F.E.A.R: 13 Years Later

[@C0T0HA]

Having replayed the original and tried the expansions for the first time a year ago, I can easily say that even with all the simple algorithims simulating complex AI, it's still above and beyond the shooting gallery targets we have in the majority of modern shooters. This game aged in graphics only, and even that is mitigated by the superb lighting and atmosphere. Rose tinted nostalgia glasses off, this is one of the best FPS games ever made.

[@GeZz.]

i think this game was very advanced for that moment. an excellent horror game

[@RaLLyX352]

What about BLACK for PS2 and XBOX?

[@C0T0HA]

Black is probably my favorite console-only FPS. It had outstanding gunplay and destruction for the time. Not AI though. Not saying it was stupid, just solid for its time. F.E.A.R.'s AI is a thing that people talk about today, 13 years after release.

[@independentthought3390]

I agree, FEAR really was something else. No one was able to match it so far.

[@napalmkitty6686]

Why why WHY?!?! ..does anybody even like black? What the hell am i missing?

[@supersnow17]

F.E.A.R's AI really makes you realize how far backwards in AI we've gone these past 13 years since the game released. Computers are 50X faster than they were in 2005 yet our AI seems to have downgraded like it's 1993 again.

[@Whitelight]

I know in the case of Halo 4, it's so bad because they needed resources for graphics. Maybe that's the same now. Not sure. I rarely play modern FPS games.

[@supersnow17]

When AI is taking a serious nose dive because of graphics I think game developers need a serious wake up call. Graphics don't mean shit if you're bored to tears because of the same copy paste enemies doing the same copy paste things over and over and over. That's the main reason I hated Bioshock Infinite so much, boring as shit gameplay but beautiful as hell graphics.

[@ssbj144]

Supersnow AI haven't taken nosedive because of graphics, it's a on purpose design decision to appeal more widely. That's how videogame industry these days works. You think AI is the only thing taken nose dive? Take alook at some of the sound stuff from millenium and 2005 (Aureal 3D, EAX Advanced HD). Sound is a joke these days. Completely empty echoing corridors have literally most times zero echo in modern games, because "cpu's can handle sound processing so well thesedays" :D Yet stuff sounds more unrealistic than ever before, eventhough these games are now "realistic".

[@ChucksSEADnDEAD]

Ironically FEAR's AI was praised by the low consumption of resources when running.

[@Krajorg]

Supersnow ​​ uncharted 4 has pretty good Ai they flank you and charge you when they think your not looking. as well as the last of us that game had good Ai too.

[@Juhziz]

"From I heard of, F3AR is gonna be interesting." Whitelight...

[@MrZabersuv]

the ai behavoir is this game is still better than any modern fps games since

[@GeZz.]

Yes. the AI hears you and can be very smart.

[@gameshark528]

Only comparable to HL1's military AI!

[@TheDyingScotsman]

Not really but it was amazing for its time

[@ineednochannelyoutube5384]

@Ricardo Milos No, it really isnt. What it does is tells you out loud what it does and why, so you actually see how clever it is.

[@Nk_-1993]

Then you have CoD Ghosts "Fish A.I" jeez

[@uros.u.novakovic]

I was like 12 or 13 when I played FEAR. It was the scariest thing I ever experienced in my life at that point. So I really can't agree that the horror aspect of this game was bad. Maybe if I was older when the game released things would have been different. But for me personally, this was the scariest game that I ever played.

[@adamduffield7782]

Nope. I was 25 when FEAR 1st came out. And in certain parts of the game (especially when you hear static over your intercom and start seeing shadows moving) the hairs on the back of my neck was standing on end. The game was so well made it was really immersive and creepy, and every time you hear that static, you automatically start thinking "oh fuck" as you edge forward peaking around corners.

[@AAhmou]

It wasn't scary from my experience, but it does manage to build tension quite well. From the ambiant lighting, horrid setting, either utter silence or background music, blood along with Trails of corpses and even some of the communications.

[@TheDyingScotsman]

Way too young to be playing this though. Your parents have not done a very good job

[@gregmulax5870]

I actually thought it was fairly scary a lot of the time as well. The part that got me the hardest was when I was in a seemingly normal room with a second floor that was visible from the first. It wasn't a scary section and I'm pretty sure you were talking to someone in the game at the moment. I casually glanced up to the second floor and Alma was just hanging out up there staring at me. Scared the hell out of me and it was completely missable.

[@davidmacfarlane4761]

I was 24 when i played F.E.A.R. back in the day. There were several areas where I screamed out loud because I was frightened so suddenly!

[@fuzzydunlop7928]

"Have you tried... not thinking about skeletons?" my therapist asks. I look at her. I look at the skeleton inside her trying to trick me.

[@mavymagdowney9798]

Oh god... I... don’t want to think about that.

[@indeimaus]

FEAR is a fantastic game, FEAR 2 was also great - it's a shame about FEAR 3... oh sorry F3AR

[@Muddy.Teabagger]

fear 2 was good till you got the DLC that lasted 30min and cost £6 :( was well gutted when i payed for it.

[@tobblansssss]

When are we getting the top 10 clone trooper waifus?

[@Rainbowhawk1993]

Indeimaus At least the ending to F3AR was satisfying enough IMO.

[@rozza1903]

FTHREEAR

[@majoringram76]

F.E.A.R. 3 is not a bad game. It was not just a game worthy of this mark. The same is true for F.E.A.R. 2 applies. The first game was so good, the follow-up games were normally left behind.

[@PanzerMan332]

I don't think FEAR wasn't scary, I just think that you're a hard person to scare. That basement section that messes with you by showing Alma's shadow is still regarded as one of the scariest sections of any game. And I think that one vision with the long hospital corridor with a bloody ceiling is plenty unnerving.

[@DeathBringer769]

Yea, definitely creeped me out the first playthru, and I do mean beyond just the jumpscares, the most effective of which was the ladder one at the beginning, lol. That one still makes me jump today sometimes even know it's coming, but yea, FEAR did have good atmosphere beyond just "cheap" jumpscares, I agree.

