Games PC FEAR-STRATEGY User Manual

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In F.E.A.R., you find yourself trapped in an office complex full of assassins and a supernatural horror that dogs your every move. You must rely on your instincts and cunning to make it out of here alive.

F.E.A.R. follows the exploits of the First Encounter Assault Recon team, an elite force tasked with cleaning up messes that possibly have origins beyond the fringe. You are a highly-trained soldier given full access to a vast arsenal of weaponry (including some high tech

gear that will blow your mind). In addition, you also have full clearance to use any means necessary to stop your enemy.

The only catch in F.E.A.R. is that you know little about your opposition, save for its terrifying ability to kill. To put it bluntly, something has

gone awry. It seems that Fettel, a psychic commander, has caused an uprising, making short work of his minders and overrunning a secret complex with mind-controlled clones. His agenda is a mystery and his methods are...extreme. That's where F.E.A.R. comes in. You haven't spent any time in the field with the team, but it's up to you to get down there and put a stop to the situation. They may not have much confidence in your experience but at least one teammate thinks you can

get the job done. Now you just have to prove it....

Fearful Features

F.E.A.R. certainly capitalizes on its name. Developer Monolith's goal is to create an experience that transcends the traditional first-person shooter. There is certainly no shortage of action, but the infusion of horror movie elements serves to heighten the tension and drama that unfold alongside the spiraling plot.

In order to create the atmosphere of dread, Monolith is employing some tricks from the classics of horror cinema. Sound plays a particularly large role. A droning soundtrack inspires dread—creating the ultimate in mood-setting music. Distorted voices linger in far-off hallways, confusing you as to where you think it originated from. Was that the sound of a tormented man in his last moments of agony? Or the giggling of an innocent child? Aural tricks like these keep you on your toes, and turning up the volume on your PC ensures that you absorb every last bit of the tension.

The visuals work in tandem with the audio to further

intensify the madness. The sights you see are not always real,

so you cannot completely trust your eyes. Why is there a lake of

blood on the ceiling? Did you really just see that little girl round

the corner, only to vanish into thin air moments before you catch

up with her? Even your on-screen head's-up display (HUD)

flickers in and out of view, furthering the mind-tweak.

Sometimes the best chills come from straight-up

horror, and F.E.A.R. has no shortage of this. Your ene-

mies have long since left the realm of the sane

behind, and it appears that some of them aren't

even human anymore. They attack with

frightening skill and in dizzyingly erratic

patterns. Just when you think you have

a bead on a foe, it rethinks its strategy.

The thrill-ride that is F.E.A.R.

ships this fall, but to whet your

appetite for destruction, mayhem, and otherworldly madness, we will discuss

some of the features and weapons

you'll find in the final game. In addi-

tion, we also have two maps from F.E.A.R.'s multiplayer game, which

is currently undergoing a successful closed beta test.

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Welcome to F.E.A.R.

PRIMA OFFICIAL HINT BOOK

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Hardware

No matter if you are wading into the thick of an online deathmatch or daring to venture further into the wicked conspiracy of the single-player campaign, you are armed to the teeth with the latest in weapons. Your loadout includes basics like pistols and shotguns—both of which are effective in the hands of a skilled player—but you also have eventual access to some high-tech tools of destruction.

Who can deny a MOD-3 Multi-Rocket Launcher that volleys three rockets at your target, or the ferocity of the Type-7 Particle Weapon that doubles as a high tech sniper rifle? Or who would pass up a chance to wrap their fingers around the barrel of a MP-50 Repeating Cannon, which can peel the paint off a house from a mile away?

In F.E.A.R., you can only carry three weapons at a time. When you come across a more desirable weapon, you must discard one from your current inventory. This not only introduces an element of realism to the game, but it also inspires an increased level of strategy. For example, the MP-50 Repeating Cannon is indeed a precious piece of weaponry, but if you're about to slog your way down a hall full of enemy assassins, wouldn't the VK-12 Combat Shotgun be a little more effective?

You can also use all of the weapons as melee weapons when you are out of ammunition. Pistol-whipping may take a little time, but it's certainly a satisfying method of bludgeoning an enemy into the great beyond.

AT-14 Pistol

Rounds per Clip: 18

AT-14 Pistols are the most basic weapon in F.E.A.R.. By themselves, they are able to drop low-level foes or perhaps offer a last-ditch attack when better hardware is on empty. However, you can fill both hands

with a pistol apiece, doubling your stopping power. Pressing

fire rapidly pulls the trigger on a

random pistol each time, increas-

ing the rate of fire.

