F.E.A.R. - first person combat meets Silent Hill?

[Intrepid Homoludens]

Click for large

title - F.E.A.R.

genre - First Person Shooter, Survival Horror

developer - Monolith (No One Lives Forever, Blood, Aliens vs. Predator 2)

launch date - 2005

teaser trailer (you must watch this, looks excellent if you love story/action intertwined. I recommend d/l it and playing it full screen)

You play the unnamed point man of a classified government squad named F.E.A.R. -- First Encounter Assault and Recon -- specializing in dealing with the supernatural.

...the situation got stranger and stranger...Strange bits of static interfere with your equipment. Increasing amounts of blood can be found on the walls and floor, and as you meet up with your demolitions expert, Douglas Holiday, he comments on the lack of bullet holes or empty shells in the area. Things get even stranger as you head into an elevator: as the lights flicker on and off, the figure of a small girl can be seen for a second in the corner ... and then she's gone.

The creepiest moments of our demo were saved for the ending cutscene, rendered within the game's engine. A military squad could be seen carefully advancing through the facility hallways, oblivious to the figure of a small girl, her face covered in shadows, trailing behind them. As if commanded by her will, the soldiers were ripped apart limb from limb, punctuated with blood spurting in every direction. One second the soldiers could see her; the next she was gone, understandably driving them into a panic. As the carnage continued, the camera changed to several tilted angles, one of which clearly showed the little girl walking on the ceiling.

Full preview, Gamespy

THIS game is on my list. It's from Monolith, it combines a few of my favourite elements like combat shooting horror, and plot progression entirely in first person, and the teaser trailer, imo, is far more seductive looking in concept and narrative premise than Doom3.

[Jake]

Sounds pretty cool actually. Too bad it's called "FEAR," and they've tried to stretch the definition of the acronym to something within the story...

[Jayel]

It's from Monolith, so there's no way in hell this game could possibly be bad.

Nice graphics too. I'm much more eager to play this game than, say, Half-life 2 or Doom 3.

[Intrepid Homoludens]

I definitely anticipate Half-Life 2 also. I have little interest in Doom3, iD have never been known for focusing on the intergration of story and action, but Valve and Monolith are, and they are the best at it. I love that F.E.A.R. will have cutscenes only in first person (just like HL), and that it'll feature the creeps inspired by Japanese horror concepts.

EDIT: In-game footage at Gamespot (embedded streaming, or downloadable if you're a subscriber), over five minutes long.

[Lindset]

Open this URL in Windows Media Player if you want to see the video at for example 200%. It's the same clip as on that GameSpot page, but when it's embedded in the webpage, you're only able to view it at 100% (too damn small) or full screen (too damn ugly)... I think it looks good. Sparks and smoke everywhere. I hope the controls for melee combat is easy to work with. Monolith did a great job with the level of suspense in AvP2 (especially playing as a marine), and this one supposedly has horror-elements, so...

http://www.gamespot.com/live/stream_asx.html?speed=100&push=1&path=fear_pt1_0609.asx

[Salka]

Looks/sounds a bit Parasite Eve-ish, and I love that game. On the other hand, I can't download the trailer on account of dial up, so maybe it doesn't.

[TK]

Looks great. Now all I be needing is a better computer once the game is out

[Intrepid Homoludens]

Looks/sounds a bit Parasite Eve-ish, and I love that game.

Actually it's more along the lines of Aliens vs. Predator 2 suspense + Silent Hill creepiness + Half-Life cutscene style narrative.

On the other hand, I can't download the trailer on account of dial up, so maybe it doesn't.

That's too bad. If you're really curious, why not download the teaser trailer overnight and view it tomorrow? Can't hurt.

[Salka]

Actually it's more along the lines of Aliens vs. Predator 2 suspense + Silent Hill creepiness + Half-Life cutscene style narrative.

Oh... that's good too... I suppose... I did so love Parasite Eve...

That's too bad. If you're really curious, why not download the teaser trailer overnight and view it tomorrow? Can't hurt.

Good question. I think I will.

[Intrepid Homoludens]

Yep. When I used to have dial-up that's what I did. Start downloading a demo at bedtime, and in the morning I get to play and sip hot cup of coffee!

[hermes]

That just not funny when your computer is in your living/sleeping/lounge/party/pool/etcetera - room... You get a headache and feel uncanny like a used up bitch-slapped floppy..... Thanks god I have broadband... *why does my screen suddenly say iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii* - it does - thats bloody annoying.. argh

[Salka]

Yes, but you live in chicago and I live in the back arse of nowhere in some obscure village in a remote, distant country. There may be quite a difference in the speed of dial up there, in comparison to the speed of dial up over here...

...I want to live in Chicago

[hermes]

I thought the Irish was very wired.... but maybe not when in wales?

hey what do I know.... (don't answer - obviously nothing - I know ) ..( but ..

then I know something, I know that... *argh* where's my toga)

[Salka]

Some of Ireland may be wired, but Piltown certainly isn't.

Piltown. Could it sound any smaller, or any more obscure?

By way of getting back on topic; P.H.3.4.R!!! (Or something).

[Intrepid Homoludens]

OMG. Whoah. Click this Gamespot link now and watch the 'Official Trailer 3'. I'll not say anything more other than get ready for some pretty unnervingly creepy moments.

[Lindset]

OMG. Whoah. Click this Gamespot link now and watch the 'Official Trailer 3'. I'll not say anything more other than get ready for some pretty unnervingly creepy moments.

Oh... Man... I'm going to piss my pants when I play this game

[Intrepid Homoludens]

I told you it's gonna have some Silent Hill / Fatal Frame moments.

[Jayel]

Oh man, half-life 2 is nothing compared to this!

I like everything about this game

[schepton]

Oh man, half-life 2 is nothing compared to this!

I like everything about this game

don't you just love people arguing about games that arent even out yet...

[Jayel]

And Duke Nukem Forever is gonna kick FEAR's ass!!!

DNF > FEAR > HL2 > DOOM3

[RLacey]

F.E.A.R. is by Monolith. One look at Monolith's previous games will tell you this simple fact - that the game will indeed be very good, but will not *quite* hit perfection. Monolith are a high 80% company. And that's not a bad thing, of course! Hell, it's nice to know that you're going to be playing a good game...

[Erkki]

In the First Person action genre, I'm still hoping STALKER will blow me away completely, but I also have high hopes for HL2, Cthulhu, and now this.

[Erkki]

The 3-piece movie is now available in one piece:

http://www.gamespot.com/pc/action/fear/media.html

("Official Movie 5") GameSpot's movie naming system is kind of weird and random. The second part was suddenly called "Trailer" for a while.

[Jayel]

F.E.A.R. is by Monolith. One look at Monolith's previous games will tell you this simple fact - that the game will indeed be very good, but will not *quite* hit perfection. Monolith are a high 80% company. And that's not a bad thing, of course! Hell, it's nice to know that you're going to be playing a good game...

But what about NOLF? it's sequel wasn't as good, but the original was such a masterpiece and won several game of the year awards!

It's my all time favourite FPS!!!

I have half a mind to play through it again, for nostalgia's sake.