F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin Review

After waiting for years fans of the award winning first person shooter F.E.A.R. have finally had their dreams of a real sequel realized. F.E.A.R. 2 is not like the other stand alone expansions set before it, but does it measure up to the standard of the original?

Story
The story in F.E.A.R. 2 begins about 30 minutes before the end of the last game. You are in the shoes of Beckett who is part of a special team sent into the city to find Genevieve Aristeed of Armacham. Its not long before things go wrong due to a massive nuclear explosion which ended the last game. Its not long into the game before Alma finds you and your search to find Miss Aristeed and figure out your role in the game begins.

While the story continues from the first game fans will be upset to find that the game does a poor job of explaining a lot of the unanswered questions from the last game.

Gameplay
The gameplay in F.E.A.R. 2 is very much like how its always been done. When not being tormented by murky hallways and dark alleys you will be engaged in intense firefights which have become a trademark of the franchise. The slow motion ability makes a return and becomes very useful when stuff hits the fan. Although this mechanic is one of the core mechanics it sometimes makes it all too easy to dispatch enemies, even on the higher difficulties; which are not as hard as one would expect.

There is some new stuff in F.E.A.R. 2 when it comes to enemies. The enemy AI has been improved and you'll often find yourself being flanked, seeing enemies taking/flipping cover to protect themselves or hear them calling incessantly for backup in the wake of your destruction.

Disappointingly the game is not very scary. The F.E.A.R. factor is reduced somewhat by the fact that you are mostly outside or in some wide area. Alma's appearances are not as special as before and you will often be able to predict when she's coming due to static which fills your HUD.

Graphics
The game is without a doubt a next-gen game with the graphics revamped. The game looks great but this is difficult to see as its almost always dark or in some kind of twilight. There are a few static pre-rendered shadows every now and then but the majority of the game looks fantastic.

Overall the game is fun to play on a lazy Sunday afternoon or to pass the time while waiting for the next big title. It's one to rent and see for yourself.

Souji's Score: 7/10