enemies to move slower, grenades, bullets (and the contrails), seeing the point man move faster wouldn't account for that....

Anyone who's played the game care to shed a little light on the matter?

 

[00slash00]

Except the issue I see with that solution is that the bullet time causes the enemies to move slower, grenades, bullets (and the contrails), seeing the point man move faster wouldn't account for that....

Anyone who's played the game care to shed a little light on the matter?

as i understand it, the only reason bullets and everything else are moving slower is because youre activating your heightened reflexes. i dont think youre actually slowing down time

 

[MiracleOfSound]

What did you play it on? Easy? Or not at all? /facepalm

It took me at least 8 hours to play. Standard fare on Normal difficulty.

In fairness, FEAR 2 was a good 12-14 hours. I felt ripped off by the FEAR 3 campaign too.

I played both sides in single player. What I really found to bring me out of the experience was the point system, as mentioned in the video.

They really should have kept this exclusive to the co-op. Or just not had fucking co-op at all. I loved the first two games but felt very let down by this one.

Goddamn multiplayer craze ruining SP games

 

[Slycne]

How does the co-op work? If the point man can slow down time/accelerate his perception, wouldn't that then cause the same affect for the fettel player if he was even remotely close?

Does not compute.

Time slows for Fettel as well in co-op.

 

[Saelune]

FEAR3 is getting alot of flack for not being so scary...but I dont really think it wants to anymore. I mean, by now you know whats up, AND you are not only playing as super soldier Pointman, who certainly is not afraid at all, but also his ghost brother who was 50% of the scares in FEAR1. How scary can a game be when YOU are the scary?
Though, FEAR also follows a scary/action/scary/action formula, so if you aint fighting in epic battles, you're watching for Alma cameos. (My favorite being on the moving sidewalk in the airport)

 

[Saelune]

What did you play it on? Easy? Or not at all? /facepalm

It took me at least 8 hours to play. Standard fare on Normal difficulty.

In fairness, FEAR 2 was a good 12-14 hours. I felt ripped off by the FEAR 3 campaign too.

I played both sides in single player. What I really found to bring me out of the experience was the point system, as mentioned in the video.

They really should have kept this exclusive to the co-op. Or just not had fucking co-op at all. I loved the first two games but felt very let down by this one.

Goddamn multiplayer craze ruining SP games

Well, since Pointman and Fettle are two different styles of play, the game is intended to played atleast twice. And co-op craze!? Co-op is dying, esp Split screen. Plus they work it into the story which I think is better. Two Master Chiefs and stuff like that is kinda lame. The points are not that immersion breaking, and I think people are just being annoyed to be annoyed. The pop ups are in the corner out of the way, and rank ups are not so close or so often, and only go to 21. I mean, if thats immersion breaking, I guess seeing the hand on a door is too.