Game Review: FEAR Files

Gerard Campbell - The News-Press

Feb 08, 2008

FEAR Files

For: Xbox 360

From: Sierra

Classification: R18

Score: * *

Fans of Monolith's original FEAR game, a first-person shooter that featured a creepy little girl who suddenly popped out of nowhere to scare the heebee-jeebees out of you, will find FEAR Files to their liking.

The game offers two new episodes -- Extraction Point and Perseus Mandate -- and begins with Extraction Point, which pretty much starts from where the original FEAR finished.

Don't worry, you don't need to have played the original to play this (or need the original Xbox 360 disc to play this expansion pack), although it will help in understanding all the spooky goings- on and creepy flashbacks featuring a little girl.

Interestingly, Extraction Point and Perseus Mandate were made by different developers. Fans of FEAR will feel right at home with what Files offers -- the same gunplay, visceral explosions, armour- wearing enemy soldier, and downright spookiness of the original.

But it gets repetitive very quickly, with the bulk of missions involving travelling through corridors, warehouses or sewers and hiding behind cover, popping out and shooting at enemy soldiers, then hiding behind cover again.

Graphically, I thought FEAR Files was a bit of a disappointment - - in fact, at times it looked like an original Xbox game with its low- resolution textures and downright uninspiring visuals, especially when compared to visual stunners such as Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, Bioshock and Halo 3.

FEAR Files just pales in comparison.

FEAR Files will appeal to fans of the series wanting a little more, but not really to anybody else.

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