As a writer, I was excited to do the F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin review. After all, the Monolith production has been one of the most advertised, hyped, discussed and anticipated release of 2009. Plus, how could a writer not enjoy the endless possibilities of F.E.A.R. puns?
However, playing Project Origin, (a continuation of the original F.E.A.R.) is a horror-filled first-person shooter available for Xbox 360, PS3 and PC, to my surprise, was almost disappointing. Let me explain.
Warner Bros. Interactive
Feb. 10, 2009
F.E.A.R. 2, not unlike the demo, starts with a chilling sequence in which Delta Force member and protagonist Michael Becket, wakes up in the middle of a war-torn street. The buildings are on fire, the cars covered in ash, the landscape left in ruins.
In the distance, you see a vaguely familiar figure and are encouraged to follow it. As you get closer, you start to realize that it is the fabled Alma, a young woman with psychic powers and a constant rage due to the experiments her father put her through as a child. You continue to follow her, wandering further and further down the rabbit hole.
Eventually, Becket recovers from this dreamlike state to find himself sitting in an armored vehicle with some of his Delta Force squad members. It is explained to Becket that he and his team must arrest Genevieve Aristide, president of Armacham Technology Corporation, for attempting to destroy evidence regarding the experiments that Alma was put through. AKA Project Origin.
From that point on, players take Becket through many different spooky scenarios and environments, trying to figure out exactly what happened to Alma and the Origin project.
The story surrounding the Project Origin campaign was not always clear to me. As an experienced FPS player, I understood the main premise of the game: shoot anything that looked evil. However, throughout most of the game, I found myself wondering what exactly I was looking for and why exactly it was important.
Luckily for us “Objectively Challenged” folk, there is a very helpful feature to keep us plugged in on what is going on. Located on the loading screens between chapters, there are very helpful tidbits of text to help you catch up on the minor details that may come into play later in the campaign.
Though a significant portion of the storyline was unclear, F.E.A.R. 2 did some excellent things as well. First, lets start with the dialogue. Like most mature FPS, Project Origin has very adult-content dialogue. However, unlike most mature FPS, Project Origin actually makes it worth listening to. It was affective, decently acted and, best of all, it was funny. The humor really shined through when you are introduced to the character “Snake Fist” as some of the exchanges with him had me in stitches.