It may seem like it does nothing new for the FPS genre, but this is a brilliant, epic game that shouldn't be missed.
F.E.A.R. uses a style of horror that is rather hard to explain. If you're a fan of horror movies(which I admit, I'm not), then you'll know what I'm talking about. F.E.A.R. uses a subtle strategy to freak out its players, giving them the feeling that there is always something there watching them. That is part of what makes this game so epic, like I said. The voice acting is above average, the story is interesting once you understand what is going on, and the dialogue is memorable and simply epic. Some of my favourite quotes in entertainment history have came out of that game, but that is more personal opinion than anything.
The graphics capture the chilling atmosphere that F.E.A.R. possesses, not to mention the graphics being fantastic for 2005. It certainly isn't an Uncharted 2 or a Crysis by any means, but for its time, it looked pretty good. The lighting and the physics are excellent, especially when you use the slow motion feature in the game. The music is alright, and the sound effects for the most part are pretty realistic. It may not seem like much today, but boy would I have been impressed when this game first came out five years ago.
The controls are comfortable and easy to get used to. The gunplay is well done, with excellent lean mechanics, good aiming and a cool slow motion feature that enables you to take down your enemies easier. There is a cool arsenal of weapons you could use. My favourite is the weapon that shoots energy that bursts enemies into thin air. I can't remember the name of it. The A.I. in the game is simply awesome and are above average. They don't just stand/run around waiting to be shot at. They duck behind boxes, lean out of objects, do barrel rolls and other cool moves that real players are capable of. It can make the game quite challenging at times, and many times you will have to rely on your wit as well as your reflexes to progress further into the game.
In short, F.E.A.R. is a brilliant, epic game that should not be missed, and should be played by anyone that can handle horror as well as shooting games. The replay value depends on how much you enjoy the story and the gameplay, but personally, I could play it over and over again. Pick this game up.