Updated: 30 Jun 2016 7:39 pm
Posted: 10 Jan 2005 11:54 pm
First off, the game still looked very early. The frame rate jumped all over the place, certain textures looked a little wonky and character animation appeared rigid. We have yet to see F.E.A.R run the way it needs to, and while CES has all the mainline hardware out for play, there still wasn't a chipset (or optimization in the engine code, if that's the case ... and for the sake of our wallets, we hope that it is) powerful enough to run the game at full framerate. These technical issues aside, F.E.A.R definitely impressed. The visuals, while still early, boasted cool effects such as radial explosions and particle effects. Sound in F.E.A.R made the game feel immersive and creepy, something that few titles in the genre can claim. Best of all, the game employed snazzy mechanics rarely seen in a first-person shooter.
The CES demo started the same way as the demo shown at E3. You, the player, is traveling by helicopter to an office building, which has been overrun by unknown enemy forces. The chopper flies over a darkened cityscape before landing on the roof of the building. Almost immediately, hostiles from within the building burst through a nearby door fully intent on killing you and your teammates. For some reason, your roommates either ditch you or simply vanish, because you're left to your own devices as you fend off the initial onslaught.
You start the demo with a shotgun, which boasts incredible stopping power. After clearing the first group of enemies, we made our way down a nearby flight of steps to explore the rooftop. Again, a group of hostiles exploded out of a nearby door and blasted us with machine gun fire. Apparently, these guys lean toward the suicidal, since they obviously have no qualms about running out into the open. Later on in the demo, enemies started to exhibit their defensive capabilities, such as turning over furniture to use as makeshift shielding. But for now, they seemed content with dying very painful deaths. Once inside the building, things became more interesting.
We encountered some wicked-cool enemies that used optic camouflage as seen in the Predator movies and in anime such as Ghost in the Shell. These enemies behaved differently from the commandos we polished off on the roof. They were far more agile, for starters, and taking them down was far harder. As of yet, we have no idea who they are or where they come from, but chances are we'll face platoons of these suckers in the finished game.
One of the cooler aspects of F.E.A.R is the ability to assault enemies with melee attacks. In addition to shooting enemies, you can use a jump kicks to send them flying. All you need to do is time your jump correctly to deliver the rather powerful maneuver. What's more, you can also use your weapons to deliver a flurry of attacks and effectively beat an enemy to death. Unfortunately, we couldn't experiment very much, but the moves looked cool and seemed effective.
Players can use a bullet-time effect as seen in the Matrix and countless movies and games since. While that may not sound innovate, or even entertaining by today's standards, the effect worked well. Slowing time effects everything, including the environment and the player, so you can't slow time and run around killing everyone like in Jedi Knight: Outcast. Instead, it works much like the effect in Max Payne, in that it grants you that heroic edge. You'll accurately aim your shots and time your attacks. What's more, the effect looks great.
Sparks lazily float across the screen and smoke from explosions billow across the screen. You can also see bullets and shells ejected from your weapons, and debris from the walls glide across the room. And whenever you're shot in "bullet-time," blood slowly sprays into your field of view. Kick an enemy to watch him sail back and smash against a wall or fall over a guard railing. Combine these elements with the rest of the F.E.A.R's visual appeal, and you get one sexy game.
So far, F.E.A.R is shaping up to be an atmospheric and thoroughly engrossing shooter. While still in need of fine-tuning, the game shows tremendous potential through its flashy visuals and unique take on first-person shooters. The overall feel is very cinematic and a little creepy, although it's far too early to tell exactly why it's creepy, since much of the story remains a guarded secret. Still, the action is fast and viscerally satisfying. And since that's the most important thing about any FPS, chances are we'll be looking at a fine gaming experience once Monolith puts on the finishing touches.
Was this article informative?
