F.3.A.R to be revealed next month

By Robert Purchese Published 24 March, 2010

Alma's having a baby.

Warner Bros. appears poised to reveal a third F.E.A.R. game - dubbed F.3.A.R. - next month.

An unnamed Spanish Magazine teased an upcoming feature with a new piece of artwork (found by a NeoGAF-ite and then Kotaku) .

This shows a presumably grown-up Alma (the scary little girl) with a baby in her belly. And she is flanked by two gentlemen: one with a bullet-hole in his head, the other with long hair, a machine gun and a scowl.

F.E.A.R. - first released on PC in 2005 - was a scary psychological horror shooter with impressive tech; enemies were clever, explosions and gunfights were spectacular, and slow-mo gameplay captured the lot. "Frighteningly impressive," said Eurogamer's 9/10 review.

Day 1 Studios ported Monolith's game to Xbox 360 a year later and the effect was similarly impressive, and also received 9/10 on Eurogamer.

However, F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin - released at the start of 2009 - wasn't as good. Competent but a shadow of its former self, concluded the Eurogamer 5/10 review.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds. @Clert on Twitter.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (54) Latest comment 2 years ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • openedonce #1 2 years ago

    Franchise. Endlessly. Abused and. Recycled

  • Gearskin #2 2 years ago

    FEAR was brilliant. 8/10 from EDGE, higher than Killzone 2 and they were RIGHT.

    I cannot believe the score it received here. Metacritic is in the 80's right?

  • the_dudefather #3 2 years ago

    Wonder if they'll make F.E.4.R as well?

  • BillyBrush #4 2 years ago

    @Gearskin

    79avg

    It was a very good game, but i think EG's reviews are some kind of law you have to follow (ohh my earpiece is saying actually they're not) so be prepared to be shouted down in 3..2..1...oh and you've probably also aroused the feral killzone fans from their slumber

    my advice...run.

    /Is glad there will be another one, Monolith are brilliant...embarrasing spelling of the name though

  • Monkey_Puncher #5 2 years ago

    Eurogamer's Fear 2 review was BS. I could understand if they gave all average games a 5/10, but that's really not how their scoring system has ever worked.

    I'm guessing the baby belongs to the main character in Fear 2, after she raped you at the end....Monolith sure make some weird choices when it comes to ending games.

  • Gearskin #6 2 years ago

    There's always the chance the name will change. It's only a teaser image, afterall.

  • ignatiusjreilly #7 2 years ago

    @Gearskin

    You mean FEAR 2? FEAR got 9/10 here.

    I only played on PC, but IMO EG got the reviews spot-on. I loved the first game and played it multiple times, but I really thought the second was disappointingly poor.

  • ChaK #8 2 years ago

    I liked both, roll on

    edit : and change name, f3ar is pathetic
    Edited by ChaK at 24/03/10 @ 10:37

  • WJF #9 2 years ago

    St0p putt1ng numb3r5 1n g4m3 t1t13s

  • vx-chemical #10 2 years ago

    I wish monolith would do something else but trudge around in this stale and mediocre series, return to Nolf, now that was excellent

  • BillyBrush #11 2 years ago

    Yea, they should really continue down the Perfect Dark knockoff route, flex their creative muscles.

  • Murton #12 2 years ago

    Loved the first one, but the demo for the second was enough to put me off getting it. It's stupidly cheap now so if Fear 3 looks like it's going to be as good as the first I'll grab the second and blaze through it just to fill in the gaps in the story.

  • Gearskin #13 2 years ago

    How anyone can slate this series is beyond me. The mythology they set up is brilliant, so much more interesting than the "narratives" displayed in the COD games. Or any other identikit modern FPS.

  • Snidesworth #14 2 years ago

    Paxton Fettel is back, then. Seems that a gunshot to the head can't keep the old cannibal down.

  • DoctorZoidberg #15 2 years ago

    Guest starting Ian Brown as the baby...

  • MattyD #16 2 years ago

    I remember buying the second on Steam and smashing it in one night with the lights off... Pure popcorn gaming! Not sure how many times they can reuse the same scares though.

