Why is this game so crappy?

[I Am Not Amused]

It had to be on purpose. Like, "let's make the crappiest sequel ever". I played 1 and 2, and they were good. I just played 3, and it's a pile of crap. Instead of letting you enjoy the atmosphere of the thing and immerse yourself in it, annoying stuff pops up all the time about headshot counts.

Before I installed this, I was worried that they might still don't provide a walk key.... Ha ha ha!

They tried VERY hard to ruin this game, didn't they. So much talent, time and money wasted due to some so-called "game designer" being on crack cocaine while designing this steaming pile.

[goldenradish]

Sorry you didn't like it. I'm on my second playthrough with a friend in co-op, and I feel that's where it really shines.

However, I've just started playing FEAR 2, and I do find that much more immersive. Finding all the little information tickets is a great part of it, and it seems to flow a little better storywise. Not sure how much, right now, but they are different in atmosphere.

But I do think FEAR 3 has positives, but probably wouldn't please every fan out there. However, for a fun co-op game with some rather twisted sections and elements, I would really recommend it for the co-op alone. I loved it, if only because I got to play as Paxton Fettel.

[I Am Not Amused]

I don't understand why they made this game under the FEAR label. It's a very competent action FPS. But as a horror-themed FPS with a good immersion factor, it fails horribly. And if you name the game "FEAR", then that's what people want from the game; an actual continuation of the franchise.

Why did they slap the FEAR label on it? Most people who like this game, never played 1 and 2. So those people wouldn't have bought the game just because it has "FEAR" on the label. For people however who liked the FEAR games, this feels like they got tricked.

It doesn't make any sense. This game has nothing to do with horror nor is it scary. If you ever play FEAR 1, you'll crap your pants. The game is seriously scary. Horror FPS at its best. It's like "Amnesia The Dark Descent" but with guns.

With FEAR 3, it's as if "Shadow Warrior" was actually released as "Half-Life 3". It's a good game, but people would be very pissed about it not actually being Half-Life. You're deceiving your own fans with such stuff :-/

I guess this is why this game flopped (judging from the lack of any DLC for it.)

[774]

I agree. I like the first one. Second one was ok. But third installment is just not FEAR anymore but a poorly made generic shooter. I spent ~1hr in this game and uninstalled it, just couldn't bare the boredom of this game. Maybe it's a bit better in co-op but I doubt it will be enough to change my opinion.

[MTLVMPR]

Originally posted by I Am Not Amused:

I don't understand why they made this game under the FEAR label. It's a very competent action FPS. But as a horror-themed FPS with a good immersion factor, it fails horribly. And if you name the game "FEAR", then that's what people want from the game; an actual continuation of the franchise.

Why did they slap the FEAR label on it? Most people who like this game, never played 1 and 2. So those people wouldn't have bought the game just because it has "FEAR" on the label. For people however who liked the FEAR games, this feels like they got tricked.

It doesn't make any sense. This game has nothing to do with horror nor is it scary. If you ever play FEAR 1, you'll crap your pants. The game is seriously scary. Horror FPS at its best. It's like "Amnesia The Dark Descent" but with guns.

With FEAR 3, it's as if "Shadow Warrior" was actually released as "Half-Life 3". It's a good game, but people would be very pissed about it not actually being Half-Life. You're deceiving your own fans with such stuff :-/

I guess this is why this game flopped (judging from the lack of any DLC for it.)

And that's why we get a "new" CoD every year:)

I wouldn't want to play the same game over and over again.

PS. Non of the F.E.A.R. games are scary... Maybe if you're a kid?

[I Am Not Amused]

Originally posted by mtlvmpr:

INon of the F.E.A.R. games are scary... Maybe if you're a kid?

You didn't play the first one (looking at your profile), so how did you draw that conclusion? You only played 90 minutes of FEAR 1.

[William Shakesman]

FEAR 1 was scary at times but what most people remember is the brutally satisfying shooting action. It'd be like calling RE4 scary. You were gunning down soldiers right and left.

FEAR 3 was notably different and not FEAR 1 by any stretch but it is a solid, satisfying shooter with an arcade bent.

[whoisnot]

I've to this sequel right after finishing FEAR 2, and, having read a lot of negative reviews, had low expectations. Fortunately, it's been a positive surprise so far, in light of that (I'm in the middle of interlude 6, playing solo.) It's not scary at all, that's true, but it's an okay shooter with its own little twists and a distinct, intriguing mood -- and I think I can appreciate how a new team of developers (afaik) managed to add their own to the story and to the world as well.

As @William_Shakesman said above, it's a solid game - it won't turn your world upside down, but it's fun (especially if you manage to fix the initial resolution issue, which is a terrible bug indeed.)

