By Michael Norton (PrototypeMike)

F.E.A.R. 2 is a very well-done first-person shooter (FPS) in every sense of the word. The sequel picks up and continues to tell the story of Alma, what happened to her, etc. If you are a fan of the series and want a continuation of the story, it definitely does the job.

The game is action-packed and is a really in-your-face FPS when you break it down, with some very enjoyable weapons that will have you blasting away at everything that moves. Some of the weapons are pretty standard with things such as an assault rifle, while there are more high-end type guns as well such as energy cannons. Returning this time out is the bullet-time mode as well from the original F.E.A.R. which allows you to pick off a ton of bad guys at once when you get into a tricky situation.

The whole way in which the pace of the game works is very well-done and sets up for a pretty intense experience. There is a lot of strategy involved as well with the bullet-time and the respectable A.I. The A.I. definitely has its low points and is not going to be perfect throughout but for the most part though they are intelligent enough to put up one heck of a fight.

The only downside is that F.E.A.R. 2 relies more on benefiting off of the success of the original rather than trying to be its own game. It really does not do anything to truly differentiate itself from the original, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. This is a great looking FPS that is an absolute blast to play through, with the single-player campaign taking around 10 hours in total.

The Graphics are really well put-together as they pack in some nice details, great visual effects, a constant and smooth framerate, etc. This is not the best looking game on the Xbox 360, but it is definitely something that will stand out due to its artistic feel. For those who want more than the single-player, F.E.A.R. 2 packs a bit of an extra punch with some very fun online play as well.

Multiplayer is presented with plenty of game modes such as your traditional modes as well as more unique modes. The multiplayer as a whole will definitely add a lot of longevity to the experience. If you are the type of person who just wants to shoot stuff and is finally getting sick of World at War, this is definitely your game.

F.E.A.R. 2 Project Origin is a very polished FPS on the Xbox 360 and one which shooter fans will have a blast playing through. Recommended! Definite rental bur if you are a fan of the original it may be worth a purchase.