F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin

1UP

You'll, fire thousands of rounds in hundreds of white-knuckled shootouts facing everything from soldiers to grotesques to specters, and tromp around in a totally bad-ass mech suit. Most importantly, you'll love every minute of it.

X360 Magazine UK

It’s great to see a developer building on its original game with such love and care. One of our favourite shooters in living memory.

Cynamite

The F.E.A.R. series is top notch when it comes to digital horror. Very good sequel of a horror classic.

VideoGamer

I can't recommend Monolith's sequel highly enough. It might not have the jaw-dropping visuals to rival Killzone 2, but it's a hugely satisfying shooter that'll have you clinging onto that controller or mouse throughout its tension-filled campaign. If you like your combat meaty and with a solid dose of supernatural scares, there's every chance this will rank as one of your favourite games of 2009.

GameFocus

There have been very few original first person shooters in the last few years and if you were a fan of the original F.E.A.R., be prepared to fall in love once more. Graphically and audio wise the game impresses on many levels and if it was not for the average (below average) multiplayer experience this would be a perfect all around game for action junkies.

Planet Xbox 360

The game is a visual treat, with some great character models and environments, in spite of the industrial look of most levels. The ghost effects look especially convincing, with some nice stylized visuals to convey their movements.

IGN AU

We just wish Monolith had produced a slightly more progressive or challenging backdrop for the horror that is this game's mojo. It's absolutely worth playing, but that's the difference between a game that scores 9+ and a game that scores 8.6.

IGN UK

There’s certainly no arguing that Project Origin is an excellent, albeit, old-school shooter. It’s 2009 though and, from the game’s well-worn jolts right through to environments consistently drawn from the big book of FPS clichés – hello subway system, hospital, derelict street, science lab and underground bunker – there are simply too few moments that alleviate proceedings to the top tier of genre daddies.

Gameplanet

An excellent FPS horror that mixes action with some pretty good frights. The single-player is exceptional, with some of the best graphics and atmospherics we've seen. Unfortunately the game is not as long as we would have liked and does little to bring something new to the packed FPS table.

Da Gameboyz

If you are a fan of the original game, orenjoy spooky sci-fi horror games such as Doom and Dead Space, then F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin for the Xbox 360 should be right up your alley.

Kombo

Fans of the FPS genre should definitely give the game a shot for the stylish, adrenaline-pumping firefights, but they shouldn't expect anything as groundbreaking as the first game felt.

GameZone

F.E.A.R. 2 is a great game that offers an intense single-player experience and a solid multiplayer experience. While the single-player mode might be somewhat linear and maybe a little too short the overall experience is still top notch.

Games Master UK

A solid and challenging game successfully mixing horror with classic shooting action. [Mar 2009, p.74]

MS Xbox World

FEAR 2 is a welcome addition to the series, is an enjoyable single player experience and well worth the price of entry.

Deeko

Monolith's horror themed shooter is a dread filled 9 hour whirlwind of pure chaos, packed to the rim with heavy combat, spook filled jumps and fantastic visuals.

Xbox360Achievements

The lighting, the mood, the atmosphere ... everything is spot on. It could be defined as a must experience single player campaign with a less than inspiring multiplayer mode which fails to capitalise on what makes the single player so successful.

Xbox World 360 Magazine UK

An impressive FPS from the masters of scares. A great start to 2009. [Mar 2009, p.70]

ZTGameDomain

Shooter fans and especially fans of the series will find plenty to love with this solid, if not predictable sequel.

Cheat Code Central

A very competent and enjoyable game. As a shooter, I was very impressed with the title. Unfortunately, I never really felt the fear that gave the game its moniker.

Game Informer

While the multiplayer is weak and the mood won’t make people forget Dead Space any time soon, the solid action core makes it worth a play.

Play.tm

F.E.A.R. 2 is a decent mix of self-aware cliche, gratuitous and hyperbolic violence mixed with the occasional touch of subtlety and reservation. It's a solid, dependable shooter that, in its best moments, gets your heart racing. Whilst the universe might be confusing and unfriendly for those who haven't played the first game, the shooting mechanics should be satisfying enough for fans of the genre.

Extreme Gamer

F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin is a defienate must for all shooter fans.

IGN

It’s a good shooter, bordering on great at times, but it’s not as groundbreaking as its predecessor. Still, it’s definitely faithful to the idea of F.E.A.R., which is mainly trying to get under your skin using a combination of tried-and-true horror elements, not the least of which is a creepy little girl.

TeamXbox

A solid game, with some decent gameplay. But it’s not going to light your soul on fire like other shooters hopefully will, and might bore gamers who’ve played every single shooter out there and are looking for something new. It may not feel new, but it definitely feels polished and solid. If not very scary.

