F.E.A.R. (video game)
Encyclopedia
F.E.A.R. is a psychological horror
first-person shooter
developed by Monolith Productions
and published by Vivendi Universal and the first game in the F.E.A.R. (series)
. It was released on October 17, 2005, for Microsoft Windows
, and ported by Day 1 Studios
to the PlayStation 3
and Xbox 360
. Timegate Studios
has released two expansion pack
s, F.E.A.R. Extraction Point
in October 2006 and F.E.A.R. Perseus Mandate
in November 2007. Both the expansions were ported to the Xbox 360 packed under the title F.E.A.R. Files
. A direct sequel titled F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin, was released by Monolith Productions in February 2009. A second sequel, F.E.A.R. 3
(or F3AR), was released on 21 June 2011.
The game's story revolves around a supernatural phenomenon, which F.E.A.R.—a fictional special forces
team—is called to contain. The player assumes the role of F.E.A.R.'s Point Man, who possesses superhuman reflexes, and must uncover the secrets of a paranormal menace in the form of a little girl.
F.E.A.R. was released on Steam on May 21, 2010, and includes both expansions and the Director's Edition bonus content.
. The protagonist's body is fully present, allowing the player to see his or her character's torso and feet while looking down. Within scripted sequences, when rising from a lying position or fast-roping
from a helicopter for example, or climbing ladders, the hands and legs of the protagonist can be seen performing the relevant actions.
A prominent gameplay element is "reflex time
", which slows down the game world while still allowing the player to aim and react at normal speeds. As the player progresses through the game they will be able to pick up shots that will increase the amount of health, and reflex time they have. Reflex time is used to simulate the character's superhuman reflexes. Reflex time is represented by stylized visual effects, such as bullets in flight that cause air distortion or interact with the game's particle effects
. F.E.A.R. lead designer Craig Hubbard stated that Monolith Productions' primary goal was "to make combat as intense as the tea house shootout at the beginning of John Woo
's Hard-Boiled." He continued on to say that "defeat[ing] ... enemies ... with style" was crucial to this goal and that reflex time plays a large role in "mak[ing] the player feel like they are an action movie hero."
The game contains weapons based on non-fictional firearms, such as pistol
s, assault rifle
s, and submachine gun
s, as well as entirely fictional
armaments like particle beam weapon
s. Each firearm differs in terms of ammunition type, accuracy, range, fire rate, damage, and bulkiness. The latter characteristic is crucial, as more powerful/specialized weapons tend to be more cumbersome and slow the player's maneuvers. F.E.A.R. does not scale guns on a curve, so any firearm is potentially deadly in most situations. Monolith Productions stated that it aimed for "... a balanced arsenal where each weapon serves a specific function", rather than "... just going with a bunch of real-world submachine guns and assault rifles." F.E.A.R. heads-up display
crosshair's size dynamically shows where shots will fall based on movement, aim, and the weapon in use. The player may carry only three firearms at a time; thus, strategy is required when using and selecting weapons.
Compared to other shooters where melee is usually a last resort, F.E.A.R.'s melee is a viable instant-kill alternative for taking down enemies. The stocks of all firearms can be used in close combat
. Lighter weapons, while being less powerful, allow the player to move around more quickly, increasing their chances of melee. Movement speed is maximized if a player holsters their weapon, which also allows them to engage in hand-to-hand attacks with maneuvers including punches, kicks, and slides.
F.E.A.R. artificial intelligence
allows computer-controlled characters a large degree of action. Enemies can duck to travel under crawlspaces, jump through windows, vault over railings, climb ladders, and push over large objects to create cover. Various opponents may act as a team, taking back routes to surprise the player, using suppressive fire
or taking cover if under fire. The game's artificial intelligence is often cited as being highly advanced, and its efficiency helped the game win GameSpot
's "2005 Best AI Award", and earn the #2 ranking on AIGameDev's "Most Influential AI Games."
, team deathmatch, capture the flag
, and last man standing
. "Control" and "Conquer All" gametypes were later added through a patch
. Some gametypes in F.E.A.R. multiplayer use the "reflex time" effect: SlowMo deathmatch, SlowMo team deathmatch, and SlowMo capture the flag. Only one player can use/carry the reflex power-up
; when fully charged they can activate it and give themselves (and the rest of their team if applicable) a speed advantage over opposing players. However, the one carrying the power-up will have a bluish glow, and they will show up on a foe's HUD.
On August 17, 2006, F.E.A.R. multiplayer component was retitled F.E.A.R. Combat and made available for free download. Downloaders of F.E.A.R. Combat and owners of F.E.A.R. retail edition may play together online.
The PC version of the game uses the PunkBuster
program to prevent cheating
. However, in December 2007, Even Balance
discontinued PunkBuster support for F.E.A.R. in favor of the second expansion, F.E.A.R. Perseus Mandate
. While PunkBuster-enabled servers will still check for and protect against known cheats, the program will no longer automatically update. Because of this, many players with an outdated version of PunkBuster are unable to play in PunkBuster-enabled servers without being automatically kicked from the game. However, this can be fixed by disabling PunkBuster security with an in-game command, or by downloading the latest PunkBuster files from a third-party source.
The Xbox 360
and PlayStation 3
versions, just like the PC edition, only have online multiplayer. There is no split-screen local play.
The main source of the game's horror is Alma, a ghostly little girl. Craig Hubbard remarked that "a guy in a mask chasing co-eds with a meat cleaver can be scary, but on some level you're thinking to yourself you could probably kick his ass if you got the drop on him...but when a spooky little girl takes out an entire Delta Force
squad, how are you supposed to deal with that?" While Alma has been compared to the character Samara from The Ring
, Craig Hubbard stated that she "... was born out of a tradition of eerie, faceless female ghosts
..." and not "... as an answer to any specific movie character." Hubbard acknowledged that Alma "... admittedly bears some visual resemblance to the ghosts in Dark Water
or Séance", but "... creepy little girls have been freaking [him] out since The Shining
." Developers Dave Matthews and Nathan Hendrickson say the name 'Alma' comes from the character Alma Mobley in Peter Straub's
novel Ghost Story
.
