F.E.A.R. 3

F.E.A.R. 3
Developer(s) Day 1 Studios
Publisher(s) Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Director(s) Heinz Schuller
Writer(s) Steve Niles
Stephen Dinehart
John Carpenter
Composer(s) Jason Graves
Series F.E.A.R.
Platform(s)

Release date(s)
  • NA June 21, 2011
  • AUS June 22, 2011
  • EU June 24, 2011
  • JP July 21, 2011
  • JP August 26, 2011 (PC)[1]
Genre(s) First-person shooter, survival horror
Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer

F.E.A.R. 3 (stylized as F.3.A.R.) is a first-person shooter survival horror video game developed by Day 1 Studios for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. It is the sequel to 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 was stated to include John Carpenter helping on the cinematics as well as writer Steve Niles.[2] It is also the only F.E.A.R. game to have offline multiplayer, and co-op.[1]

Gameplay

Players control their characters from a first-person perspective. The player can carry two weapons at a time, and replenish ammo from dead soldiers and weapon crates. The series' cover system uses a "peeking" rather than a "tilting" mechanic, wherein players peer and fire around the edges of their cover. Damage displays as a red vignette overlay. When the screen fills, the character dies. In cooperative and multiplayer modes, the player enters a "Final Stand" on their death, which lets teammates try to revive the downed player.[3]

Campaign

In the Campaign, the player controls either the Point Man or Paxton Fettel. As the Point Man, the player can use weapons, throw grenades, etc.[4] Unlike most characters, the player can use the Point Man's Slo-Mo ability to slow down time, allowing the player to shoot targets with surgical accuracy.[1] As Fettel, the player cannot use any conventional weapons by default; however, they can use Fettel's psychic powers and telekinesis to suspend and throw objects, possess enemy soldiers, crush suspended enemies, and more.[4] In addition to these abilities, the player also has access to the abilities and weapons of any character Fettel possesses, such as Cultists and Phase Commanders.[4][5] In co-op mode, Fettel can also use the Shield ability to briefly protect the Point Man. Both characters' abilities are gauged by a meter in the reticle, which depletes during use. Both characters' gauges slowly refills when not in use; Fettel, meanwhile, must collect Souls to replenish his Possession Meter. Players have the ability to access and control Armacham technology, such as mech suits.[4] Also, the game has both online and offline Co-Op play.

The game's campaign mode is split into eight "Intervals" that can be played in either singleplayer or co-op. In Singleplayer, when the player completes an Interval as the Point Man, they will unlock the ability to play as Fettel for that Interval.[1] While playing alone or with a friend, the player(s) can complete challenges to raise their rank.[6] Perks include increases to the Slo-Mo/Possession meters and new melee attacks.[1]

Multiplayer

A screenshot from the game mode "F**king Run!". Here, the player is backing away from the Wall of Death.

F.E.A.R. 3 offers four different multiplayer modes, each allowing up to 4 players:

Story

Nine months after the events of both games,[14][15] the Point Man has been captured by Armacham soldiers and interrogated at a prison in Brazil, South America. Paxton Fettel, now a "Spectre", interrupts the interrogation and helps free the Point Man. The two form an uneasy alliance and escape the prison through the slums.[16][17] During their escape, the brothers discover that they - and their tortured mother, Alma Wade - are being hunted by "the Creep", a monster unintentionally formed from the cruel memories of Harlan Wade.[18]

Hijacking a helicopter, the Point Man and Fettel return to Fairport to regroup with F.E.A.R. operative Jin Sun-Kwon.[19] Upon arriving, they discover that most of Fairport's surviving population have been either driven insane by the paranormal activity or executed by Armacham personnel.[20][21] Despite their differing goals, the brothers successfully meet up with Jin, who plays recorded video footage of Sgt. Michael Becket, who claims to have been raped by Alma and is slated by Armacham for transport.[22]

Amid growing distrust, the brothers assault the local airport to intercept Becket, killing the remnants of the Armacham personnel.[23] In an attempt to gain info from Becket, Fettel possesses him and reveals that Alma is indeed pregnant by Becket, with the increasing paranormal activity a result of her contractions. Becket realizes the Point Man's identity before exploding from Fettel's possession.[24][25] The brothers head to the old Project Origin facility, where Harlan Wade originally developed the prototypes. There, the brothers start destroying items associated with memories of their childhood past to weaken the Creep.[1][18]

After destroying a monstrous apparition of the Creep, the brothers finally reunite with Alma, whose body has changed drastically due to her pregnancy. The Point Man aims his pistol at Alma's belly, where her third child resides, and Fettel angrily asks him if he is willing to throw his own blood away for orders. As they set themselves at each other's throats, one of two endings occur, depending on multiple factors (such as whether the player has played as the Point Man or Fettel.)

