______________    ______________             ___             _________
|              |  |              |           /   \           |         \
|    __________|  |    __________|          /     \          |    ___   \
|   |             |   |                    /   _   \         |   |   \   \
|   |______       |   |______             /   / \   \        |   |___/   /
|          |      |          |           /   /___\   \       |          /
|    ______|      |    ______|          /             \      |    ___   \
|   |             |   |                /   _________   \     |   |   \   \
|   |             |   |__________     /   /         \   \    |   |    \   \
|   |             |              |   /   /           \   \   |   |     \   \
|___|           0 |______________|0 /___/             \___\0 |___|      \___\0
===============================================================================
===============================================================================
Game Developer: Monolith Studios
Original FAQ Release Date:
Version:
Author: shadowmaster2552 a.k.a. Alex Taylor
===============================================================================
===============================================================================
|||||||||||||||||||||||
|| Table of Contents ||
|||||||||||||||||||||||
1. Contact Information
2. Version History
3. Legal Information
4. Introduction
4.1) The Story So Far
4.2) The Main Characters
4.3) The Controls
5. Survival 101
5.1) The Weapons
5.2) The Gear
5.3) The Enemies
5.4) Combat Tips and Strategies
6. Walkthrough
6.01) Interval 01 - Inception
6.02) Interval 02 - Initiation
6.03) Interval 03 - Escalation
6.04) Interval 04 - Infiltration
6.05) Interval 05 - Extraction
6.06) Interval 06 - Interception
6.07) Interval 07 - Redirection
6.08) Interval 08 - Desolation
6.09) Interval 09 - Incursion
6.10) Interval 10 - Revelation
6.11) Interval 11 - Retaliation
7. The Story Explained
7.1) Icarus & Origin
7.2) Perseus
7.3) The Synchronicity Event and The Vault
7.4) The Armacham Incident
8. Frequently Asked Questions
8.1) Game Questions
8.2) Technical Questions
9. Credits
===============================================================================
===============================================================================
----------------------
1. Contact Information
----------------------
Me: Alex Taylor
E-mail: shadowmaster2552@yahoo.com
AIM: shadowmaster2552
Any information that you would like to send me to help me write this FAQ would
be much appreciated.  However, I am a college student with a rather busy
schedule, so please try to keep e-mails concise.  Also, try to read through my
FAQ carefully before e-mailing me as to avoid sending me an e-mail telling me
about a secret or method that is already in my FAQ.  Please do not e-mail me to
tell me how stupid I am for the way I suggest to get through an area, because
it will only waste my time as well as yours and the message will be promptly
deleted and the sender blocked.  The same rule applies for instant messages.
Also, there is no need to use profanity in your e-mails.  I further request
that you make the e-mails legible, i.e. use correct grammar.  Unreadable
e-mails are quite useless to me.  Those issues aside, I gladly welcome advice
on ways to better my FAQ.  I will also answer some question in the FAQ section,
but only if they are not already addressed specifically in my FAQ.
Thank you,
-Alex T.
===============================================================================
===============================================================================
------------------
2. Version History
------------------
Version 0.95 (01/21/06) - Original release version.  Introduction and Survival
101 completed.  Walkthrough complete. The Story Explained started.
Version 1.01 (01/26/06) - First update.  All sections completed and minor
corrections made to Introduction.  Some spelling and grammar errors
corrected.
===============================================================================
===============================================================================
--------------------
3. Legal Information
--------------------
Copyright 2005 Alex Taylor
This FAQ is the intellectual property of me, Thomas Alexander Taylor, and as
such it is illegal to proliferate this guide without my express permission.  It
is published by www.gameFAQs.com and will be available to you the reader for
your personal use.  However, you may not post this FAQ on your personal website
or create links to this FAQ on your website without express permission.
Furthermore, it is illegal to produce copies of this FAQ claiming it to be your
work.  Any hints submitted to me by readers that are used in this guide will be
attributed to those sources and are also under copyright.  If you see anyone
proliferating this guide, please contact me.