  • bodypopper #17 2 years ago

    Slow down, kill, slow down kill, slow down, kill. Insert convoluted Japan horror influenced scene. Slow down, kill. Pick up new weapon, slow down, kill, slow down kill...
    New IP please Monolith. Or how about a reboot of No one lives forever?
    Edited by bodypopper at 24/03/10 @ 11:07

  • xenon_md #18 2 years ago

    Allways loved their games but personaly wish they'd resurrect Blood or Shogun:MAD

    @bodypopper oh yes! those games were so much fun.
    Edited by xenon_md at 24/03/10 @ 11:08

  • Vlad27145 #19 2 years ago

    F.U.C.K. L33t T4lk would have been a better title...

  • Doctor_What #20 2 years ago

    Good games, very antiquated name though, it sounds like something from five years ago. Please just call it FEAR3, after all, that's what all the customers will call it when they go into a shop.

  • BillyBrush #21 2 years ago

    No one lives forever 2 in particular.

    was a fantastic game, but..in 2010 can a franchise which is essentially Perfect Dark x Goldeneye to the power of Austin (texas and powers)

    really be a productive furow? i don't think it can. Id software will cover the old fantasies of FPS gamers with Doom4 surely? don't want Monolith to do the same personally.

  • Kikizosan #22 2 years ago

    ARGH @ replacing letters with numbers. F.E.A.R. was a fudged enough acronym as it stood. F.3.A.R. is just meaningless. Still, the first two games were enjoyable...

  • nuanimal #23 2 years ago

    The title sound like it was made up someone really indecisive if you unabbreviate it?

    First 3rd Assault Recon?

  • ChthonicEcho #24 2 years ago

    Don't care about naming tendencies, myself. Left 4 Dead is an atrocious name, yet it's an immensely enjoyable game. S.T.A.L.K.E.R. is a title that implies an acronym, yet it is not; the game was critically acclaimed.

    I've enjoyed F.E.A.R. and even F.E.A.R. 2, even if to a lesser degree. This should be good.

  • RodHull #25 2 years ago

    Are Monolith on board with this? Personally I'd rather see them return to No-one Lives Forever, severe lack of fun FPS's in the CoD atmosphere.

  • Retroid #26 2 years ago

    /Is interested

    I've been playing FEAR 2 inbetween other games for a few months and have been enjoying it.

  • ReapingAngel #27 2 years ago

    Judging by the teaser poster, it looks great and I have to say I have been waiting for the third game for a long time. As for the name is concerned, it might change (remember FEAR 2 was once called Project Origin but it was changed). So, no need to beat yourself about it. As far people over here complaining about the franchise is concerned, I have to say and don't hate me for saying it, FEAR probably is one of the best franchises out there and in some respect better than Killzone or Halo for its storytelling and on-screen scares.

    Judging by the poster, I think the game will have some sort of co-op gameplay (wonder how that would work with slo-mo and all) but I personally want to see the point-man from the first game and Sgt. Beckett joining forces to take on Alma.

    Can't wait and looking forward to it

  • BBIAJ #28 2 years ago

    Thanks for the spoiler Monkey_Puncher, now I don't need to bother completing F.E.A.R. 2!

    *adds to trade-in pile*

  • JahB #29 2 years ago

    god dammit Monolith! stop with that fear nonsense already and give us Shogo 2

  • Skurmedel #30 2 years ago

    Looks like Mr. Minus was in this thread, so I assumed the role of Mr. Plus. I liked F.E.A.R, I actually got to the end which have only happened in like, five other games. It had an okay story as well, not ground breaking but they gave you bits to chew on as you progressed, and you could kick people with your large 3D foot.
    Edited by Skurmedel at 24/03/10 @ 12:14

  • Nuada #31 2 years ago

    Fu(k 0ff w1th y0ur numb3rz 4 l3tt3rz.

    (untz.

  • bodypopper #32 2 years ago

    @CthonicEcho

    Left4Dead was so named because there are four survivors. I assume F3AR doesn't let you play as three people.
    Edited by bodypopper at 24/03/10 @ 12:29

  • Diogo_Ribeiro #33 2 years ago

    SPOILERS!

    Didn't Alma rape the main character of FEAR 2? Could there be a connection?

  • Quak #34 2 years ago

    I predict the fourth will be called F.E.4.R.

  • nickthegun #35 2 years ago

    Lets hope they get new level designers for this one.

    Office building, School, Lab, Subway, Facility....woo hoo....

    5 was bang on the money.

  • KDR_11k #36 2 years ago

    Didn't people lose interest in FEAR by the time the first expansion arrived?

  • ChthonicEcho #37 2 years ago

    @bodypopper

    No, but it's the third game. It uses the same naming trick, if for a different reason.