[@xevious21]

Damn that, the section where Alma crawls rapidly toward you for a brief moment in the air vent scared me so bad that I never completed the game :P

[@allxtend4005]

the problem was he wasnt playing it At night with head gear and when it was released in 2005 i think + his brightnes was wrong ... come on like a pussy set it up >.< F.E.A.R 1 was the scariest game i ever played and not the Alien isolation and not another one game scared me that much.

[@allxtend4005]

@@xevious21 Or when she run in the underground from the left to the right side and then the music played i was so scared when i played FEAR i tryed to climb the later as fast as i can all i see that this guys brightnes was very high in this game and i bet he wasnt playing it with doulby surround sound like a headset can do or a real surround sound system. A real and good scary game this is what we need like FEAR 1 was 13 years before kzbin.info/www/bejne/gpK9oolmpJx4jZY this one looking cool release date 2018 but no new release date anymore ... really boring

[@4T3hM4kr0n]

yeah that basement section is still pretty damned scary even today.

[@w4stedspace]

Really great video on a game with a strong sense of nostagia for me, the angles on what made the AI so memorable were enlightening. Thanks!

[@samerm8657]

Then I hope You have checked the F.E.A.R. videos by GVMERS and DXFan619 ;-) And yeah, this one is good too, I kind of respect how the vid creators doesn't shy away from criticizing the game wherever he sees it lacking. Though personally the scary/horror stuff worked very well on me.

[@ThreeProphets]

w4sted, how are you not verified?

[@w4stedspace]

@@ThreeProphets Gotta 'request' it and tbh I'm really not that bothered :)

[@Mant111]

Lovely video. I don't agree on the commenting about the horror parts though. There were a lots more scary parts than the ones you commented. That scene on the ladder where the game pulls a fast one on you by first displaying Alma thus having you go "oh here's the scare" and then pull a SUPRISE FETTEL in your face got me good.

[@Whitelight]

Thanks! I'll admit that it's scary. But it's for all the wrong reasons IMO.

[@uros.u.novakovic]

That part will forever be in my brain. I will never forget how much I shat my pants there.

[@Dung30n]

"surprise fettel" needs to be a meme

[@legion999]

That got me too. I completely expected the scare at the top of the ladder but one on the bottom blindsided me.

[@zachariasnoack4894]

That section was *nasty*. I could remember the Alma scare being shown in a video years ago but the the Vettel got me hard.

[@lefr33man]

"people remember FEAR because of its combat" And that fucking ladder. also, I feel like the game is even better when you don't use the slowmo.

[@DeathBringer769]

That double jumpscare at the ladder part near the beginning is infamous. It was even present in the demo that came out a few months before release that a lot of people played, lol. Got me too.

[@CaveyMoth]

I forgot about the ladder, lol.

[@toxn1xwaste378]

Hey the slow mo is just awesome in this game! And the hitscans are sick without it xD

[@TheDyingScotsman]

Nope. The slowmo was an integral part of the game and made it very unique in that way.

[@wimpybanana7598]

The slowmo didn't make it "very" unique, considering numerous other games done it and newer ones still do it, it just made the game playable because without it, shooting at the super soldiers would be like trying to shoot the wings off a fly.

[@Whitelight]

Correction: Norton was in the vault to wipe evidence, not to help Harlan. Harlan shot Norton to stop him from blowing up the vault. And just to clarify, you only get a lot of particle weapon ammo in Interval 8 and onwards. It appears very infrequently before.

[@destruction42k]

Loving this videos and this channel! I hope everything going well!

[@DueP_DoG]

Thanks for the clarification-keep up the impressive work!

[@kenji214245]

The reason Alma and the brother are so weird is that they suffer from schizophrenia. Alma was in a mental hospital. Thus the teenage version is her crazy side and the child version is her normal side. Which is why she sometimes attacks and sometimes helps. And then just que family drama

[@destruction42k]

What's her decayed adult form?

[@Whitelight]

That's not true.

[@cheemburger3850]

I love it how they communicate and ACTUALLY do it instead of doing nothing and they use their environment such as kicking stuff to open areas pulling down Cabinets to make cover etc.

[@killernik13]

So now that I've actually finished the video, I just want to say this. I absolutely LOVED the gameplay part, especially the breakdown about the AI. That was really awesome to watch and I'm definitely looking forward to more segments like that!

[@Xyos212]

Bullet effects used POM (Parallax Occlusion Mapping) not bump mapping. One of the first uses of POM in gaming. Little harsh on the story and horror IMO, but still a very nice video. Thanks for highlighting this awesome game.

[@peppefrasca5179]

13 years later it's still one of the better FPS AI, and without any fish.

[@BLARGHALT]

One thing I kind of love about the horror aspect of FEAR is that it almost make you *relieved* when you start hearing soldier chatter after something spooky happens. Going from something you have no control over something you don't really understand to a threat that's mundane, but still very much real.

[@freedantheeternal]

Man, it's good to hear someone actually understand the level design of this game. I remember seeing so many reviews when this game came out hating the level design because they just didn't get it.

[@ComaradComisar]

Really good video, though I disagree with the story and "wannabe horror" bit you said. I was 14 when I played FEAR for the first time and I was in awe with this game, it had me on the edge of my seat when I played it at 3 in the morning (for some reason). Trying to listen to every bit of the story from the recorders while watching the dark creepy hallways around me trying not to get jumped. I still remember freaking out when alma shows up in the elevator and at the end of ladders... and it's been 11 years since I last touched this gem. Of course if I played it now it wouldn't be the same, but I would still really enjoy it.

[@Chris-tz9yr]

B

[@JobeStroud]

Well. Now i have to play FEAR again. Thanks!

