by Jay "THE FLEA" Wade
Ever wanted to play a true Japanese Anime video game?
Eidos has made your dreams come true, in one of the most original looking game for your Playstation. The Graphics look just like most any Anime in polygon.
Beautiful backdrops, great characters and a plot that really pulls you in.
You play as 3 different characters at different points in the plot, Hana, Glas and Deke. Your hired mercenaries hired to find a lost girl before her father does to earn a big reward. But nothing is what it seems in this twisted plot, You'll search area's like high rises, small villages and even a brothel. The gameplay is similar to Resident Evil and has puzzles that put it to shame. The Voice acting is some of the best ever heard in a Playstation game, believable dialog and accents that really make great characters. (Lara Croft move over, Hana is taking over) Fear Effect is rated "Mature" for good reasons, high blood and gore, language and even mild nudity. (Just like any Anime movie) This game must be seen to believe.
The health meter is also vary original. Instead of a meter that goes down every time you take and hit, it measures your fear. You more your hit and the more enemies the more you fear meter will become critical and once the danger is gone, you meter slowly returns to normal.
You'll also find areas where you'll die instantly if you make a wrong move. (some of these are fun to see) My only real complaint on Fear Effect is the hours of gameplay. The game is four discs long and you finish the game in two-three hours. There are five endings but after that, it doesn't make you want to play again and again. If you rent Fear Effect you get all you need out of it.
This is a game every gamer should play at least once. Then hope Fear Effect 2 will be a longer adventure.
PUBLISHER: EIDOS
GRAPHICS: 10 MUSIC & SOUND: 10 CONTROL: 8.5
SECRETS: 9 ORIGINALITY: 10 FUN & REPLAY: 6.5
OVERALL: 9