F.E.A.R. 2 demo now on Xbox Live, PC (PSN later today)

by Justin McElroy { Jan 22nd 2009 at 12:30PM }

Finally, the long, strange journey of the-game-formerly-not-known-as-F.E.A.R.-2 is nearing its end. As the savvy among you already knew, the demo for F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin has just arrived on the Xbox Live Marketplace as well as on PCs. Update: We've confirmed that it'll be available on PSN later today.

As is so often the case, we've been so busy bringing you the news of the day that we've been unable to carve out a few minutes for ourselves and play it. The responsibility falls to you, beloved readers! What do you make of the demo?

Download – PC demo [Big Download]
Download – Xbox 360 demo [XBLM]

Tags: demos, fear-2, fear-2-project-origin, monolith

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

JB @ Jan 22nd 2009 12:37PM

This demo is awesome download it now!

Chin-Poh (I wuv you Yu Yu Hakusho Abridged!) @ Jan 22nd 2009 12:38PM

Downloading PC demo now.

As one who cannot stand watching horror movies, the first FEAR and its expansions did not scare me one bit, but this sequel looks to change that, at least from the videos alone, it definitely has a much darker tone.

Does anyone know why we aren't able to play as the Point Man from the first game and now just as a Delta Force operative when they kept getting their asses beat in the previous games?

sicsided @ Jan 22nd 2009 12:47PM

I know there were a lot of IP issues concerning monolith and the publishers of the original, and they had to change the title and story quite a bit. Dont know if that was the final reason.

Duke @ Jan 22nd 2009 1:09PM

They said that the time lines of the game overlap. More or less you start this game 30 min before the end of the last game, so you couldn't be the same character as you were at a different area of the city.

WiredKnight @ Jan 22nd 2009 5:35PM

Yea it's darker, I can't see anything!

Blank-Mage @ Jan 22nd 2009 7:16PM

Maybe they still will. Although Alma melting the flesh from your skeleton instantly within the first 15 minutes of gameplay might get tiresome for some. But hey, rest assured someone much more kick-ass will pass by your corpse.

mdparent72 @ Jan 22nd 2009 12:43PM

got it last week on PSN and loved it. can't wait to tear up more with the mech suit.

Strategy_Panda (Pot & Spoon 4 Life) @ Jan 22nd 2009 12:45PM

Played the demo last week on the PSN. Reminds me of Shogo a lot.

The moody/creepy parts are really well done. Appropriately creepy. I found the shooting to be rather boring though.

Multiplayer with the mech suit could be fun, but that remains to be seen

Chin-Poh (I wuv you Yu Yu Hakusho Abridged!) @ Jan 22nd 2009 12:56PM

That's because Monolith also developed Shogo: Mobile Armor Division. There's a secret area in the first FEAR where you can even hear the theme song of Shogo.

Strategy_Panda (Pot & Spoon 4 Life) @ Jan 22nd 2009 1:00PM

I know Lith made Shogo, I'm just surprised that after all these years, their style remains intact.

I.E. the game still feels like a corridor shooter, punctuated by giant robot battles.

The spookey elements are REALLY well done though.

Markez (Sandwich Eating Crew) @ Jan 22nd 2009 2:41PM

Soooooooo, I'm not familiar with the 1st game at all. Is it supposed to be a survival horror game? I still need to get to Silent Hill V and Dead Space, but need a spooky game to go to after that...

Always meant to play a Fatal Frame but never got around to it :(

Strategy_Panda (Pot & Spoon 4 Life) @ Jan 22nd 2009 2:45PM

Its not really survival horror. Its basically a shooter with spooky stuff thrown into the mix. Once you play the demo, you'll understand right away what the game is about.

Walk walk walk, spooky stuff, walk walk, shoot stuff, walk walk spooky stuff, walk walk, shoot stuff, walk, shoot stuff, walk walk walk, spooky stuff, walk walk, giant robot, walk walk, spooky stuff, etc

Blank-Mage @ Jan 22nd 2009 7:17PM

No, sounds like you got Bioshock. Fear has more shootey than it does walkey.