[@simonaspalovis1204]

I think the reason Alma attacked Pointman at the beginning of the game was because she thought you were just a random soldier like the rest - after all, Pointman was wearing a mask at all times during the game. However, after that encounter, she never attacks you. Instead, she - for the most part - just observes you. Fettel even stated that "she cannot see into your mind" but perhaps "The Pointman can see into hers", which I think is why it took Alma some time to figure out that Pointman is her son and why Pointman is able resist her and Fettel's psychic influence to a degree. As for Alma spooking the Pointman throughout the game, we only need to look at her appearance - she's a child. She seems to have both the curiousity and the playfulness of one, but in a very twisted way. At times she observes you. At other times, she is just wondering around. Sometimes, she appears to be playing hide and seek with you. A couple of times, she even seems to want to hug you or be close to you. (because at that point, she knows who you are). Also, those demonic spirits, that attack you during hallucinations? They are manifestations of her nightmares, which she cannot control (at least her child form cannot, it seems). That's why you can sometimes hear Alma sounding scared, when they are around. As for Alma's true, adult form - that's another case entirely. Child Alma and adult Alma can both be regarded as different sides of Alma. If her child form is childish playfulness, curiosity and frigthening loneliness, then her adult form is boiled up hatred for everything and everyone. I think that's also the reason, why she tries to actually kill you during the end of the game (and why you have to fight her back and keep your distance).

[@Hulksterx]

Damn, One of the first games I ever played on PC, Can't wait to see this.

[@TheChris1299100]

This makes me feel old.

[@gameshark528]

The days you had your mates come over to play it and you had to leave the side off and use an industrial fan to keep the GPU cool.

[@Bilaros93]

The 2-1 jumpscare in 33:50 scared me for life. I played the demo which had that exact scene in it at the tender age of 12 and it absolutely scared the shit out of me. SPOILER AHEAD When Alma appeared, I got so spooked that I accidentally jumped off the ladder and before having anytime to process what had happened, Paxton also walks towards me and freaked me the fuck out. FEAR's horror was effective for me, but all your criticisms of it is absolutely valid. The duality between "one-man army" and "scared shitless of a small girl" can put a lot of people of. I think it was in the 1st expansion where you are running down a tunnel and there's a bunch of soldiers rushing towards you, but Alma appears and vaporizes everyone but you. This, I believe, is the only time in FEAR and its two expansions where the supernatural melds with the action. I wonder if the two could become a gameplay mechanic. When you needed an extra bit of help, you could call Alma for help and she'd kill a couple of enemies but the cost would be that everything would be spookier. I don't know, it sounds like a cool concept but would probably suck gameplay-wise

[@Whitelight]

I don't know, with a good bit of balancing it could be cool. That's just what F.E.A.R's horror needed. Anything to blend action FPS and horror.

[@DeathBringer769]

Yea, that ladder part has been infamous for years for that very reason, lol. A lot of us had a similar experience. Made me shit my pants briefly even at age 17 back then, lol. Playing FEAR on my high end PC back during my high school days that I bought with summer job money... good times.

[@fakenews6133]

Lol, I stupidly walked off the cliff and ruined the scare by landing on Paxtons head and laughing hystarically when I realized it was supposed to be scary.

[@russellflemister393]

same here i love f.e.a.r even to this day can still scare the shit out of me even knowing what's coming it's very addictive

[@j.h-j5j]

Maybe the more you ask of Alma help. You get nearer to a evil, bad ending.

[@thebiggeridiot]

with all the reviewers out there, it's rare to see any that actually delves into a game's level design and gameplay mechanics and how they work with each other. you are one of the few that do and it's much appreciated :)

[@MaximG.]

29:10 - Actually, Alma *didn't* know who PM is until the final hallucination. And those spooky ghosts don't attack you after that.

[@DXFromYT]

I think a bit of the narrative criticism here is unwarranted, and explained rather plainly in the game. But the state of the script and the presentation is likely to blame here, as much as I like said presentation. Other than that, great video. Love the detail here. If you ever want to chat FEAR (...I don't like FEAR 2 either), hit me on Twitter.

[@keepitclean1293]

love that ODST music in the background.

[@danielg3857]

oh, what the hell, I've played the shit out of that game but it's so subtle in the video

[@idkwhattoputhere4695]

Yes

[@GraphicJ]

Oh my oh my, time to reinstall F.E.A.R. again. ;)

[@HeinousAnusOG]

> 'fear is not even scary' > scary moment occurs > shits pants

[@Whitelight]

Because as we all know, if the reviewer shows a single example that doesn't adhere to their point, the entire point is disproven.

[@HeinousAnusOG]

geeez you're on a rampage! it's a typical joke man

[@kameronsheppard8158]

Another point worth talking about is Alma never tries to kill you because she knows your her son. In the final vision of you running through the burning hospital, she's trying to embrace you and just doesn't realize that will kill you in the process

[@toakovika]

The Wade family is so fucking sad. Alma just wants a life with her kids. :(

[@xxfalconarasxx5659]

2:08 That's actually technically not a Bumb Mapping. It is called Steep Parallax Mapping (or Virtual Displacement Mapping). It uses texture maps to create a 3D rendering, giving models a sense of depth. It is great on flat surfaces or low polygon models, since it saves the hassle of having to model such overly fine features on an object. FEAR, Crysis, and STALKER were some of the first games to use this graphical enhancement. I'm surprised how rarely it shows up in games.

[@ultraindigo]

Thank you, I came down to the comments to find if anyone else noticed this criminally underused technology.

[@fuzzydunlop7928]

lol bumb mapping. When the ass so massive you need to hire a cartographer just to keep track.

[@ineednochannelyoutube5384]

This is when you have a second texture thats parallax scrolli g behind the surface one and is revealed by alpha holes right?

[@troyroberts9489]

A man can only dream of a Fear remake that rivals the RE2 remake Just imagine a fear remake with even further improved Ai and everything else on the same level

[@simplycifer]

With FEAR and Prototype, all you'd have to do is a critque of the Condemned franchise to complete my trifecta of games I played an edgy teenager

[@SuiMachine]

2:12 - As far as I know, the textures are called "height maps" and the shading technique that allows for them to appear 3D is called parallax mapping (there are different variants of it, but generally it's referred to as parallax mapping, sometimes as relief mapping). Bump mapping on the other hand simulates depth only for lighting and simple stuff like distorting reflections etc.

[@Whitelight]

Parallax occlusion mapping according to some other commenters.

[@A_Bottle-Of_Orange_Crush]

In a generation full of remasters, this is easily my number one wish. I absolutely loved all of the F.E.A.R games, even the third one. Favorite FPS of all time.

