Review by Rich Wilson
UK Certification 18 | UK RRP £49.99 | Region PAL | Developer Day 1 Studios | Publisher Warner Bros. Interactive
Much has been made of film legend John Carpenter’s involvement in the latest instalment of this successful horror franchise, but the truth is you won’t see much evidence of his genius here. Alongside comic book writer Steve Niles (30 Days of Night) he’s attempted to give a spit and shine to the storyline, but the problem is the game handles it so badly that the narrative gets lost. There are horrific themes - lost innocence, grief and hinted-at child abuse - but it’s hard to keep track of what’s really happening. Another problem F.E.A.R. 3 has is that it’s hard to really care about those involved. Lead character Point Man (returning from the original game) is as uninspiring as his name, and the player never really feels a connection. Playing through his eyes works well, but during dramatic cut-scenes depicting carnage he just stands and stares. With current games such as the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare series and L.A. Noire raising the standard for emotional involvement and storytelling, developers need to do better, and here F.E.A.R. 3 falls woefully short of what’s expected. Carpenter’s name may sell a few more copies, but it adds nothing creatively.
So the bad news is this ultimately fails as a horror game. However, as a first-person shooter it’s got a lot going for it, working hard to offer new thrills in a very over-populated market. This time around Point Man has been broken out of prison by the ghost of his brother, Paxton Fettel, and they team up to track down their undead mother. Veterans of this series will remember that Point Man put a bullet in his brother's brain at the conclusion of the first game, and naturally this has caused a degree of tension between the two. Fettel is a much more interesting character than his brother, and in the single-player story campaign it’s possible to play as him once Point Man has unlocked a level. But it’s during the excellent co-operative mode where he really comes into his own. Whereas Point Man uses the usual array of weapons, Fettel, being a ghost, is unable to pick up objects; instead you can use him to levitate enemies, form shields around Point Man and combine a melee attack that is as satisfying as anything seen in gaming recently. Hook up with a friend and launch into co-op and be prepared for bloodshot eyes if you’ve got work the next morning; you’ll be at it for a while.
That’s not to say single-player thrills aren’t in abundance. The skill levels in the game are pitched just about perfectly; it’s hard but not impossible, and only the most experienced of players will walk through this one. Enemies are varied and the AI is superb - they talk to each other, move and flank your position as a team, and always seem to be one step ahead of you. F.E.A.R. 3 has added a ‘snap-to’ cover system to its staple slow-motion, and you’ll need it if you’re going to survive. Unlike some shooters it’s not possible to keep pulling the same moves though; the enemy soldiers are smart and will quickly figure out ways to put you down. This genuinely feels like a battle, a you-against-the-world scenario, and arcing through the air in slo-mo, guns blazing as you dive behind a wall will fulfil all your best John Woo fantasies. Levels are also expertly designed, balancing trigger-happy carnage with stealth, and with multiple routes through many of the levels it’s not a question of following a straight forward A to B route. You need to work hard on this one.
Online multiplayer modes are varied and Day 1 Studios is to be congratulated for departing from the usual Deathmatch scenarios. Convulsions pits one team of four against 20 waves of grunts. Soul King has you starting as a wraith with the ability to possess enemies and Soul Survivor has one player starting as a wraith while the remaining players fight the AI enemies, with the goal of the wraith player to possess the other team members. Best of the four, however, is the superbly titled Fucking Run!, with players fleeing from an ever increasing wall of possessed smoke and fire while battling waves and waves of enemies. It’s manic, exhilarating and huge amounts of fun, which is a statement that could be levelled at this game generally.
Graphically it’s not the best thing you’ve ever seen, with some of the landscapes and locations looking a little chunky, but you’ll forgive that for the gameplay. Like the previous games there’s not a lot of colour and plenty of drab buildings and foggy exteriors, but it’s in keeping with the required atmosphere, and when the splashes of blood come (and they will, a lot) they’re vivid against the black and white. If you’ve got a decent sound system wired up you’ll get enough action in the rear speakers to have you looking over your shoulder for an attack, and a symphonic soundtrack tops things off. Combine all that with a easy-to-master control system and you’ve got a very neat and challenging game, and one that, with the ability to play dual characters and the superb multiplayer modes, you’ll return to more than others in the FPS realm. If you forget the storyline and go with the action, this is highly recommended.