You Are Not Alone, So You Have Nothing To F.E.A.R.
Last week we revealed the new scoring system in place for F.E.A.R. 3, and now at London's MCM Expo, Senior Editor Dan Curtis and I managed to get some good quality time playing the cooperative mode on Warner Bros. Interactive's latest first-person shooter creation. Now, if you aren't a fan of survival horror because you value your sleep far too much, then experiencing this via co-op is the only way you're going to make it through this madness.
Post-FMV, the mode begins with you both standing in a dark room surrounded by a couple of dead bodies. Nice. What was first noticeable is that the split-screen mode for co-op was staggered and not a simple 'split division' down the middle. We were not sure of the purpose of this - but perhaps it helps symbolize the jaded discomfort players are about to experience.
The next thing we spotted was that we both had different attributes and skills. One character had the ability to capture souls, take over bodies and push doors open with extreme force, whilst the other was like a soldier plucked out of a Call of Duty game. Sprinting through the darkenend corridors, opening rusty gates and climbing endless flights of stairs in an abandoned complex was the general gist of this mode. The shooting was satisfying, enemies were fairly responsive and the claustrophobic environment just added to the tension both players can share.
Typical co-operative puzzles were in place, for example, the soul capturer player had to forcefully get through a gate then pull a switch to open a door so both could get through. Small collaborations like this make F.E.A.R. 3's co-op mode seem unrushed and well thought-out. There's also a decent cover system in place, and in the likelihood that amongst all this chaos you lose your parter, his/her silhoutte helpfully outlines itself through the walls.
Apart from the opening cut-scene, we didn't get much of a chance to elaborate on any other parts of the narrative, despite playing through at least fifteen minutes of the game. However, the game enriches the survival experience, and in the end, all you're trying to do is get through one room and quickly into the next - both thrilling and tense stuff.
The co-op mode is the same as the single player campaign, but without the puzzle obstacles. From the game time we got, we were able to confirm shotguns, assault rifles and pistols for now - but we're told to expect much more. To begin with, we were mostly oppositing human artificial intelligence rather than anything alien-like, but again this mutation is perhaps something that will occur later in the story. The controls were fluid, and there's nothing better as the soul capturer than hoisting your enemy in the air, blasting him with energy and then taking control of his body to flank others. I mean, with abilities like that, surely I have nothing to fear...
If you haven't already, check out Dan Curtis' hands-on Multiplayer preview of F.E.A.R. 3.
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