[@ALMOSTNKKD]

Now what about a full on Dead Space style Remake

[@egekara7145]

this game doesnt need a remaster

[@A_Bottle-Of_Orange_Crush]

I've picked up all of the F.E.A.R games on PC since making this comment. I'd still buy a console remaster, but I'm good now.

[@valance10]

@@egekara7145Agreed, I think part of the charm of FEAR comes from the 2005 graphics

[@Daedalus4]

Actually, Alice Wade's fear of flying was just a throwaway line. The real reason she doesn't want to go with F.E.A.R. is because she's worried about her dad and doesn't want to leave without him. And i can't believe you didn't mention Betters as a good character in this game. Not only does he have the best acting after Harlan, he keeps in contact with you through the whole game and essentially becomes an interesting mix of narrator and guy who is as shocked about Armacham's practices as you are as you discover them together.

[@esanscoopsers7538]

the thumbnail says 10 years ago, the title says 13 years ago, and the video was posted 5 years ago. i'm so confused.

[@decatrophy]

Really awesome video! I was totally captivated the entire time even though it is such a long video. F.E.A.R still is probably my all time favourite FPS. Your video really made me appreciate the game even more. There really has not been an FPS game in these past thirteen years that has come even close to F.E.A.R's standards. I can't say that I agreed with all your views on the horror aspects of the game but I think it all comes down to how it felt the first time you played it. I found Alma really scary because back then I had not seen any Asian horror films and I also found Paxton really interesting and creepy, but then again F.E.A.R was also the first horror game I ever played. I really liked the story as well but thirteen years later I can see why it might appear a bit used up. I can't wait for your video on F.E.A.R 2 because I really enjoyed it too. Not as much as the first game but still very enjoyable.

[@DeadManProp]

I love FEAR. Such an underrated series. In my opinion, Extraction Point and FEAR 2 were some of the creepiest horror games of all time.

[@RedValue]

What? You dare compare me to IGN? Just kidding, huge thanks for the shoutout! I owe you bigtime! Although, I do want to let you guys know that content output is currently very low because I'm in the process of writing and finishing up my thesis. So don't expect any large amounts of reviews coming in currently, but I'll definitely be coming back with a bang soon enough!

[@DinnerForkTongue]

Red Value Gaming Good luck with the thesis, bro, I know how awful university work can get.

[@RedValue]

Thanks, greatly appreciated! I'm enjoying the work, but it is still a lot of it . Looking forward to being done with it!

[@DinnerForkTongue]

Red Value Gaming Well, the research and development part of the thesis is fun, but the actual writing part... Uuuuugh. Believe me, when you're done, you will feel SO FREE!

[@RedValue]

Too true. Unfortunately, I will not be free afterwards because I'll then have to do yet another thesis! (Don't ask me why though). But on the bright side, that one will only be a Bachelor Thesis and will involve doing an upgrade for the redvaluegaming.com website! In that sense, I get to combine my hobby and work into one :D

[@hemangchauhan2864]

Daamn... Did not expect you to go THIS deep. Perhaps the most multifaceted look on FEAR I've seen. I too share the same sentiment that horror in FEAR should not be striped away, despite it seems like it would benefit from it otherwise. It makes the identity of the game. Also, little feedback. Try to use the on-screed text, a little less often. Trying to concentrate on both what you are speaking and what you've written in a few seconds are rather hard.

[@Whitelight]

I get that. It's a trade off. Do you want the video to flow better or do you want there to be a lower chance that people read the text. Usually it's best that there's no text at all. It's an issue that has to solved early because the text is to correct or add something that I missed. I will make an effort.

[@WifiPillow]

As long as the text pieces are short and to the point it shouldn't be an issue, was fine in this video except with the text occasionally blurring with the video (perhaps give the text borders?)

[@freakylier911]

Whitelight I think you should keep them. Some of them gave me a good chuckle, which is always great for long videos like this. loved this video definitely will subscribe and wait for the next one!

[@maya_gameworks]

Use hacks: STOP TIME and read them with ease like a true F.E.A.R. operative :)

[@nexusshark]

I usually use the Particle Gun on Heavy armors and Powered Armors.

[@tritonk1759]

It's so powerful because it's possibly supposed to be used as you just said.

[@Gruntvc]

FEAR 1 is the best. FEAR Extraction Point is 2nd. FEAR 2 and its DLC expansion were great. But Fear 3 and The absolutely terrible FEAR Online killed this once great franchise. 2018/2019 needs an FPS like Fear. 2017 was one of the worst years ever for FPS games. Great review, looking forward to seeing the next one!

[@sagenebula7120]

Genome Soldat I liked the co-op focus/ rivalry focus of the game, I just wish it was scarier and felt less like cods gunplay.

[@TrueChaoSclx]

FEAR 3 was fun, but the story... jfc the story sucked. It sucked so much that it stood out for sucking so much.

[@Rammkommando]

I liked the atmosphere of some of the levels in FEAR 3 but the majority of them didnt have that horror vibe, the only level that i was reminded this is a horror game was the market level which is my favorite level of the whole game based on its atmosphere

[@Rammkommando]

+inthenostalgia what makes FEAR 2 so bad? its my favorite of the series when it comes to fun gameplay, if wanted more horror i play the first one honestly

[@Boltscrap]

Perseus Mandate sits in a corner, crying for being forgotten, even though it has all of my fauvorite weapons in the series, and some good, unsettling scenes.

[@mattbaratta2748]

That monitor you shot at 3:07 had a scary alma appearance in it. Just hear appearing behind the dude being captivated and then disappearing then it rewinds. Like the replicas were catching ghost activity and didn’t know what to make of it. The details of this game, damn this game was so much fun.

[@superuber27]

Playing this game on the hardest difficulty without reflex mode was a great experience. I stopped using it quite early on because it sort of made aiming not a thing that you had to do. It seemed like there were a bit too many health kits at times as well. Other than that it's a really slick and satisfying game but I wish it made more use of its setting instead of just having boring scripted sequences and a terrible plot.

[@Whitelight]

How did you find the later levels with no reflex? And was that your first playthrough? Also, if you want a huge challenge, try extraction point with no reflex.