    @chimneyleaf

    Indeed. The name is something to giggle at while you're anticipating the game or a friend is telling you about it. Even if I were playing a game called "Happy Waves On A Pink Mountain Of Rainbows", I couldn't care less about the title if I like the content. And I'd definitely like the content of a game called that!

  • dingo75 #38 2 years ago

    Looking forward to F.3.4.R.

  • trooperdx3117 #39 2 years ago

    Im trying to thikn of the last game that replaced the "e" in its name with a 3 and all I can think of is Driv3r, thats not a very good sign is it.

  • Paulie_P #40 2 years ago

    Congratulations Alma!

    Oh and please just call it F.E.A.R. 3 you prats!

  • Korpers #41 2 years ago

    I F.3.A.R. a F.4.I.L.

  • Monkey_Puncher #42 2 years ago

    "Thanks for the spoiler Monkey_Puncher, now I don't need to bother completing F.E.A.R. 2!"

    If you're playing Fear for the storyline, you're playing it for the wrong reason.

  • onyxbox #43 2 years ago

    F.E.A.R 2 wasn't a patch on the first... it was above avarage that's all.

    Did it really get a 9 here? .... jeez :-/

  • Rodchenko #44 2 years ago

    m.3.h

  • DiamondIce #45 2 years ago

    I never played F.E.A.R. but I loved the 2nd one. It had some great creepy moments.

    I think I might play it again having read this news. That is the upside of never selling games!

  • shogo10 #46 2 years ago

    Its sad to see a developer that I was so fond of and have been playing their games since Shogo: MAD (hence my username) in 1998 fall into the trend of make sequels year after year. The problem that I have with fear is that sure the first game was interesting and fun, but the world itself wasn't interesting enough for me to warrant several sequels. Basically after fear2 I'm done with the series, and f3ar feels unnecessary and more like they're milking the franchise now. Just to be clear I don't think the fear games are bad, but having sequels of the same game can get tedious. I think that Monolith seriously needs to get away from the fear games and do something like shogo or nolf or better yet make a whole new game.

  • TheGuvernor #47 2 years ago

    Not sure why FEAR 2 was so universally disliked.
    I thought the set pieces were spectacular & the graphics, voice acting, gameplay & direction really tight.
    This came from a team who knew just what they were doing. And the ending pulled no punches.
    I really enjoyed it.
    Only criticisms was no dual pistols, no extra hard difficulty & no bloody quick save.
    Not a classic like the original FEAR which I think is one of the greatest shooters of the past 10 years. but well, well above average nonetheless.
    Why is it that everyone expects the genre to be reinvented evrytime a new title/sequal comes out?
    At least it didn't become a giant butt plug like MW2.
    Edited by TheGuvernor at 24/03/10 @ 18:56

  • Slipstream #48 2 years ago

    F.3.A.R? The 3...Is that even nessasary? Oh well, I wont question it, we have alot worse.

    Regardless of the dodgy title, I'm keen to get a look at this one, I've ben quite impressed with the previous games, and really liked F2, despite some negative reviews ;)

  • IneptPercy #49 2 years ago

    I loved Fear 2 and from the end I knew there was only way it could go.

    To put it simply it ended in the container thing which could hold upto a certain level, but they bother had powers so what is the baby going to be? its going to burst out either way.

  • MrE26 #50 2 years ago

    I preferred FEAR 2 to the original. Enjoyed the combat & atmosphere of the first, but the environments were so dull, it was just a series of identikit warehouses & offices. The sequel fixed that, although i haven't got a fucking clue what the ending was all about!

  • IneptPercy #51 2 years ago

    I think thats what made fear 2 for me, mechanically it was pretty much a standard fps. But the atmosphere and story just got be addicted.

  • Janyamik #52 2 years ago

    Alma's having a baby... what will be, boy or girl? In terms or "scary moments" rythm I enjoyed perhaps second part a little bit more, which has less dead moments: no time for having a break ! But I enjoyed with both of them, in fact. And no, Twinky Pinky is not the father of the baby.

  • Eraysor #53 2 years ago

    USE SPOILER TAGS!

    Although this has inspired me to now go and finish the 2nd one, even if it is a bit pants compared to the original.

  • gaanbo #54 2 years ago

    Eurogamer's review of FEAR2 is still quite possibly the worst written and irrelevant review I have ever read.