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Rumors have been circulating that Warner Brothers were on the verge of announcing the next entry in the F.E.A.R. series and today, it was made official. The press release made the game a reality and the first details involving the talent behind the game and new game play mechanics have been revealed. Usually, an announcement like this doesn't give someone like me a lot to talk or think about but the little that we now know about the game says a lot about the future of this series. Make the jump to see what I mean.
The highlights of the press release are as follows:
- The name of FEAR 3 is in fact F.3.A.R. and that is dumb - The question is whether or not they will continue to give these games subtitles like they did with "Project Origin". Personally, I think it would be weird to only have a sub-title on one entry in the series.
- The game is NOT being developed by our friends at Monolith. The reins have handed off to Day 1 Studios, the team behind the console port of the original F.E.A.R. and the more recent game, Fracture. Don't lose hope entirely as the team at Monolith is collaborating with the team to ensure that the game stands up to the previous games. However, I do know many who would call this "horse crap" and cite other examples such as Kojima Productions collaborating with Mercury Steam on the new Castlevania game as examples.
- John Carpenter, the legendary film maker behind the Halloween film series is working with the developers on the cinematics and improving the scares.
- Horror comic writer, Steve Niles (30 Days of Night), co-wrote the script for the game and is also lending his expertise in crafting the cinematics.
- The game will feature divergent co-op where players will use different abilities to provide unique experiences. One player will control Point Man, introduced in Fear 1 while the other player will control Paxton Fettel. (Can anyone shoot me an email to remind me of the details behind the FEAR mythos??)
While I am a little concerned about Monolith's lack of involvement with the project, I am excited to see what a different studio can do with the IP and how the influences of Carpenter and Niles will affect the game. One of the most disappointing things about F.E.A.R.2 was the lack of good scares and it seems that improving that has become a major focus for the new team. The addition of Co-Op also seems like a great addition to this game but how will bullet-time sequences be portrayed when there are two players? I personally hope that they handle the Co-Op in the same way that Ubisoft did with Splinter Cell Conviction and create its own unique story and setting that acts as a prequel to the single player experience.
Lastly, I just want to ask the obvious question. What is Monolith actually working on? Could it be a new "No One Lives Forever" or "Condemned 3" or even a new IP all together? I know a lot of people want a new NOLF but I am holding out for a sequel to Condemned. Whatever it is, I can't wait to hear an announcement! E3 2010 perhaps?
-Nick
To see the full press release, go here: Source
Comments
14 years, 7 months ago
Can't wait for F.E.4.R
On a serious note, the first game is one of my favourite games of all time, the second was bleh. Hopefully they do a better job with this one.
14 years, 7 months ago
Day 1 Studios did the ps3 port for the original Fear right? Here's hoping they do a better job developing for ps3 this time around.
This seems pretty similar to the Castlevania: Lord(s) of Shadow(s) situation. An IP that has received critical acclaim in the past being handed over to a studio which has created... Not the most amazing games in the past.
Day 1 Studios:
MechAssault -- Xbox (2002)
MechAssault 2: Lone Wolf -- Xbox (2004)
F.E.A.R. -- Xbox 360 (2006), PS3 (2007)
Fracture -- Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 (October 2008)
Which is kind of worrying. But even still, if Monolith are ACTUALLY watching what goes on with these guys and not just trying to make people less worried about how the game will turn out, this could be great. So I say we wait and see some footage first (possible at E3?) before deciding.
Here's hoping Monolith is working on something new, though. As much as I love their previous games it would be nice to see them have a change from the Fear/Condemned combo they've been working on for the past 5? years.
14 years, 7 months ago
A studio with a less than favourable history of developing games? A collaboration with a famous figure in horror films and books? Stupid typography for the title of the game? Oh God, I sense many references to a certain Madrid studio very, very soon.
Still, despite the worries and already somewhat dissapointing news (I.E, stupid name for the game), the inclusion of Co-Op in FEAR can only be good. I mean, horror game or not, its still a shooter, and that can only be good news. Lets be honest, FEAR's only ever been about the jump scares, so if they can get that to work with multiple players then I'd call it a success.
Also, I'd love to see Monolith work on No One Lives Forever, but with Team Fortress 2's art style/graphics. Dude, that sh*t would rock.