VK-12 Combat Shotgun

Rounds per Clip: 12

The best of the close-quarters weapons, the VK-12 Combat Shotgun

can destroy a foe with a single well-placed blast. One shot

direct to the chest or head is usually enough to stop

most basic enemies. (The opposition you

encounter later in the game will have

enough vitality and armor to withstand a

blast or two.) However, in a multiplayer

game, popping out and offering one well-

aimed shot is enough to get the job done.

The hard stock of the VK-12 Combat Shotgun, along with the rest of the weapons, also makes it an effective melee weapon. If you can sneak up on your quarry, a good crack to the back of the neck with the butt of this gun (as well as many of the bigger artillery) is enough to drop him.

RPL Sub-Machinegun

Rounds per Clip: 50

The RPL Sub-Machinegun (RPL SMG) is a fast-firing weapon that specializes in close-up killing power. Its primary drawback is its short range. You cannot target a foe from across a courtyard with the RPL SMG and hope for an easy kill, but if you run right up alongside an opponent or enemy and start unloading the fifty-round clip, you score a kill before the last bullet casing hits the ground.

G2A2 Assault Rifle

Rounds per Clip: 30

The G2A2 Assault Rifle is an excellent all-around weapon. What it lacks in accuracy it makes up for in power. Running straight for an enemy with your finger on the trigger eliminates him if he doesn't figure out your location first. This rifle is a good weapon to use when taking

cover because its fast rate of fire works well in situations where

you have only sporadic chances to lean out and squeeze

off a few rounds. In a deathmatch round, you will find

stronger weapons, but this gun will

never serve you wrong should you

get caught in a firefight before

finding a more advanced gun.

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The Gear of F.E.A.R.

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ASP Rifle

Rounds per Clip: 30

The ASP Rifle is a force to be reckoned with when in the hands of a capable shooter. You cannot just hold down the fire button and unload, as you can with the G2A2 Assault Rifle. However, this more controlled rate of fire has the benefit of greater accuracy. If you can find a good, safe position to fire upon enemies in a lobby area (don't forget to fortify your position with AT-5 Proximity Mines), switch to sniper mode and zoom in on enemies to line up lethal headshots.

10mm HV Penetrator

Rounds per Clip: 25

This weapon sounds like a novelty, but if used correctly in the field, it has tremendous stopping power—literally. The 10mm HV Penetrator can actually nail enemies to flat surfaces, such as walls, and holds

them in place. Not only do you get a very satisfying kill, but

your artwork will hang on the wall for

all to see.

MP-50 Repeating Cannon

Rounds per Clip: 50

There is no recourse from a direct hit from the MP-50 Repeating Cannon. This brute unloads so much lethal force that it actually bends space as the round rockets to its target. Even if you miss, the resulting shockwave has the power to kill, or at least seriously reduce the target's health to a fraction of its original level. If you spy a grouping of enemy assassins, this is the way to wipe them all out with a single shot. To unleash maximum destructive force, hold down the fire button to unload up to 15 shots in a row.

Type-7 Particle Weapon

Rounds per Clip: 10

This experimental weapon fires a blast that cuts like a knife through the air—and your enemies, too. The Type-7 Particle Weapon is akin to a railgun, firing a single round that slices through its target. With a well-aimed shot, you can pierce through multiple enemies at once.

The Type-7 Particle Weapon features a more advanced zoom mode

than other weapons. In this sniping mode, you can really dig in and

start dishing out death from above. However, you better

make every shot count. The Type-7 Particle Weapon

leaves a trail that, while difficult to see, is still visible to

a trained eye. All an enemy survivor has to do

is follow the trail straight to you.

MOD-3 Multi-Rocket Launcher

Rounds per Clip: 15

The MOD-3 Multi-Rocket Launcher may not be the most graceful weapon—its rockets are not always on-target, thanks to their spiraling trajectory—but it's among the most lethal. This weapon fires three missiles at a time, which zip toward your target with a velocity that makes dodging a none-too-easy task. The drawback of wielding such power is that not only are reloads a little slow, but you also run

through your ammo quickly,

thanks to the three-

shot blasts.

N6A3 Fragmentation Grenades

N6A3 Fragmentation Grenades are thrown explosives set on a timer. While they are on a timer, contact with an enemy will cause the grenades to explode instantly. Once the handle is released, the seconds count down to detonation. If you see a grenade roll toward your feet, it is best to get out of there quickly.

