F.E.A.R. 3 (stylized in the logo as F.3.A.R) is a first person-shooter developed by Day 1 Studios for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and the OnLive cloud gaming service as a sequel to the game F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin and the third installment of the F.E.A.R. series. It was announced on April 8, 2010 and is stated to include John Carpenter helping on the cinematics as well as writer Steve Niles.
| Developer(s) | Day 1 Studios |
| Publisher(s) | Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment |
| Distributor(s) | Valve Corporation (Windows) |
| Designer(s) | Mike Lee |
| Engine | Heavily modified Despair Engine[1] |
| Version | 1.0 |
| Platform(s) | Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 |
| Release date(s) | |
| Genre(s) | First-person shooter, horror |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, Multiplayer |
| Rating(s) | |
| Media/distribution | Optical disc, Download, Cloud computing |
| System requirements OS: Windows XP/Vista/7 CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo 2.4Ghz, AMD Athlon X2 4800+ RAM: 2GB GFX: NVIDIA 8800 GT 512MB RAM, ATI 3850HD 512Mb RAM or better HDD: 10GB Free Hard Drive Space DirectX: 9.0c | |
F.E.A.R. 3 includes features such as "co-op, an evolved cover system, and more scares", according to Day 1 Studios founder and president Denny Thorley. In the game, the players control either Point Man or Paxton Fettel, the protagonist and antagonist, respectively, from the first game, F.E.A.R.. The control system for the Point Man is the same as the previous two games, giving the player a command list typical of most first person shooter games (the ability to fire weapons, throw grenades, melee, activate/use items etc), as well as the ability to slow time. As Fettel, the player assists the Point Man by using telekinesis, stun, possession, a melee attack unique to Fettel and other abilities. In addition to these abilities, the player also has full access to the abilities of any character Fettel possess'. Both chracters have the ability to access and control enemy technology (such as mech suits). Also, the game has both online and offline Co-Op play. And as confirmed at last year's E3, there is split-screen Co-Op. Once you complete a level as Point Man, in the multi player mode, you can then replay that level in single player as Paxton Fettel.
F.E.A.R. 3 follows hot on the heels of F.E.A.R. 2's startling conclusion, but returns us to the protagonist of the original F.E.A.R., the genetically designed supersoldier known as Point Man. The events at the end of F.E.A.R. 2 have triggered a paranormal catastrophe of biblical proportions in the city of Fairport, and Point Man is eager to make his way there and help out a former squadmate caught up in the chaos. Point Man's not alone, though. His homicidal brother, Paxton Fettel, is along for the ride. Point Man may have put a bullet in his brother's brain in F.E.A.R., but Fettel isn't about to let a little thing like being dead keep him down. The brothers form an uneasy alliance, but despite the tension between them, the story progresses predictably. There's a pleasant sense of closure that goes with seeing the brothers confront the painful reality of their shared past, but there aren't any surprises or scares that will stay with you once the story has run its course. The visuals also won't work their way into your subconscious. F.E.A.R. 3's graphics are plain and lag behind current standards. As a result, the creepy living rooms, city streets, and food courts you fight your way through aren't quite as creepy as they should be; the environments lack the convincing level of detail to fully pull you in. The sounds are more effective; the loud blasts of gunfire heighten the intensity of firefights, and the ethereal wails that accompany ghostly visions may unsettle you a bit, even if the sight of them doesn't.
Point Man and Paxton Fettel are both playable, but when tackling the campaign alone, you must first play each stage as Point Man to unlock the option to play it as Fettel. Regardless of which character you're playing as, F.E.A.R. 3 is, at its core, a corridor shooter that shuttles you from one small area to another and sees you constantly beset by groups of enemies. Although the core action doesn't evolve much over the course of the game, the firefights remain exciting. The assortment of pistols, shotguns, assault rifles, and other weapons you can employ feel powerful, and the smooth controls make aiming and shooting a pleasure. And your melee attacks, which include a sliding kick that can send enemies flying like rag dolls, make it fun to sometimes forgo the use of guns and charge your enemies.
Paxton's abilities are enjoyable to use in single-player, but it's when you tackle the campaign cooperatively that they really shine. The player controlling Paxton can suspend enemies in the air while Point Man pumps bullets into them. Paxton can zoom into the body of a distant enemy to flank a group of foes, and then Point Man can trigger slow motion and attack from the front. The constant opportunity to make a coordinated use of the brothers' complementary powers makes working with a partner a joy and distinguishes this game's cooperative play from that of many shooters in which all players have the same abilities.
