F.E.A.R: First Encounter Assault Recon

Published by Vivendi Universal Studios
Developed by Monolith Productions, Inc.
Released 2005
Genre Action, Horror

Description :

F.E.A.R. is a horror FPS that resembles a cross between Doom3, Half-Life and the Ring horror movies. Demons are replaced by cloned soldiers and the element of horror revolves around an image of a spectral girl always appearing when least expected for a few fleeting moments.

The player sets out as a member of a specialized strike force dealing with unknown threats. Initially we start with mundane weapons, which are well presented, and progress gradually towards more sci-fi ones as the danger increases. The player can also call upon a "bullet-time" ability which slows down time around him and is realised with impressive visual and aural effects by the game engine.

All of the game takes part in a certain multibillion aerospace installation which has been hijacked by an elite team of cloned soldiers gone rogue and an unknown supernatural force (which is likely controlling or affecting them in some way). Both threats must be identified and countered.

Requirements :

Min.CPU PIV
Min.OS Win 2000
Min.RAM 512MB
Min.DirectX 9.0C
DVDROM Speed 4X
Keyboard
Mouse
Internet/LAN
Offline Players 1
Online Players 16
3D Accelerator

Trivia :

• In the sitcom, 'The IT Crowd', the character Moss is playing F.E.A.R on the computer.

• During Interval 6, at a security checkpoint where you first encounter a particular enemy, look for a letter on the desk. The letter in question, is addressed to Monolith Productions, the developer of the game.

• FEAR is possibly the most graphically-intensive commercial game (as of November 2005) yet. FEAR has replaced Doom 3 as a popular benchmarking tool for companies testing new graphics cards. If a card can run FEAR, it can run anything.
• FEAR is heavily inspired by Japanese horror films like Ringu (The Ring) and Ju-on (The Grudge). For instance, the mysterious girl with long black hair is obviously channeling Samara from The Ring.

Cheats :

Press [Talk] (default is T) during game play. The game will freeze, but has not crashed. Enter one of the following codes, then press [Enter] to activate the corresponding cheat function.

Effect	Code
Invulnerability	god
Full ammunition	ammo
All weapons	guns
Full armor	armor
Full health	health
Position mode	pos
All weapons and unlimited ammo	tears
Ghost mode	poltergeist
Increase health and reflexes	gear
Level skip	maphole
Weapons, full ammo, armor, health	kfa
Spawn indicated weapon	gimmegun
Spawn indicated ammunition	gimmeammo
Display build version	build

Weapon names:
Use one of the following entries with the gimmegun code to spawn the corresponding weapon.

Assault rifle: assault rifle
Cannon: cannon
Dual pistols: dual pistols
Frag grenade: frag grenade
Missile launcher: missile launcher
Nailgun: nail gun
Pipe bomb: remote charge
Pistol: pistol
Plasma railgun: plasma weapon
Semi-auto rifle: semi-auto rifle
Shotgun: shotgun
SMG: submachinegun
Trip mine: proximity
No effect: gimmegun turret

Ammunition names:
Use one of the following entries with the gimmeammo code to spawn the indicated ammunition for each weapon.

pistol
shotgun
smg
rifle
assaultrifle
nailgun
plasma
cannon
missile

Hint: Saving Medkits:
Make a mark of some sort to lead you back on some Medkits that you could not carry before. If you so happen to run out of your own because of a big fight you can find them again. This is useful in Interval 11 with the armies of ghosts coming after you. Just make sure that you are able to backtrack to get the Medkits you left behind.

Use your Medkits at the correct time. Do not use Medkits immediately when you have about 70 to 80 health remaining. Try using a Medkit when your health drops below 30. One Medkit can heal up to about 30 to 45 points. If your health happens to drop below 40 and you are in a 1v1 or 2v1 fight, do not bother using a Medkit unless you really need to. Just run to cover while using your slow-mo abilities. Your health will regenerate slowly back to 40 if it drops below that, however you must be out of the firefight to regenerate your health.

Hint: Interval 04: Office Space reference:
While making your way through the large office building, look for papers hung on the wall or scattered on desks. Many of these papers have "TPS Report" written on them, as well as a symbol including three boxes at the top. This is a reference to the popular movie Office Space in which the characters are involved with TPS reports at their office, Initech, which has almost the same logo as the symbol at the top of the papers.

As you are making your way through the large office building, about midway through the level there should be a large room filled with cubicles, with multiple offices on the side. One of the cubicles in the middle of the room has a lot of boxes piled into it, with a red stapler on the desk. This is in reference to the character Milton in Office Space. Management is always making him move his desk and using his area for storage, as well as stealing his red Swingline stapler. This can be found in the same area as multiple T.P.S. reports.

Hint: Labdog: Shogo: Mobile Armor Division reference:
After the firefight in the gas pipes area near the exit point of the map, there will be a gas pipe on fire. Turn the object off in the next room, then return to the now extinguished pipe area..There is a semi secret walkway there. Walk in, find the ladder, and climb up. You will find a health booster, and there is a door on your left. Go into that office. Listen to the song. It is the main theme from Shogo: Mobile Armor Division. an anime FPS created by Mololith. Look at the dry marker board. It is the same one from an office level from Shogo: Mobile Armor Division.

Hint: Defeating Assassin Super Soldiers:
Because the assassins are difficult to see due to their camouflage and high speed running, try using slow-motion. You will notice them immediately once they are slowed. After that, let all of your rounds into them.

Glitch: Labdog: Bypass gate:
Towards the end of the Labdog level, the ATC guards will start closing the gates before you can get to them. Take out your particle weapon and hit the SlowMo just before you see the second gate. With a well-placed shot, you can take out both the guards before they are able to close the gate. Proceed past that area to the next room and use the laptop to avoid missing an important story plot. Return to the unclosed gate and carefully walk up to the black wall. You will be able to see down to the story below, and can step on the pipe to the left without losing health or dying. Doing this will prevent you from having to fight the three guards or deal with the proxy mines.