FEAR 2 as a sequel is a wonderful game to play yet as a standalone it struggles to stand on its own two feet.
Graphics: 7
Sounds: 8
Value: 8
Tilt: 8
Actual score: 7.9
Monolith had a wonderful reputation when it comes to sequels – for example: No Lives Forever I and II, Aliens Vs Predator I and II and to those who remembers Blood I and II. Unsurprisingly these are not the complete list of games produced by Monolith however I'm highlighting the fact that their sequels are normally better than the first. FEAR was a huge blockbuster that captivated many players to the world of the unknown; things that goes 'bump in the night' for which a famous icon of 'who's afraid of a little girl' was born. Given the proven past performance, it will be a daunting task to see if FEAR 2 supersedes FEAR in action, storyline and able to stand on its own two feet.
The plot for FEAR 2 interlinks with FEAR however there's no real reason to play FEAR to understand its sequel. A new squad has been introduced and the player takes on the role of Michael Becket, forming part of the delta force group to save Aristide for which the event takes place approximately thirty minutes before FEAR ends. Naturally this means that if you haven't played FEAR before, prepare for a major spoiler otherwise boot up FEAR before launching into FEAR 2 – you have been warned as very soon you'll witness the outcome of FEAR.
The game play is essentially the same as FEAR where the hero can perform slow-mo attacks, melee and carry up to four weapons at one time. All of the enemies in FEAR are in FEAR 2 and of course some new ones will appear (which I won't say because it will spoil the surprise). Of course the two main factions (being the ATC and the uber soldiers the replicas) are in full force however instead of just lumping those groups for no apparent reason, FEAR 2 introduced the replicas in a specular fashion where just before the encounter you will experience dread as you can hear the announcement of the replicas congregating.
Newer combat aspects are introduced to FEAR 2; Michael (and of course your opponents) are able to move furniture to block/take cover, employ iron sight aiming and noticeably the introduction of the merc. Originally I wasn't a big fan of the merc however kudos to Monolith of making the merc an exciting part of your arsenal as just like the replicas intro, the intro for the merc will place a smile on your face as the events before grabbing that precious piece of protection, you'll be getting a serious beating on all fronts and once placing your butt on the seat of the merc for the first time, a pleasant woman's voice will confirm 'all systems are now operational', you cannot help but get the feeling of 'you want some, come get some'.
Continuing on this, there will be many memorable moments to FEAR 2 as Monolith have made significant improvements visually. All the environments are quite detailed from the office buildings adorned with lovely frescos (spot the iconic painting of the swing hanging from the tree) to the worn-torn city of Auburn. This places the player more into the game than just playing the game. In addition, FEAR 2 storyline is further fleshed out and as part of the FEAR 2 reward system is to encourage players to collect as many documents as possible therefore getting the full picture of Project Origin et al. Speaking of which, there's a comprehensive incentive system to inspire players to get the most out of their game (similar to Window's live system); for example headshot ten people to obtain the 'bulls eye' tag and so forth.
To appreciate any horror type games, it needs to be played on a good sound system. FEAR 2 qualities is convincing as every sound will produce an extremely heavy thump that will guarantee reverberation into your ear drums. Ranging from the light footsteps (which can be a life saver) to the heavy mechanical movements of the merc to falling rocks will make you turn in anticipation. The musical scores are mostly ambience therefore aimed to create the mood yet the voice acting can improve somewhat as at times you expect a little more terror or anger from your fellow team mates than just swearing and/or shaking their heads.
Sadly there are some bugs in the game yet not enough to cause you harm. Graphical glitches like bodies merging through walls places the shock factor out the door as it's more humorous to look at. Also at times your character will be jammed into a corner or trapped under an item/staircase hence your only saviour is to reload and considering the game uses the 'checkpoint' save system, can be a thorn on your side if you decide to try a different approach instead of 'following the required path'. Also the AI seems like they've taken a step backwards as considering FEAR was famed for its superior AI technology, in FEAR 2 they act kinda dense and predictable. Maybe because of the checkpoint save system Monolith decided to make things a little easier for the player. Well, since I played it on the 'hard' level it was challenging but not too difficult therefore I cannot begin to imagine how trouble-free it would be on 'medium' or even on the 'easy' level.
Without stating the obvious about FEAR 2 being the sequel to FEAR (too late), game play wise, Monolith uses two different methods; FEAR brought that 'in-your-face-horror' as you are trying to understand the enemy you are up against. Naturally this will be an easy concept as the entire game is shrouded with this 'unknown' factor and literally at the end, you'll still only have a minuscule idea of what's going on. Yet on the other hand, the AI is nothing short but remarkable as the replicas will stalk and hunt you down and the ATC relying on superior numbers.
In FEAR 2, brought in what few video games rarely displays; that is emotion to the player as considering the 'horror' factor is not much of a 'spooky' sensation (as Alma is plastered all over the cover) but bringing in a sense of purpose fabricates the 'horror' formula in a different way. The introduction of the replicas rising from their vats during that combat 'simulation' to the a sigh of relief and hope when seeing the merc in arms-length away (as you are getting bombarded with replica soldiers) to the ending sequence brought the 'care' factor to the major players in the game. Yet by the time I was starting to feel all giddy inside, it was all too late as the game ended.
So FEAR and FEAR 2 is like comparing to 'Star Wars' and the 'Empire Strikes Back'; sequels in the true sense of the word but two totally different experiences (I prefer Empire Strikes Back over Star Wars because of the 'care factor' e.g. Han Solo carbonised and the famous quote 'I am your father' brought shock to me but to understand this is to seen Star Wars beforehand).
So the choice here is that whether you prefer all-out combat and uncanny AI (a.k.a. FEAR) or a decent story (a.k.a. FEAR 2) yet the irony is that to truly respect FEAR 2 is to play FEAR first (like seeing Star Wars before The Empire Strikes Back). As a standalone FEAR 2 certainly brought dashes of horror and tries to break the 'story' barrier of introducing a new squad but it's not at all a replacement. Play it for what its worth however bare in mind that FEAR 2 is part two to the story hence really couldn't stand on its own two feet if played independently.