[@superuber27]

I don't remember too much, it was a couple years ago. I think some of the mech sections were a bit annoying. Indeed it was my first playthrough, and yeah I did the same for the two expansions. My playtime on Steam is 9h for the base game, 5h for Extraction Point, and 6h for Perseus Mandate, if that gives you any idea of how much trouble they gave me.

[@Whitelight]

M8 how. Last level of extraction point on highest difficulty with no reflex. On your FIRST PLAYTHROUGH. That's incredible.

[@superuber27]

I don't know, I'd say I'm quite good at FPS games but now you're making me doubt myself. I'm reinstalling Extraction Point right now to jog my memory and see how it feels.

[@superuber27]

Just played for a bit and reporting back, I forgot how annoying some of those holdout sections are. I just did the one in the shipping container area in chapter 2 of Extraction Point. Because enemies can melt you you really do have to use all your tools which they give you in abundance. There's tons of grenades and medpacks and guns, and from there you just have to aim fast, stun enemies, stick to cover and use lean, get closer when you can so your bullet spread doesn't miss, and check your back all the time or throw grenades where you think they may be coming from and that gives you a safe window to concentrate on another direction. And last but not least you have to keep a trigger finger on medpack because you really do just seem to lose a ton of health randomly sometimes, even from long distance.

[@spanishnameisjesus]

FEAR scared the piss out of me when I first played it, meaning I was about ten or eleven. Replaying it I wasn't scared at all, EXCEPT for that hallway scene where she scuttles out of the dark! I remember that one from a kid, and it got me as an adult too.

[@ShadowMk3]

I loved F.E.A.R. like hell. There is seriously no end to the love I have for it, now and forever. I think you are a bit on the harsh side with the story, but that's all right I get what you are saying about it!

[@metitfour131]

I remember being in highschool and playing my sister's copy. I'd sit in the dark with nothing but sweet tea and saltines at 10 PM, scared shitless. I really appreciate FEAR and your thorough analyzations make me want to play it again.

[@zesty2023]

Norton Mapes wasn't helping Harlen, he was sent there by Genevieve Aristide to destroy evidence of ATC's involvement, Harlen was there on his own accord and shot Norton because he was trying to blow up the facility.

[@PenumbraPlays]

As a huge fan of the F.E.A.R. series myself. I'd like to offer some resource information to make playing the game work better for people. A site called PCGamingWiki is a great help for any game. There are single file downloads on there that you can add to your F.E.A.R. game files that will fix issues. The issues with low FPS because of Logitech Devices can now be resolved with just a single file. So you don't have to manually disable all HID devices. You can also increase the font size of the subtitles as they don't seem to scale with higher resolutions. There are plenty of other solutions for problems you may have with the game not running optimally. I hope this helps people to enjoy this game still or for the first time. It is definitely one of the best of its genre.

[@azaph_yt]

Yes, there's the "FEAR FPS fix" for instance, which is basically just a single .dll file. It can be found on the GOG.com forums also. Didn't know you could scale up the tiny fonts though, that's good to know.

[@solokom]

Best AI system in a shooter untill today. I will never forget the first time when I realized how good it was. I was standing on one this metal walkway and suddenly I saw a soldier through the grid running along beneath me to flank me from the back while the second soldier in the front was supressing me. I was just like "WTF? You sneaky bastard!" - such clever behavior was unseen in 2005! They killed me, but I was happy nevertheless because of the great experience this was. :D

[@ineednochannelyoutube5384]

The original Half Life had behaviours like that. halo CE had demonstrably better, with more variation.

[@Omnikron228]

One of my favorite things about the first game was how it introduced new enemies without any sort of fanfare. I was unaware of the Heavy Armor's existence until it smashed through those double doors at the water treatment plant and I also didn't know about the Power Armor's existence until it came down that lift in ATC headquarters. We did catch glimpses of the Assassin before actually fighting them, but my first time took me by surprise as well. I see a blurred thing in a dark room and I thought the graphics were screwing up. I went to take a closer look then I realized it was fairly human shaped before actually processing what it was, the Assassin de-cloaked and slapped me a bit before running off. Each time I was introduced to the specialized enemies, my eyes went wide with a "WHAT THE FUCK?!" to accompany it. This is one of those games I wish I could forget and play a first time all over again.

[@49mozzer]

This is good but I think you flopped a bit on the story. Not arguing whether it's good or bad but there are some points you got wrong or didn't touch on. Norton isn't helping Harlan he's follow Aristide's orders to destroy any evidence of Project Origin. In fact she's probably the one who ordered ATC security to start gunning down task force members as well as any other outsiders such as the pointman. Harlan on the other hand couldn't give less of a toss about covering up Origin as he knows destroying the evidence won't change the past. Though I'm pretty sure the only reason he shoots Norton is because he was being an annoying lapdog. Alma died after giving birth to the second prototype (Fettel) not after giving birth to the pointman and they were born in a hospital in Aurburn which was also where you go in the first level.

[@Whitelight]

Yeah, I got norton's motivations wrong. Will admit.

[@ineednochannelyoutube5384]

I got the impression that you are the second prototype and Fettel is the first.

[@shiruba7019]

Alma didn't die after giving birth to Fettel either. She died 10 years later after the "Synchronicity Event": Alma linked telepathically with Fettel and as a result he killed a bunch of Armacham's employees. Armacham realized that Fettel is controlled by Alma and is very dangerous, so they locked him up and shut down Alma's life supporting system.

[@relixa1560]

"What's your status?!" "Shut the fuck up." -Actual dialogue between 2 replica soldiers, this never repeated itself.

[@clydemarshall8095]

Maybe I’m easy to please, but I actually really enjoyed FEAR’s story.

[@vdayucla]

THIS video is why I subscribed to your channel. "F.E.A.R." is so groundbreaking that, in July 2017, I decided to start a 6-month video project to count up the number of enemies who die over the course of the entire "F.E.A.R." franchise. On 21 January, the same day I uploaded the final video of my project, you uploaded this first video in your retrospective on the entire "F.E.A.R." franchise. I've watched this channel like a hawk ever since. Oh, and if you're wondering, you kill 2,035 enemies over the course of all the (canonical) "F.E.A.R." games!