F.E.A.R. audio was designed in the style of Japanese horror films, with the sound engineers using inexpensive equipment to create sound effects, using methods including dragging metal across different surfaces and recording pump sounds. Monolith Productions commented, "The sound designers had to be concerned with avoiding predictability", since "[l]isteners are smart ... they will recognize your formula quickly and then you won't be able to scare them anymore." Silence is present in order to "... allow players to fill in the space, which lets their imagination create their own personal horror".
Monolith Productions composed F.E.A.R. music in reaction to scenes, instead of "... creating a formula that would consistently produce music throughout the game". The design team called F.E.A.R. music structure "... more cerebral and tailored to each individual event", and continued that "... sometimes the music is used to ratchet up the tension to toy with players ... [it] will build to a terrifying crescendo before cutting off without a corresponding event, only to later have the silence shattered by Alma, when players least expect it."
F.E.A.R. horror theme was praised by critics. Game Informer
claimed that "... the frequent spooky head trips that Monolith has so skillfully woven together make an experience that demands to be played." IGN
opined that "... the environment has been so well-crafted to keep you edgy and watchful ... [that] playing the game for a few hours straight can get a little draining." GameSpot
reacted similarly, calling F.E.A.R. horror "... exceedingly effective", and agreeing that it "... can leave you a bit emotionally exhausted after a while."
of telepathically
controlled clone supersoldier
s, seizing control of Armacham Technology Corporation (ATC) headquarters, and killing all its occupants.
Now fully in control of the Point Man, the player attends a briefing held by Commissioner Rowdy Betters, in the company of his F.E.A.R. team-mates Spen Jankowski and Jin Sun-Kwon. The team's mission is to eliminate Fettel, operating in conjunction with the Delta Force.
Fettel is located by means of a satellite tracking device and hunted by F.E.A.R. and Delta Force over several locations. While the villain evades capture by the special forces, the player witnesses unexplained, and occasionally life-threatening, paranormal phenomena, including hallucinations that frequently afflict him, all of which revolve around a red-dressed little girl named Alma. Laptops found in the course of the mission, remotely hacked by Commissioner Betters, provide details regarding the background story; the player learns how Fettel was raised to become a telepathic military commander, that he is the son of Alma, who is described as being a powerful psychic as part of Project Origin, and the existence of another child of Alma, who was born before Fettel.
All clues lead F.E.A.R. to believe Fettel is under control of Alma, who was locked in the Origin facility when ATC closed down the project owing to the danger the woman posed; Fettel is searching for that same facility to free his mother. The player takes the Point Man to the abandoned structure, fighting back both the clone soldiers and ATC guards, who have received orders to cover up the whole affair. When the protagonist comes to finally face Fettel, he is drawn into a hallucination where the player learns how the Point Man is Alma's first son and is thereafter enabled to kill Fettel himself. The story does not end here, however, as Alma is nonetheless freed when her storage chamber is opened by ATC researcher and leader of Project Origin, Harlan Wade, who felt guilty over the company's treatment of Alma and who actually was her father. The player is then called to sabotage the structure's reactor, running a gauntlet against Alma's ghosts before the whole location explodes. In the aftermath of the detonation, a Delta Force Black Hawk helicopter extracts the Point Man from the rubble, rescuing him. While the player and the survivors of the F.E.A.R team survey the results of the explosion from the helicopter, Alma makes one last sudden appearance over the side of the helicopter, preparing to pull herself up into the cabin: the destruction of the Origin facility has not stopped her quest for revenge.
After the game's credits, the player can listen to a phone call between a mysterious senator and ATC president Aristide, which offers some further explanation: the woman considers the project under control and deems the "first prototype" a success.
that we've been dying to work on." Monolith Productions' director of technology, Kevin Stephens, later elaborated that this concept was "... to make an action movie in a first-person shooter, where you really feel like an action star." To this effect, the team focused on immersing the player, using elements like a silent, nameless protagonist with an unknown background, and allowing the player to see the protagonist's body when looking down or sideways.
During 2005, F.E.A.R. made playable appearances at Consumer Electronics Show
, Game Developers Conference
and E3, all of which were well-received. Its showing at E3 garnered it the Game Critics Award
for "Best Action Game." After the release of a single-player demo, Vivendi allowed gaming journalists to play through the first four levels of the game, which received even more positive reaction than before. F.E.A.R. eventually released on October 18, 2005. Alongside the basic CD-ROM edition, a "Director's Cut" DVD version of F.E.A.R. was released with a number of extra features. A Dark Horse Entertainment comic book and a series of live action vignettes
help clarify a number of plot elements depicted in the game, while the "Making of F.E.A.R." and "Developers' commentary" documentaries offer several insights and trivia into the game's development through interviews with employees of Monolith Productions and Vivendi. Also included is the exclusive first episode of the F.E.A.R. machinima, P.A.N.I.C.S.
, created by "Rooster Teeth Productions
".
Over the course of the "Developer's roundtable commentary", producer Chris Hewitt reveals, "We had a whole level in the game where we had this car chase sequence [...] we spent about two months on that thing...." "[B]ut the car chase sequence didn't work the way we hoped it would", adds designer Craig Hubbard, commenting on the choice to remove that level from the game. Hewitt also comments that, "Actually we started off with two villains, and [Fettel] was one of them until we merged them together...." Craig Hubbard also remarks that "... his jacket actually used to belong to another villain we had in the game named Conrad Krieg, whom we combined with Fettel pretty literally."
9 renderer and has seen major advancements from its direct precursor, "Jupiter". The new engine includes both Havok
physics and the Havok "Vehicle Kit", which adds support for common vehicle behavior. The latter feature goes mostly unused in F.E.A.R., as no vehicles appear outside of scripted sequences.
