FEAR FILES
Published by:
Vivendi Games /
Sierra Entertainment
Developed by:
TimeGate Studios –
Day 1 Studios
Available on
XBOX 360
INTRODUCTION:
F.E.A.R. Files is
a console edition of the PC expansion pack, Extraction Point, as well as an all
new campaign called Perseus Mandate which has never been available anywhere. The
main idea of F.E.A.R. is that it’s a first person shooter that uses ‘combat
adaptable’ A.I to provide a thrilling horror movie-ish experience. Gamers will
assume the roles of an elite soldier trained in combating unusual and
unimaginable situations. Called in to confront a mysterious force, the player
must escape from a crisis spiralling out of control.
GAMEPLAY:
I played the original F.E.A.R.
on the PC when it was released a few years ago, and thought it was awesome. It
dripped with atmosphere, looked gorgeous, and played well enough to suit my
fancy. Unfortunately when it was later released as a 360 port, F.E.A.R. just
didn’t feel the same. It seemed watered down, bland, dull and just felt old.
Don’t get me wrong, it was still playable, but I felt the console was only okay
while the PC was way above.
Unfortunately, the game’s
developers, VU haven’t seen fit to make many changes and now the game really
seems to be showing age. Perseus Mandate is the game to play here by the way, it
has better enemies, pacing and moments. And there are some scary dudes to be
found here, this game will provide many “oh gross” and “Holy sh*t” jump scares.
Unfortunately, a cool factor
just isn’t enough today, your game’s got to have good A.I and this one just
doesn’t. Things are so unbalanced; some enemies are absolutely stupid and will
let you practically dance around in front of them before you kill them. Others
will see you before you even know they’re there and will likely kill you. Some
enemies take cover; others seem to just run around like sitting ducks. This is
very disappointing and nearly unacceptable by today’s standards.
And on top of that, the level
design leaves a fare amount to be desired as well. There are so many friggin’
crates, you won’t believe it. Back when this game was released, it was
acceptable, but now it just feels dated. This game isn’t quite cool enough to
forget the fact that the level design is linear and repetitive.
Yes, F.E.A.R. Files has creepy
bad guys and the little girl has her moments, but this gameplay is just dated
and doesn’t live up to today’s standards.
Gameplay: 6/10
GRAPHICS:
The graphics here
just aren’t anything to write home about. Sierra clearly hasn’t updated a thing
since their last console edition hit the stands over a year ago. Textures are
still dull, details are slim, lighting isn’t nearly up to par and very few
things will impress you. If you’ve played The Orange Box, Call of Duty 4, Gears
of War or anything along those lines, you might even think this is an original
Xbox game. It really is that dull, for shame.
Graphics: 5.5/10
AUDIO:
Sound
ain’t too bad but again, this is mediocre stuff. The music is very quiet when it
plays. The voice work is decent but repetitive and the sound effects don’t
really sound right, I can’t quite put my finger on it. Once again, this is a
mediocre offering that doesn’t impress on any level.
Audio: 6/10
FINAL VERDICT:
If you must play
F.E.A.R. Files, play it online with friends, multiplayer style. The campaigns
are fun but they won’t last long enough to thrill you. Even then though, I can’t
understand why anyone would think they had to play this game when there are so
many other better games out there. If you truly love this franchise, you’ve
already bought this. However if you’re a casual gamer, call this one a rental at
best, and a third choice at that. It’s not that this isn’t a decent game because
it is completely playable and mildly compelling with some moderate scares but
why would you play it when there are so many other quality games that have just
come out?
Final Score: 6/10