F.E.A.R. 3

I can't believe I have to say this as plenty GOG ports still have multiplayer functionality - but you need to grab F.E.A.R. 3 on Steam. Its multiplayer component (2 for campaign, 4 for pvp and the other co-op modes) is one of the main selling points of its design. Even darn Zero Punctuation praised it for the smart co-op design and Yahtzee frigging hates multiplayer. Releasing this on GOG without any way to play with friends at the same price it goes for on every other platform is an utter joke. They should've at least included Contractions in a singleplayer form in addition to the main campaign - but given they literally copy-pasted the PR text for the co-op version on the store page, it's clear Warner Bros. wasn't exactly worried about ensuring their product stands on its best features.

The biggest problem with this game might just be that it calls itself FEAR. Because admittedly, there is little left of the spirit of the series here. The presentation feels almost like a GAAS shooter. And let's not even get into the mess that is the plot. No really, let's gloss over it. Things are better that way, trust me. However, once you look past the generic horror attempts, what you are left with is still a solid shooter. In this regard, the game does actually follow the original formula somewhat: remember how the motto in the original FEAR was "kill fast, die faster"? While this threequel isn't as punishing, it still encourages the player to zip around the battlefield killing enemies as quickly as possible, and the weapons do a good job at that. There is a cover system, much like in any Xbox 360 gen shooter, but you could be excused for forgetting about it within the first five minutes of the first mission. The game is indeed best played as a run-and-gun from the past. The second player character (remember Paxton Fettel?) introduces a twist of his own too: you can possess enemies and play as them. Kills can extend the duration of the possession, which further encourages you to finish firefights quickly. It's an interesting idea, but unfortunately you can only play as the brother after finishing each mission as Point Man (the funniest bit of the whole game might be how the developers insist on calling him that, even now that he's got an actual face). Some late game missions can be quite hard, so it's up to you whether you'll want to replay the entire game as Fettel. Would have been better if he were unlocked from the start. Co-op might help here, but it's not available in this GOG version, so keep that in mind. Regardless of this, and of what people might have wanted from an hypothetical FEAR 3 from Monolith, what we got is still a solid enough shooter with a couple good ideas of its own, enough for a fun weekend.

When I read reviews about this game I think I'm in the minority when it comes to sentiments about FEAR 3. I really like it! It's a great and fluid shooter. It's not like the original FEAR--that game stands alone--so judging it based on the original is going to get some harsh criticism and disappointment, but as far as shooters are concerned, it's one of my few repeats. I played it again a couple weeks ago and was surprised by how much I liked it. I don't play shooters for the story, and this story is nothing special. It certainly didn't do the FEAR story any favors. With that said, the story doesn't affect gameplay at all, and I think the gameplay is where this shines. Not because it breaks boundaries or sets new standards, but because it's just a solid shooter, and it doesn't need to be anything more than that. The movement is fluid, the action intense, the shooting satisfying, and the locales wide and varied. And the bullet-time never gets old. I don't like upgrade systems in games, but the way they did the challenges in FEAR 3 was a fun and non-intrusive way to do it and gave me a challenge to accomplish while playing (replayability points earned). I appreciate the added effort to include "collectibles" (which seems to me a more modern approach to secrets, and I like any throwback to 90s FPS). I think if this was marketed as its own game and not an installment in the FEAR franchise it would probably have done better. That's my theory at least, because I genuinely like the game. All in all I think FEAR 3 is a good shooter. If you like FPS games and want a solid shooter, you won't be disappointed here.

So, story wise this game might not impress that much but the game itself is a lot more fun than certain people will admit. Good solid shooting with good pacing and bullet time effect that is still fun to use. Enjoy!