F.E.A.R. 2 Project Origin Review (Xbox 360)

After hitting a few troubles throughout the development and publishing cycle, the long-awaited sequel to F.E.A.R. has come out, and I am afraid that the game is going to be met with an awkward lukewarm reaction. Don’t get me wrong, F.E.A.R. 2 is by far one of the scariest games I’ve ever played, and I had a great time playing through the game, but it seems like the developers over at Monolith didn’t exactly know how to flesh out the great and suspenseful plot they started with F.E.A.R.  The game never really fails to entertain but it does stand a little too close to its predecessor’s shadow.

Project Origin picks up shortly before F.E.A.R. left off, but through the eyes of Delta Force member Michael Beckett. Beckett, similar to Pointman, the protagonist from the last game, has increased reflexes and abilities. That is, after a minor surgery after the bomb goes off at the end of the first game. Possessing similar abilities, Beckett sets out to destroy Alma once and for all. The entire game, with the exception of two surprising revelations at the end, is based around this one fact, so while the gameplay itself may be entertaining; the story is never really satisfying. You never really find out much more about Alma and her troubled past, but you do find out a few interesting, albeit useless, tidbits of information about the first game from the intel reports littered throughout the game.