In the Point Man's ending, he shoots Fettel in the head again, forcing him to vanish; then aims his gun at Alma, who gives birth before peacefully vanishing. The Point Man then learns from Jin that everything has returned to normal before taking Alma's baby away with him to safety.[26] In Paxton Fettel's ending, Fettel possesses the Point Man's body and extracts the baby from Alma's swollen body. He then promises to raise the child in his own image before cannibalizing Alma.[27]

In a post-credits scene, video footage is shown of the Synchronicity Event; the moment when Alma - in a coma at the time - linked telepathically to Fettel when he was ten years old. The event causes Fettel to go into a hysterical rage, in which he gruesomely kills several ATC security members using telekinetic attacks before finally being subdued. Fettel is heard in a voiceover saying, "They deserved to die. They all deserved to die."

Development

On April 8, 2010 F.E.A.R 3 was officially announced as a sequel to F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin. The game was being developed by Day 1 Studios, in collaboration with Monolith Productions. Game was planned to release on October 2010 but got delayed until March 2011 for unknown reasons,Then again the release date was pushed to May. On the 27th of April 2011, Warner Bros. announced another delay, pushing it back again to June 21 in North America and June 24 in the United Kingdom. By 10 June Game was available for pre-order on Steam and then Warner Bros. released the game on June 21.[28][29][30][31][32][33][34]

Reception

Reception
Aggregate scores
AggregatorScore
GameRankings(PS3) 76.23%[35]
(X360) 75.83%[36]
(PC) 74.55%[37]
Metacritic(X360) 75/100[38]
(PS3) 74/100[39]
(PC) 74/100[40]
Review scores
PublicationScore
1UP.comB+[41]
Game Informer7.75/10[42]
GameSpot7.5/10[43]
GameSpy[44]
IGN8/10[45]
PC Gamer (US)74/100[46]

F.E.A.R. 3 received mostly favourable reviews. Aggregating review websites GameRankings and Metacritic gave the PlayStation 3 version 76.23% and 74/100,[35][39] the Xbox 360 version 75.83% and 75/100,[36][38] and the PC version 74.55% and 74/100, all respectively.[37][40]

GameSpot's Carolyn Petit gave the title a 7.5/10 rating, criticizing its visuals and lack of scares, but praising the shooting mechanics, fun co-op and exciting multiplayer components.[47] IGN's Colin Moriarty awarded the PC version an 8/10 rating, stating that "[w]hether you're looking for a new, solid shooter to play or something set in a unique, horror-filled atmosphere, F.E.A.R. 3 has something for you. You won't find the be-all, end-all shooter experience with F.E.A.R. 3, but you're still bound to have a lot of fun."[48]