There are several occasions when you have reason to celebrate frags, such as when you spy an enemy dug into a make-shift bunker and realize they have yet to see you. Throw a grenade into their position. By the time the grenade lands, the timer has run out and the resulting explosion tears their body in two. If you are stalking an enemy down a hallway, bounce a frag off of a wall, banking it around the corner to clear out any potential hazards just out of view.

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AT-5 Proximity Mine

AT-5 Proximity Mines are charges you can set in slightly out of the way places, or just out of view, and can be detonated when motion is detected. The resulting blast is enough to neutralize a player if they are right on top of the mine, or at least do significant damage if they are nearby.

The uses of AT-5 Proximity Mines are endless. You can put one next to the wall just around a corner. Nobody will ever see it coming. Or you can slide one behind a desk or next to some crates. By the time your foe sees the blinking red light, it's too late. If you fancy yourself a sniper, you can place AT-5 Proximity Mines around your position to protect your rear from other players.

It is possible to be damaged by your own AT-5 Proximity Mine if you are caught within its damage radius when it is triggered by the opposition.

M77 Remote Bomb

If you can establish your enemy's patterns, you can do tremendous damage with an M77 Remote Bomb. These explosives are planted by the player and set to a detonator that can be activated later. If you are playing with a camper who has predictable tastes in hiding spots, you can lace his locations with M77 Remote Bombs, then set them off when he returns to his hiding spot. M77 Remote Bombs are also sticky

and can be stuck to walls, ceilings, or

players. For an especially heinous

attack, stick an M77 Remote

Bomb to your teammate and

send him into the midst of

your enemies. After det-

onation, your enemies will be damaged while your teammate walks

away unharmed (unless

he fell prey to friendly fire).

Reflexes

In addition to this litany of weapons, you have another talent to help level the playing field against superior foes or conniving players in online games: reflexes. Thanks to your extreme training, you can slip into short bursts of hardcore concentration that seem to slow the world around you. During these slo-mo moments, you can move a little bit faster than the world around you, resulting in the appearance of everybody else moving at a crawl.

Your reflexes are a pivotal tool in achieving success. If a situation

looks overwhelming, kick in your innate ability and enjoy the extra

second or two to plan your course of action. For example, say you spy

a lobby full of enemies that must be crossed. Your first shot would

most likely put the foes on high alert. So, as soon as you eliminate the first target, fire up slo-mo and outrun the other enemies' bullets while getting off a few shots of your own. It's a great way to even the odds, if only for a few seconds.

Between bursts of hyper-awareness, you must rebuild your meter. In single-player, you can seek out Reflex Boosters (they look like syringe guns) that completely refill and even extend your meter. Not only can you now immediately activate slo-mo, the length of your slo-mo is permanently increased for the rest of the game.

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Multiplayer Maps

F.E.A.R.'s spooky single-player campaign will certainly get your heart pumping. When you need to take a breather from the supernatural antics, switch over to the multiplayer game, which offers a variety of game types.

The pre-order bonus edition of F.E.A.R. includes two full multiplayer maps: Office and Factory. Each level reveals Monolith's master plan for eliminating your free time. These maps spill out in every direction, offering plenty of hiding spots for clever campers as

well as wide-open spaces for some heated firefights. To augment those showdowns, each map has been loaded with some pretty impressive firepower, such as the Type-7 Particle Weapon and the MP-50 Repeating Cannon.

Office

The office complex map is two stories of fragging madness, especially if you can lure a few players into the central lobby where few environmental features impede the melee. The individual offices upstairs, and the winding corridors that connect them, moderate only the speed of killshots, not the intensity. Hide-and-seek games can be played within the cubicle farms, with players crouching down and

waiting for just the right moment to spring up and unleash onto an unsuspecting passerby.

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Fragging with Friends

M77 REMOTE BOMB x3

BODY ARMOR

AT-5 PROXIMITY MINE

BODY ARMOR

MEDICAL STAT ION

AMMO BOXES N6A3 FRAGMENTATION GRENADE x2

MP-50 REPEATING CANNON

REFLEX BOOSTER

BODY ARMOR

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Strategies

Gotta-Haves

Every map has a collection of pick-ups that you must be aware of to survive with a decent score. The Office map has a few features you absolutely must take advantage of—especially before somebody else can.

The MP-50 Repeating Cannon is in a corner office upstairs, accessed by the walkway over the main lobby. You have a limited number of shots, but with good aim, each one will do enough horrific damage to boost your score.