Game_playa @ Jan 22nd 2009 12:49PM

Does the PC version have multiplayer?

Einhanderkiller @ Jan 22nd 2009 5:35PM

What kind of question is that?

Of course it does. (In the full version).

Mikey @ Jan 22nd 2009 12:53PM

holy hell that demo was hot! The way the environments reacted and that alma girl.. Holy crap

Tiptup300 @ Jan 22nd 2009 1:05PM

I love Ef Ee Aye Are!

Sir Buzz Killington( The Artist formerly known as Jakka) @ Jan 22nd 2009 1:20PM

Yeah, I hate backronyms, too.

Alien Lord @ Jan 22nd 2009 1:06PM

Now that my internet is back up after a small glitch I'll have to log into live and download the demo.

el serpiente @ Jan 22nd 2009 3:22PM

Thanks for the update!

Blank-Mage @ Jan 22nd 2009 7:19PM

Oh thank GOD, I was so worried.

mdparent72 @ Jan 22nd 2009 1:07PM

also liked to "timeshift" effect too. never played first game so I dont know if that was new, but very well done.

Ihavepants @ Jan 22nd 2009 6:57PM

Yep, it was a feature of the first game.

Blank-Mage @ Jan 22nd 2009 7:19PM

Is that what they're calling it now? Last I checked it was still bullet-time.

Archon @ Jan 22nd 2009 1:14PM

Um. It's also out on the European PSN... Just to let you guys know...

xGeneral DEATHx @ Jan 22nd 2009 1:44PM

I'll be hitting it up on PSN...my 360 RROD'd on me two nights ago. :-(

Professor Lario @ Jan 22nd 2009 1:46PM

Anyone know whether this one will have a co-op campaign?

jpw21683 @ Jan 22nd 2009 2:27PM

Co-op hasn't been announced, so I'm assuming no.

Don't see how it'd be possible, either, since it's so heavily scripted.

Professor Lario @ Jan 22nd 2009 2:47PM

You may have a point, but if they could do it with the scripted scenes in Halo 3, maybe it would work?

Blank-Mage @ Jan 22nd 2009 7:20PM

Considering it's a horror game, co-op is less likely. Things are scarier by yourself.

The Dark Wayne @ Jan 22nd 2009 2:28PM

I cant put it to words exactly, but the perspective of this game felt more like I was actually looking through the characters eyes than any game before it. From getting jumbled when I jumped over a barrier just to the way it blurred and swung over so slightly when I turned around. The only problem I had with it is that the aim sensitivity is not quite to my liking.

WiredKnight @ Jan 22nd 2009 5:37PM

...So....turn up the....sensitivity.....

O__________o

The Dark Wayne @ Jan 22nd 2009 8:45PM

I meant no matter what level it was.

Pudge @ Jan 22nd 2009 2:41PM

The first FEAR never really sucked me in. I dabbled in the multiplayer, but never got too far on the Single. It was just boring to me.

This demo made me say Holy Shit. When I got in that mech and started blasting guys, just wow. Great stuff, and I'll definately play though this one.

TheMagnificen7 @ Jan 22nd 2009 2:53PM

The demo made me poop my pants a little bit. The first game? Nary a wet spot or skid mark. This one made me jump.

potato @ Jan 22nd 2009 4:12PM

I think it's because the effects are more pronounced this time, and the imagery is more cohesive. Before you just get little random flashes of Alma, lights flicker, doors shut, etc, but now it's much more... complete.

That scene in the school... freaky as hell. When all the lockers started clattering open and shut, and wheelchairs started flying, I was properly scared :)

And the image with the swing and the tree... creepy...

Emophia @ Jan 22nd 2009 2:55PM

UK PSN has it now, I played it.

I love it.

Did anyone else spend 20 minutes trying to kill the ghost at the beggining of the demo?

I looooooooooooooooooooooooooooooved the combat in FEAR, and loooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooove it in FEAR2.

