The F.E.A.R. series has catered equally to the FPS and survival horror fan. Although F.E.A.R. has carved an identity for itself with its supernatural plot elements, it still hasn't been able to stand out as the best shooter. In F.E.A.R. 3, Day 1 Studios strives to fully please its FPS audience. Their solution? Day 1 borrows aspects from some of the most renowned shooters of the modern day. Taking inspiration from Call of Duty and Left 4 Dead in the multiplayer arena and providing a solid, Resident Evil 5-esque co-op experience as they swap between two disparate main characters. If F.E.A.R. 3 can amalgamate these features and give them a new shine, we just might have something special on our hands. As sometimes seen in the games industry, though, imitation rarely wins you any awards. F.E.A.R. 3 starts off with a pregnancy, but not just any ordinary pregnancy. F.E.A.R. 2 veterans know the deeper storyline to this pregnancy, and will soon realize the game takes place nine months after the second title. Those who didn't play the second title shouldn't feel too left out as the game does attempt to catch you up with the action. We know Alma's different than the average woman, and even the best are often known to lose their cool during pregnancy. Take a supernatural entity and imagine what birth can do to such a woman. Her contractions end up unleashing shockwaves throughout the barren city, and that's just the beginning of this ugly, ugly journey.
Fans of the first F.E.A.R. game should immediately recognize the two main characters: Point Man and Paxton Fettel, both sons of Alma. Fans know there were a lot of unresolved issues in Point Man's story, and since F.E.A.R. 2 followed a new character, fans never got answers. The two brothers don't get along: Paxton Fettel is not happy with the outcome of the first game, and he's enraged at Point Man for it all. These brothers have some deep-seeded issues to iron out, and you'll have to swap back and forth between Point Man and Fettel in the campaign to resolve them. What does each character bring to the table? We have two completely disparate characters with their own skill sets, strengths, and weaknesses. Co-op is definitely reminiscent of Resident Evil 5, except F.E.A.R. 3 seems to take it one step further by making both characters necessary to progress. Point Man's gifted in all things that you'd think a solider would excel in: he likes to shoot things, he's not afraid to disarm his opponents, and he has solid all-around battle instincts. Fettel, on the other hand, comes from the paranormal side of the family; he can possess enemies, which grants him their skills and weapons, and destroy his enemies with elemental magic. Where Fettel will be most useful is in his ability to see and open special doors that Point Man can't.
These special doors act as shortcuts and sometimes they include bonuses, such as new battle items. Both characters also have slow motion abilities that veterans will be familiar with. If you decide to take the story online, F.E.A.R. 3 does offer online co-op. In this mode, you're forced to pick between Point Man and Fettel, instead of swapping between the two like in single player and your compatriot takes control of the other. F.E.A.R. 3 also offers four different multiplayer ventures for the competitive player. Contractions are somewhat akin to Horde mode in Gears of War: survival of the fittest. You and a group of other players must work cooperatively and attempt to stay alive as long as possible. Players will have to repair barriers as the enemies rip through them to find a path to your team, also akin to another title's gameplay: Call of Duty's Nazi Zombies. The pregnancy theme is an overlay, as Alma's contractions will produce a wave of enemies that gradually increase in difficulty along with a thick fog that eliminates some of your visibility. Alma's out and about in these modes and, you might want to "fear the reaper," because similar to Left 4 Dead's witch, she's a deadly creature to go after, and even more so than the witch, next to impossible to kill. Also, similar to Call of Duty and Left 4 Dead, you're able to revive teammates for a short period of time; and teammates who are down can shoot enemies while you strive to revive them.
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