A couple of years back, the Xbox 360 received a well deserved port of the amazing PC game “F.E.A.R.” (First Encounter Assault Recon).  Though it got lost in the shuffle of “Call of Duty 3” and “Gears of War” it truly was an amazing experience.  For the first time since “Max Payne”, I saw bullet time (think Matrix slow-motion) used effectively, as well as a perfect illustration of adaptive A.I.  The game showed the potential that these next generation systems can truly unleash- powerful graphics, lightning fast frame rate, and truly intelligent enemies…needless to say, I was hooked.  You can imagine the excitement when it was announced that the game would get a sequel.  However, over the course of a couple years, the development cycle became a little hectic- developers Monolith and Sierra decided to release a two-part expansion for the series which failed miserably.  I finally picked up this package a week before beginning “F.E.A.R. 2” and I must say that it’s definitely the weak link in the series.  That being said, Monolith and Warner Brothers Interactive completely redeemed themselves with this highly anticipated sequel.

Without spoiling too much, the game begins approximately thirty minutes before the first one ended- I suggest playing the first if you haven’t already.  From the beginning, the overall presentation of graphics, lighting, and overall tight controls feels almost perfect.  Though I was a huge fan of the first game, I must admit that this one feels light years ahead of its predecessor.  In all honesty, the game looks and feels like “Rainbow Six: Vegas.”  Had they included the cover system most games are implementing these days, you could probably mistake one for the other…well besides for of course the blood and ghosts.  The gamer plays Sgt. Michael Beckett, who is on a routine mission to extract a powerful woman from her penthouse in the city- on your way to completing this mission, the conclusion of the first game "happens" and you are instantly thrust into action.  Though the first level was more of an experiment with the controls and such, it was still a blast, featuring multiple enemies and a few scares sprinkled in.

After the first chapter (called interval in the franchise) ends, you begin your search for clues to defeat Alma Wade, the evil little girl who has plagued the world and signified our demise at every corner.  Though the scares in the first game were a little more successful, there are times when you will jump while playing this game.  Sure, they recycle some of the same effects that made the first game scary, but there is still a definite spookiness to the game.  Also, the intelligent A.I. has returned and is even more impressive- in one firefight, I saw a soldier slide into corner behind a pillar, and then roll to safety behind a desk- and yes, he was hard to shoot!  Some reviews have criticized this game for being more of the same, but I was must disagree.  All sequels in most cases feature many of the prominent elements from the first entry in their franchise- look at “Gears of War 2”, or the horror themed “Condemned 2.”  It’s the newer features in the single player that really make this game shine to me.

Again, I hate spoiling any details about games, but there are two levels that really stuck out to me- “Top” was a level that included you driving a power armor (mech suit), fully equipped with machine guns and rockets.  For some reason, it never got out to cruise around the city, decimating foot soldiers with machine gun bullets and blowing up opposing power armors.  Also, “Elementary” (I believe that’s the title) was the level inside a semi-destroyed elementary school.  Sure, kids are left alone, but there are some definite spooks in this level and for some reason, it was just very memorable.  I can’t really recall any levels that I didn’t like, but these two just really left an impression on me.  Also, each level includes anywhere from 2-11 pieces of Intel to discover, which unlock TONS of story and of course, the obligatory achievements. 

My only gripe about this game is the multiplayer- it’s included, but it just feels tacked-on.  I really enjoyed the multiplayer in the first game, but this one just didn’t hold up.  Sure, it has the typical game modes and even lets you customize your weapons load out, but with so many other games that are amazing online, this one will certainly get lost in the shuffle.  In fact, when I logged in to play team death match, there was only one game going on, and the room wasn’t even full.  Not really a huge loss though, because I love the single player so much, that I didn’t really care about multiplayer anyway.  Still, hardcore fans will need a good multiplayer component and I understand the importance of game being truly well rounded.  As I said, it’s included, and it’s not bad by any means, just plain and typical.

As you can see, I love this game.  If you are going for pure scares, EA’s “Dead Space” will deliver more on that front.  However, if you love first-person shooters, or any game that’s action packed (which I think we all do) you owe it to yourself to give this game a chance.  The first game is available for $15 probably, so I suggest getting both.  If you enjoy the first, bear in mind that this game is better on so many levels, that you won’t know what to think.  I typically don’t play through games more than once, but there are definitely some levels in this one that warrant another play through.  Do yourself a favor, and pick this game up- if you are looking for a great looking game or intense first-person action, you will have no complaints.

Single Player: A

Multiplayer: C plus

Overall: A minus