Graphically, F.E.A.R. uses normal mapping
and parallax mapping
to give textures a more realistic appearance; the latter is used to give the appearance of depth to flat bullet hole sprites on walls. Volumetric lighting
and lightmap
ping are included with the addition of a per-pixel lighting
model, allowing complex lighting effects to be developed. Vertex, pixel and high-level shader
s, including a host of additional special effects, are also featured in Jupiter EX.
gave the PC version 89.08% and 88/100, the Xbox 360
version 84.28% and 85/100 and the PlayStation 3
version 73.29% and 72/100. The New York Times
called it "as thrilling and involving as Half-Life." A "Director's Edition" DVD version of the game was also released. The DVD included a "Making of" documentary, a director's commentary, a short live-action prequel and the exclusive first episode of the promotional P.A.N.I.C.S.
machinima
. A related Dark Horse
comic book
was also packaged with the DVD. Along with the Director's Edition, F.E.A.R. Gold Edition was released. Gold Edition included the Director's Edition and Extraction Point. F.E.A.R. Platinum Edition features the original game and two expansion packs.
Prior to release, F.E.A.R. generated large amounts of hype from video game journalists. Upon release, F.E.A.R. received critical acclaim, with Computer Gaming World
calling it "... one of the year's top single-player shooters ..." and PC Gamer
regarding it as "... the first game to convincingly channel the kinetic exhilaration of 'John Woo violence' in the FPS format."
IGN
claimed that "Monolith forges new shooter territory with some truly freaky elements, challenge, fun, and beauty." GameSpy praised the game's plot, later awarding it their "Best Story" Game of the Year
award. The New York Times
thought differently, stating "I was never quite clear on what was going on in the game. I knew my goal—track down a psychic, escort a corporate executive's daughter out of danger—but I didn't ever care who these people were nor did I understand their motives." The game has also received criticism for its system requirements, which called for an extremely powerful PC
for its time.
The Xbox 360
port has also received positive reviews, almost as favorable as the PC version. The multiplayer and instant-action mode were praised for better gameplay, but the control scheme was negatively viewed. Reviews have also stated that it lacked bonus features, despite the new mission included in the game. GameSpot gave the game 8.6. while IGN rated it 9.1
The PlayStation 3
port received less favorable reviews than the other two versions, but still had positive reviews overall. It contained the bonus mission exclusive to the Xbox 360 port, but the chief complaints of the negative reviewers were downgraded graphics and long loading times. GameSpot has given the port a 7.1, making it the third lowest rating of the F.E.A.R. franchise in GameSpot.
to F.E.A.R., which is titled F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin after Monolith and Warner Bros. regained the rights to the F.E.A.R. name. Prior to September 2008, the sequel was not to be titled F.E.A.R. 2 due to Vivendi
's ownership of the F.E.A.R. name. The game was instead to be called Project Origin, which is a name derived from a contest to name the sequel. The follow-up will stay in the game's existing universe, retaining the original storyline and characters. Monolith Productions required a new publisher for the game, since they were purchased by Warner Brothers Interactive Entertainment
in 2004 while development of F.E.A.R. was under way, after which Vivendi Universal was dropped as publisher. Vivendi Universal published the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 ports of the original game, developed by Day 1 Studios. F.E.A.R. was later dropped, and is no longer able to be updated when downloaded. Version 1.7 Of F.E.A.R. Combat is now downloadable at www.joinfear.com. When asked to update, it will show that you are not able to patch to version 1.08. Xbox multiplayer servers are also closed down for F.E.A.R. multiplayer.
An expansion pack titled F.E.A.R. Extraction Point
was released by TimeGate Studios
on October 24, 2006. The second expansion pack, F.E.A.R. Perseus Mandate
, also from TimeGate Studios, was released in November 2007. F.E.A.R. Files
was released simultaneously for the Xbox 360, consisting of both Extraction Point and Perseus Mandate.
Psychological horror
Psychological horror is a subgenre of horror fiction that relies on character fears, guilt, beliefs, eerie sound effects, relevant music and emotional instability to build tension and further the plot...
first-person shooter
First-person shooter
First-person shooter is a video game genre that centers the gameplay on gun and projectile weapon-based combat through first-person perspective; i.e., the player experiences the action through the eyes of a protagonist. Generally speaking, the first-person shooter shares common traits with other...
developed by Monolith Productions
Monolith Productions
Monolith Productions is a Kirkland, Washington-based computer game developer. Monolith is also known for the development of the graphical game engine Lithtech, which has been used for most of their games...
and published by Vivendi Universal and the first game in the F.E.A.R. (series)
F.E.A.R. (series)
F.E.A.R. is a series of psychological horror first-person shooter video games developed by Monolith Productions. The game currently has three main games, F.E.A.R., F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin and F.E.A.R. 3. The series is known for its horror game play and its main antagonist, Alma...
. It was released on October 17, 2005, for Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
, and ported by Day 1 Studios
Day 1 Studios
Day 1 Studios is an American game developer that operates in Chicago, Illinois and Hunt Valley, Maryland.They worked in tandem with developer FASA Interactive to create their first two games MechAssault, which Microsoft used to promote their Xbox Live service, and MechAssault 2: Lone Wolf...
to the PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
and Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
. Timegate Studios
TimeGate Studios
TimeGate Studios is an American video game developer based in Sugar Land, Texas . The company, which was founded in 1998, has released eight titles to this date.-Company history:...
has released two expansion pack
Expansion pack
An expansion pack, expansion set, or supplement is an addition to an existing role-playing game, tabletop game or video game. These add-ons usually add new game areas, weapons, objects, and/or an extended storyline to a complete and already released game...
s, F.E.A.R. Extraction Point
F.E.A.R. Extraction Point
F.E.A.R. Extraction Point is an expansion pack for the psychological horror first-person shooter video game F.E.A.R., published by Vivendi Universal and developed by TimeGate Studios . It was released on October 24, 2006 for Microsoft Windows and requires the full original game in order to be played...
in October 2006 and F.E.A.R. Perseus Mandate
F.E.A.R. Perseus Mandate
F.E.A.R. Perseus Mandate is a stand-alone expansion pack for the psychological horror first-person shooter video game F.E.A.R. The expansion was developed by TimeGate Studios, the same development team behind the first expansion, F.E.A.R. Extraction Point.The game follows the exploits of a new...
in November 2007. Both the expansions were ported to the Xbox 360 packed under the title F.E.A.R. Files
F.E.A.R. Files
F.E.A.R. Files is a F.E.A.R.-related package of video games released for the Xbox 360. The pack contains F.E.A.R. Extraction Point and F.E.A.R. Perseus Mandate, both of which are available separately for Microsoft Windows. F.E.A.R. Files is exclusive to the Xbox 360 as a standalone game.-F.E.A.R...