InsideGamer.nl

While F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin will definitely appeal to fans of the first installment, newcomers to the franchise will also be pleased with the fast paced and action packed gameplay. Next to that, this game is a lot less scary than it's predecessor, making this a game well suitable for shooter fanatics. On the down low, it's a bit disappointing the multiplayer mode isn't all that.

games(TM)

What we’re left with is a wonderfully polished sequel that you will enjoy every minute of and then wonder why all you can think about is how it felt to play its predecessor. [Mar 2009, p.112]

GamePro

Now, the spine tingling sequel, Project Origin is here to continue the story of the psychic and psychotic Alma with damn good results. [Mar 2009, p.78]

GameDaily

The presentation is top-notch, with tight level design and no shortage of jump-out-of-your seat moments. Multiplayer is somewhat empty, with only a few modes that all feel the same. There's no reason you should avoid F.E.A.R. 2.

GameSpy

For shooter fans, the combat is still outstanding, and you'll get a great eight hours or so by the time you reach your final encounter with Alma, although fans of the first game may feel like they've done this before. In many ways, F.E.A.R. 2 feels like the middle chapter in a trilogy, and there's certainly enough momentum here for at least one more run.

Edge Magazine

"Killzone 2" has the technology and spectacle; FEAR 2 has class, direction and a most mischievous sense of humour – and technology and spectacle. [Mar 2009, p.84]

Vandal Online

FEAR 2: Project Origin leaves us quite an uneven sensation. On one hand it has offered us truly spectacular and full of tension moments, very different from the ones which other games in the genre offer. Moreover, its carefully made atmosphere, fueled by the solid graphics engine developed by Monolith, make the immersion sensation total. The problem is that although FEAR 2 knows what makes itself stand out from the other shooters, it insists on offering quite generic moments during most of the game, and, worse indeed, it's not quite polished.

G4 TV

In short, if you like FEAR, you will love FEAR 2. It may be too scary for some and the wobble of your character walking might induce a slight bit of motion sickness, but it’s a well constructed horror/action title.

Gameplayer

F.E.A.R. 2 is just a solid video game: nothing more, nothing less. It won’t blow your mind, and it won’t change your life, but it most certainly won’t disappoint.

Gamer.nl

F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin has no problem following in the footsteps of it's predecessor. Monolith obviously has chosen action before fear in part two but still manages to find the perfect balance between them both. On the outside the game lost some of it's powers and the attempt to put in some new gameplay elements doesn't always work. But in the end, the game is frighteningly good.

Giant Bomb

I honestly think there are few developers today with both the technical and creative chops to establish such a specific tone as Monolith does so successfully with F.E.A.R. 2. Even though the ghost-story stuff ends up being about as threatening as a trip through The Haunted Mansion at Disneyland, and the tactical gameplay is softened up by an abundance of player-boosting pick-ups, F.E.A.R. 2 still puts on one hell of a show.

DailyGame

Project Origin is really like every other first-person shooter out there -- but without multiplayer.

DarkStation

I have to say that my overall feelings on F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin was that of a really solid experience.

Gamervision

Sure, there are definitely hurdles to jump in order to create a cooperative game with slow motion, or to get the mechanic to work in a multiplayer sense, but that doesn’t excuse them for not trying. Then again, that's all nitpicking, and to be honest, there's really nothing "wrong" with the game at all.

GamingExcellence

It’s a solid eight hour shooter experience that likely won’t hold your attention for too long after you beat it.

Console Monster

Project Origin is a fantastic FPS experience in it's own right. While there is no amazing innovation, the game works at a satisfying pace keeping you engaged throughout. Eeery atmosphere, fantastically grotesque surroundings and great enemy AI to boot, F.E.A.R 2 is a title well worth your attention.

SpazioGames

Mixing a strong horror atmosphere and a solid “slo-mo” gameplay, F.E.A.R. 2 Project Origin shines for the extension of the new levels. Its linearity isn’t necessarily a drawback (at least not for “old style” FPS fans), but it could still spoil the fun for next gen gamers, used to much more “open” games. Despite all of this, Monolith’s baby delivers a solid experience, and every FPS fan should at least give it a good try.

3DJuegos

In order to define F.E.A.R. 2 we should use the word solid with all the good and bad things that it entails. On one hand are the obvious virtues that it inherits from the original, but at the same time this game lacks the spark and pace necessary to achieve its level. It does not give the impression that Monolith would have needed more time of development to improve the game but it seems that Project Origin, despite being a very good shooter, needs some extra points of inspiration.

Worth Playing

A competent, if unexceptional, game. The gameplay is more of an expansion of F.E.A.R. than a full-blown sequel, and unfortunately, the plot and "fear factor" don't quite reach the heights achieved by the first F.E.A.R.

