Fear is when you can actually run out of ammo.
So now it is 2009 and I decided to play it again. This time I picked Chris put it on hard mode. I got all the way through and loved it. It is such an amazing game. The still backgrounds make the game so much scarier, combined with the great camera placement. This game would not have been nearly as scary if it was like RE 4. Maybe it would have sold more to market to you easy to please players but this one was to a select audience.
The music was another factor that added fear to this game. Creepy music that make it scary even when there wasn't a zombie in the room but would still make it feel like there was something.
The controls actually were a big part to making this scary in the beginning. Over time you learn the ins and outs of the controls but until then you're going to be screaming just trying to turn the right way to get away from a zombie moving at 1 mph.
I really hope they remake RE 2 and RE 3 and even Code veronica like this. I would buy all of those and play them till my hands were raw.
All in all its an amazing game and if you like getting scared, solving puzzles, or just blowing the heads off zombies that you stuck a grenade in then this game is for you.
P.S. Give the controls a chance, its worth it.