[geographyman]

One way I judge a game as solid is if I can play through and finish it. I did finish 3, playing both brothers. I don't think any amount of time or talent could have recreated the atmosphere of FEAR 1. Like Half Life, the first one was unique and not repeatable.

[William Shakesman]

I tend to agree with that sentiment. FEAR2 did not recapture the joy of FEAR1. Even the FEAR1 expansions tended to fall short, Perseus Mandate devs did NOT get the memo about the balancing of FEAR weaponry.

And, to be honest, I enjoyed FEAR3 a lot more than FEAR2.

[nyenye]

FEAR 1-2 was made by Monolith and those guys know how to make horror games (Blood, AVP2). This FEAR3 abomination is just a pile of warm cr@p made by Day 1 Studios. The billionth COD alike warFPS megaboreness, even it's unfair as well.

This game is not in context with FEAR at all. Warner Bros bought Monolith and they stole the FEAR brand (by the power of law) and gave it in favor to DAY 1 to sell their already made warFPS that would normally nobody plays. They included some FEAR alike reference and it was ready to earn cash.

No offence, the warFPS part seems good, though i hate the style, but otherwise the game offers nothing else. Bad sounds, awfull story (Alma is the hunted now), music is terrible (check credits, LOL rock music in FEAR) and sometimes intresting physics (Why a guy does not die from 3 close shotgun headshots? He was bloody-messy overall but still shooting at me like nothing happened.)

FEAR3 is FEAR without fear, it's 3.
Sry for my English!

[faelnor]

I'm playing this now and I don't see a big difference with FEAR 2. Linear shooter in semi-open arenas like the other games, a bit more hand-holding but not that much. FEAR 3 already has much better AI than FEAR 2 and the levels are more original so that's a win for me.

And sure, the first game was kind of horror-ish with rather spooky moments / closet monsters but since everyone and their mothers is doing it today, any sequel to the original game would feel less tense and frightening or borderline comedic at times (FEAR 2 too falls into that category).

Anyway I do enjoy FEAR 3 slightly more than FEAR 2, it's simply more fun and interesting. I just wish I could turn off all the pop-ups and indicators that tell me that I can use cover (thank you, I know by now...), it would also be more enjoyable if it could ran properly in fullscreen mode on my PC (horrible artifacts unless I play windowed).

And to be honest, even FEAR 1 had its fair share of shortcomings. This series never was perfect to begin with and this game in no way defiles it.

[I Am Not Amused]

Originally posted by Brie:

I'm playing this now and I don't see a big difference with FEAR 2.

You are blind :-P

Don't you see the BIG, HUGE pop-ups in the lower left of the screen? Or the running speed that makes this game a speed-run challenge?

[faelnor]

The running speed issue is a fair one. I agree it would better to have something a little closer to the earlier games. As for the pop-ups, I agree -- even said so in my post -- but that doesn't impact gameplay directly. It would be nice to make them go away altogether but they don't change much about my opinion of FEAR 3 as a game.

[William Shakesman]

Who cares if it is a speed run challenge? The other two FEARs had far more frequent scripted segments than FEAR3 (Which, unfortunately, does have several weak moments but they are few and far between only to then devote the entire final level to them.). Speedrunning is a lousy hobby anyway and it is hardly a virtue of a game to support it.

That said, the only proper quick gameplay mechanic of the series was Perseus Mandate's sublime challenge levels and even then only one of those is really worth revisiting (But oh man is it a fun ride if you like FEAR1 shooting.)

As far as the pop-ups go, if I excoriated every game for visual ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥, I would have no favorite games at all.

Still, FEAR3 is far closer to FEAR1's brutally satisfying shooting than the weak gunplay FEAR2 managed. The regen health is a pain, not because it really makes the game easier. In fact, I think it makes it harder than FEAR1, in the most basic, unimpressive sense that you are far more likely to die. In FEAR1 if you ever dropped below 5 health kits even on Insane you must have been trying to clear rooms melee only. In FEAR3, because of that regenerating health mechanic that has ruined far more technically impressive games than itself, anything that is hard is inevitably a one-shot or two-shot kill.

You could make an argument popping medkits like tic tacs was flawed but I think it was better than regenerating health.

I love FEAR3 but I would certainly mark it down for the regenerating health and gimping you so hard until you ranked up with the score system.

[Juicy]

Originally posted by KpopNekoChan:

honestly i prefer f3ar out of all the f.e.a.r games. i like how the graphics have advanced, i like the challenges, i LOVE the guns, and i enjoy the stats part.

LOL. I doubt you ever played one of the previous fear games. Because F3AR is simply inferior in every way. Garbage game overall.