F.E.A.R. Combat unveiled

By Tom Bramwell Published 9 August, 2006

Full game's multiplayer for free.

Vivendi subsidiary Sierra's struck upon a novel way to get more people to try out F.E.A.R.: they're giving it away for free.

Part of it, anyway. Unveiled last night, the recently teased F.E.A.R.: Combat turns out to be the game's complete multiplayer component, and it's due to be made available to everyone for no money on August 17th.

Sierra reasons that since most people are familiar with F.E.A.R. for its single-player, this is a neat way to get lots of people - existing fans and newcomers alike - involved with the multiplayer.

Combat will include 10 game modes, 19 maps, 12 weapons, Punkbuster and mod support, and will be based on the latest patched version of the original game.

Those game modes, then, are deathmatch, slow-mo deathmatch, team deathmatch, slow-mo team deathmatch, elimination (last man standing), team elimination, capture-the-flag, slow-mo capture-the-flag, conquer all and control (both variations on capture-and-hold).

All you have to do to get it is head to www.joinfear.com and register, and you'll be given a keycode to enter into the install-file, available from August 17th.

This isn't the first time a publisher's given away a full multiplayer FPS game, of course - Activision famously released Splash Damage-developed Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory for free, although that was a standalone game. Splash Damage is currently working on a pseudo-sequel, Quake Wars: Enemy Territory.

Picture of Tom.

About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

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Comments (37) Latest comment 6 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • neilka #1 6 years ago

    Released next "Thrusday" according to the official website. I never could get the hang of Thrusdays.

  • mull #2 6 years ago

    I hope this spurs more developers to do the like. It would make things much easier for LAN parties, too!

  • smelly #3 6 years ago

    Shame that the game is rubbish though.

  • lambtron #4 6 years ago

    Enemy Territory was one of the best online multiplayer games ever. And all for free.

    Defend ze objective!

    Might be tempted to give this a try although its unlikely to have ET's tactical richness.

  • jack_klugman #5 6 years ago

    Shame that the game is rubbish though.

    Word.

  • UncleLou #6 6 years ago

    Shame that the game is rubbish though.

    For someone who has a childish fit of rage everytime says something against your source of digital entertainment of choice, you sure don't know when it's time to be quiet.

    Is there a single FEAR-related thread without you baiting? And then your storm of protest everytime someone calls you a troll, most amusing. :p

  • Darkedge #7 6 years ago

    smelly butts in with a dumb aresed comment as usual I see. Christ could that bloke be any more moronic? Oh that would just make him Blerk..

    F.E.A.R. is a bloody good game, but the multiplayer was a bit meh.

  • smelly #8 6 years ago

    Hey. I wasted good money on this crock of crap. I'm just venting my anger and trying to help other people not make the same mistakes.

    Let me guess, now i'm an anti-pc fanboy troll now or something?

    Jack_klugman agrees with me! And I notice the comments section is a bit empty, so perhaps most people agree with me?

    Let me guess, you two both worked on the game? Well boo hoo. Make it better next time.

    Is there a single FEAR-related thread without you baiting?


    Right, my understanding is... for me to be "baiting" I have to but into a conversation which is running and completely wind people up by saying their console sucks or something?

    There wasnt much of a discussion going on here when i posted (I thought i was the first), so i dunno how that's seen as "baiting".

    Merely me stating my opinion that i thought the game was rubbish. Just stating an opinion and starting a discussion.

    I've never had a "childish fit of rage" about anything on here. But the reply that you've just posted was a "childish fit of rage" at me just stating that the game was rubbish.

    What's the problem with that? I didnt say "shame this game is rubbish, as are all pc games", did i? Or indeed "shame this game is rubbish, it belongs on the ps2 with all of its rubbish games"? Did I?


    Subsequently.. Your sentence SHOULD have read:

    Is there a single FEAR-related thread without you telling everyone it was turd?

    Which i'd say was totally correct and agree with you. Cheers for agreeing with me. It WAS pants wasnt it?

