Obviously very late to the party with this 2009 horror themed FPS, but it’s sub-tenner practically everywhere now.

I enjoyed the first FEAR game, it was a bit lacking variety and had a odd, practically monochrome visual style. But it was a decent game and not without a solid dose of scares.

FEAR 2 is pretty much all you could want from a sequel, much improved visuals, better combat, environments which are more than the same endless office building. Still more or less the same game – only better. I’m kinda shocked how good this game is actually. I’ve found myself drawn in and playing it far more than I expected. It really hits its stride a few levels in, once you start exploring the ruined city and get to use a ridiculously overpowered mecha-power armour suit. Reducing enemy soldiers to a red mist with a high powered mini gun, actually put a big grin on my face.

Combat works well with a good selection of weapons, smooth controls and the series’ trademark slow motion “reflex time” being the same violent balletic fun it always was.

Just how scary you’ll find it, is maybe questionable, but it’s undoubtedly very, very tense in places; the school in particular was a highlight, with some proper WTF?! moments

This really is an underrated gem, it passed under most people’s radar, mainly due to Killzone 2 arriving around the same time, with stupid levels of hype and fanboy hysteria. This is a thousand times better than that turgid, generic borefest. This is how you do a good story led FPS.