Pants Destroying Terror. Like taking genetically cross breeding Max Payne, Duke Nukem and Quake 4.
(Oh and don't worry about spoilers! I keep things semi-vague so as not to spoil too many things for those whom have not played) Many a time we find ourselves in a deja vu. See game, shriek in joy. Pee pants. Pick up game. Skip merrily to counter while singing 'You're Out Of The Woods' from Wizard of Oz. Throw money at cashier, giggle all the way home. At least I do, especially when I got F.E.A.R.
One thing I'll say for Sierra too, God damn are they increasing the number of disks their games come on. FIVE... sweet mother of crap. But in contrast, the install is rather fast for a five disk game, which at least makes things less frustrating. Now I knew this was going to be a good game when the autoplay splash screen phased into existence on my desktop with the weird creaky 'you're in trouble' sound familiar in gads of horror films. I love horror, I hate zombies (see Doom 3 review), the game loads up, creepy sounds, dark screens... most excellent. Already my horror-dar is pinging like crazy and I am ready to feel horror that excells Doom 3. Once past the opening movie introducing you to what in the hell is going on, and the initial "This is how you move around" sections of the tutorial level, you get to discover just how F.E.A.R. is designed to scare you.
Little things rattling, lights swaying... Oh... and lets not forget. THE BIG FRIGGAN BLACK AMORPHOUS BALL O' DEATH that engulphs your partner, and leaves you in some bizzare grayed out world with someone blathering in creepy whispering tones at you. Only to find a corpse, and then be sent out alone to be smashed in the face with a two-by-four when you get to the roof. Proving that the enemy of this game is not just a cannibalistic psycho-bastard. But a jerk too. No pistol whipping, gun butts to the stomach... or even a proper baseball bat. No. Two-By-Four. Face. Wham. Creepy line of echoey dialogue. Now understandably when you get back downstairs to report in, your ever silent character seems to leave that bit of information out. Hey, if you're a member of a supreme bad ass government assault team formed to kick the crap out of ghosts, ghouls, goblins, and monsters... would you admit you got your ass kicked with a two by four to the kisser? But once things progress from there, it only gets creepier, and more vicious. Fights where the enemy will try to pin you down so they can move to flank, and who respond when you introduce them to your friend Mr. HE Grenade. With a slow-mo that actually puts Max Payne 1 and 2 to shame, with the air rippling around the projectiles, casings flying, and stuff exploding all around you. That damn little girl Alma, and a general absence of music being used to set the mood. Instead? They make you're characters' breathing kick up, and a audible heartbeat, SOMETIMES a musical sting, but otherwise they use ambiance... and shadows agains walls that have nothing making them when you whip around, making you want to get the hell out of wherever you are, and back to someplace more safe and sane.
Overall: Awesome. With pants destroying terror powers... because if you're not carefull, you'll dook in 'em repeatedly before you have a moment to notice.