FEAR 2: Project Origin reviewKyle 'Dace' Brunette
Date added : 2009-11-08
FEAR 2 : Project Origin, while not quite living up to its predecessor, is still a good game in its own right.
FEAR 2 : Project Origin begins with our protagonist, Michael Beckett, a FEAR operative attached to a Delta Force unit, being sent to take Genevieve Aristide (The president of the Armacham Technology Corporation, an unseen character from the first game) into protective custody roughly half an hour before the end of FEAR 1. Instead of the expected milk run, the Delta Force unit (codenamed 'Dark Signal') soon encounters an elite squad of ATC security forces intent on covering up any evidence of the events of FEAR 1, which tragically, includes eliminating Genevieve Aristide.
It should be noted that the events of the FEAR expansion packs, 'FEAR: Extraction Point' and 'FEAR: Perseus Mandate' are considered to be non-canon (i.e they did not happen) by the story of Project Origin. This effectively splits the FEAR universe in to two different directions.
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It is fairly apparent from the beginning of this game that it uses the same engine as FEAR 1, albeit heavily modified and improved. This does not detract from the game however, it still looks good and plays well. For some reason, however, Michael Beckett has completely different gear to the Point man (the protagonist of FEAR 1), despite them being part of the same government agency. Once again, this does not detract from the game, it is merely one of many inconsistencies in Project Origin.
FEAR 2 seems to have far fewer 'psychic visions' than the first game, which is something of a pity, as the visions were an integral part of the game. However, in Project Origin, Alma Wade does appear quite frequently in person, often physically attacking the player.
| As with FEAR 1, your character will spend most of the game alone, despite being part of a larger Delta Force squad. This presents no problem however, as Beckett's slo-mo ability makes the taking down of entire squads of enemies a cakewalk. In fact, even on the harder difficulty levels, there is very little challenge in terms of enemies and the tactics they use. Project Origin has been criticised by many (and, oddly enough, praised by some) for its AI - primarily for the AI's repetitivity, as well as its use of cover. Initially, it seems impressive, but you will start to see AI charging out into the open to take cover behind, for example, a pot plant.
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The game is still entertaining, and while the plot is slightly inconsistent in places (both with the first game, and within itself), it is still a riveting experience that is hard to stop playing. The atmosphere of Project Origin is simply amazing. From an abandoned primary school, to the devastation created by a nuclear explosion, there are few locations in this game where you will not be moved by the environment around you. Added to this, there are some genuinely scary moments in this game, an impressive achievement.
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I did not have the opportunity to test much of FEAR 2's multiplayer, however, from what I have seen, it is decently executed with good looking (and possibly well designed) multiplayer levels. The map selection is somewhat limited however, with a grand total of six maps shipping with the game.
The game has a tendency to suffer from various technical issues. Many players have reported difficulty installing the game, audio problems, and load screen crashes. I had to reinstall the game at one point because it would constantly and consistently freeze at one specific load screen.
Overall, FEAR 2: Project Origin, while not completely overwhelming, is still a fun game and well worth playing.
| Pros |
Cons | + Some genuinely scary moments
+ Slo-mo is still fun
+ Excellent atmosphere |
- Somewhat inconsistent plot
- Numerous technical issues |
| | Review Score | 83 | | Gameplay | : | | 85 | | Story | : | | 85 | | Technical | : | | 70 | | Replayability | : | | 75 |
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