First Encounter Assault Recon
Charlie Crutchfield
Adil Delawalla

First Encounter Assault Recon, better known as F.E.A.R. is one of the most graphically violent and frightening games on the market today. It is presented in first person and focuses mainly on Japanese style horror-violence. Similarly to Gears of War, the game showcases blood and gore along with disturbing images of a little girl who follows the protagonist throughout the plot.

Some criticise its ambiguous nature; minor characters suffer extremely bloody and graphic deaths. In one scene, a demolitions expert is tossed around a room by supernatural entities, creating blood stains and yelps of excruciating pain. The main antagonist, a general by the name of Paxton Fettel, is portrayed as a cannibal, frequently seen eating his victims and with a blood stain around his mouth. Psychological torment is also a heavily utilized intimidation tool; the protagonist often sees visions of hell, the main antagonist, as well as a terrifying girl by the name of Alma.

Alma, arguably one of the scariest antagonists in gaming, is used throughout the games to intimidat the player on a psychological level; she often predicts future events in the game, carries nuances of the plot, and is seen as a supernatural figure throughout the game.

A cinematic slow-motion effect (below) is also embedded within the game, the player can enable it after a certain period of time. It enables the user to see the gory details more clearly.

The time-warping slow motion effect can be seen here in great detail