F.E.A.R. Platinum

F.E.A.R. is that game that I've always head of for a long time but never got around to play, either because of my past aversion for horror titles or my console-centric interests in youth. Purchased on sale months ago with the intention to play it during the month of October. The gameplay is what I would consider most modern shooters wish they played like: the AI would often put you at the ropes and force you to play conservatively and tactically, but as you get the hangs on things you'd be dashing around shooting things in slow motion and bycicle-kick some grunt across the hallway like a mix between Hard-Boiled and The Matrix, both incidentally inspirations for the feel of combat. The story is captivating enough, while by no means being award-worthy and aside from a questionable final part it's serviceable enough to make the experience a well-rounded one. The horror instead is more contested in this regard and I'd say it's the gameplay the real show stealer, despite the game having been clearly advertised as a horror, primarily. It did not scare me for the most part but the same couldn't be said for everyone and even then it had its moments for me. Note that this game will require a bit of love before staring it. For this I'd recommend consulting ThePcGamingWiki to make sure the game runs as smoothly as possible, that with not exactly being optimized for modern systems. Optionally a trip to ModDB for the odd texture mod or utility. And for any concerns about SecuRom, all I could find online was related to the now dead multiplayer component, so as long as no attept to start it are made things should be fine. The only downside to this bundle being Perseus Mandate: some good moments here and there but mostly disappointing compared to the other two. This game used to be a benchmark for PCs back in the day, but now it could runs on anything, plus with the game being dirt cheap by default there is just no good reason to skip on it.

Title says it all. Kinda feels like max payne.

F.E.A.R. is a shooter with horror elements and impressive AI that still holds up 20 years after release. The art direction elevates the experience thanks to its impressive texture work, real-time lighting & amazing sound design that creates a moody and at times chilling experience. The tight pacing and carefully designed combat-encounters are a blast to play through, specially in "Extreme" difficulty where the game takes a twist into tactical-shooter territory. The impressive enemy AI will try to pull every trick in order to take you down; enemy squads will coordinate themselves to try to flank you, they will try to make you get out of cover with the use of explosives, they will create ambushes in doorways, they will wait for you to peek from behind the corner... Combat feels impactful and chunky, thanks in part to its amazing weapon/enemy sound design, and it rewards you for careful positioning/planning; rushing even against one enemy is almost a guaranteed death. When a gun-fight breaks out, dust and particles fill the screen, lens-flare intermittently illuminating dark corners and crevices while debris and blood splatters cover the walls and the enemies scramble while screaming and/or shouting orders... this game certainly is a master class in direction and design. The game includes the two expansions: "Extraction Point" & "Perseus Mandate" which are an absolute must if you love the game, elevating the experience up to 11.

I have a soft spot for the FEAR series and it doesn't get better than the original game and the Extraction Point expansion. If you've never experienced this franchise, this pack is a great way to get into it. You will like the combat, and the amosphere, and probably love the scares for at least a few hours. The game never feels like it marries the action with the horror well enough, but even playing it as two separate, intertwined games is satisfying and fun. Recommended.

I only play this game for the action. The story and 'horror' do nothing for me. The ai is great, weapons are varied, the melee attack is very useful, and the slow-mo is glorious. I often quicksave just before firefights and then replay them over and over trying different tactics. It never gets old. WIth a mod to disable the hud, it's just about perfect. 4/5 because it has some performance hiccups here and there despite a computer that's more than powerful enough. Overall, it's one of the best fps games in my collection. I enjoy the expansions just as much as the main game. Again, I just care about the action. I still have no clue what the story is about.