. A direct sequel titled F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin, was released by Monolith Productions in February 2009. A second sequel, F.E.A.R. 3
F.E.A.R. 3
F.E.A.R. 3 is a psychological horror first-person shooter video game, developed by Day 1 Studios for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 as a sequel to the game F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin and the third installment of the F.E.A.R....
(or F3AR), was released on 21 June 2011.
The game's story revolves around a supernatural phenomenon, which F.E.A.R.—a fictional special forces
Special forces
Special forces, or special operations forces are terms used to describe elite military tactical teams trained to perform high-risk dangerous missions that conventional units cannot perform...
team—is called to contain. The player assumes the role of F.E.A.R.'s Point Man, who possesses superhuman reflexes, and must uncover the secrets of a paranormal menace in the form of a little girl.
F.E.A.R. was released on Steam on May 21, 2010, and includes both expansions and the Director's Edition bonus content.
Gameplay
F.E.A.R. simulates combat from a first person perspectiveFirst person (video games)
In video games, first person refers to a graphical perspective rendered from the viewpoint of the player character. In many cases, this may be the viewpoint from the cockpit of a vehicle. Many different genres have made use of first-person perspectives, ranging from adventure games to flight...
. The protagonist's body is fully present, allowing the player to see his or her character's torso and feet while looking down. Within scripted sequences, when rising from a lying position or fast-roping
Fast-roping
Fast-roping, sometimes known as Fast Rope Insertion Extraction System , is a technique for descending a thick rope. It is useful for deploying troops from a helicopter in places where the helicopter itself cannot touch down. First developed by the British with UK rope manufacturer Marlow Ropes,...
from a helicopter for example, or climbing ladders, the hands and legs of the protagonist can be seen performing the relevant actions.
A prominent gameplay element is "reflex time
Bullet time
Bullet time is a special and visual effect that refers to a digitally enhanced simulation of variable-speed photography used in films, broadcast advertisements, and video games...
", which slows down the game world while still allowing the player to aim and react at normal speeds. As the player progresses through the game they will be able to pick up shots that will increase the amount of health, and reflex time they have. Reflex time is used to simulate the character's superhuman reflexes. Reflex time is represented by stylized visual effects, such as bullets in flight that cause air distortion or interact with the game's particle effects
Visual effects
Visual effects are the various processes by which imagery is created and/or manipulated outside the context of a live action shoot. Visual effects involve the integration of live-action footage and generated imagery to create environments which look realistic, but would be dangerous, costly, or...
. F.E.A.R. lead designer Craig Hubbard stated that Monolith Productions' primary goal was "to make combat as intense as the tea house shootout at the beginning of John Woo
John Woo
John Woo Yu-Sen SBS is a Hong Kong-based film director and producer. Recognized for his stylised films of highly choreographed action sequences, Mexican standoffs, and use of slow-motion, Woo has directed several notable Hong Kong action films, among them, A Better Tomorrow, The Killer, Hard...
's Hard-Boiled." He continued on to say that "defeat[ing] ... enemies ... with style" was crucial to this goal and that reflex time plays a large role in "mak[ing] the player feel like they are an action movie hero."
Pistol
When distinguished as a subset of handguns, a pistol is a handgun with a chamber that is integral with the barrel, as opposed to a revolver, wherein the chamber is separate from the barrel as a revolving cylinder. Typically, pistols have an effective range of about 100 feet.-History:The pistol...
s, assault rifle
Assault rifle
An assault rifle is a selective fire rifle that uses an intermediate cartridge and a detachable magazine. Assault rifles are the standard infantry weapons in most modern armies...
s, and submachine gun
Submachine gun
A submachine gun is an automatic carbine, designed to fire pistol cartridges. It combines the automatic fire of a machine gun with the cartridge of a pistol. The submachine gun was invented during World War I , but the apex of its use was during World War II when millions of the weapon type were...
s, as well as entirely fictional
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
armaments like particle beam weapon
Particle beam weapon
A particle beam weapon uses an ultra-high-energy beam of atoms or electrons to damage a material target by hitting it, and thus disrupting its atomic and molecular structure. A particle beam weapon is a type of directed-energy weapon, which directs energy in a particular direction by a means of...
s. Each firearm differs in terms of ammunition type, accuracy, range, fire rate, damage, and bulkiness. The latter characteristic is crucial, as more powerful/specialized weapons tend to be more cumbersome and slow the player's maneuvers. F.E.A.R. does not scale guns on a curve, so any firearm is potentially deadly in most situations. Monolith Productions stated that it aimed for "... a balanced arsenal where each weapon serves a specific function", rather than "... just going with a bunch of real-world submachine guns and assault rifles." F.E.A.R. heads-up display
HUD (computer gaming)
In video gaming, the HUD is the method by which information is visually relayed to the player as part of a game's user interface...
crosshair's size dynamically shows where shots will fall based on movement, aim, and the weapon in use. The player may carry only three firearms at a time; thus, strategy is required when using and selecting weapons.
Compared to other shooters where melee is usually a last resort, F.E.A.R.'s melee is a viable instant-kill alternative for taking down enemies. The stocks of all firearms can be used in close combat
Pistol-whipping
Pistol-whipping is the act of using a handgun as a blunt weapon, wielding it as if it were a club or blackjack. "Pistol-whipping" and "to pistol-whip" were reported as "new words" of American speech in 1955, with cited usages from 1940s...
. Lighter weapons, while being less powerful, allow the player to move around more quickly, increasing their chances of melee. Movement speed is maximized if a player holsters their weapon, which also allows them to engage in hand-to-hand attacks with maneuvers including punches, kicks, and slides.
