Meanwhile, the enemy A.I. is doing whatever ever it takes to kill F.E.A.R.'s hero, whether it means flushing him out with a full on assault or tossing a grenade his way whenever he's busy camping. Most times, the enemies are tossed into the mix to be simple fodder, but never underestimate their intelligence. While they're not incapable of making unwise decisions, they'll often duck for cover and work together as team. They're also capable of spotting the hero from almost any distance, especially if he's using his flashlight. Once they get a bead on him, they never give up the pursuit.
Unfortunately, the story mode isn't very fulfilling. It's got these great action sequences and a semi-interesting story, but it's over much too quickly, though on the positive side, F.E.A.R. is worth running through a second and possibly third time, just to relive its more exciting moments. There's also Instant Action Mode, a console exclusive game that strips away the story elements in exchange for gunfights against AI soldiers. It's an excellent way to relieve stress, and it also tracks player progress and posts the data on the Xbox Live leader boards, thus allowing everyone to see how they're murderous rampages stack up against other homicidal maniacs'.
Finally, there's Xbox Live multiplayer. Up to 16 people can frag one another in such game types as Death Match, Team Death Match, Capture the Flag, Elimination (one life per player), Team Elimination, and lastly, Slo Mo Multiplayer (where someone holding a special power up will be able to move faster than their opponents). The package isn't necessarily exciting, as most of these types of games have been seen before, but it's still good, bloody fun. The only downside is the lack of co-op play and offline multiplayer. Why the developers didn't include the option to dance with bots is anyone's guess.
This version of F.E.A.R. is also missing the recently released PC expansion, Extraction Point. If anything, Sierra will release it as a way to make some extra cash. However, bundling it with this already attractive package would've made it far more appealing, seeing as how this adventure is a year old.
Even with the lack of a great story and offline multiplayer, F.E.A.R. is still a must play. The creepy environments and exciting gun play make it one of this year's most enjoyable releases, and the mindless online games are far more entertaining and technically sound than in other Xbox 360 first person shooters. Just be sure to play it with the lights off and the sound up, just to maximize its full potential.
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