The Medical Station— where all wounds are healed—is tucked in a small room upstairs, near the cubicle farm. Beware of a player camping out in the cubicle directly across from the entrance. Always enter the room back-first, making sure nobody has a surprise planned for you.

If you are playing a SloMo match, there is typically a mad rush for the Reflex Booster, which is stashed in a small alcove on the upper level of the map.

Lobby Showdowns

The central lobby in the heart of the map is often the sight of some spectacular gunplay, thanks to the wide open space.

Use the planters near the bottom of the stairs to fire on incoming players. The G2A2 Assault Rifle can cut down players streaming in from the right and left. Working with a teammate armed with something more appropriate for close-quarters, like the VK-12 Combat Shotgun, will help you fortify this position.

You are extremely vulnerable to a frag grenade in a hidden, crouching position. Repeat gunfire will kick up a lot of dust, which could potentially obscure sight of a grenade zooming overhead.

There is a walkway circling the lobby overhead, granting players a vantage point for firing down on players in the lobby. Always keep one eye on the sky (or have a teammate capable of doing so) to prevent getting sniped from above, while holding down the fort on the main level.

Corridor Hunt

Every room in this map is somehow connected, making the hallways extremely well-traveled. The rapid traffic keeps the action going, even away from the hot spots, such as the main lobby.

Never underestimate the use of corners as cover. Before entering a larger area, such as this foyer, peek around the corner. You may spot another player in the middle of doing something else (such as trying to mine this receptionist's desk), and that's when you get your shot in.

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Use AT-5 Proximity Mines in places like desks, cubicles, or under stairs. A potential camper looking for a place to perch might not notice the blinking red light until it's too late.

Another player's panic can often work in your favor. You don't always have to be involved in a major firefight to pick up some points. Cleaning up the aftermath, such as picking off a player running away from the violence, is always a good tactic. In their hurry to flee, they miss you standing in the corner.

Shattering glass is always a good heads-up that other players are nearby. Noise carries, so if you hear the crinkling of broken glass or can see a few fragments cascading through the air, make sure your weapon is armed and ready to go.

Cubicle Cat-and-Mouse

The cubicle farm on the upper level provides some excellent cover for players that prefer stalking their prey or wounded players that need a place to catch their breath before making a run for the Medical Station.

The cubicle desks are just the right height for crouching. The desk will block some of your torso, so if you dig in, it's possible that other players will not see you as they go running by. As soon as their back is turned, you can draw a bead and remind them of your presence.

Of course, there are caveats to camping techniques such as this. These are not full desks, and your legs are unprotected as you crouch down. A sniper (or lucky shot) could put one in your thigh before you know what's happening. Should other players become wise to your position, you could find yourself on the receiving end of an N6A3 Fragmentation Grenade. The three-walled cubicles leave only one way out, and by the time you pop up and try to clear the desk, it may be too late.

Look for the red arrow over the head of the player with the Reflex Booster. If you can nail that soldier, you can quickly pick-up the slo-mo juice.

Melee Attacks

There are occasions in combat where you will want to drop your weapon and settle scores with hand to hand combat. You have access to a handful of melee attacks that can be just as deadly as a well-placed bullet, such as a Jump Kick to the back of the neck.

You can use most melee attacks with your weapons out, but to perform a punch or foot stomp, you must holster your weapons. The basic attack button will now throw a punch, but if you run at somebody at full steam, you can then deliver a more stunning blow. Attack while jumping to go for the Jump Kick, or crouch and unleash a Slide Kick that knocks their feet out from under them. One of the most satisfying melee attacks is the Roundhouse, a neck-snapping kick that will knock your enemy on his rear.

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Factory

An assembly line of mayhem runs right through the middle of this map, providing an open-air arena where braver players can stand their ground. However, the machine shops and storage rooms off the central area are cavities where stealthy soldiers can practice the finer arts of sneaking and shooting the legs out from under their opponents. This

map has also been infused with some

killer weaponry, such as the Type-7

Particle Weapon. Memorize the weapon

locations and as soon as the green

flag is dropped on the chaos, make

a beeline for the good stuff.

Strategies

Gotta-Haves

The MOD-3 Multi-Rocket Launcher has been cleverly dropped in the center of the factory's shipping yards. There is no cover for an attempt on the weapon—only speed and a nimble finger on the jump button will keep you safe while grabbing this coveted weapon.