F.E.A.R. artificial intelligence
Game artificial intelligence
Game artificial intelligence refers to techniques used in computer and video games to produce the illusion of intelligence in the behavior of non-player characters . The techniques used typically draw upon existing methods from the field of artificial intelligence...
allows computer-controlled characters a large degree of action. Enemies can duck to travel under crawlspaces, jump through windows, vault over railings, climb ladders, and push over large objects to create cover. Various opponents may act as a team, taking back routes to surprise the player, using suppressive fire
Suppressive fire
In military science, suppressive fire is a fire that degrades the performance of a target below the level needed to fulfill its mission. Suppression is usually only effective for the duration of the fire. Suppressive fire is not always a direct form of fire towards targets; it can be an effective...
or taking cover if under fire. The game's artificial intelligence is often cited as being highly advanced, and its efficiency helped the game win GameSpot
GameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
's "2005 Best AI Award", and earn the #2 ranking on AIGameDev's "Most Influential AI Games."
Multiplayer
F.E.A.R. multiplayer component includes mainstay gameplay modes, such as deathmatchDeathmatch (gaming)
Deathmatch or Player vs All is a widely-used gameplay mode integrated into many shooter and real-time strategy computer games...
, team deathmatch, capture the flag
Capture the flag
Capture the Flag is a traditional outdoor sport generally played by children, where two teams each have a flag and the objective is to capture the other team's flag, located at the team's "base," and bring it safely back to their own base...
, and last man standing
Last man standing (gaming)
Last man standing is a multiplayer deathmatch gameplay mode featured in the majority of the more recent first-person shooter computer games...
. "Control" and "Conquer All" gametypes were later added through a patch
Patch (computing)
A patch is a piece of software designed to fix problems with, or update a computer program or its supporting data. This includes fixing security vulnerabilities and other bugs, and improving the usability or performance...
. Some gametypes in F.E.A.R. multiplayer use the "reflex time" effect: SlowMo deathmatch, SlowMo team deathmatch, and SlowMo capture the flag. Only one player can use/carry the reflex power-up
Power-up
In computer and video games, power-ups are objects that instantly benefit or add extra abilities to the game character as a game mechanic. This is in contrast to an item, which may or may not have a benefit and can be used at a time chosen by the player...
; when fully charged they can activate it and give themselves (and the rest of their team if applicable) a speed advantage over opposing players. However, the one carrying the power-up will have a bluish glow, and they will show up on a foe's HUD.
On August 17, 2006, F.E.A.R. multiplayer component was retitled F.E.A.R. Combat and made available for free download. Downloaders of F.E.A.R. Combat and owners of F.E.A.R. retail edition may play together online.
The PC version of the game uses the PunkBuster
PunkBuster
PunkBuster is a computer program that is designed to detect software used for cheating in online games. It does this by scanning the memory contents of the local machine. A computer identified as using cheats may be banned from connecting to protected servers. The aim of the program is to isolate...
program to prevent cheating
Cheating in online games
Cheating in online games is an activity that modifies the game experience to give one player an advantage over others. Depending on the game, different activities constitute cheating and it is either a matter of game policy or consensus opinion as to whether a particular activity is considered to...
. However, in December 2007, Even Balance
Even Balance
Even Balance, Inc. is a software producer based in Austin, Texas, United States.The company is widely known from the anti-cheat program PunkBuster....
discontinued PunkBuster support for F.E.A.R. in favor of the second expansion, F.E.A.R. Perseus Mandate
F.E.A.R. Perseus Mandate
F.E.A.R. Perseus Mandate is a stand-alone expansion pack for the psychological horror first-person shooter video game F.E.A.R. The expansion was developed by TimeGate Studios, the same development team behind the first expansion, F.E.A.R. Extraction Point.The game follows the exploits of a new...
. While PunkBuster-enabled servers will still check for and protect against known cheats, the program will no longer automatically update. Because of this, many players with an outdated version of PunkBuster are unable to play in PunkBuster-enabled servers without being automatically kicked from the game. However, this can be fixed by disabling PunkBuster security with an in-game command, or by downloading the latest PunkBuster files from a third-party source.
The Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
and PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
versions, just like the PC edition, only have online multiplayer. There is no split-screen local play.
Atmosphere
A core element of F.E.A.R. is its horror theme, which is heavily inspired by Japanese horror. The design team attempted to keep "[the] psychology of the encounter" in the player's mind at all times, in order to "get under [the player's] skin", as opposed to the "in your face 'monsters jumping out of closets' approach". Lead designer Craig Hubbard stated in an interview that "horror is extremely fragile ... you can kill it by spelling things out too clearly and you can undermine it with too much ambiguity". He remarked that he attempted to strike a balance with the narrative elements of F.E.A.R., to give players "enough clues so that [they] can form [their] own theories about what's going on, but ideally [they will] be left with some uncertainty". Lead level designer John Mulkey stated, "Creating expectation and then messing with that expectation is extremely important, predictability ruins a scary mood".Delta Force
1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta is one of the United States' secretive Tier One counter-terrorism and Special Mission Units. Commonly known as Delta Force, Delta, or The Unit, it was formed under the designation 1st SFOD-D, and is officially referred to by the Department of Defense...
squad, how are you supposed to deal with that?" While Alma has been compared to the character Samara from The Ring
The Ring (2002 film)
The Ring is a 2002 American psychological horror film directed by Gore Verbinski and starring Naomi Watts and Martin Henderson. It is a remake of the 1998 Japanese horror film Ring....
, Craig Hubbard stated that she "... was born out of a tradition of eerie, faceless female ghosts
Yurei
are figures in Japanese folklore, analogous to Western legends of ghosts. The name consists of two kanji, 幽 , meaning "faint" or "dim" and 霊 , meaning "soul" or "spirit." Alternative names include 亡霊 meaning ruined or departed spirit, 死霊 meaning dead spirit, or the more encompassing 妖怪 or お化け...
..." and not "... as an answer to any specific movie character." Hubbard acknowledged that Alma "... admittedly bears some visual resemblance to the ghosts in Dark Water
Dark Water (2002 film)
Dark Water is a 2002 Japanese drama-horror film directed by Hideo Nakata, the director of Ring and Ring 2. Dark Water is based on Floating Water, a short story by Koji Suzuki. Its Japanese name is Honogurai mizu no soko kara , which is also the name of the horror anthology by Koji Suzuki...
or Séance", but "... creepy little girls have been freaking [him] out since The Shining
The Shining (film)
The Shining is a 1980 psychological horror film produced and directed by Stanley Kubrick, co-written with novelist Diane Johnson, and starring Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, and Danny Lloyd. The film is based on the novel of the same name by Stephen King. A writer, Jack Torrance, takes a job as an...