Eurogamer reviewed the Xbox 360 version and awarded it an 8/10 score. Although criticised for "subpar scares and a shoddy narrative" it was otherwise "finely crafted" with "a lot of lasting value".[49]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
  2. ↑ Mitchell, Richard (2010-04-08). "F.3.A.R. announced, John Carpenter crafting cinematics". Joystiq. Retrieved 2010-12-13.
  3. ↑ Clements, Ryan (2010-04-08). "F.3.A.R. Approaching". IGN. Retrieved 13 December 2010.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "F.E.A.R. 3 - IGN Live E3 2010". YouTube. IGN. 17 June 2010. Retrieved 16 April 2013.
  5. ↑ "F.E.A.R. 3 - Paxton Fettel Singleplayer Trailer". YouTube. 2011-02-14. Retrieved 2013-04-17.
  6. ↑ "F.E.A.R. 3 - Scoring". YouTube. GamerSpawn. Retrieved 24 March 2013.
  7. ↑ Gesualdi, Vito. "Game Preview for F.3.A.R. Multiplayer - PC". Gamezone. Retrieved 9 April 2011.
  8. ↑ Fahey, Mike (13 May 2011). "When You See F.E.A.R. 3's Wall of Death, You F[**]king Run". Kotaku. Kotaku. Retrieved 28 March 2013.
  9. ↑ "FEAR 3: Official F**king Run! Trailer". YouTube. IGN. Retrieved 31 March 2013. As part of a F.E.A.R. squad, you must work with your teammates to battle through Alma's minions and Armacham forces to reach the extraction point. Their most ruthless adversary, however, is the Wall of Death. Unlike enemies, nothing can stop it. […] The only way to make it out alive is stay ahead of the Wall of Death, and— / F.E.A.R. squad member: F**king run!
  10. ↑ http://gematsu.com/2011/03/hands-on-f-e-a-r-3-multiplayers-fucking-run-mode
  11. ↑ "FEAR 3: Contractions Multiplayer Trailer". YouTube. IGN. Retrieved 2013-04-17.
  12. ↑ "FEAR 3: Soul Survivor Multiplayer Trailer". YouTube. IGN. Retrieved 2013-04-17.
  13. ↑ "FEAR 3: Soul King Multiplayer Trailer". YouTube. IGN. Retrieved 2013-04-17.
  14. ↑ http://www.amazon.com/F-E-A-R-3-Xbox-360/dp/B003GSZ9ZE F.E.A.R. 3 on Amazon
  15. ↑ http://www.ign.com/games/fear-3/xbox-360-45906 F.E.A.R. 3 on IGN
  16. ↑ "The game". F.E.A.R. 3. Day 1 Studios. Eight months ago, Point Man and his F.E.A.R. squad were tapped to stop an unknown man who had commandeered a secret battalion of telepathically-controlled supersoldiers at the Armacham research facility in the Northwestern US city of Fairport. During the mission Point Man learned that the man wasn't working alone. In fact, the very people Point Man was working to destroy were his telepathic, cannibalistic brother, Paxton Fettel, and his tortured and psychically powerful mother, Alma Wade—products of Armacham's perverse paranormal experiments. Despite this revelation, Point Man moved forward with the 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 Point Man's squad mates.
    For 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.
    With the chain of command broken and Point Man calling his own shots, where will his allegiance lie? With his brother Paxton Fettel, back from the dead, arriving with an unclear agenda and refusing to leave Point Man's side? With his pregnant mother Alma and her horrifically twisted, yet immensely powerful paranormal existence? Or with his remaining F.E.A.R. squad brethren who are hell bent on saving the world, but at the cost of destroying the only blood ties Point Man has ever had?
  17. ↑ Day 1 Studios (21 June 2011). F.E.A.R. 3. PlayStation 3/Xbox 360. Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. Level/area: Interval 01: Asylum. Jin Sun-Kwon (radio): I repeat: this is F.E.A.R. operative Jin Sun-Kwon. Anyone friendly to the US military, please respond. Fairport has been blown to hell. Armacham "cleanup" crews are killing everyone they find. I'm hiding in the Fairport underground tunnels. I can't make it out of here on my own. / Paxton Fettel: I agree we must escape, but for her...?
  18. 1 2 Day 1 Studios (21 June 2011). F.E.A.R. 3. PlayStation 3/Xbox 360. Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. Level/area: Interval 08: Ward. Young Fettel: We called him the Creep. Remember? … I wanted to kill him! Stick a knife into his heart! All those tests - making me feel like a monster. He was the monster!
  19. ↑ Day 1 Studios (21 June 2011). F.E.A.R. 3. PlayStation 3/Xbox 360. Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. Level/area: Interval 03: Store. Armacham Soldier: You're f**king insane going back to Fairport. You won't last a minute down there. If we don't get you, those freaks will. […] / Fettel: Sounds like Armacham's feeble attempt to clean up their mess isn't going so smooth...
  20. ↑ Day 1 Studios (21 June 2011). F.E.A.R. 3. PlayStation 3/Xbox 360. Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. Level/area: Interval 03: Store. Fettel: [about the Cultists] The blast must have fried their brains. However, there is something about their behavior I admire - their taste for violence... These are not the scrawls of madmen. They are meant as a message, I think. Come, Brother. I am beginning to think something tremendous is happening.
  21. ↑ Day 1 Studios (21 June 2011). F.E.A.R. 3. PlayStation 3/Xbox 360. Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. Level/area: Interval 04: Suburbs. Armacham announcer: Attention citizens: Please report immediately to the nearest Armacham patrol and you will be escorted to a secure location out of the city. Please remain calm. Armacham personnel are here to assist you. / Fettel: Armacham isn't fooling anyone. They have no intentions of leaving any survivors. Can't afford any witnesses.