[@V_y-r_e]

Cannot wait to see this! Btw, have you seen Dxfan619's Fear retrospective? I think you'd find it interesting as someone who enjoys FEAR.

[@RTX4050Games]

Thanks fr the suggestion i will check it out

[@Whitelight]

No, I haven't. But I'm going to watch it along with Noah Gervais's video the moment I finish F.E.A.R 2 and 3. I don't want to spoil myself.

[@crocve]

I only played FEAR a few years after it came out, but it is a game I like to go back (there are very few games where I do that) usually 2 to 2 years, because of how good it is - not so much for the horror, but more for the action.

[@JayandJay223344]

13:38 *to be continued*

[@onyxtay7246]

Remote grenades are useful for setting a trap that needs specific timing. If you know an armored enemy will be coming around a corner, but don't know when, that's when they're most useful.

[@kered13]

The remote grenades are good for throwing and then immediately detonating, like you show in the video. You can do that to a group of enemies to quickly wipe them out.

[@Whitelight]

The frag immediately detonates on hit. It's worse than the frag in every way. I later showed a bit where they stuck to ceilings to kill people on a higher level, but again, frag would've bounced and got much closer. Remote's have their uses, but only when you have no frags IMO. So I suppose they're not useless, but poorly balanced.

[@kered13]

That requires a direct hit with the frag, which isn't always possible or easy. The remote grenade is more reliable in this regard, and can be used against enemies that you can't directly see (like behind corners). In multiplayer the remote grenades were actually way better than the frag grenades, but that's multiplayer.

[@Whitelight]

But then I'd rather bounce a frag off a wall and get the grenade in closer. I suppose that you could argue that the remote grenades are more reliable though. And I can see how remote grenades would work better in multiplayer.

[@benox50]

in multiplayer they are really strong, you can even use them for extra explosion close to a prox. mine, but you must go get them in the map. In multiplayer, you can protect an entrance with them, watch an other entrance and keep your ears open for enemies sounds so you know when to detonate it. Its not camping, its waiting for the slowmo to recharge :D Then you activate slowmo, you avoid the attack of the upcoming enemies, you heal yourself in your way and you punch the guy in the face, then watching his head spin and his ragdoll ridiculously bounce in slowmo :D One thing I like to do is stick a remote to someone then wait till he join other people, then I dont detonate it but I shoot at the guy who have it until he dies, then when he dies it explodes cause ofc its FEAR, so it must explode :D

[@trmblingblustar]

I remember when i first bought this game. It was unplayable with the P4 and FX 5500 I had at the time. I could start it, but it ran at like 5 fps once the character moved. After building a new PC around 2007, I was amazed by the dynamic lighting where you could actually see your character's shadow on the walls as you move around. There are many games today that don't do that as well!

[@razziboi8588]

Your videos are so well put together!!

[@daeviiwbu3479]

I saw this video 2 years ago on personal account, and was hooked. You're video essays truly speak to me especially the Mirror's Edge one. It was like you were in my head when I played. Awesomeness

[@draconianmethods7110]

Such a good in depth review. Great job man.

[@Mifian]

I'm not sure how many wholesome comments you get, but I'm an avid fan of video essay's and yours are incredibly detailed, well thought out, and well spoken. Keep doing them so I can keep watching! :D

[@kalplays9922]

I didn't enjoy F.E.A.R. 2 either. So much so that I didn't bother with 3. I felt the sequel lost the sense of mystery and suspence that the first one possessed. The few times Alma showed up to spook the player is what gave her moments so much impact. You couldn't really predict when those moments would happen. In the sequel, however, she practically showed up in every other room. This in turn also breaks up the action too much. She quickly loses her scare-factor as a result.

[@CruelestChris]

The main problem was that FEAR had explained exactly what Alma was, but the sequel tried to use her the same way. Which is rather like a magician trying to astonish you with a trick after showing you how it works.

[@QuakeGamerROTMG]

I feel like the combat can absolutely add to the horror side, any time getting near the end of a combat sequence as things calm down and the enemy soldiers get more and more afraid as their numbers dwindle it would make me snap out of "look at me, I'm a badass" mode and make me realise just how horrific the results of the combat are. Corpses, blood and debris strewn all around while soldiers cower in fear because of me? Whenever I become aware of that it makes me take a step back and feel like maybe I'm the horrific monster in all of this. It's like Doom 2016 except these aren't demons, they're meant to represent real people. Not to mention the general tension you feel on higher difficulties where the combat is genuinely difficult and requires you to use actual tactics or the AI will absolutely hunt you down and kill you in no time. It plays quite well into what you mentioned near the end of the video, that feeling of being hunted.

[@DamienAzreal]

I do kind of enjoy, how nobody seems to have noticed certain elements about the weapons in FEAR. Something Monolith addressed in FEAR 2. Firstly, the majority of the weapons... don't actually feature a reload animation. The Point Man lowers the weapon off screen, then raises it back up with full ammo and a small hand animation. The SMJ and single pistol are among the few weapons to feature a full animation. Secondly, several of the weapons are tweaked/remade models of older weapon models from previous Monolith games. The dual pistols, shotgun are reworked versions of the same weapons from Shogo:MAD. Along with the Penetrator being a reworked model of Shogo's assault rifle. Part of why there are so many Shogo winks in FEAR. Also, the G2A2 in FEAR is a tweaked model of Blood 2's assault rifle. FEAR 2 went past this with completely brand new models, and each weapon having a detailed and fully animated reload animation.

