Impressions of FEAR 2 demo

Pretty bad. The controls are adjustable, but no matter where I positioned the slider, I never felt as comfortable with the targetting as tend to in shooters built for consoles. The graphics are reasonable, but on the muddy side (which is common with PC to PS3 ports). The game design is pretty good, though the AI in the demo was fairly weak, even on the highest setting (I had one soldier vault over a desk I was hiding behind, then crouch against it, facing away from me, which let me put a round into the side of his head). Evironmental interaction/the variety in the environments is greater this time around, so I imagine coding AI is a taller order than it was in the original FEAR, but it was still disappointing.

Also, the ghost in the demo kind of sucked. He was appearing and disappearing and the lights were flickering, which just struck me as a contrived annoyance rather than impressive design (I liked such set-ups fine in Dead Space, but this particular encounter just didn't work). The same might be said for a lot of the supernatural bits. Such bits tended to feature Alma as opposed to something one might encounter in-game outside of a boss battle (once again, I point towards Dead Space). Seeing a guy getting torn apart by a creature that is just up ahead is worrying, seeing a guy getting torn apart by the final boss doesn't mean much, because the final boss is a ways away.

EDIT: Anyway, FEAR was one of my most anticipated games, but after the demo, I wouldn't rent this game, let alone buy it.

Thanks for the impressions. Too bad the game isn't all that.

I'll probably still rent it using the blockbuster pass to see if the gameplay is still interesting. Sucks that Sony made it a Qore only demo, what idiots!

Thanks for the impressions. Too bad the game isn't all that.

I'll probably still rent it using the blockbuster pass to see if the gameplay is still interesting. Sucks that Sony made it a Qore only demo, what idiots!

S0lidSnake

The demo is only Qore exclusive for a week (so its hitting PSN this Thursday).

[QUOTE="S0lidSnake"]

Thanks for the impressions. Too bad the game isn't all that.

I'll probably still rent it using the blockbuster pass to see if the gameplay is still interesting. Sucks that Sony made it a Qore only demo, what idiots!

CarnageHeart

The demo is only Qore exclusive for a week (so its hitting PSN this Thursday).

Wow those are some REALLY surprisingly bad impressions Carnage. This was one of my most anticipated games of this year (huge fan of the original) judging by your impressions though im gonna relegate this one to a rental instead of a purchase. Thanks for the heads up man.GodModeEnabled

The PS3 does get ***ty ports of PC games, and the original F.E.A.R was a pretty bad port. So since Carnage's impressions are of the PS3 version, chances are the 360 version might actually turn out better than the PS3 version yet again.

[QUOTE="CarnageHeart"][QUOTE="S0lidSnake"]

Thanks for the impressions. Too bad the game isn't all that.

I'll probably still rent it using the blockbuster pass to see if the gameplay is still interesting. Sucks that Sony made it a Qore only demo, what idiots!

AirGuitarist87

The demo is only Qore exclusive for a week (so its hitting PSN this Thursday).

The post I read was only talking about the US PS3 version. I don't know it holds true for Europe and/or the PC versions of the game.

[QUOTE="CarnageHeart"][QUOTE="S0lidSnake"]

Thanks for the impressions. Too bad the game isn't all that.

I'll probably still rent it using the blockbuster pass to see if the gameplay is still interesting. Sucks that Sony made it a Qore only demo, what idiots!

AirGuitarist87

The demo is only Qore exclusive for a week (so its hitting PSN this Thursday).

Even if it'snt, just make a U.S PSN account.

I made a European account just yesterday so I could downlod the Skate 2 demo. it didnt even take 5 minutes.

[QUOTE="S0lidSnake"]

Thanks for the impressions. Too bad the game isn't all that.

I'll probably still rent it using the blockbuster pass to see if the gameplay is still interesting. Sucks that Sony made it a Qore only demo, what idiots!

CarnageHeart

The demo is only Qore exclusive for a week (so its hitting PSN this Thursday).

Cool. Like I said, I'm still intrigued by the bullet time gunplay so I'm hoping it's not as bad as you said it is. :P

I've been watching Project Origin's videos and I was very interested at first.

I tried the demo when it became available from Qore and wow. I just didn't like it at all! To me personally, it all feels way too generic. There's absolutely nothing special about this game. The graphics are on par or worse than Condemned 2: Bloodshot (same developers). Hopefully that's just because it's a demo, though.

But yeah, the overall battle experience just didn't impress me at all. Even roaming around in that big machine thing didn't excite me a bit.

I think I'll be getting the PC version of the demo this thursday, see how that one fares. Hopefully at least the control issues and blurry graphics won't be there.Teufelhuhn

Same here, although these impressions are still worrying. Edge also noted in their last preview that the AI is actually weaker than in the original which is very surprising and disappointing considering that Monolith has been saying they managed to upgrade the AI routines. But yeah, definitely trying the PC demo on Thursday.

Hmm, my FEAR 2 FPS GOTY prediction isn't looking so well. >_>

I think I'll be getting the PC version of the demo this thursday, see how that one fares. Hopefully at least the control issues and blurry graphics won't be there. Teufelhuhn

Same here. I'm planning on getting the PC version of the game. Hopefully it will run okay on the computer I have now. I need to file my tax return so I will have enough money to finish my new computer that I am working on.

HaHa, I swear I'm going to start a cult and target people from gaming forums to join. Some of you hear one thing and you automatically base your decision whether to buy the game on that persons review. Play the demo, make the decision FOR YOURSELF. However if your like me and play certain games (like this one) mostly for the multiplayer, dont base ANYTHING on the demo or any single player campaign reviews..because multiplayer is usually a bit different...from what i've seen and heard this game is going to be great, and I can tell from the gameplay videos I've seen that the graphics are a big improvement from the first, but graphics aren't everything to me anyways.

PS...Gamespot, you need to get a new freakin text box for us to type messages in, this one sucks.

I have to disagree with the TC, I never had any problem with the demo, the aiming could be a little tighter, however, I found it easier to aim than most ps3 ports. Graphically, it isn't the best, however, it is very good, and though the level design seems similar to Condemned 2, the graphics have made a big jump since than. The game's scares are similer to the first game, however this is a good thing, and IMHO, the F.E.A.R. 2 demo alone was scarier that Dead Space, but I didn't find Dead Space scary at all.twinblade45

I loved the original FEAR on PC due to the incredible AI (still the best in the genre) and robust physics, but I never considered it an effective horror game. *Shrugs* But I never felt Dead Space was an effective horror game either (I do think the atmosphere is better and the use of scenes to set up monsters one will encounter around the bend as opposed to showing how powerful Alma is was a wiser decision choice). Both game's premises are too fantastic and their human characters too poorly established to set them up as horror games.

EDIT: What did you think of the AI?

Just finished playing the PC demo. In a nutshell: disappointing. It feels off somehow, it feels way too arcadey, way too consolish, doesn't feel like a PC shooter at all. Huge console-styIe prompts (PRESS ENTER TO PICK UP! YO, OVER HERE! LOOK HERE, I'M HELPING YOU OUT!).

I can't believe they managed to ruin the blood effects which were so awesome in the original game, now it's as if I'm playing Mortal Kombat.

It looks great and the environmental interactivity is impressive. It's super easy. The AI keeps moving about, but doesn't really do anything clever, doesn't provide a challenge at all. The weapons don't feel satisfying at all and the mech part was meh.

I don't know, gonna wait for some reviews and try out the demo some more - but this doesn't look all that good. I guess Monolith catered to the Call of Duty crowd or something.

Here's a few screens I took (click for full size image):

horrible!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!