." Developers Dave Matthews and Nathan Hendrickson say the name 'Alma' comes from the character Alma Mobley in Peter Straub's
Peter Straub
Peter Francis Straub is an American author and poet, most famous for his work in the horror genre. His horror fiction has received numerous literary honors such as the Bram Stoker Award, World Fantasy Award, and International Horror Guild Award, placing him among the most-honored horror authors in...
novel Ghost Story
Ghost Story (Straub novel)
Ghost Story is a horror novel by Peter Straub that was published in 1979 by Coward, McCann and Geoghegan. It was adapted into a film in 1981.The novel was a watershed in Straub's career...
.
F.E.A.R. audio was designed in the style of Japanese horror films, with the sound engineers using inexpensive equipment to create sound effects, using methods including dragging metal across different surfaces and recording pump sounds. Monolith Productions commented, "The sound designers had to be concerned with avoiding predictability", since "[l]isteners are smart ... they will recognize your formula quickly and then you won't be able to scare them anymore." Silence is present in order to "... allow players to fill in the space, which lets their imagination create their own personal horror".
Monolith Productions composed F.E.A.R. music in reaction to scenes, instead of "... creating a formula that would consistently produce music throughout the game". The design team called F.E.A.R. music structure "... more cerebral and tailored to each individual event", and continued that "... sometimes the music is used to ratchet up the tension to toy with players ... [it] will build to a terrifying crescendo before cutting off without a corresponding event, only to later have the silence shattered by Alma, when players least expect it."
F.E.A.R. horror theme was praised by critics. Game Informer
Game Informer
Game Informer is an American-based monthly magazine featuring articles, news, strategy, and reviews of popular video games and associated consoles. It was formed in August 1991, when FuncoLand started publishing a six-page magazine, free in all its retail locations...
claimed that "... the frequent spooky head trips that Monolith has so skillfully woven together make an experience that demands to be played." IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
opined that "... the environment has been so well-crafted to keep you edgy and watchful ... [that] playing the game for a few hours straight can get a little draining." GameSpot
GameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
reacted similarly, calling F.E.A.R. horror "... exceedingly effective", and agreeing that it "... can leave you a bit emotionally exhausted after a while."
Plot
The story of F.E.A.R. is presented in such a way that only a few minor elements are presented in the game's beginning, thus allowing players to experience the adventure as "... the hero[es] in [their] own spine-tingling epic of action, tension and terror". The manual briefly mentions the player character's recent induction as "Point Man" to F.E.A.R., a secret special ops group of the U.S. government specialized in dealing with paranormal threats. The character's extraordinarily reactive reflexes are described as well, hinting that the government is interested in his abilities. When the game begins, the player witnesses a man named Paxton Fettel taking command of a battalionBattalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
of telepathically
Telepathy
Telepathy , is the induction of mental states from one mind to another. The term was coined in 1882 by the classical scholar Fredric W. H. Myers, a founder of the Society for Psychical Research, and has remained more popular than the more-correct expression thought-transference...
controlled clone supersoldier
Supersoldier
Supersoldier is a term often used to describe a soldier that operates beyond normal human limits or abilities. Supersoldiers are common in science fiction literature, films, TV programs, computer, conspiracy theories, and video games, but have also made appearances in other related genres, such as...
s, seizing control of Armacham Technology Corporation (ATC) headquarters, and killing all its occupants.
Now fully in control of the Point Man, the player attends a briefing held by Commissioner Rowdy Betters, in the company of his F.E.A.R. team-mates Spen Jankowski and Jin Sun-Kwon. The team's mission is to eliminate Fettel, operating in conjunction with the Delta Force.
Fettel is located by means of a satellite tracking device and hunted by F.E.A.R. and Delta Force over several locations. While the villain evades capture by the special forces, the player witnesses unexplained, and occasionally life-threatening, paranormal phenomena, including hallucinations that frequently afflict him, all of which revolve around a red-dressed little girl named Alma. Laptops found in the course of the mission, remotely hacked by Commissioner Betters, provide details regarding the background story; the player learns how Fettel was raised to become a telepathic military commander, that he is the son of Alma, who is described as being a powerful psychic as part of Project Origin, and the existence of another child of Alma, who was born before Fettel.
All clues lead F.E.A.R. to believe Fettel is under control of Alma, who was locked in the Origin facility when ATC closed down the project owing to the danger the woman posed; Fettel is searching for that same facility to free his mother. The player takes the Point Man to the abandoned structure, fighting back both the clone soldiers and ATC guards, who have received orders to cover up the whole affair. When the protagonist comes to finally face Fettel, he is drawn into a hallucination where the player learns how the Point Man is Alma's first son and is thereafter enabled to kill Fettel himself. The story does not end here, however, as Alma is nonetheless freed when her storage chamber is opened by ATC researcher and leader of Project Origin, Harlan Wade, who felt guilty over the company's treatment of Alma and who actually was her father. The player is then called to sabotage the structure's reactor, running a gauntlet against Alma's ghosts before the whole location explodes. In the aftermath of the detonation, a Delta Force Black Hawk helicopter extracts the Point Man from the rubble, rescuing him. While the player and the survivors of the F.E.A.R team survey the results of the explosion from the helicopter, Alma makes one last sudden appearance over the side of the helicopter, preparing to pull herself up into the cabin: the destruction of the Origin facility has not stopped her quest for revenge.
After the game's credits, the player can listen to a phone call between a mysterious senator and ATC president Aristide, which offers some further explanation: the woman considers the project under control and deems the "first prototype" a success.