[@justinritter5028]

@whitelight i just discovered you on youtube and want to say thank you for youre stellar analysis videos. anyhow FEAR is a game ill never forget, irs physics based combat was second to none and its absolutely sad we will likely never see another fear game again since the industry is greed driven instead of actually making a quality game anymore. Monolith arw focused on middle earth games and condemned and fear 2 incredible franchises are left in the dust. Whitelight- if you had to pick a developer to revive fear one final time who would ut be in your opinion? id say either Tripwire (Killing floor developer) or maybe even machine games

[@Caboose387]

Seriously great video. I have a lot of love for this series (well, at least the first game and its expansions) and I love when KZbinrs do in-depth videos about it like this. But I wanna say one thing about the story. The reason for all the spooks throughout the game is because Alma is actually trying to contact you telepathically. She was born with her psychic abilities, but apparently her hatred for her father from all of the experiments that were done to her over the course of her life is what kept her consciousness or spirit alive, so to speak, but she only had so much influence outside of the vault. The closer you get to the vault, the more paranormal anomalies occur, at least for the general population of the city, which I believe has something to do with why some areas of the game are abandoned. The spooks, specifically the hallucinations are Alma trying to link to you telepathically. She's trying to make you remember who you are. She's actually trying to act as your guide, helping you through the game, which is why no one else in the game seems to ever see any of these apparitions or visions, save for people she kills directly, like the Delta soldiers at the warehouses. When Harlan releases her from the vault, her consciousness is no longer confined to it, which basically amplifies her power. The apparitions you see are no longer because of a telepathic link, she's actually creating these things within the real world, and she's the one creating those ghost-like enemies at the end. It might all be absolutely ridiculous, but there is a reason for it all. Also, I'd like to add that as much as I like the idea of an Alma that dynamically stalks you throughout the game in the way you described, I don't think it would really work given the context of the story because she's never trying to kill you, only connect with you. As far as I can remember, the only time Alma can ever even hurt you directly is after she's been freed near the end of the game, and you have to shoot her while she walks towards you. The reason she's able to kill you in that instance is because she's trying to literally merge with you in the same way she has with Paxton, and the Point Man canonically must reject her. She's never actually trying to kill him, nor would she have actually wanted to. Like I said, I think it's a really neat idea, it would just contradict the story and Alma's motivations, but I suppose you could use that as another example for why the story is kinda dumb.

[@Caboose387]

That's not too far off from one of the endings of F.E.A.R. 3, actually.

[@gregthesplintercell]

F.E.A.R 13 years later. And this video is 5 years old now. I remember when this game first released.

[@dyinglaughing.]

I never used slo mo. I forgot about the ability at the beginning but since I used it once at the start I never got the achievement 😢

[@Agenta-df3gb]

I just found your youtube channel and watched this entire video. I have to say, I really liked this content and will definetally be viewing your other Fear videos when they come out.

[@LittleRainGames]

The ai do have eyes, its called ray casting. Not to be confused with ray tracing.

[@timofaust1315]

even 13 years later, still one of the best SP FPS experiences. Faulty, but way ahead of its time in many facettes.

[@insanejughead]

This was a great 42 minutes of my life. F.E.A.R and its multiplayer kept my friendships going strong when I was stationed in Turkey. Your analysis was great and has made me proud.

[@glucosaminecondroitan9135]

I am replaying F.E.A.R. on 360 and it still looks and plays good.

[@DarrenHoussein]

im about to play through them on 360 too but I only remember playing 3 when ti was new, I was too young to play and enjoy the first 2 but I think I played a little bit of 2.

[@ohamatchhams]

Have you consider making in depth videos on Ghost Recon series, Borderlands games or Splinter Cell titles?

[@Whitelight]

Yeah, I've written a part of a script on wildlands. Splinter cell sounds cool. I want to cover borderlands eventually.

[@nikodemvankenobi]

Whitelight If you do Splinter Cell, you got yourself a lifelong fan

[@Whitelight]

Haha, I'll keep that in mind.

[@raresmacovei8382]

You doing Splinter Cell would be so amazing.

[@bedebatters2102]

Really great video and I think much needed praise for a game that stands forever as one of my favourite FPS experiences. Not sure how many times i've played through Perseus Mandate but it's at least three full times, all on the maximum difficulty level. The idea that they wanted to create an action movie game makes a lot of sense because the more you play it like a movie the better it is in my opinion. I don't always do the best or most efficient thing in combat but instead let the amazing AI and level design allow me to create epic combat moments. I'll easily play and re-play a fight section tens of times before moving on (often on hardcore I have to repeat just to make it through). That's the other thing though, the difficulty levels are nicely done too, because reflex mode is so powerful and skill is so important in combat, it allows you to actually get really good at extreme difficulty levels. If I leave it for a bit then jump back into a save I get my ass handed to me, until I'm able to retrain my reactions to fit where they were when I last left. I think approaching it like a movie also helps with the jump scares and tension. Yeah it is a cliched and confusing story, but I sort of like it still. I find the predictability of the horror sections and combat sections work well to give that sense of foreboding. As soon as the hud flickers and you hear the static noise you feel dread building up that 'something' is coming for you. Same with the combat, once the Fear section is over you know a fight is coming and the first Replicant message you pick up sets your adrenaline pumping. Also as a side note I feel like they did a LOT to make the horror in Perseus Mandate a much bigger and scarier part of the game, I certainly get (and continue to get) a few nice scares from it. The sequels couldn't have disappointed me more, sadly. :/ and I pray that someday someone learns the lessons of this original game and make something equally satisfying and re-playable. Looking forwards to the next videos!

[@0NodMan0]

*_I don't think I slowed down time in F.E.A.R. once..._*

[@Whitelight]

Uhhhh. You missed out my friend.

[@PaulJohnsonM]

Outstanding, my friend. Neither did I. I did sweat out my armpits from performance stress, though.

[@everinghall8622]

@@Whitelight It was interesting to try not using the reflex mode, while also not becoming a cover shooter, every single sound becomes an enemy who could be flanking you, it allows the AI to pressure you into real fight or flight situations, when you don't have reflex to return fire, you have to immediately assess whether your current position will get you killed, or whether you should flee to a superior position, as well as making it harder to constantly pressure the enemy and prevent them from flanking or stacking up to rush you. It was a different experience.

[@WaukWarrior360]

Fuck you. Lies🤬

[@dshvd2410]

3:44 Unfortunately, you are incorrect. I remember this moment (just as I remember every single goddamn scary moment in original FEAR). You enter a long corridor in the beginning of interval 4 level 2, you see dust kicked up in the ceiling, hear the sounds of assassins stomping, and then the door a few feet ahead of you slams shut. It leads to a broom closet. If you enter it, more sounds in the ceiling will be heard. And when you exit the broom closet, Fettel will appear to your left, he will be visible through the glass. If you don't go to the broom closet, Fettel will NOT appear, and no scare will occur. You just looked in the wrong direction.

