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Cool, but frustrating

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 27 / 28
Date: May 10, 2000
Author: Amazon User

This is a neat game, but it can be quite frustrating.

Pros:
1. Nice cinematic feel.
2. Great anime-inspired graphics.
3. Interesting storyline.
4. No real "breaks" in gameplay due to loading. Shifts from scene to scene are very smooth.

Cons:
1. Too short. After 1 hour of recorded save time, I've already reached the end of the first disc. After 15 hours of gameplay, I still haven't reached the end of the first disc of Final Fantasy VIII!
2. Far too easy to die. Once the fear meter turns red (usually pretty quickly), 1 shot can kill you. You usually have to die several times to figure out what you need to do for a particular puzzle.
3. No concept of "continuing", as in other games. Every time you die, you must reload a previously saved game - something which takes far too long, especially when you die 5 times in a row.
4. Action is too fast. Sometimes you are dead before you can even see what's going on - there's almost no chance to figure out what you are supposed to do - you have to die several times just to see enough to figure out what you are supposed to do.
5. Fear meter concept doesn't work. When you are up against a boss who can kill you with 1 shot, but you need to hit the boss with 5 or 6 shots, the fear meter makes things extremely difficult.
6. Appears designed for EXPERT gamers only. Difficulty on the so-called "easy" level is pretty hard.
7. Inventory system very klunky. If you need to change weapons during a fight, it's a pretty safe bet you are going to die. The fact that the game continues while searching inventory makes things really hard - you can be shot to death while looking for the next weapon to use.

Great game. Too dark for the younger kids.

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 16 / 16
Date: March 06, 2000
Author: Amazon User

Fear Effect is a really nice adventure game with some fun puzzles thrown in. Controls are like those in the Resident Evil series, but the gameplay borrows quite a bit more from the old Dragon's Lair arcade game (anyone remember that one?). That is, to get through some sections, you'll need to carry out a certain series of carefully timed moves. And, of course, the only way to figure out those moves is through trial-and-error. Be ready to die... a lot... in this game as you progress through the plot.

The graphics fit the mood of each location and the gritty, dark theme of the game as a whole. The camera angles in some scenes can sometimes make it difficult to judge where you are relative to objects in the room - this becomes more annoying during combat when you're trying to pick up ammo, avoid being shot, and plug the bad guys while being unsure of exactly where your line of fire is. Also, the enormous amount of animation means that your time spent on each CD is limited to a couple of hours of gameplay. I was a bit surprised to see the game ask me to insert disk 2 after only 3 hours of play. In many cases, the accumulation of game time is due to having to replay some sections a few times to solve the puzzles or kill the bad guy. The game is therefore somewhat short, but well worth it. The combat system is intuitive once you get the hang of it. Combat gets easier after Disk 1 when you have more powerful weapons, but ammo management becomes a crucial factor later in the game.

Fear Effect is a solid, enjoyable game with unique twists. The characters are interesting, there's a minimal amount of pointless wandering (clues for the puzzles are usually not too far away - not to say that the puzzles are easy though...), and the switching of points of view is used to good advantage. The untranslated bits of Cantonese are also amusing. Not suitable for young children due to the violent and suspenseful nature of the game, but definitely go get it for yourself!

The best action/adventure game I've played

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 12 / 13
Date: February 28, 2000
Author: Amazon User

Having waited quite a while for this game to come out, it would have been easy to be disappointed. That is why I am so excited that it was worth the wait. The gameplay is fantastic, with the controls being difficult to get used to, but once you do, the game is fantastic. The graphics are unreal, and the story is great! One great innovation is the health meter. They have changed it a bit so that you have a fear factor. The more afraid your character is, the less it will take for you to die. But on the flipside, the better you react to adverse situations, the more confident you become, and the less likely it is that your fear factor will increase. If you are looking for a game that has action, a great story, and some of the best graphics around, buy Fear Effect.

FEAR PERFECT

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 9 / 10
Date: February 28, 2000
Author: Amazon User

Syphon filter....resident evil(3) now have plenty of reasons to FEAR.although FE shamelessly borrows from certain genres (I.E. Bladerunner, Metalgear solid, RE and hong kong cinema ala John woo) it does it with satlye and perfection.

the japanamation influence characters look straight out of the cult anime ANGELCOP video. the gameplsy is nearly flawless, as you shoot, sneak and solve puzzles on your way to tracking the triad leader's missing daughter. what set this game apart from the aforemention others, is instead of a life meter, your character has a fear meter that can deterine success or demise depending on your actions.

The motion captured 3D anime graphics, makes SYPHON FILTER (1&2) looks like it's B#$%H, The puzzles are less frustrating than RE3's complex mindbenders. and the storyline is much cooler than METAL GEAR SOLID'S philosopical dialogue.

FEAR EFFECT proves that the PSX still has a lil' power to compete with the bigger and better systems out there until PLAYSTAION 2 arrives. much props to EIDOS/KRONOS for releasing this sleeper hit. EXCELLENT!

