Don't FEAR the deeper

I don't really know what to think of FEAR. On the one hand it's a very simple FPS with great graphics, superb special effects and a decent AI model.

On the other hand it's only a very simple FPS with great graphics, superb special effects and a decent AI model.

As I was finally uninstalling it this morning after only 6 hours of play in it, I was wondering what people saw in it that pushed it right up to the top of their game of the year lists and I'm still wondering a few hours later. True, the graphics engine was sparkly and yes, the AI was (at least in some places) very good indeed, but there was nothing to really get your teeth into. Much like the very highly regarded (by others, not by me) Halo, there was nothing to bulk up the game other than the fighting itself. Shallow isn't really even the best term for this level of non-immersion.

Maybe I'd have felt more favourable of FEAR if it had worn its heart on its sleeve, a lá the likes of War World (which is essentially Robotron in 3D), but it had to try and wrap the whole experience up into a clichéd little "US-take-on-Japanese-horror" plot. Maybe I'd have been able to enjoy it more if the game hadn't been quite so much of a system killer. Who knows?

What I have learnt from this is that I definitely prefer FPS/action games with a bit of variation in them. The variety doesn't have to take the form of complex missions or completely different gameplay mechanics, but something to break up the action in a story is very much desireable. Resident Evil 4 had puzzles, "defend" missions and minecarts. Max Payne 2 had sniper sections and drug/dream sequences. Medal of Honour had bombing runs, gunner missions and stealthy "disguise" missions. All FEAR's got are fancy graphics and enemies that are so "smart" they won't even follow you out of a room when they should bloody well know that the direction you've just come from's a non-branching route and they could trap you all too well if they just used a bit of co-ordination.

Oh well, one game gets struck from the list but it's not exactly a good start to the "enjoy everything to the fullest level" concept, is it?