FEAR is a game driven by intense combat action and its enigmatic horror narrative set in a decidedly eerie world.
You are the un-named "point man" of a Delta Force group sent to deal with a paranormal situation. There are plenty of enemy forces, which seem to be highly skilled drones (replicants), controlled by the mind of a truly sinister character named Paxton Fettel, the son, or so it seems, of the mysterious Alma an ethereal but powerful woman-child.
Graphically this is a stunning game, largely taking place indoors usually gritty, dark and basements, offices and corridors with occasional forays into poorly lit open areas. Great graphical effects are used as Alma and Fettel, or ghostlike images of them, mysteriously appear and then disappear.
FEAR is rather demanding on the graphics front and the only way I got it to run without crashing was to turn shadows off (even minimal shadows crashed my system after a short while). With shadows off everything else could be set to maximum or in some cases medium, alas I could not find a stable balance with shadows on. It is indeed a glorious looking game and coupled with the eerie sounds, occasional screams, disembodied voices you will become fully immersed.
Gameplay again is pretty typical FPS, but with the ability to lean from cover missing in some FPS games. Weapons are largely "real world" type although some special sci-fi type ones appear later in the game. The game, despite its claustrophobic environments does feel quite "open" although it is heavily scripted due to its checkpoint nature.
OVERALL: Atmospheric and at times quite unsettling, FEAR is well worthy of its acclaim.