This sequel to the well received F.E.A.R. from Vivendi in 2005 successfully jumps the hurdle of improving on it’s predecessor. Unfortunately there are a few nagging issues that persist throughout this linear FPS, but they are not enough to offset a solid experience.
The most obvious nag is the repetitive use of common environments. With a few exceptions, you don’t feel like you’re moving forward through the game. Your character is tasked with slaying Alma, the evil little girl from the first F.E.A.R. To accomplish this, you must battle through hordes of enemies inside a hospital, office building, and other similar environments. This leads to the second nag: combat.
Overall, the game lacks variety. While the weapons are significantly different, this is not for combat purposes, but rather for the “awe” factor. At no point in time did I feel I needed a particular weapon to defeat a particular enemy. You mostly face grade-C soldiers and only a few grade-B tanks. There are no boss battles save for the final encounter which was handled fairly well.
So why are these nags not enough to destroy the game’s energy or momentum? I’ll get straight to it: F.E.A.R. 2 is what it is. It’s an FPS. It’s a pick it up for 30 minutes, ignore the story, feel like a bad-ass type of game. And it’s better delivered than games who try these things but also try to be Mass Effect or Diablo. There is nothing I can’t stand more than when a person or group (such as a dev) tries to go outside of their wheelhouse. Know your strengths! Great work Monolith Productions!