Ramping up console creativity.
Sierra Entertainment has told GamesIndustry.biz it isn't afraid to take more risks than other publishers and that it's ramping up development of new IP like Prototype and F.E.A.R.
F.E.A.R.: Extraction Point
Key events
6th November 2006
14th September 2006
7th May 2006
Expansions for PC, 360.
Vivendi Games has turned off the lights again and announced a new F.E.A.R. expansion pack for PC and Xbox 360.
Don't be afraid.
What an interesting idea! Remember where F.E.A.R. left off? With the First Encounter Assault Recon team flying away from the mushroom cloud that buried the corpse of Paxton Fettel, apparently about to be thrown back into the rubble as Alma crawled threateningly into the cabin? Well it turns out it was all a misunderstanding. She just wanted to come round for tea. So after going home and having a warm bath, everyone turns up again refreshed and sets out on a new mission, laughing and dancing with Alma, off to investigate another paranormal siege under different conditions, exploring other areas of the horror story spectrum in the process.
Reader, reader! Wake up! Time to go to school!
Were you dozing? I'm sorry - I was just explaining how, in Extraction Point, the chopper went down, you woke up in the rubble, it was night again instead of day, and you were thrust into another trek through the broken city of the first game, off to reach a hopefully safer extraction point in a hospital on the other side of town. The Replica soldiers are back, Alma's back, there are a couple of new guns and some invisible enemies scampering about, and Paxton Fettel's making no apologies. "I know this doesn't make sense. Nothing much does any more," he says, as he comes back to life in the first five minutes. It's alright, Pax - we knew what to expect.
Extraction Point sample.
Sierra has released a PC demo showcasing upcoming F.E.A.R. expansion pack Extraction Point.
Your little router will have to pump 552MB of it onto your PC, and then you'll be able to sample some sections set, surprisingly enough, in warehouse and office environments. 3D Gamers also notes that you can toy around with the mini-gun.
The full game's due out on October 24th, and is in development at TimeGate Studios. It follows on directly from the conclusion of F.E.A.R., which means Alma's on the loose and apparently not finished with you.
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.
20-day countdown.
Those teasing minxes at Vivendi have stuck up a new F.E.A.R. web page, and it's counting down to something.
Hands-on with the 360 port and PC expansion.
There may be shades of Championship Manager about the split between Monolith and Vivendi over F.E.A.R., but the lack of rancour means Vivendi's having no trouble colouring in the F.E.A.R. shaped holes on its 2006 release schedule.
To be shown at E3.
A brand new F.E.A.R. PC expansion pack will line up alongside the now-confirmed Xbox 360 version at E3 next week.
Vivendi's announced that F.E.A.R.: Extraction Point is currently in development for release this autumn. TimeGate Studios is handling it, in conjunction with original developer Monolith, which is thought to be working on sequels to the game - despite not having the official name to use any more since Warner Bros. bought it out.
Extraction Point will pick up from where F.E.A.R. ended, apparently, which ought to be pretty interesting given just how F.E.A.R. ended. Apparently you'll return to battle the now-free Alma and her minions across the destroyed city, with new locations, weapons and enemies.