Multiplayer
There are four game modes that are going to be included in F.E.A.R. 3 multiplayer. The four game modes are "Fucking Run" "Contractions" "Soul Survivor" and "Soul King". "Fucking Run" features 4 players running through waves of enemies, all the while running from Alma's massive "Wall of Death." The players start off in a safe room and proceed through levels, killing enemies within a certain amount of time.There are several safe rooms throughout the mode, and if a player is downed, one of the co-op players can revive them. If one player is killed the game is over. "Contractions" is a survival round-based game mode where you must barricade and stock up weapons against 20 waves of enemies from the F.E.A.R. 3 single player, similar to Call of Duty's "Nazi Zombies," although the farther you increase through the waves the tougher it gets by adding a fog effect that creeps closer and closer making the map much more dangerous. "Soul Survivor" has four players pitted against each other with one player playing as a "Spectre" in which he or she has to possess enemies to kill the other three players and turn them into Spectres before the time runs out. "Soul King" is similar to Soul Survivor but with the exception that all the players play as Spectres and must possess enemies to kill each other and collect dropped souls. Teamwork and cooperation is needed for players to win in the game modes.
Plot
Background
Nine months ago, the F.E.A.R. Point Man and his squad were tapped to stop an unknown man who had commandeered a battalion of Replica supersoldiers at the Armacham research facility in the Northwestern US city of Fairport. During the mission, the Point Man learned that the man was not working alone - in fact, the very person the Point Man was ordered to subdue was his telepathic, cannibalistic brother, Paxton Fettel, and his tortured and powerful psychic mother, Alma Wade — products of Armacham Technology Corporation's perverse paranormal experiments. Despite this revelation, the Point Man moved forward with standing F.E.A.R. team orders to stop the targets at any cost. In a last-ditch attempt to end the pair’s homicidal rampage, the F.E.A.R. team set in motion an explosive series of events that seemingly accomplished their goal, but at the cost of ravaging the city, its inhabitants and almost all of the Point Man’s squad mates.
Four months following the blast, events in Fairport have made it clear that Alma’s psychic influence survived — and worse, her paranormal power is growing and spilling into reality. Now her supernatural agony repeatedly rocks the city as she attempts to secure the survival of her bloodline and reunite her family. Armacham’s security force remains violently focused on eliminating all evidence of the events in the city, and the remaining F.E.A.R squad carries on the mission to stop Alma.
Synopsis
Nine months after the events of both games, the Point Man was captured by Armacham Security and interrogated in an asylum. Paxton Fettel interrupts the interrogation and helps free the Point Man. The two form an uneasy alliance and escape the Asylum through the slums.
Commandeering a helicopter, the Point Man and Fettel return to Fairport to regroup with F.E.A.R. operative Jin Sun-Kwon. During their return, the civilian population that survived were either driven insane by the paranormal activity or were executed by Armachan personnel. Fighting their way through, the brothers successfully meet up with Jin. Jin plays back recorded video footage of Michael Becket, who revealed his rape and is slated by Armacham for transport.
Using an automated transport, the Point Man and Fettel assault the local airport to intercept Becket, killing the remnants of the Armacham personnel. In order to gain more intel from Becket, Fettel possesses him and reveals Becket's past life to the Point Man while Becket realizes the Point Man's identity. Fettel's release of Becket proves fatal, causing a gory explosion. The Point Man and Fettel head to an old training facility by Harlan Wade years ago to study and develop the prototypes, where the two start to destroy items associated with memories of their childhood past to inflict damage on the lingering echo of Harlan Wade known as The Creep. Shortly after destroying a monstrous apparition of Wade, one of two endings are possible, depending on multiple factors. For single-player, a good and evil ending occurs depending on whether the player has controlled the Point Man or Fettel. Alternatively, if played during co-op, the player with the higher score determines the ending. The good ending will show Point Man overpowering Fettel and vice-versa, with the ending depending on whether Point Man or Fettel had survived their final struggle.
The Point Man ending has him shooting Paxton in the head three times and watching his body spontaneously burn itself up. Then, as he walks over to Alma, ready to finish the job, he notices that her baby has been successfully born. Alma's body then disappears, with the Point Man receiving a transmission from Jin that everything is finally over, thanking him for his efforts. With the baby in the crook of his left arm, he leaves the room.
The Paxton Fettel ending has Paxton possessing Point Man's body and somehow extracting the baby from Alma's swollen body. He promises to raise the child like it was his own, but sets it aside as he notices Alma. Fettel then pounces on his mother, violently eating her.
In the end, F.E.A.R. 3's campaign doesn't quite excel. There are few surprises or standout moments, and those who remember the relentlessly creepy atmosphere and edge-of-your-seat scares of the original F.E.A.R. may lament the fact that this game feels like a military shooter with light horror elements. But although F.E.A.R. 3 won't terrify you or leave you gasping for more, it's a solid shooter that satisfies from start to finish.
Watch F.E.A.R. 3 game trailer.
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