Characters and organizations
During the course of the game, the player interacts with a number of different characters from various organizations. Some of them are allies, such as the F.E.A.R. and Delta Force team members, while others are hostile, such as Fettel's replica soldiers and some ATC personnel. The player's character never speaks, and instead participates in one-sided discussions with other characters. On occasion your character, the Point Man, is required to hand a communicator to other characters, allowing them to speak over the F.E.A.R. team radio. No artificial intelligence-controlled characters fight alongside the player in F.E.A.R., except for some sequences in the expansions Extraction Point and Perseus Mandate.Development
F.E.A.R. was announced at an E3 2004 pre-show, though its existence as an untitled project was revealed prior to this announcement. The game's first trailer later premiered at E3 2004 and was well-received by critics. During the E3 2004 showing, F.E.A.R. lead designer, Craig Hubbard, stated that the game "... evolved out of a concept we started developing right after ShogoShogo: Mobile Armor Division
Shogo: Mobile Armor Division is a first person shooter video game released by Monolith Productions in 1998. It was the first game to use Monolith's flagship Lithtech engine. It has heavy influences from Japanese anime, particularly Patlabor, Appleseed, and the various Gundam series...
that we've been dying to work on." Monolith Productions' director of technology, Kevin Stephens, later elaborated that this concept was "... to make an action movie in a first-person shooter, where you really feel like an action star." To this effect, the team focused on immersing the player, using elements like a silent, nameless protagonist with an unknown background, and allowing the player to see the protagonist's body when looking down or sideways.
During 2005, F.E.A.R. made playable appearances at Consumer Electronics Show
Consumer Electronics Show
The International Consumer Electronics Show is a major technology-related trade show held each January in the Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States. Not open to the public, the Consumer Electronics Association-sponsored show typically hosts previews of products and new...
, Game Developers Conference
Game Developers Conference
The Game Developers Conference is the largest annual gathering of professional video game developers, focusing on learning, inspiration, and networking...
and E3, all of which were well-received. Its showing at E3 garnered it the Game Critics Award
Game Critics Awards
The Game Critics Awards are a set of annual awards held after the E3 video game conference since 1998. The awards are given to products displayed at E3 with the title Best of E3 of their category. The nominees and winners of the awards are chosen by individual judges representing 35 major North...
for "Best Action Game." After the release of a single-player demo, Vivendi allowed gaming journalists to play through the first four levels of the game, which received even more positive reaction than before. F.E.A.R. eventually released on October 18, 2005. Alongside the basic CD-ROM edition, a "Director's Cut" DVD version of F.E.A.R. was released with a number of extra features. A Dark Horse Entertainment comic book and a series of live action vignettes
Vignette (literature)
In theatrical script writing, sketch stories, and poetry, a vignette is a short impressionistic scene that focuses on one moment or gives a trenchant impression about a character, an idea, or a setting and sometimes an object...
help clarify a number of plot elements depicted in the game, while the "Making of F.E.A.R." and "Developers' commentary" documentaries offer several insights and trivia into the game's development through interviews with employees of Monolith Productions and Vivendi. Also included is the exclusive first episode of the F.E.A.R. machinima, P.A.N.I.C.S.
PANICS
PANICS or P.A.N.I.C.S., an acronym for People Acting Normal In Crazy-Ass Situations, is a comic science fiction mini-series created by Rooster Teeth Productions and released in 2005...
, created by "Rooster Teeth Productions
Rooster Teeth Productions
Rooster Teeth Productions is a production group from Austin, Texas that specializes in the creation of live action shorts, animated peices and machinima, or films created using real-time, interactive engines from computer and video games. The name Rooster Teeth is a euphemism for Cockbite, an...
".
Over the course of the "Developer's roundtable commentary", producer Chris Hewitt reveals, "We had a whole level in the game where we had this car chase sequence [...] we spent about two months on that thing...." "[B]ut the car chase sequence didn't work the way we hoped it would", adds designer Craig Hubbard, commenting on the choice to remove that level from the game. Hewitt also comments that, "Actually we started off with two villains, and [Fettel] was one of them until we merged them together...." Craig Hubbard also remarks that "... his jacket actually used to belong to another villain we had in the game named Conrad Krieg, whom we combined with Fettel pretty literally."
Engine technology
F.E.A.R. is the first game developed using the newest iteration of Monolith's Lithtech engine. Codenamed "Jupiter EX", the F.E.A.R. engine is driven by a DirectXDirectX
Microsoft DirectX is a collection of application programming interfaces for handling tasks related to multimedia, especially game programming and video, on Microsoft platforms. Originally, the names of these APIs all began with Direct, such as Direct3D, DirectDraw, DirectMusic, DirectPlay,...
9 renderer and has seen major advancements from its direct precursor, "Jupiter". The new engine includes both Havok
Havok (software)
Havok Physics is a physics engine developed by Irish company Havok. It is designed primarily for video games, and allows for real-time collision and dynamics of rigid bodies in three dimensions. It provides multiple types of dynamic constraints between rigid bodies , and has a highly optimized...
physics and the Havok "Vehicle Kit", which adds support for common vehicle behavior. The latter feature goes mostly unused in F.E.A.R., as no vehicles appear outside of scripted sequences.
Graphically, F.E.A.R. uses normal mapping
Normal mapping
In 3D computer graphics, normal mapping, or "Dot3 bump mapping", is a technique used for faking the lighting of bumps and dents. It is used to add details without using more polygons. A common use of this technique is to greatly enhance the appearance and details of a low polygon model by...
and parallax mapping
Parallax mapping
Parallax mapping is an enhancement of the bump mapping or normal mapping techniques applied to textures in 3D rendering applications such as video games...
to give textures a more realistic appearance; the latter is used to give the appearance of depth to flat bullet hole sprites on walls. Volumetric lighting
Volumetric lighting
Volumetric lighting is a technique used in 3D computer graphics to add lighting effects to a rendered scene. It allows the viewer to see beams of light shining through the environment; seeing sunbeams streaming through an open window is an example of volumetric lighting, also known as crepuscular...
and lightmap
Lightmap
A lightmap is a data structure which contains the brightness of surfaces in 3d graphics applications such as video games. Lightmaps are precomputed and used for static objects. Quake was the first computer game to use lightmaps to augment rendering. Before lightmaps were invented, realtime...
ping are included with the addition of a per-pixel lighting
Per-pixel lighting
In computer graphics, per-pixel lighting is commonly used to refer to a set of methods for computing illumination at each rendered pixel of an image...
model, allowing complex lighting effects to be developed. Vertex, pixel and high-level shader
Shader
In the field of computer graphics, a shader is a computer program that is used primarily to calculate rendering effects on graphics hardware with a high degree of flexibility...
s, including a host of additional special effects, are also featured in Jupiter EX.
