F.E.A.R. (Playstation 3, 2007)

The PS3 version of F.E.A.R. is almost exactly the same as the PC and Xbox 360 versions in terms of content. You play as the newest member of the First Encounter Assault Recon, the military's top-secret task force that is assigned to deal with paranormal situations. And the mission in F.E.A.R. certainly counts as above and beyond the regular call of duty. As explained in the opening sequence, a military commander, named Paxton Fettel, goes insane and takes over a secret army of cloned soldiers that are telepathically linked to him. Fettel and the battalion of elite soldiers then go on a rampage in a nondescript American city.

F.E.A.R. strikes a balance between spooky atmosphere and electric action. The gunfights in the game are impressive. Bullets tear chunks out of concrete and wood, blinding clouds of dust and debris fill the air, bodies are torn apart or slump on the ground, and the deathly silence of the aftermath contrasts sharply with the sheer chaos that erupted only moments before. Gunfights in F.E.A.R. feel right. This is partly because the weapons you have in the game feel the way weapons should—powerful. You have the standard array of guns to play around with, including a pistol, a submachine gun, an assault rifle, a shotgun, and a rocket launcher. There's also a scoped, burst-firing rifle that's a dead ringer for Master Chief's battle rifle in Halo 2, as well as an incredibly nasty particle weapon that sears the flesh off of opponents and a few other special toys.

Other than the game having a bit of lag sometimes, I find nothing wrong with it. The graphics are awesome, and the gameplay is fast and fun. I definitely recommend the game. Buy it, turn off the lights, and enjoy.