Official Xbox Magazine

It feels a lot like that last "007" movie: plenty of fun, but nowhere near as awesome as we hoped it'd be. [Mar 2009, p.76]

Game Over Online

It’s hard to play through Monolith’s F.E.A.R. 2 and not get a feeling of déjà vu. Between F.E.A.R., Condemned, and their sequels, this is the fourth scary, first person game that they’ve given us in a row, and unfortunately the experiences aren’t getting any fresher.

Gaming Nexus

F.E.A.R 2 is a great game to experience, but repetitive gameplay keeps it from achieving classic status.

GamerNode

The medium's evolving and our demands are ever-changing. If the next one wants to regain the adoration held by the first, it's going to need to evolve much more than this.

Hardcore Gamer Magazine

Sure, there’s fun to be had shooting baddies in the face for 10-12 hours over the course of the 14 missions, but sadly F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin isn’t nearly as remarkable as the original.

Gamer's Hell

Essentially a straightforward first-person shooter with a crazy girl giving your character headaches and hallucinations of damnation, F.E.A.R 2 may have some things going for it, but for the most part, its execution lacks imagination.

Multiplayer.it

F.E.A.R. 2 is the bad way to develop an horror game and at the same time a good action shooter focused on fast fights. What it really lacks sadly, is a soul.

HellBored

Although this doesn’t lead from the front in the horror genre any longer, it’s still a competent shooter that always entertains but never taxes the player's intelligence.

Official Xbox Magazine UK

F.E.A.R. 2 delivers some meaty combat, but fails to improve on the original. Where was the ambition to innovate or surprise? It's by no means terrible, but for such a major franchise, more was expected. This is still an enjoyable shooter, just not a particularly hair-raising one.

Destructoid

A great game, despite its lackluster multiplayer component. The intense imagery and action is framed between gratifying exploratory segments that allow you to navigate and learn about the haunted world at your own pace. A coherent story holds the dizzying narrative together, which is something that the game’s predecessor sorely lacked.

Kikizo

That most damning of all things - neither memorably awful, nor memorably brilliant, but simply decent. The sureness with which Monolith revisits the original game's themes and dual gameplay structure is commendable, but the spark isn't quite there.

GameSpot

This somewhat scary sequel is a solid shooter, but it can't keep pace with its lauded predecessor.

Level7.nu

FEAR 2 is a typical sequel in every sense. There is more blood, more enemies, more variation, more slow-motion action and more creepy ghosts. It's fun to run around blasting enemies for a while, and the environments do create a great overall atmosphere, but FEAR 2 lacks that certain edge that would make it stand out from the competition. It a good shooter - just not a great one.

Xbox World Australia

F.E.A.R. 2 turned out to be a game that both succeeds and fails with equal amounts of spectacle.

Gamer 2.0

F.E.A.R. 2 is a middling shooter at best, and while the bare-bones mechanics are all tightly oiled, you’re left with a stale taste in your mouth. It may be the first big release of 2009, but it’s also the first big disappointment.

Armchair Empire

While F.E.A.R. 2 still delivers in its action and grim setting, especially for fans of the original, FPS games have evolved since 2005, and the very innovations that made the first game stand out have now become cliché and drawn out.

DarkZero

I honestly did not really mind that the game closed without fully explaining itself; the problem was that as the credits rolled my mind harked back to earlier points in the game, trying to give those supposedly standout moments a second thought, and realising none of them really stood out firmly in my mind.

Teletext GameCentral

First-person shooter meets survival horror, but the primary psychic phenomenon here is deja vu.

Total Video Games

The fact remains that F.E.A.R evolved shooters back in 2005, but there appears to be very little progress in the four years since with F.E.A.R 2.

Boomtown

That is perhaps what is largely wrong with FEAR 2: as quintessential a First-Person-Shooter as it is, it doesn't have the heart and soul of games like, for example, Half-Life 2; your character is merely existing in the world rather than living in it, and that's a departure from which even the new quick-time events cannot save it.

Game Revolution

If you played the first few FEAR games and you want to know what happens next to the faceless, characterless, protagonist then you could do a lot worse than FEAR 2: Project Origin. I really can’t recommend this to players that are new to either the series or the genre. The lack of reiteration of the first game’s story is rather perplexing.

Thunderbolt

Project Origin delivers an experience that will have you turning off the console, and not the lights.

BigPond GameArena

The more I played it the less I wanted to as the story got sillier and the horror theme phased in and out. I wouldn't recommend F.E.A.R. 2 to anyone except the ultra hardcore fans of Monolith Productions - even then you'd be better off playing Condemned 2.

GameShark

The game hardly lays out a convincing tale, which leaves gameplay to perform double duty.

Eurogamer

If you've never played a first-person shooter before, you'll probably be in love - this is as archetypal a corridor-shooter as has ever been made, and there's a reason why it works. But for anyone who's been running down corridors with shotguns for most of their adult life, this is so uninspired that you worry for the spark of Monolith's soul. You guys made "No One Lives Forever," remember? You're smart. You're better than this.