[@INFILTR8US]

You are wildly wrong about the quality of FEAR's story, the ending in particular. This is a computer game, not Shakespeare. Oh well, I'll let the cumulative positive user reviews speak for themselves.

[@Whitelight]

Hahahha. Yeah OK man.

[@INFILTR8US]

Don't get me wrong, I loved the review, but you need to remember that you are looking at something through a 13-years-later lens. The delivery of the story, combined with sound and imagery, was a lot more profound than it is now, especially for an action shooter. The entire vault sequence is still some of the best atmosphere in the genre as far as buildup. You seemed to be too preoccupied with your cold procedural dissection, but you forgot to step back and view the painting as a whole.

[@Whitelight]

I'm not laughing at your opinion, I'm laughing that you think mine is objectively wrong. It's fine to believe what you do, and to have justification. I simply disagree.

[@INFILTR8US]

Ah yes, that old cop-out. Oh well. I could provide another counter-point but my brain's already moved on to other things. Peace

[@Whitelight]

I'm the one with the cop out? Do you read what you're writing? Are you trolling me because I really can't tell.

[@zebare726]

13 year..Damn time fly by so fast.

[@hemangchauhan2864]

Play FEAR 3 in coop

[@Whitelight]

Yeah will do. Apparently I'm supposed to pick Paxton.

[@sagenebula7120]

Whitelight Paxton is really fun.

[@draconianmethods7110]

Oh boy fear 3 gonna be a doozy lol.

[@MrFRNTIK]

it's such a terrible game that I can't even get halfway through it on a second playthrough.

[@ninjaofnerds7602]

Whitelight dont play fear 3, it makes aliens colonial marines look like a masterpiece. Iirc 1 and its dlc were amazing, 2 was pretty fun and 3 was baaad

[@Hean]

F.E.A.R. was the game that I had enough fun with to dare to fight against my fear (no pun intended) with horror games that I got from an accidental demo play of Silent Hill. Ended up loving this game so much and I wish that I could still get my hands on a goddang Armacham beanie pff. Really great work, appreciate anyone who'd share the knowledge of F.E.A.R.

[@Peter_Siri]

The concept of AI-driven horror in invaluable, given that one of the most recent action role-playing games that implement it successfully was Arkane Studio's Prey: its suspense elevates when a player traverses through vacant environments where enemies hide in plain sight, when changes in music indicate approaching danger or detection by enemy NPCs--they literally search the player's last known position once they notice his/her presence, and when changes in the environment are noticed by the player. The implementation of these horror elements would revitalize the legitimacy of action horror game design.

[@robertnrobretual2749]

I love playing F.E.A.R. without bullet time for some reason. It's very unforgiving, but on successive play throughs I think the knowledge of the maps gives the player the opportunity to decimate the enemy without taking much damage. And that's rewarding. I love this game.

[@DeathBringer769]

Yea, I've done similar in Max Payne, beating nearly the entire game without bullet-time for fun. Once you've gotten used to the slow-mo combat for so long, you start to want a higher challenge; it starts to feel more fresh *not* using it somehow after awhile. I agree ;)

[@ashdoglsu]

The slow mo effect is awesome but it's also fun and challenging to play without using the slow mo at all or just sparingly.

[@yt_consistency]

I play all FEAR games without reflex/slo mo, mostly because i change the binds and forget that it exists, its a nice challenge..and i love FEAR because of it

[@reganmccarthy8409]

Your videos are amazing, I could watch them all day, hope to see you make many more!

[@benzass95]

I always figured Alma and Paxton didnt know who you were until near the end and that's why they try to kill you. Then near the end you kill Paxton, and Alma is basically punishing you for it.... kinda like a spanking, but more psychotic

[@reservoir_flow]

Man, I'm so glad I found this channel, cause your content is so in depth and entertaining to watch. Picked up both the Crysis and F.E.A.R. series in sales and haven't looked back since

[@blinkth3dog]

I'm 36 and played it when it came out. I just played through it for the first time since 2004, with my 9yo daughter and we both loved it.

[@DeathBringer769]

Did your 9 year old relate to Alma at all? Lol. And yea I know Alma's body in cold storage is technically older but she still mostly psychically projects as her younger child self (appearing of similar age to a 9 year old girl, for example, which is why I asked what I asked.) Seems like an interesting game to play with your 9 year old daughter, lol.

[@Darusamon]

The impact decals on the walls aren't just bump maps. They're parallax occlusion maps, which were a relatively new thing at the time.

[@Cubinator73]

Dude, when a promising game is anounced, I'm gonna make sure you're one of the playtester :D Great video, I actually feel like I have to play F.E.A.R. now, because the AI seems so cool :)

[@arutzuki2491]

Cubinator73 play it, it's great

[@Scamalasaurus]

It's hard to believe that I'm 32 now this game came out the year that I graduated from high school. Some games just don't go bad with time though. The sequels were a damned shame but the original was absolutely brilliant and still is. My only complaint would be that you can't dual wield The Penetrator:)

[@warmooze]

As far as I remember, the remote grenades were sticky and enemies wouldn't notice them. You could latch one onto a lonely patrol and wait for them to meet their comrades around the corner before pulling the trigger.

[@tianzhao_taipei]

F.E.A.R's AI, Physics and Effects always mesmerize me, all this game need is HD models and that is it, even their lighting system is still freaking great. What's great is they actually got pretty accurate soft shadows, alot of people don't notice this but TURN OFF your anti aliasing and turn on soft shadows and see the difference. "Realistic" shadowing system and accurate compared to games nowadays, but sadly it wont work with anti aliasing, but idc i dont really use anti aliasing in games when i got high resolution lol. FEAR looks really good with AA off and softshadows on.

[@NotUrMomz]

The one where she crawls in the office that you said scared you, scared the hell out of me too lol, did not expect that

[@ineednochannelyoutube5384]

I thought she was an enemy and shot her on reflex. Felt kinda bad about it.