Fails to match the Monolith games but not a terrible entry into the franchise
The story of F3AR quickly picks up from where Project Origin ended. Alma Wade is getting ready to give birth, sending the city of Fairport into disarray. The two brothers are trying to find their mother, Alma, and also run into Jin Sun-Kwon. Jin died in the FEAR expansion pack, Extraction Point, but that expansion is not considered canon despite its quality. Jin and other returning characters are visually dissimilar to their characters in the previous games. These visual differences are compounded by the insipid graphics shown throughout the entire game.
Most of the story is told via crude, lengthy cut scenes between the Intervals. Point Man never talks during the game even in these third person movies. Instead he wears a confused and angry facial expression that becomes somewhat irritating. Unlike the previous games, there are no answering machines or intel devices to investigate that reveal additional back story. Since almost anything can happen there is no reason to spend time predicting events. Thankfully unlike the messy story, the weaponry is clean and predictable.
The weapons feel at home in the series. A sub machine gun and assault rifle are dropped frequently by human soldiers and become your primary weapons. These are relatively effective and comfortable offensive tools. The shotgun looks mean but lacks real punch even up close when aimed at the head. You will get to use the nail gun again to pin enemies to walls but it only gets used in two sequences during the later part of the game. Grenades lack offensive power, sending more smoke into the air than flying limbs. The sniper rifle kills with ease and slow motion helps score a few headshots.
It wouldn't be FEAR without slow motion and Point Man can switch it on when required. Heading into slow motion and popping heads is satisfying but the visual effects are diluted compared to the Monolith games. The bland world just doesn't seem all that different when time stalls. There are no outrageous blurring effects or sparks flying and the environment takes little damage. Even the player movement doesn't feel great with unnecessary head bobbing and cover that doesn't work everywhere. The AI system is decent enough but never matches its predecessors.
The enemy AI is competent but lacks the animation systems from the first two games. Enemies can be patient but may also rush straight to your location and one did this while running backwards. It is their animation components, or lack thereof, that make the battles visually unappealing. No longer do you have AI firing rifles one handed and running backwards or opening car doors for cover. Their chatter consists of accurate observations of your location but there are no satisfying quips about your reflexes. When the AI is severely injured the game starts feeling like a FEAR experience.
Gore returns although perhaps not as pronounced in combat situations. Limbs can still be shot off and heads can even explode. Headless soldiers stand stationary for a second before crumbling to the ground. Limbs can be removed leaving soldiers staggering before finally collapsing. This level of gore is suitable for the franchise but only once did an enemy turn to mist with the shotgun at close range. The new ranking system creates a self competitive atmosphere and one that incentivizes rushing through levels.
F3AR includes a ranking point system throughout the campaign and multiplayer. You can gain points by rushing through the levels, using specific weapons or getting headshots. Higher ranks give you more health and longer slow motion. The frequent display of awards and full screen rank up messages will bring some out of the experience. Alternatively the drive to try different challenges may entice a replay or otherwise create a constant reward system. Irrespective of your preference it's hard to deny that it dilutes the already weak scares.
The game will try to scare you a few times but a good chunk of these are poorly directed. During the first few intervals the ineffective scares consist of random objects being thrown in front of you. FEAR like scares almost work but tend to fall flat, partly due to the poor graphics or general lack of ambiance. You might be looking a different direction as a monster runs along the ground. You may hear spooky music but not actually see anything happen. Even if you manage to spot the intended scares you will rarely jump in fright. This third game provides the least scares in the franchise to date.
Should you desire to replay the game, Fettel is unlocked after Point Man completes each interval. Fettel is powerful and is able to lift enemies into the air and take control of them. Assuming control of one soldier and attacking his team from behind is rather satisfying but gets old. Once the puny human takes enough bullets Fettel explodes out of him, essentially giving him two lives. Fettel is very dominant when he jumps quickly from one soldier to the next allowing quick transition through levels with few deaths.
The entire campaign can also be played cooperatively with each player taking the role of one of the brothers. Fettel can suspend enemies while Point man unloads bullets into him. Players go into a downed state when sufficiently damaged and can be picked up by the other brother. There isn't a strong level of teamwork outside these basic functions. Co-op levels play out very much like the solo version only with extra enemies added during some sections. The co-operative gameplay is actually competitive as players try to rush through the levels. You compete using the point system to get the most kills.
The game includes co-operative multiplayer modes for up to four players. In one mode, F***ing Run, you must sprint through a narrow path as enemies spawn in front of you. This mode can be interesting because of your reliance on your partner to dispose of enemies while you are reloading or under fire. The mode Contractions has you defending against waves of enemies and restocking or repairing in between waves. Soul King lets you take control of soldiers and gather the most souls without dying. These average modes aren't going to last very long due to their repetitive nature and limited player counts. However the multiplayer offerings are probably the best the franchise has seen.
F3AR is not a bad third entry in the franchise but it doesn't quite feel as good as the Monolith games. The scares are weak, the graphics are ordinary, effects are lacklustre and the ranking system was a turn off. The marginally better multiplayer is not going to set the world on fire but may provide a few hours of fun. Day 1 Studios have focused on a co-op experience and tried to bring in something new with playable Fettel. Unfortunately FEAR 3 doesn't implement the essential FEAR traits well enough to keep up with its predecessors.