System: PS3, X360, PC
Dev: Monolith Productions
Pub: Sierra Entertainment
Release: April 24, 2007
Players: 1 - 2 (16 online)
ESRB Rating: Mature
Preview by Jonathan Marx

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Review Rating Legend
1.0 - 1.9 = Avoid
2.0 - 2.4 = Poor
2.5 - 2.9 = Average
3.0 - 3.4 = Fair
3.5 - 3.9 = Good
4.0 - 4.4 = Great
4.5 - 4.9 = Must Buy
5.0 = The Best

F.E.A.R. is almost here!
by Jonathan Marx

Feb. 22, 2007 - F.E.A.R.: First Encounter Assault Recon is coming to the PS3. It brings with it a gaming acumen that will be difficult to surpass. When F.E.A.R. released on the PC in late 2005, it was hailed as one of the best shooters ever made. It had great graphics, smooth controls, and an AI system that was second to none. It was a game that had console written all over it, and the Xbox 360 had the hardware to keep the game shining. The 360 port has very solid controls, superb graphics that are rich and detailed with no frame rate lag, and the enemy AI is still the game's hallmark. Building on this console success, Sierra has decided to expand their sphere of influence to the PS3.

F.E.A.R. is a first person action/horror title where you join in as the point-man for an elite assault recon squad investigating a series of murders and paranormal activities. The title depends upon its highly detailed and interactive environments to foment suspense, terror, and excitement. Lighting, textures, gore, sound effects, and highly skilled enemies make for a very challenging and intensely creepy gaming experience. The player must be very wary of dark hallways and rooms with multiple entrances. Your enemies will be constantly flanking you, lobbing grenades, rolling away from your crosshairs, and ducking behind cover. Seemingly sturdy boxes used for cover can quickly betray you as pretty much everything in this the game can be destroyed. This makes the shooter much more methodical and strategic. If it weren't for your character's ability to slow down the action upon entering a room full of enemies, you would never be able to just run and gun. Your health is quickly sapped and only the very prudent can make it through some of these firefights. Additionally, players will be able to choose between four difficulty settings for the campaign mode to extend the challenge. Another really cool feature is that after unlocking levels within the campaign mode, you will then be able to go back and play any of them later for some quick combat action in a scenario you really liked.

The title is not completely finished yet and should not be unfairly judged by the preview code. Still, I did find some glaring errors that should be addressed, and it didn't seem like the PS3 was going to improve upon the 360 edition. For example, the game begins with a series of cutscenes that set the stage. This is a great way to bring the gamer into the story except that the voice acting is nearly impossible to understand due to the inordinately loud "background" music. Unfortunately, this seems to be a common theme throughout the game. The sound effects and music themes are somewhat poorly coordinated and at times severely detract from the overall feel. The sounds are meant to keep you on edge, but are not refined by any means. It's almost like they're trying too hard to scare you. This is something that Day 1 Studios should correct before Sierra releases it in March.

As for the graphics, they were somewhat disappointing. The game looks hurried like a poorly contrived PS2 title. That's an exaggeration, but it must be noted that my use of hyperbole is justified. Except for the lighting and floor textures, this is not as impressive looking as it should be for the PS3. If the preview code is to be used as a gauge for where the game stands 6-8 weeks before its release, then there should be a number of all-nighters being pulled at Day 1 Studios to get rid of the fuzziness. This game is not where the Xbox 360 version is graphically. Hopefully, this will be addressed in the final release.

I don't have all bad news, however. The controls for the game are absolutely solid and will seem familiar and intuitive. Aiming was at times difficult but it seems sensible that it should be so demanding. Shooting a gun is simple but shooting a gun well is difficult and this is reflected in the game. The physics used and the interactivity of the environments within the game are very realistic and provide for a challenging and rewarding gaming experience. Computer AI, again, is also phenomenal; this point cannot be overstated. The enemies you encounter will use cover and flanking maneuvers to thwart your advance. Multiplayer is not yet supported, but judging by how the game plays it will probably be excellent. Overall, the difficulty is truly rewarding and provides for great fun. Look for this game's final version to address many of the problems I encountered and to be a solid if not perfect title. We'll let you know how it all shakes out and tell you what we think when the game's final version is released in March.

By Jonathan Marx
CCC Freelance Writer