F.E.A.R. (First Encounter Assault Recon)

F.E.A.R. cover

Released in 2005, F.E.A.R. - First Encounter Assault Recon (rated 18), is a pshycological horror video game developed by Monolith Productions and was the first title in the F.E.A.R. series.

It is a first-person perspective shooter style game where the story revovles around a supernatural phenomenon, which F.E.A.R., a special forces team created for the game, is called to investigate and contain. As the player, you assume control of the Point Man on the team, a new recruit, who possesses superhuman reflexes, and it is up to you to find the source of this phenomenon, a little girl called Alma.

The game itself begins with a nice video which, although sets the scene, it does so in such a way that only a few minor elements are revealed in the beginning, leaving the player to learn more as they play. In other words, what starts of as a normal mission to apprehend a known criminal, soon spirals into a world of unknown. Of course, being a shooter game, there are many things to kill along the way.



Supersoldiers

The main enemies of this game are telepathically controlled supersoldiers. F.E.A.R.'s artificial intelligence allows these supersoldiers advance action. You can often find them working in teams to distract you while another makes their way behind you, vaulting over objects or through windows to avoid being shot as well as climbing ladders or even moving objects to create cover.






Reflex time

What sets you apart from them is your superhuman reflexes. When activated, this creates a bullet-time effect, slowing down the game world, allowing you to move at normal speed, taking aim and taking down your enemy. Of course, this time is limited, and although you can extend it by finding reflex stimulants along the way, you will soon learn that with a good plan of attack, combined with the reflex time and good use of the arsenal of weapons at your disposal, you'll have little difficulty surviving any attack.

However, for me what makes this game a success is it's horror theme atmosphere, which seems to be heavily inspired by Japanese Horror. In fact, Alma bears an uncanny resemblance to Samara (from the ring). But more than that, the game gets under your skin and makes your hairs stand up on end. It's not just a zombie fest of blood and guts and lots of killing, it's the little added noises, scenes and visuals that make it one of the scariest games I have ever played. In all honesty, I do not think I have used the quick save button half as many times in any other game.

Alma

Of course, as the game was released in 2005, the graphics are not up to standards of todays games but they are still very nice. I still remember having to lower my settings in order to increase the performance on my old pc!! So although it might not be pretty to look at, it's not the worst either, and even 7 years on (after I lost my original copy) I downloaded it again as I wanted to relive such moments as you can see in the videos below.

I would rate this game as a nice 8/10, great story, immense intensity, but the end game is a tiny wee bit...disappointing. But nothing that would totally spoil your enjoyment of the game as a whole. It is one I would reccomend you try, but maybe with the lights on eh?

  Scary moments from Fear