  • Furbs #9 6 years ago

    What a fantastic idea. I dont know how this will help them make money, but I like.

  • TessaTickle #10 6 years ago

    My personal take on FEAR : unfinished game.

    pros : Amazing AI, great atmosphere, great visuals, great action, hands + feet !
    cons : repetitive level design, 3 enemy models (ok, maybe 5), promissing fucked-up scariness that just completely goes away somewhere in the middle and re-appears towards the end

  • skillian #11 6 years ago

    How good the game is now a secondary consideration - it's not often that happens.

    The fact that they've released the whole multiplayer component for nada is awesome news, and in the days of charging for horse armour or individual maps, should surely be welcomed by everyone!

    Nice one Sierra.

  • Darkedge #12 6 years ago

    sorry smelly you are a rabid fanboy and most of you comments are totally moronic - it's not surprising that everyone looks down on you really.

    I'd expect alot more of it in the future.

    You are also very wrong about FEAR - okay you didn't like it. We get the picture now run along and play with your barbies.

  • smelly #13 6 years ago

    How does me not liking fear make me a fanboy?

    A fanboy of what exactly? Games?

    Yes I am.

  • smelly #14 6 years ago

    Shit hang on. In the trauma centre thread i posted a comment a few minutes ago saying i didnt like animal crossing.

    .. Let me guess, that makes me now a gizmondo fanboy or something?

  • Helios #15 6 years ago

    Hold on, he expressed his feelings that he disliked the game.

    Where's the problem here?

  • smelly #16 6 years ago

    Helios. I have no idea.

    But now im gonna make it my mission to post in every topic which even mentions fear saying that i dont like the game.

    If only to wind these two up. (who no doubt work for the company which made it or something).

    STILL Could be worse. God forbid anyone who says they dont like a game which is exclusive to a specific console...

    Hmm... Lets give it a go. I genuinely dont like the halo games, I find them generic and shit. Oh and GranTourismo bores the hell out of me. And metroid is over-rated shit too.

    BRING ON THE FANBOYS!


    Edited by 1 at 09/08/06 @ 12:50

  • kangarootoo #17 6 years ago

    Jesus smelly, you doth protest too much already. Your second post was a proper strop fest. Get thicker skin and life will be easier.

    In addiiton to getting thicker skin, and if you really do plan on criticising FEAR all the time, try and make your posts a bit more constructive. I know people who lvoe the game and others who don't. All of them are able to thread together a selection of words into what is known as a sentence. With these sentences they are able to communicate the reasons why they do or don't like the game.

    Your inability to do that I'm sure is what winds people up. And it doesn't lend you any credibility either, 'cos generally speaking its kids that say stuff like "its shit" when adults are writing things like "the controls were a bit twitchy".

    I'm not saying you SHOULd like FEAR. I don't much care either way and haven't really played it much myself. All I'm saying is that when you write something no more constructive than "its rubbish", of course people will accuse you of trolling.
    Edited by 1 at 09/08/06 @ 12:59

  • smelly #18 6 years ago

    Geesus. Some of you guys have serious humour failure dont you? I know i'll put a smiley at the end of each sentence from now on when i'm purposefully having a laugh.

    All I'm saying is that when you write something no more constructive than "its rubbish",

    Okay. I'll try: It's REALLY rubbish and shit, in comparision to all the other fps games out there. But it's still not quite as bad as halo, or as overrated as metroid prime.

    EDIT : Whoops, forgot to put the :-) on the end for stupid people.

    Edited by 1 at 09/08/06 @ 13:10

  • Feanor #19 6 years ago

    "I know people who lvoe the game and others who don't. All of them are able to thread together a selection of words into what is known as a sentence. With these sentences they are able to communicate the reasons why they do or don't like the game."

    Pwned, smelly.

  • smelly #20 6 years ago

    "to communicate the reasons why they do or don't like the game"

    I've stated the reason i dont like the game.

    I dont like the game because it is shit.

    Gees.. read the words.

