F.E.A.R is possibly one of the best FPSes I've ever played of all time. No, scratch that, not possibly, it IS. I absolutely love Monolith Productions and their other games like Blood: One Unit Whole Blood, but F.E.A.R is, by far, their best work yet. The firefights between the Point Man (you) and the Replica Soldiers are intense, and for those who may have seen a Hong Kong action movie or two, specifically HARD BOILED directed by action cinema legend John Woo, the thrill is both familiar and heartily welcomed. The enemy AI is incredibly smart, and they will [attempt to] neutralize you using group flank tactics. The horror elements of the game are inspired by Japanese horror, or J-Horror. Alma, the central antagonist of the entire F.E.A.R series (Spoiler alert: Although you're fighting against replicas controlled by Paxton Fettel, Alma is the one who triggered a "Synchronicity Event" with him and maintains a degree of control over him after merging her mind and memories with his, causing him to experience a psychic freakout and slaughter several ATC security guards and scientists. He eventually becomes powerful enough to establish a psychic connection with an entire battalion of replica supersoldiers and assumes control over the Auburn district and Origin test facility) is reminiscent of characters from japanese horror movies like The Ring and The Grudge. There aren't that many jumpscares or scares in general as the amazing atmosphere created by the game's sound team is enough to keep you on edge, but when they do happen, it can be frightening. Some of the jumpscares can actually hurt you! Overall, this game is stunning, even for 2004-2005. Whether you're blowing away literal mind-controlled clone soldiers with a shotgun turning them into a thin red paste, or pissing your pants when a little ghost girl in a red dress spooks you while you're climbing down a ladder, the entire experience isn't going to disappoint you. I can't recommend this game highly enough.
