It takes a lot to stick out in the crowded shooter genre these days. In the case of F.E.A.R. 3 (note, I refuse to call it F.3.A.R as the game's logo suggests I do), the latest in the long running supernatural shooter series from Warner Bros; it's not the mechanics, those are about as standard as they come. It's not the cool supernatural spookiness, we've seen those in the first go-round. No, F.E.A.R. 3's biggest draw is the way that all of these factors blend together to create a truly memorable experience.  F.E.A.R. 3 may not be the most ambitious shooter on the market, but it's still a blast to play through.

You are the Point Man, the protagonist from the original F.E.A.R. game. You're sent in to find the mysterious Alma (the weird little demon girl), who forced herself on Becket, the main character from the second F.E.A.R. game and has become pregnant with his child. Your main objective is to stop Alma from having this baby by any means necessary. When you really stop to think about it, it's here that F.E.A.R. 3 really begins to take on its adult tone; you're not trying to stop some corporation from taking over the world, or stop a terrorist attack, you're trying to stop a baby from being born; an evil genetically enhanced, telepathic baby. It's a daring move, even if the story doesn't flesh out as well as it could.

"...abandons all trace of story in favor of scares and thrill moments."

You see, somewhere down the line, F.E.A.R. 3 abandons all trace of story in favor of scares and thrill moments. There's nothing wrong with that really, as F.E.A.R. knows its bread and butter, and it pulls it off well -- F.E.A.R. 3 is one of those games that's made to play with the lights off and the sound turned way up - I was just expecting more. It's the classic battle of nature VS nurture.  Can the child be saved or is it destined to be the most powerful evil entity in the world? The game steps lightly on these themes, but never fully tackles them.

On the gameplay side, F.E.A.R. 3 is your standard modern first person shooter, with a few key differences. The key difference? F.E.A.R. 3's main campaign can be played two very distinctive ways with two very distinctive characters. You could go in as the Point Man, guns blazing just like any other FPS, or you could play as the apparition of series regular Paxton Fettel, whose abilities are far more interesting. Playing as Paxton, you'll have the ability to possess enemy soldiers, hack equipment and, well basically cause complete and utter chaos. Both Point Man and Fettel are playable throughout the game's eight missions separately or via co-op, but F.E.A.R. 3 is really a game that is meant to be played by yourself. Sure, playing with a friend will help you get through the game faster, but it also takes away from some of the game's big scares.

"The game's most creative aspect by far though is the multiplayer suite."

The game's most creative aspect by far though is the multiplayer suite. The team at Day 1 Studios has done a great job in not just limiting the game to the standard team death match and capture the flag modes. The F---‘n Run Mode” for instance (yes, that's its real name) finds players fighting enemies as they're running from a constantly growing cloud of toxic smoke. It's hectic and fun pretty much all the time, even if it is a bit frustrating. Soul King is also interesting as it pits creatures and zombies against soldiers in a cool supernatural battle.

F.E.A.R. 3 isn't the most ambitious shooter. It does pretty much everything the countless other first person shooters on today's market can do --- just with the typical F.E.A.R. spin. What it lacks in innovation, it more than makes up for in the cool and unique multiplayer features. Fans of the first two F.E.A.R. games are sure to find more of the action they love here in the third chapter.