F.E.A.R. 3

Released in 2011, F.E.A.R. 3 is the sequel to F.E.A.R. and F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin. Whereas the first two games were mostly single-player affairs, F.E.A.R. 3 features online co-op. I had the chance to play through the game with my buddy Rob, who was experiencing F.E.A.R. for the first time...

Evan (Point Man): Well Rob, we beat another co-op game together. I wouldn't call it the best co-op game we've ever played, but it was a fun – albeit short – experience. F.E.A.R. 3 isn't as good (or as scary) as its predecessors, yet it does cooperative play surprisingly well. Which is saying something, since the previous two games had no co-op modes at all. I'm interested to hear your impressions, since this was your first experience with the F.E.A.R. universe.

Rob (Paxton Fettel): I agree that it wasn't the best we've played but it certainly wasn't the worst (sorry Army of Two: The 40th Day). It's interesting to note that this is the first co-op mode in the franchise because from what I gathered the story almost naturally flowed to this point. The co-op is great because it allows two players with two different combat approaches to each play a character suited to their talents. Well I prefer a Halo-style combat of rushing into the heat of battle yelling and firing off wave after wave of rounds, you certainly take the more cautious approach, evaluating the situation and acting accordingly. In most games one strategy is necessary over the other to be successful but with Point Man and Fettel and the nature of their characters you almost have to adopt both strategies to succeed.

Rob sets 'em up, I knock 'em down.

Evan: Couldn't agree more. Point Man and Fettel have complementary powers which makes for a tremendous co-op experience. Point Man (the hero from the first F.E.A.R. game) and Paxton Fettel (one of the main antagonists from the first game) have very different skill sets. Point Man has a command list typical of first-person shooters: the ability to shoot guns, throw grenades, perform melee attacks, plus the ability to slow down time. Fettel, as a disembodied spirit, has a completely different command list: telekinesis, stun, plus the ability to possess enemies and gain their abilities. It was serendipitous that I played as Point Man, who is better served shooting from a distance, and you played as Fettel, who needs to fight in close-quarters to absorb psychic energy from fallen enemies to sustain possession. Although I will say that neither character was particularly likeable.

Rob: I couldn't help but laugh at Fettel at some points who in one scene cackles like a maniacal Bond villain but I certainly had a great time playing as his character. Possession was one of the most fun attributes as you had to store up enough psychic energy to maintain the body. What a great way to put you in the mind of the character. The only way to hold onto your body was to go on a huge killing spree and collect the needed energy from corpses. It's instills a blood lust that allows you to sort of see what's going on in his mind. Did you have a similar connection to your character?

Forget the gun! Point Man needs some static guard.

Evan: I wish I could say I did. The main character of the first F.E.A.R. game was nameless and faceless. He was referred to as "the new guy" and as "the point man." But Monolith Productions did a great job of making him an interesting and well-rounded character without giving him a name, a face, or one line of dialogue. In F.E.A.R. 3 we finally see his face and we finally get his full back story. But it only serves to make him a less interesting and engaging character. Sometimes less is more. Especially when it comes to suspense and horror. And that brings me to a larger indictment of F.E.A.R. 3, which is that it's not as scary or as mysterious as the previous two games. However, it somewhat makes up for this with its score system, which keeps track of progress in single-player, co-op, and online multiplayer. For example, you can earn 1,000 points for using cover for 100 seconds, or 5,000 points for ten kills in a row without taking damage. It made us work together, but also allowed us to act selfishly at times. A healthy mix of cooperation and competition.

Rob: I suppose that having another player with you and cracking jokes relieves a lot of the tension. Do you think that was the only contributing factor to F.E.A.R. 3 being less scary than its predecessors? For me personally I tend to get more freaked out by horror in video games than in films. With a film you're sort of separated from the action but in a game you're the one interacting with the environment (or your avatar anyway) and I know had I played F.E.A.R. 3 alone it would certainly has been more tense and scary. I'm curious to how this games stacks up to the previous two in that regard.

Fettel in the middle of a possession.

Evan: That's a totally valid question. Being in the room or even online with another person defuses a lot of the tension. That's largely why Resident Evil 5 wasn't as scary as previous games in that series. I was actually impressed that F.E.A.R. 3 was able to create some genuinely scary set-pieces and frightening moments even with the addition of a co-op partner. But it doesn't really compare to the first two games because of two things: 1) the plot is a little too over-the-top – one of the playable characters has been dead for two games after all – and 2) too much information is revealed throughout the game. Generally, the more you learn about a subject, the less frightening it becomes. F.E.A.R. has always been about letting the player's imagination run wild. In F.E.A.R. 3, it's just the facts, ma'am. But obviously there's more to a video game than just scares. F.E.A.R. 3 looks good, sounds great, and plays like a dream. Plus it's got some excellent multiplayer modes, which add a lot of replay value.

Rob: The game certainly handles well although playing as Fettel does mean that you will need to learn two sets of control schemes. I usually have it down after a level or two but towards the end of the game I was still trying to reload with the alternate weapon control while in a possessed body. I do have to applaud the game for its cooperative play because you are definitely right, you can either work together to get points or be totally selfish and work towards your own goals. Although it seems the cooperative challenges will bring you more points in the end. The game also looks great. All of the environments are well realized and spooky. Each level aims for something a bit different than the last so it never feels like you are covering the same ground again and again.

An image from the "Contractions" multiplayer mode.

Evan: Well, I think that about covers it. All that's left now is the scoring. For me, F.E.A.R. 3 earns a 7.5/10. It's a solidly built first-person shooter with great co-op mechanics, spooky atmosphere, and fun (if unoriginal) multiplayer modes. I can't go higher than 7.5 because the story and characters never engaged me, and the scares came too infrequently.

Rob: I'm going to be different (twist!) and go with an 8.0/10. I thoroughly enjoyed F.E.A.R. 3. It was a game I could not wait to continue and not just to be done with it. The gameplay was smooth, the levels looked great and most importantly it was fun to be Fettel. If I had played the first two games my score might be lower however my introduction to the F.E.A.R. universe was more than satisfactory and left me wanting more.