14 years, 7 months ago
I disagree Cosmic, I thought the first FEAR much more about suspense and atmosphere than simple jump scares. That was the exact reason I felt that FEAR 2 was a huge disappointment, since it removed almost all of the atmosphere and suspense from the first game.
14 years, 7 months ago
F.E.A.R - First Encounter Assault Recon
F.3.A.R - The Fuck..
14 years, 7 months ago
"The name of FEAR 3 is in fact F.3.A.R. and that is dumb –"
Whenever a developer replaces the letter 'E' with a 3, it always reminds me of DRIV3R... and then I shutter at how bad it was. :(
14 years, 7 months ago
Hey, if Retro Studios made kick ass Metroid games without Nintendo's help, why can't we trust that Day 1 can make an at least decent Fear game?
I'm worried about Other M though.
14 years, 7 months ago
At least the naming isn't as bad as Thi4f.
Thiaf... -_-;;
14 years, 7 months ago
No Monolith)=
14 years, 7 months ago
Switching hands is going to screw the AI. FEAR to me isn't so much about scares as it is it's awesome AI. Saying Monolith is involved is soley to calm fans who want to believe that Monolith isn't handing this game off to another studio. So why won't Monolith just put all their man power behind this? Not enough resources or man power maybe? If they are working on a project what could it be? The only excuse for this in my eyes is that they're working on something big. If they're not then there really isn't a reason to put this game in the hands of another studio.
I know Day 1 did the expansions for FEAR so it may not be absolutely horrible, or at least I hope so.
14 years, 7 months ago
I'm interested to see how the co-op would go. If you truly are the point man working with Paxton Fettel, the background story or the frame in between the explosion of armacham and the now should be interesting. Although the title may be stupid, the title never really meant anything for the FEAR series. It was an "acronym" at first but it is mainly just interpreted simply as "fear." The First Encounter Assault Recon should've been wiped out after the ending of the first game, but they still continue to use the title. The second title didn't make sense either, because the protagonist had nothing to do with the First Encounter Assault Recon, but nonetheless the game was still fun, even though it was missing out the scares. I hope they take the A.I. from the first FEAR, the graphics from Project Origin, and the story from the first one to make a new monster of a game :].
14 years, 7 months ago
I was utterly disappointed by FEAR 2 and how it totally drifted from the story in FEAR and just didnt have that same feal FEAR had. Seeing them return the Pointman brings back some hope. I am a bit worried that it is being developed by Day 1 Studios, but all in all it may turn out to be a good game. All I'm hoping for is that it has the same suspense and atmosphere that made me fall in love with the first FEAR. Also, the FEAR shotgun needs to return. The shotguns in FEAR 2 just didnt have the same impact the FEAR shotgun had when I first turned a Replica solider into a mist of blood and not an explosion of strawberry jam.
14 years, 7 months ago
Despite the dumb name, I really don't see this going the way of Lords of Shadow.
The Only mediocre game that this team has developed was Fracture, which wasn't by any means BAD, it was just horrifyingly average. The PS3 port of FEAR 1 shouldn't be counted because they took another team's game and just... ported it.
When you look at their first two games, Mech Assault and Mech Assault 2, they were both critically acclaimed and both had large fanbases. So already, they have potential to make a great game, unlike say, Mercurysteam, which has made 2 shitty shitty games.
They need to focus first and foremost on making the game SCARY, because that is where the last game fell short. It seems that they are already working on this by getting Niles and Carpenter to help.
Overall, we'll just have to see. I can say that the lack of faith here is a tad disappointing.
14 years, 7 months ago
The fact that the point man looks like Sayid from Lost really bothers me, nevermind the fact that he's going to be working with the man he worked so hard to kill in the first game.
14 years, 7 months ago
Fettel and Point Man working together, eh? I kinda want to go into detail why this is crazy, but I would spoil it, so I won't. Needless to say, its pretty crazy, and will probably make less sense than FEAR 2. Presumably it will have something to do with the FEAR 2 DLC, which I haven't played.
BUT I still think that it could be good, if they can somehow merge the creepiness from the first game, and build on the better scares from the second (because there were a few, not enough, but some) it SHOULD be good. I just hope we get the John Carpenter that made Halloween, rather than the one that made Ghosts On Mars.
14 years, 7 months ago
I hope this means Monolith is working on something awesome. For me this could be a good thing, as I respect Monolith's ability to make unique fps games but had no interest in FEAR 2.