Reception
F.E.A.R. received mostly positive reviews. Aggregating review websites GameRankings and MetacriticMetacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
gave the PC version 89.08% and 88/100, the Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
version 84.28% and 85/100 and the PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
version 73.29% and 72/100. The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
called it "as thrilling and involving as Half-Life." A "Director's Edition" DVD version of the game was also released. The DVD included a "Making of" documentary, a director's commentary, a short live-action prequel and the exclusive first episode of the promotional P.A.N.I.C.S.
PANICS
PANICS or P.A.N.I.C.S., an acronym for People Acting Normal In Crazy-Ass Situations, is a comic science fiction mini-series created by Rooster Teeth Productions and released in 2005...
machinima
Machinima
Machinima is the use of real-time 3D computer graphics rendering engines to create a cinematic production. Most often, video games are used to generate the computer animation...
. A related Dark Horse
Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent American comic book and manga publisher.Dark Horse Comics was founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson in Milwaukie, Oregon, with the concept of establishing an ideal atmosphere for creative professionals. Richardson started out by opening his first comic book...
comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
was also packaged with the DVD. Along with the Director's Edition, F.E.A.R. Gold Edition was released. Gold Edition included the Director's Edition and Extraction Point. F.E.A.R. Platinum Edition features the original game and two expansion packs.
Prior to release, F.E.A.R. generated large amounts of hype from video game journalists. Upon release, F.E.A.R. received critical acclaim, with Computer Gaming World
Computer Gaming World
Computer Gaming World was a computer game magazine founded in 1981 by Russell Sipe as a bimonthly publication. Early issues were typically 40-50 pages in length, written in a newsletter style, including submissions by game designers such as Joel Billings , Dan Bunten , and Chris Crawford...
calling it "... one of the year's top single-player shooters ..." and PC Gamer
PC Gamer
PC Gamer is a magazine founded in Britain in 1993 devoted to PC gaming and published monthly by Future Publishing. The magazine has several regional editions, with the UK and US editions becoming the best selling PC games magazines in their respective countries...
regarding it as "... the first game to convincingly channel the kinetic exhilaration of 'John Woo violence' in the FPS format."
IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
claimed that "Monolith forges new shooter territory with some truly freaky elements, challenge, fun, and beauty." GameSpy praised the game's plot, later awarding it their "Best Story" Game of the Year
Game of the Year
Game of the Year is a title awarded by various magazines, websites, and shows to a deserving game. Many are only for PC or console video games...
award. The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
thought differently, stating "I was never quite clear on what was going on in the game. I knew my goal—track down a psychic, escort a corporate executive's daughter out of danger—but I didn't ever care who these people were nor did I understand their motives." The game has also received criticism for its system requirements, which called for an extremely powerful PC
Personal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
for its time.
The Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
port has also received positive reviews, almost as favorable as the PC version. The multiplayer and instant-action mode were praised for better gameplay, but the control scheme was negatively viewed. Reviews have also stated that it lacked bonus features, despite the new mission included in the game. GameSpot gave the game 8.6. while IGN rated it 9.1
The PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
port received less favorable reviews than the other two versions, but still had positive reviews overall. It contained the bonus mission exclusive to the Xbox 360 port, but the chief complaints of the negative reviewers were downgraded graphics and long loading times. GameSpot has given the port a 7.1, making it the third lowest rating of the F.E.A.R. franchise in GameSpot.
Later developments
Monolith Productions announced a sequelSequel
A sequel is a narrative, documental, or other work of literature, film, theatre, or music that continues the story of or expands upon issues presented in some previous work...
to F.E.A.R., which is titled F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin after Monolith and Warner Bros. regained the rights to the F.E.A.R. name. Prior to September 2008, the sequel was not to be titled F.E.A.R. 2 due to Vivendi
Vivendi
Vivendi SA is a French international media conglomerate with activities in music, television and film, publishing, telecommunications, the Internet, and video games. It is headquartered in Paris.- History :...
's ownership of the F.E.A.R. name. The game was instead to be called Project Origin, which is a name derived from a contest to name the sequel. The follow-up will stay in the game's existing universe, retaining the original storyline and characters. Monolith Productions required a new publisher for the game, since they were purchased by Warner Brothers Interactive Entertainment
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
in 2004 while development of F.E.A.R. was under way, after which Vivendi Universal was dropped as publisher. Vivendi Universal published the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 ports of the original game, developed by Day 1 Studios. F.E.A.R. was later dropped, and is no longer able to be updated when downloaded. Version 1.7 Of F.E.A.R. Combat is now downloadable at www.joinfear.com. When asked to update, it will show that you are not able to patch to version 1.08. Xbox multiplayer servers are also closed down for F.E.A.R. multiplayer.
An expansion pack titled F.E.A.R. Extraction Point
F.E.A.R. Extraction Point
F.E.A.R. Extraction Point is an expansion pack for the psychological horror first-person shooter video game F.E.A.R., published by Vivendi Universal and developed by TimeGate Studios . It was released on October 24, 2006 for Microsoft Windows and requires the full original game in order to be played...
was released by TimeGate Studios
TimeGate Studios
TimeGate Studios is an American video game developer based in Sugar Land, Texas . The company, which was founded in 1998, has released eight titles to this date.-Company history:...
on October 24, 2006. The second expansion pack, F.E.A.R. Perseus Mandate
F.E.A.R. Perseus Mandate
F.E.A.R. Perseus Mandate is a stand-alone expansion pack for the psychological horror first-person shooter video game F.E.A.R. The expansion was developed by TimeGate Studios, the same development team behind the first expansion, F.E.A.R. Extraction Point.The game follows the exploits of a new...
, also from TimeGate Studios, was released in November 2007. F.E.A.R. Files
F.E.A.R. Files
F.E.A.R. Files is a F.E.A.R.-related package of video games released for the Xbox 360. The pack contains F.E.A.R. Extraction Point and F.E.A.R. Perseus Mandate, both of which are available separately for Microsoft Windows. F.E.A.R. Files is exclusive to the Xbox 360 as a standalone game.-F.E.A.R...
was released simultaneously for the Xbox 360, consisting of both Extraction Point and Perseus Mandate.