Message to Sierra: 2005 called, and it wants its graphics back. The publisher's recently released Xbox 360 game, the standalone expansion F.E.A.R. Files, picks up right where the explosive original left off, with you investigating strange paranormal phenomenon and blasting your way through a military force. Problem is, the game looks terrible compared to 2007's big guns (Call of Duty 4, Halo 3), and the shooting doesn't feel as sweet as it used to. The result is a mildly interesting first person shooter that doesn't warrant much of a look, especially at a ridiculous $49.99.

Of course, that all depends on how much you love the original, and considering what's on the disc (the PC games Extraction Point and Perseus Mandate), there's plenty of creepy little girl shenanigans, evil super soldiers and buckets of blood to fill you with homicidal glee. And to sweeten the deal, Sierra includes multiplayer modes for up to 16 players plus the enjoyable Instant Action mode, where you mindlessly kill waves of enemies for points.

At the same time, what worked two years ago doesn't hold up so well today. Instead of taking advantage of the Xbox 360's graphical prowess, the developers reused the same tired visuals, which results in drab looking characters and environments. Then again, location was never F.E.A.R.'s strongest suit, as it plunges you into boring office environments and warehouses. Decorating the walls with blood and the limbs of your foes is fun, and the physics still impress (though Half-Life 2: The Orange Box has much better effects), but we grew disinterested in fighting the same looking bad guys, and the game's paranormal edge, with you on the run from the demented little girl, Alma, didn't scare us at all.

Furthermore, despite F.E.A.R. Files containing two separate games, they both feel exactly the same. You can still slow down time to better torture your opponents, and the same weapons pop up; though a few new ones, namely the Chain Lightning Gun and Advanced Rifle, keep things mildly interesting. But the once grand visuals look old, and the touted artificial intelligence (smart for its day) isn't nearly as smart as we thought it was.

It's a shame, because considering all of the goodies, this should be a good value, but we refuse to pay $49.99 for a game trapped within a time warp. If you need more F.E.A.R. in your life, then by all means, gobble this up. We, on the other hand, recommend you get a healthy dose of Call of Duty 4 and pick up F.E.A.R. Files when its price hits $19.99-$29.99. Sorry Alma. "We ain't afraid of no ghosts".