Terror on the high seas isn't a subject many video games deal with, but "Cold fear" does, and does it well.
You play as Tom Hansen, a U.S coast guard, who has been sent in to investigate a mysterious Russian whaler, after the previous rescue team went M.I.A. the first part of the game takes place entirely on board the "Eastern Spirit" (that's the whaler), exploring its innards in the search for survivors and the truth behind the disappearance of the crew. Fifteen minutes into the game it becomes obvious that the ship's crew is one and the some with the zombie-like creatures Tom encounters on board. These creatures will attack on sight, wilding various types of melee' weapons, and poses the ability to sprint short distances. Not all of the crew members have been zombified; some are still very much alive, and very much hostile.
Zombies and Russian soldiers are not the only threats Tom has to face. Along side with them are the Exocels- parasitic organisms that use humans as hosts (hence the zombies) as well as food. They can reanimate dead bodies or attack Tom themselves using their tentacle-like appendages. Another danger Tom has to overcome is the environmental hazards. Since the game takes place on a ship (and later on a drilling sight in the middle of the ocean) waves and swinging objects, like hanging crates or electric wires, can hurt Tom upon impact. In some instances, the ship rocks to such a degree, that Hansen can get knocked down and possibly sent overboard to his watery grave.
Bits and pieces of the story unravel through notes and documents Tom finds lying around. Some contain helpful tips, as a sort of tutorial to new elements in the game (like a warning not to practice firing a gun near yellow steam-valves, since they release a highly combustible gas). Other notes reveal information about the Exocels, and the inhumane experiments conducted at the oil platform by the crew of Russian scientists. Speaking of which, Tom will encounter several survivors in his exploration of both the ship and the platform. One of them is Anna Kamsky, the daughter of Doctor Viktor Kamsky, the scientist leading the experiments on humans and Exocels. Anna is supposed to help Tom reach the oil platform and put a stop to the spread of the Exocels, but instead turns out to be quite a burden on the player, forcing him to put up with a few escort and "fetch" missions.
The gameplay is pretty similar to "Resident Evil 4" that was released a couple of months before "Cold fear". That is no accident. Apart from the story, "Cold Fear" and "Resident Evil 4" are very alike, down to the main character's hairdo. It can be said that "Cold Fear" is a "Resident Evil" clone, but since it does it so well (and that Capcom "stole" the over-the-shoulder aim from ubisoft's "Splinter Cell" series) and even manages to create the sense of actual horror and danger, something the RE4 never did, the similarities can be forgiven.
So basically, Tom is controlled in the third person prospective while moving around, and interacting with objects. Once his weapon is drawn, the perspective shifts to an over-the-shoulder view, allowing for better aim. Tom's pistol even has a laser sight attached to it, so aiming becomes even easier. The major difference between "Cold Fear" and "Resident Evil 4" is that Tom, unlike Leon, can move while aiming, making it possible to dodge attacks while firing. Another feature is the stamina bar, which decreases as Tom does certain actions, like running. This forces the player to take constant breaks from the action, and let Tom rest and regain his stamina. The game also introduces a few "quick-time events", usually to prevent Tom from taking damage, or to take down enemies. These are rarer than in most other action games, but fit into the gameplay perfectly.
Tom's arsenal follows the same guidelines of any modern action game. From pistol, through shogun to flamethrower, there are no unique or alien weapons in the game. The spear gun plays the part of the "exotic" weapon, being used to distract the enemy rather than kill it. Each spear fired emits a green cloud that attracts the Exocels, so implementing a spear gun – grenade launcher combo is a highly effective way to clean a room filled with badies.
Exploring both the whaler and later on the oil platform can be a bit of a pain sometimes. It's true that both of the environments are pretty varied and there are a lot of different levels to explore, but the lack of an in-game map makes it a tiresome task. Too often Tom will need to get from one side of the ship to the other, and with scarcely any directional signs, it's really hard to tell which way is which. Sure, after an hour or so it's easier to just remember where every room and corridor is, but even then it can get confusing, seeing as there isn't a lot of variation between one corridor to another.
The atmosphere in "Cold Fear" is ok for an action horror title, and the game employs many scare tactics, such as silhouette appearing and than disappearing whenever light flashes, or zombies lurking outside rooms, waiting to jump Tom the minute he steps out. The entire game takes place at night, in the middle of a raging storm, so the sound and light effects really contribute to the overall feel. The setting also influences the horror theme, with dead bodies and blood everywhere, while the corridors on the ship are claustrophobic and hard to navigate. Being alone on a huge ship, communicating with the only other survivor via radio transmissions can really take a toll on the nerves.
The one thing that can really ruin the sense of immersion is, unfortunately, the protagonist. He is obnoxious and irritating in the most inappropriate moments. It seems like the developers really wanted to make Tom Hansen a wise-cracking tough guy, but instead he comes on as a childish, insensitive jerk. There is an attempt to humanize him throughout the game, with bits and pieces of information about his past revealed in radio transmissions, while talking to his commanding officer, but his huge personality flaw make him almost intolerable at times, and hard to relate to during most of the game. This, of course, makes it hard for the player to care about Tom, and in a survival horror game, it can be considered a bad thing.
"Cold Fear" is a decent looking game, with no noticeable bugs during in-game sequences or movie cut scenes. The cut scenes themselves look great, with cool water and lightning effects. Water in-game looks less impressive, but act pretty realistic with real-time ripples. If an enemy dies inside a body of water, a nice pool of blood will expend around it, in a convincing way. When walking outside, Tom's vision is distorted by rain, which makes it harder for him to see and aim, and creates a nice blurry effect. Characters look decent, but not great: their faces look a bit lifeless during in-game cut scenes, and they move in a clumsy fashion. "Cold Fear" uses a lot of visual scares, like when shooting at an enemy at close range, or using the melee' attack, blood with spray across the screen (admittedly kind of cool, but totally unnecessary and exaggerated), or mutilated bodies in every corner. Most of the visual scares are pretty cheap, but at least they look good.
Apart from some cheesy voice acting, especially on the part of the two main characters (Tom and Anna), the game's sound is great. Sound effects are solid and convincing and music, although minimal, gets the job done. The music really only picks up in times of action, like a gunfight or an encounter with a powerful enemy. The rest of the time it's almost inaudible, drowned by the background noises. The noises the ship makes are very eerie, with squeaks and moans that produce an uneasy feeling through the entire game. Voice acting, as mentioned before, can be a little cheesy sometimes, and the guy playing Tom does a horrible job most of the game. Mutant enemies groan and growl as most zombies do, while human enemies shout to each other in Russian. Other NPCs converse with Tom in English, with believable Russian accents.
To sum it up, "Cold Fear" offers more action than it does horror, but whatever horror there is, is implemented well and contributes to the overall experience. With no gameplay issues, and no terrible glitches, anyone who can appreciate a good action game, with a touch of horror, should try this game, preferably on the PC, where the graphics are sharper. "Cold Fear" wouldn't disappoint you if you approach it with some forgiveness for the sloppy voice acting and unlikable characters. Just think of it as a nice little game, to warm you up in those long, cold winter nights.