[J'nathus]

I just bought F.E.A.R. 2 on Steam the other day. I was really in the mood for a good / juicy shooter and BOY does it deliver!

The creepy / scary stuff is there, and I jumped a few times. I'd tell you the overused mechanic that it's using this time around, but I don't want to spoil it.

The console-ization is obvious, but I'm just enjoying the poop out of it. If you shoot someone and you're too close, your visor gets splattered in blood. There is a weapon SFX recycled from Tron 2.0.

The thing that kind of surprises me is the parts that are rather light-hearted... in appearance, music . . etc. The first F.E.A.R. went from boring office space to broken down towns and worse until you get into the deep facility... Kind of like Doom 3 where the game gets darker and scarier the further along you go. This game seems to have a nice balance of back and forth . . . at least THUS far.

Anyone else played this beautiful, violent, bloody, enjoyable game!?!?!

[Wumpus]

I recently finished playing this beautiful, violent, bloody, enjoyable game as you put it.

I'd agree with you, its creepy, and at times scary. The best moments of that are in the hospital you go through, and a childrens school. I don't think its *as* scary as the original Fear, but maybe that's because I'm used to Alma a little bit. Although she's fairly different in this one.

Consolization...well it doesn't *feel* like a console game, (like Halo 2 does for example) and that's the important thing. But like many of the multi-platform titles that come out these days, you can tell its not a pure PC only title. There's a little something about it that's hard to explain, but there. My only real gripe with the game is the HUD. I really disliked the thing you have going all around the screen, and i never got used to it by the end of the game. Another minor quibble is after a point in the game they stop providing the combat shotgun, (and thus ammo) and only the auto-shotgun is available. I didn't like the 2nd shotgun that much.

As far as levels and design go, I think Fear 2 kicks Fear's ass completely. Its very varied and different, and never gets boring. It does rather go "back and forth" like you say. But I don't recall the first Fear getting scarier as I went along really, and I wouldn't compare it to Doom 3. (which is far scarier imo.) Still everything in Fear 2 looks quite fantastic, and I was able to max graphics and resolution on my system without a hitch. Very nice. There doesn't seem to be as much debris/stuff flying around in gunfights as there was in Fear, even though stuff certainly does fly around. Importantly sounds and visuals are good and has a sense of power to it. I played on "Hard" from the start (you can opt to change difficulty as you go if you want), as i heard in a review it was too easy on lower levels. Well hard was hard, but not overtly. It was a good challenge.

In terms of "light-hearted-ness" I know what you mean, even if I wouldn't use that term. Some of the areas are fairly bright, or at the most just dim. Especially in the outside areas, or some of the buildings you go through, its more daytime lighting. I thought the music was brilliant. So much so I think I might buy it. They do sell it online. A lot of the combat tracks really struck me as awesome.

The first part of the game seemed a little slow to me, but after a point in really kicked off and I was completely enjoying myself all the way to the end. There's several stand-out moments in the game, including the mech sequences, and a few other things I can't say without spoiling.

Spoiler

Like when snakefist gets his head ripped off in slow motion by a assassin clone.

And finally, the ending is very...interesting.

I never tried the multiplayer, or any of the DLC (which the upcoming one that extends some of the story I'd like to get) but it was very solid, and well worth my time and money. I think any FPS fan would enjoy it.

[J'nathus]

When I first played the trailer, I thought they were dialing up the scary factor a bit too much for my tastes. When I got the game though, it grounded much better in reality. The first one, once those weird paranormal parts are happening (the ghost things coming out of nowhere constantly), I was really turned off. Yeah you can survive it, but it's not what I'd call fun.

THIS time around the paranormal stuff seems much better balanced and adds more interest to the game. They don't treat it as a gimmick that they overuse, it's better infused with the story and it keeps the 'creepy' mood going without becoming a whole section of the game (or maybe it does, I'm still not done with it).

Every once in a while, I've been running back and forth trying to find the way forward. Some areas haven't made sense to me as I've gotten up somewhere, only to find I have to go back down with no hidden goodies. But the game comforts me by throwing in some squishy forces for me to make blood splatters out of. That was exactly the hook that had me enjoying the first game . . . the ability to just tear stuff up, and when you're done you could appreciate the carnage.

Now that you mention it, I do notice now the lack of wall decals, dust in the air, and the such from the aftermath of battles. I guess the tradeoff is for the consoles' sake, but since we have splattery blood, the dismembered body bits (or pure body 'splosions), and breakable bits of concrete walls, I think the switch isn't all that bad.

The HUD and the 'film grain' got to me initially, but I kept playing and eventually stopped noticing it. I didn't turn the film grain off, because I felt like the game would stop looking as realistic to me and it would take on a more plasticky nature.

The first one had the semi-comedic fat guy computer geek, which this Snake dude seemed to be somewhat satisfying in this one. When you look at it, the story progression of both does seem to follow a similar path. There are those that would say it's just the same thing rehashed, but I'd disagree, as it has a wholely different feel and it erases any desire to play the first game as this one really puts the visceral feel up a notch or ten.

There was a section running around the school where I expected a much darker experience in the game, and the music is kind of lightening up to something that sounded like an action-adventure movie. Don't get me wrong, I really liked that, as it balances the game out. I don't have any desire to sit through a continually darkening game experience. I never replayed Doom 3 that much after the initial play-through for that very reason. Yes, it's scarey, but ultimately it's not interesting / enjoyable for me.

Spoiler

I REALLY loved the little wrestling match over the pistol. While it probably should've been more serious, I was having trouble completing it because I was laughing so hard at that guy.

I'm not really into multiplayer, but I hear all the DLC stuff is free for the PC, so I'll look forward to tinkering with that. In addition the next DLC that's coming this month adds more single player.

WHERE do you find the soundtrack to buy? I've been looking, and I don't see it anywhere.

[Wumpus]

J, on August 2nd 2009, 09:43 AM, said:

WHERE do you find the soundtrack to buy? I've been looking, and I don't see it anywhere.

I looked again, and I know I said its sold online, but I said that based on what someone said in a forum thread. (I wrote it in a hurry, my apologies.) Anyway, I looked further, and found a thread here. http://www.projector...read.php?t=6317

Someone just uploaded the music, so you can download it. It seems to be the official Fear 2 forums, so it must be ok. But I don't really know.

[J'nathus]

Yeah, I saw that. The tracks are very quiet though. I didn't find anything in the game to be very remarkable where I MUST have it, but that's just my music taste. I like some of it, but not enough to worry about a soundtrack.

Of greater concern is some of the things Alma says. I can't make it out because I always have a fan on here... (It is 100+ pretty much ALL the time)

[Wumpus]

J, on August 5th 2009, 08:25 AM, said:

Of greater concern is some of the things Alma says. I can't make it out because I always have a fan on here... (It is 100+ pretty much ALL the time)

Well I use a fan all the time as well, but I also have a nice pair of headphones, so I was able to catch what she said.

[J'nathus]

I have Cambridge SoundWorks 250D THX certified 270 Watt 2.1 speakers . . . I've played the game with some er . .. unfriendly volume levels. She's still a bit difficult to make out.

The one thing that has me upset is I've played through it about 3 times and I am STILL missing one hypo for the slo-mo.