  • kangarootoo #21 6 years ago

    @smelly

    I would buy the humour angle, if your second post hadn't been longer than a thesis on global warming.

    You got proper stroppy with people for calling you a troll. I was just trying to point out why that had happened and how it might be avoided in the future.

    Its for your benefit man, no need to thank me ;)

  • smelly #22 6 years ago

    Well I have to argue my case to show that it's not ME thats trolling but the people that are accusing me of being a troll :-)

  • kangarootoo #23 6 years ago

    What if they are right? You ever think of that? DID YOU? No, didn't think so.

    I refer the right honourable gentleman to the comment I made some moments about (the one about sentences 'n' stuff) ;)

  • kangarootoo #24 6 years ago

    According to dictionary.com...

    >>
    To sing heartily: troll a carol.

    EDIT: Gaaaahhh, stupid arrow symbols doing stupid stuff to half of my post. I wrote something dead funny, but now you will all just have to imagine what it said.
    Edited by 1 at 09/08/06 @ 14:21

  • magicpanda #25 6 years ago

    Killing someone in slow motion is not to be sniffed at. Pumping round after round of shotgun shells into their still falling corpse is near orgasimic. Unfortunately that's about it. Still... Its free, which is nice.

  • smelly #26 6 years ago

    According to dictionary.com...

    That's a one sentence post.. you're a troll :-)

  • UncleLou #27 6 years ago

    :D

    I'll just quote myself:

    And then your storm of protest everytime someone calls you a troll, most amusing. :p

  • kangarootoo #28 6 years ago

    I think what we can all learn from this, even smelly, is that liking games is a subjective business.

    Magic Panda likes killing people in slow motion (in the game I assume/hope, he didn't specify), smelly can find nothing nice to say about the game in question and is driven to share this with everyone, I personally think the shadows in FEAR look quite lovely.

    So long as we can all return games we don't like within 7 days, you know I think we'll be OK.

  • Cabelo #29 6 years ago

    Fear always looked well but the play was a bit mucky for me. Those headshots so regularly didn't seem to register as the brain gungeing affair I knew them to be :(

  • smelly #30 6 years ago

    So long as we can all return games we don't like within 7 days, you know I think we'll be OK.

    I never do this.. Makes me feel like a proper pikey.

  • smelly #31 6 years ago

    Okay.. I'll stop kidding around.

    I *LIKED* the "poo yer pants" scary monets. And I liked the prettyness of it all.

    But Im at a point now with fps games where i've seen it all before, and feel like i need something "more". And this games wasnt.

    So ner.

    Happy? It's still shit.

  • kangarootoo #32 6 years ago

    There we go, that didn't hurt did it :)

  • UncleLou #33 6 years ago

    Ah, see - much better already.

    Your excuse that you posted your bait to keep people from buying it in their own best interest in a thread which is about a stand-alone free multiplayer download still doesn't hold much water, but at least you're trying now.

    Oh, btw:

    How does me not liking fear make me a fanboy?

    A fanboy of what exactly? Games?

    This is pretty much word for word a question I asked you recently, to which you never replied. In one of those threads where you labelled everyone a fanboy who didn't agree with you...

  • kangarootoo #34 6 years ago

    On the subject of FPS games. Check this out.

    [link url=http://sauerbraten.org/ ]http://sauerbraten.org/ [/link]

    An FPS that lets you mod the level as you play. Its a free project, created by a very brainy chap.

  • smelly #35 6 years ago

    Im a fanboy of good games and the companies that make them. I claim nothing different. It's the fans of systems i dont understand.

  • Ryuken #36 6 years ago

    FEAR singleplayer was quite good, that AI alone made it a must-buy imo, despite that stupid "flying zombies"-ending. Multiplayer sucked a bit (too dark maps, silly slow-motion system that gives unfair advantages) at first, dunno how all those free bits changed things over the last year.
    Edited by 1 at 09/08/06 @ 21:21

  • animal_mother #37 6 years ago

    I sold my copy on ebay ages ago. Nice game, but nothing special.