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TYPE-7 PARTICLE WEAPON

MP-50 REPEATING CANNON

BODY ARMOR

MEDKIT

BODY ARMOR

MEDKIT

M77 REMOTE BOMB x3 BODY ARMOR

N6A3 FRAGMENTATION GRENADE x2

AMMO BOXES

MEDICAL STATION

REFLEX BOOSTER

AT-5

PROXIMITY

MINE

MEDKIT

MOD-3 MULTI-ROCKET LAUNCHER

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You can make a spectacular entrance to a firefight with the MP-50 Repeating Cannon. It's situated on some boxes in the northernmost chamber, but the catwalk surrounding the MP-50 Repeating Cannon gives other players ample vantage points for taking you down.

The Type-7 Particle Weapon is a brutal killing machine. Its lightning-fast shots are nearly impossible to dodge, making it the weapon of choice for snipers. This weapon is tucked behind a line of generators, accessible only by rounding a blind corner. This isn't a bad place

for campers, just watch out for frag grenades coming from the other side of the generators.

The Reflex Booster is a precious commodity in Slo-Mo matches, but it's not exactly easy to get to first. The power-up is in the easternmost room, but you must run a gauntlet of other rooms before reaching it.

Doorways to Death

Snipers have no shortage of perches in this map. One of the best locations snipers can cover are doorways, which are in a constant state of use. There is simply no way to move around this map without passing through doors, so never use one without either peeking out first or doing so at a dead run.

Position yourself across from a door and draw a bead at head- or chest-level. Always seek cover before trying to snipe a door—if you're standing straight up in the open, your quarry could lean out and see you before running through the door. A bay of windows (with only one or two windows shot out) or a stack of crates and barrels make excellent cover.

Sniping requires patience and a willingness to keep your back turned on a potential route to your position. Use AT-5 Proximity Mines to cover your rear should another player discover your position.

When you're trying to cover wide doors, such as this entrance to a shipping bay, you may want to use a weapon with a larger blast radius. The MP-50 Repeating Cannon's area of effect will eliminate an opponent if they try to slip through an entrance not directly in your sights.

There is a hole in the floor in the central chamber that you can use to either snipe players running through this hallway, or stand over and pick off players that walk too close to the crates you use to ascend through the opening.

Of course, each tactic has a shortcoming. Standing

in the hole leaves your legs partially exposed, while

standing above leaves your entire

frame open to attack. Consider this opening as more of a tar-

get of opportunity. Don't bank

your entire game on camping here,

but check in from time to time to see

if there's an easy kill.

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Better Living Through Killing

Here's a few tricks and tactics to consider before waging war in the factory. Always be aware of your surroundings—and the surroundings of other players—because you can often use them to your advantage.

The Type-7 Particle Weapon by itself has impressive stopping power, but if you can combine it with slo-mo, you can be unstoppable. The Type-7 Particle Weapon's lethal shots move too fast to dodge, but this can also make it difficult for you to line up your shots with

any authority—especially when you're on the move. However, with slomo turned on, you can make every shot count.

Use objects in your environment, such as exploding barrels, whenever possible. Only yellow barrels can be detonated with gunfire—regular blue barrels are harmless.

When you spy another player standing dangerously close to a yellow barrel, aim for the barrel and pull the trigger. The resulting explosion is more than enough to kill him. However, be aware that several hiding spots in this map are near yellow barrels. Make sure you're safe before crouching down and waiting for a kill.

Fire extinguishers are also excellent tools of destruction. If you're a poor shot, you can use these wall-mounted extinguishers as makeshift explosives to compensate. If you spot a player standing near one, blast the fire extinguisher. The blast radius will drop an opponent.

Use weapons as bait. This MOD-3 Multi-Rocket Launcher is going to be irresistible to a lot of players, so lie in wait on the walkway above the open shipping yard.

Use the shadows. The lighting in the factory casts a variety of shadows across rooms and splashes swathes of light on corner walls. When you are decked out in military black, you can practically melt into the shadows and be undetected by players too busy running to notice little details, like the light on your gun.

Speed is extremely important in online matches, so remember that the weapon you hold in your hand has an effect on your running rate. Bigger weapons, such as the MOD-3 Multi-Rocket Launcher and MP-50 Repeating Cannon, really sap your speed. Smaller instruments, such as an AT-14 Pistol, have little effect. For maximum speed, empty your hands. A new weapon is just a scroll wheel away, or you could rely on a melee attack like a Jump Kick. One of these to the back of the head can be just as lethal as a bullet.

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