The only problem is I can't stand horror games (movies I'm fine with). I actually felt sick during them.

Powered armor section as predicably awesome.

Some of the textures on the trucks and such seemed really low rez, I hope they're just place holders.

The enemy AI is awesome.

I love it.

As someone who#s mainly a PC/PS3 (not including handhelds), this will be the best FPS of febuary, Killzone 2 be damned.

I ,might play the demo more to desensitize myself from the horror.

Now the only question is on which platform.

I really liked the rumble, so I might go console on this, even tho I played the orginal FEAR on the PC.

That is unless this game (Like FEAR) is awesome on teh PC and shitty ports on the consoles.

WiredKnight @ Jan 22nd 2009 5:39PM

They aren't placeholders. PC-to-Console ports always have to worry about tight memory and capacity budgets, the first things to go are sound quality and texture resolution.

If you want higher res textures, play it on PC.

UserDoesNotExist @ Jan 22nd 2009 3:30PM

Does Alma, actually, you know, threaten you in this one?

Once I realized that Alma couldn't actually hurt you in F.E.A.R., I stopped playing shortly after out of boredom. Yes, the AI was unbelievable, but once the threat of Alma was gone, the game just got boring. It went from a game where you're constantly going from office space to office space, afraid of what was around the corner, to yet another corridor shooter.

Justin B @ Jan 22nd 2009 4:17PM

Eventually there are bloody corridor scenes in which coming in contact with her will kill you.

At the very end of the game she becomes an unimaginably enormous threat, which continues into this sequel.

WiredKnight @ Jan 22nd 2009 5:41PM

MMMmmno. I don't think she was ever able to hurt you in the first one. It's the expansions where she ended up killing you.

And in FEAR2. Watch out.

potato @ Jan 23rd 2009 3:11AM

Yes, she can hurt you, though it's nothing like an insta-kill. When Alma's presence is felt sometimes you get these phantom-like spirits who are near-invisible and DO cause damage.

mechamaybush @ Jan 22nd 2009 3:37PM

Overall amazing demo, feels like they took the great mood setting from Condemned 2 and mixed it with the original FEAR.

I dig.

Was disappointed in some of the frame rate drops, like walking near the water on the fallen sub and the swinging light, all effects Bioshock pulled off flawlessly.

MuToiD_MaN @ Jan 22nd 2009 3:53PM

PC users: how was the performance? Rigs and general setting levels? I'm a total graphics whore and as such I like to tighten them up as much as possible.

Einhanderkiller @ Jan 22nd 2009 5:39PM

It's about equal to Left 4 Dead on my computer.

I get about 45 to 60 FPS in firefights and about 100 in less detailed situations. My settings are maxed out with 2x AA at 1680x1050.

I want to know what's up with the letterboxing, though. The game renders in a 16:9 resolution for widescreen. It's as if Monolith took a step back seeing as how widescreen was properly supported in the first F.E.A.R.

Blank-Mage @ Jan 22nd 2009 7:23PM

You get 100 FPS? What the hell kind of video card are you packing, 'cause I didn't know Chuck Norris had a brand.

Einhanderkiller @ Jan 22nd 2009 11:28PM

8800 GTS 512.

Like I said, in the less detailed situations like a small room or a hallway.

On my computer, F.E.A.R. 2 performs similarly to Left 4 Dead, but I'm guessing F.E.A.R. 2 doesn't downscale as well so those with really old computers won't be able to play it. (Upgrade your computers, damn it!)

Heyyou27 @ Jan 22nd 2009 5:37PM

I was severely disappointed being a huge fan of the original on the PC. The enemies, characters, weapons, interface and HUD are all different, making the game seem almost alien in comparison to the original. While the ability to knock over objects for cover was a nice touch, the fact that they were are no longer interactive after moving it to the pre-designated location, it really started to seem like a cheap gimmick. Luckily I didn't have high hopes for the sequel after the original was bastardized by the shitty expansions that should have never seen the light of day. Instead of buying this, I'll wait 2 more weeks for Killzone 2.