  22. ↑ Day 1 Studios (21 June 2011). F.E.A.R. 3. PlayStation 3/Xbox 360. Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. Level/area: Interval 04: Suburbs. Jin: His name is Michael Becket, Delta Squad. Apparently he got himself mixed up with Armacham's secret project... Alma. / Fettel: See? Family. As I have been telling you all along, Brother. […] / Sgt. Michael Becket: Horrible... She raped me. Do you hear me, Armacham?! She's f**king—pregnant!
  23. ↑ Day 1 Studios (21 June 2011). F.E.A.R. 3. PlayStation 3/Xbox 360. Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. Level/area: Interval 05: Bridge. Fettel: Mother is calling us to her side to witness the moment, to share in the power, and you want to STOP her? … We have more than one option here, you know. We have to think about things—as a family. […] This is our moment, brother. This is where we must stand together. If you stand against me, well… It's ugly business, killing a sibling. But you know all about that, don't you? Can you do it again?
  24. ↑ Day 1 Studios (21 June 2011). F.E.A.R. 3. PlayStation 3/Xbox 360. Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. Level/area: Interval 07: Port. Fettel: [hearing the Phase Commander refer to Becket as the "High Value Experiment"] Hmm, Sargeant Becket must be more important to them than we thought.
  25. ↑ Day 1 Studios (21 June 2011). F.E.A.R. 3. PlayStation 3/Xbox 360. Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. Level/area: Interval 07: Port. Fettel: [to the Point Man, about interrogating Becket] Allow me. … This will kill him. […] This man is a shell, Brother. Empty. All he desires is to forget. All the testing, the…surgeries… They weren't able to create any new prototypes with Mother, so they used artificial means. He's like us, Brother...or, manufactured to be like us. […] / Sgt. Becket: [to the Point Man] These butchers turned us into monsters...! ... I know who you are... You're her bastard son! … I'm here because of you… […] You have to kill the fillthy maggot that grows inside her! … She's no longer your mother. The child…it must… It cannot be allowed—to—agh—live! [explodes]
  26. ↑ Day 1 Studios (21 June 2011). F.E.A.R. 3. PlayStation 3/Xbox 360. Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. Scene: Ending: Point Man. Fettel: Noooooooo! […] It never had to be like this, Brother. We could've been...like gods. […] / Jin (radio): This is Jin. Things seem normal…but I'm not sure what that means anymore. I just have to believe you completed your mission. I know it was difficult, but the survivors of this ordeal own you their lives. I know I do.
  27. ↑ Day 1 Studios (21 June 2011). F.E.A.R. 3. PlayStation 3/Xbox 360. Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. Scene: Ending: Paxton Fettel.
  28. ↑ "Fear 3 trailer". IGN. Retrieved 2014-09-29.
  29. ↑ "fear 3 given new release date". IGN. Retrieved 2014-09-29.
  30. ↑ "F.E.A.R. 3 Delayed Until June". gamerant. Retrieved 2014-09-29.
  31. ↑ "How the F.E.A.R. 3 Comic Book Got Made". Day 1 Studios. 2011-05-27. Retrieved 2013-03-29.
  32. ↑ "How the F.E.A.R. 3 Comic Book Got Made". Giant Bomb. 2011-04-06. Retrieved 2013-03-29.
  33. ↑ "FEAR 3 - Comic Book BTS Vignette - IGN Video". IGN. 2011-03-31. Retrieved 2013-03-29.
  34. ↑ Jackson, Mike (2011-04-03). "News: FEAR 3 comic story trailer". ComputerAndVideoGames.com. Retrieved 2013-03-29.
  35. 1 2 "F.3.A.R. (PlayStation 3) reviews at". GameRankings. 28 June 2011. Retrieved 28 June 2011.
  36. 1 2 "F.3.A.R. (Xbox 360) reviews". GameRankings. 28 June 2011. Retrieved 28 June 2011.
  37. 1 2 "F.3.A.R. (PC) reviews". GameRankings. 28 June 2011. Retrieved 28 June 2011.
  38. 1 2 "F.3.A.R. (Xbox 360) reviews". Metacritic. 28 June 2011. Retrieved 28 June 2011.
  39. 1 2 "F.3.A.R. (PlayStation 3) reviews". Metacritic. 28 June 2011. Retrieved 28 June 2011.
  40. 1 2 "F.3.A.R. (PC) reviews". Metacritic. 28 June 2011. Retrieved 28 June 2011.
  41. ↑ Nelson, Mike (22 June 2011). "F.E.A.R. 3 Review - This is 2011's video game summer blockbuster. Come for the scares, stay for the multiplayer". 1UP.com. IGN. Retrieved 2 May 2015.
  42. ↑ Bertz, Matt (21 June 2011). "F.E.A.R. 3 Review: Where Are The Scares?". Game Informer. GameStop. Archived from the original on 21 November 2013. Retrieved 2 May 2015.
  43. ↑ Petit, Carolyn (21 June 2011). "F.E.A.R. 3 Review". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on 18 March 2014. Retrieved 23 October 2011.
  44. ↑ Neigher, Eric (30 June 2011). "F.E.A.R. 3 Review - Not very scary -- but then again, nothing scares a true gamer". GameSpy. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on 10 October 2013. Retrieved 2 May 2015.
  45. ↑ Moriarty, Colin (21 June 2011). "F.E.A.R. 3 Review - Let's have a bloody good time". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on 19 August 2014. Retrieved 23 October 2011.
  46. ↑ Zacny, Rob (20 July 2011). "FEAR 3". PC Gamer. Future plc. Archived from the original on 2 May 2015. Retrieved 2 May 2015.
  47. ↑ Petit, Carolyn (2011-06-21). "F.E.A.R. 3 Review". GameSpot. Retrieved 2011-10-23.
  48. ↑ Moriarty, Colin (2011-06-21). "F.E.A.R. 3 Review". IGN. Retrieved 2011-10-23.
  49. ↑ http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-06-23-fear-3-review?page=2

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Wednesday, April 27, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.