This game is sweet

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 8 / 9
Date: February 24, 2000
Author: Amazon User

This game will please anyone who liked Resident Evil, or even that old Sega CD game (remember Sega CD?) Rise of the Dragon. Very nice blend of action and thinking. The only problem I had was getting used to the controls, but after that it was like a knife through butter. This game is probably not for younger kids, but anyone 13+ can handle it. Give it a whirl.

Survival Horror on Steroids

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 5 / 5
Date: September 03, 2000
Author: Amazon User

This game reminded me of dragon's lair but with an update in technology. The games puzzles were very logical and all you had to do was pay attention to your surroundings. I see that people were saying this game is too hard and a couple shots can kill you, but it is just adding realism. Three gunshots will kill you in real life. There is more realism in the language, if someones about to shoot you, even the most conservative of individuals might cuss and the characters in this game do that frequently, they don't glorify the words either just natural speech. I found the game easy but not boring easy, more of a fluid ease. I never really got stuck or got killed too often. The enemies are pretty harmless but just as in real life if you want to kill somebody you have to be careful not run in the room, that's why the sneak button is so useful in getting right next to your enemies for a one shot kill, even if you use your knife, slapjack, or brass knuckes depending on your character. This game was like playing a movie, there was a cinematic about every three screens or so, they weren't to long either and in between disc changes you get real good ones. Some of the backgrounds are downright breathtaking. The backgrounds are all video and they're looped but it's hard to notice and even if you do it still looks better than any silent hill or resident evil background. I think this game has been overlooked by many and I hope the prequel will do better. I have been playing games since I was 5 years old, and I've never seen anything like this.

Finally...A Video Game for Adults!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: June 16, 2000
Author: Amazon User

I wasn't sure what to expect when I bought this game. It sounded good, but I'm usually disappointed by games like this. I enjoy these types of games (like Resident Evil) but even though they can be fun, they're mostly aimed at kids. I've always wanted someone to make a game for adults.

This is it! The story-line and action is geared towards a more mature audience. It's not obscene or anything, just not childish either. It's very much like an PG to R rated anime movie in style and substance.

The game itself is very good. The controls are much like Resident Evil, but somewhat improved if you ask me. They're pretty easy to learn and your characters are generally easy to maneuver. The action sequences are excellent and will get your heart racing. The puzzles are hard enough that you'll be proud you solved them, but not so hard that they'll keep you stuck and wanting to give up. This game mixes arcade and adventure game elements extremely well.

One of the best parts of this game is the seemless animation that's included. It's done very well and really adds to the feel of the game. The sound and music are excellent too and really create the right atmosphere. The dialogue could still use some work, but it's way better than most other games.

Other reviews will tell you a lot more about the game itself. I'm just here to tell you that if you like this type of game and the story-line intrigues you...go get this game! I don't think you'll be disappointed. The only downside to this game is that I was so hooked by it that I plowed through it in just a few days. I'm not sure you could make it longer without making it drawn-out (I'd rather see a sequel). I have to admit, the replay value of this game is probably pretty low. Still, it rates as one of my favorite games and I can't wait until they put out another title..................

Freakier Than Resident Evil

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: July 12, 2000
Author: Amazon User

When I first started playing Fear Effect, I was wondering how this game could turn into something scary. I mean, there were no zombies, no demons, and certainly no creepy-type piano music. The plot starts out more thriller than it was horrific. You have to rescue this really rich Triad guy's daughter. Not much scary there. I thought I was in for Syphon Filter, anime style. Boy, oh boy, was I wrong. Once you hit disc two, the story takes a turn for the freaky side. The plot twists and surprises are very cool. The controls are a bit frustrating, and you do die alot, but you're so hooked to the story, you have to retry just to see what happens next. The graphics are top notch, and unlike just about every other game out their, you can see the character's mouth move in sync with the words. Oh yeah, the characters are very interesting. The voice-actors in this game are top-o-the-line. Be forewarned, though. This game has gory violence (not gratuitous, but gory), nudity and surprising amounts of foul language. So if you're mature enough, you've got to check this one out.

BEST PSX GAME OF THE YEAR

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: April 02, 2000
Author: Amazon User

When I saw pictures of this game, I knew I had to have it. Although I beat it on a rental, that almost made it more worthwile. You get alot for the time you spent on the game. It was a perfect blend of many things I enjoy(Resident Evil, Metal Gear Solid, Blade Runner, and John Woo's direction). The game played like a super-sleek movie and the characters were gritty. Hats off to the directors of this game for using perfect camera angles in the cutscenes and for not being afraid to use mature content in healthy doses. I don't advocate violence, but some games suffer from being afraid to push the envelope (the new RE installment Code Veronica suffered from toning down the violence of the other two RE games). My only problem is the dissapointing ending. Definetly worth a rent!

One of the best Games of its Kind

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: March 06, 2000
Author: Amazon User

This game is very fun. The plot is completely unique and has some very good graphics. The only 2 minor reasons why I gave it a 4 instead of a 5 are simple. This game uses CG backgrounds and bitmap characters (commonly found in Final Fantasy 7) but backgrounds are triggered by events or are just on a constant loop. The transitions between action and auto-control sequences are beutiful, but the looping of background changes are very choppy and you can tell. Plus, the game is just to short. I was thinking about buying this game but I was discouraged when I beat the game in one 4-day rental period.

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