===============================================================================
===============================================================================
---------------
4. Introduction
---------------
This section is merely an introduction to the world of F.E.A.R. and how it is
played.  Although experienced players will not likely need this section, it may
be useful to novices and intermediate players alike, as some of the tips given
may not be so obvious.  F.E.A.R. is a combination of the horror-survival genre
and the FPS genre, creating a unique experience that is without rival.  In
general, F.E.A.R. is unlike any other horror game out there.  Rather than using
grotesque monsters jumping from the shadows to try and make you pee your pants,
F.E.A.R. does its damned best to get inside your head.  The combination of
atmosphere, sound (or lack thereof), and subliminal suggestions, F.E.A.R. will
keep you constantly on edge, and will continue to mess with your head long
after you are done playing
--------------------
4.1 The Story So Far
--------------------
You are the newst member of an elite team of special operatives known as First
Encounter Assault Recon, known collectively as F.E.A.R.  You were selected for
F.E.A.R. because of your super-human reflexes, moving so fast that the naked
eye can barely track your movements.  However, you have yet to prove yourself
in combat.  Your superiors are eager to see how you perform in battle.
-----------------------
4.2 The Main Characters
-----------------------
This section will give you the lowdown on the most important characters of the
game, so at least try and remember their names.  I'll also try to not ruin the
plot for you too early.
The New Guy
-----------
This is you, the newest guy on the F.E.A.R. team.  You are the best of the best
and you are ready to prove it.  Your cat-like reflexes, devestating melee
attacks, and uncanny ability to slow down time will give you the edge you need
to survive.  Any more info about your character and I might ruin the end.
Rowdy Betters
-------------
Betters is the senior man on the F.E.A.R. team, and he will relay important
information to you, as well as update your objectives when necessary.  Though
he is essentially your commanding officer, he gives you free reign to complete
your objectives on your own time.  He is also conspicuously absent from the
scene of the action, except on the first level, where he drops you off to go
after Fettel.
Jin Sun Kwon
------------
Originally intended to be the F.E.A.R. sniper, Monolith made her the team medic
and forensic analisyst because they couldn't find enough places to make her
useful as a sniper.  But she is easily the nicest person on the F.E.A.R. team,
but that's not necessarily saying much, since two are testosterone-injecting
death machines, and the other is a codgy old man.  Apparently she also thinks
you're kind of cute.
Leo Jankowski
-------------
The F.E.A.R. point man, he is the only other member of F.E.A.R. that goes into
combat.  He always seems rather disgruntled, for the most part treating you
like a three-year-old.  Also, he never actually helps you fight, instead going
an entirely different route.  Despite being the first member of F.E.A.R. aside
from Betters, he's not as well praised as you, perhaps the source of his cold
attitude towards you.
Douglas Holiday
---------------
The leader of the SFOD-D team (short for Special Forces Operational Detachment:
Delta), Holiday was originally to be a member of the F.E.A.R. team, filling the
role of demolitions, and perhaps heavy weapons as well.  Like Jin, Holiday was
removed from the F.E.A.R. team due to a lack of effective uses.  However, he
still makes his face seen at a couple points in the game.
Paxton Fettel
-------------
Fettel is the main focus of the game for quite some time, with almost all of
your objective revolving around finding and killing him.  As far as we can tell
at the beginning of the game, Fettel is a powerful psychic, who was developed
by Armacham into a psychic commander of hundreds of elite, clone soldiers.
However, it seems that the little girl we see has some degree of influence over
him, though we don't find out until later the extent of her control over his
mind.  Fettel also uses his psychic ability to put images in you head, which is
the cause of some of the creepiest moments in the game.
Alma
----
First seen in the introduction cutscene, little is known about who (or for that
matter what) she is, but we can tell that she has some control over Fettel.
Although I don't want to ruin any surprises about her origin, I will reveal
some of her abilities, one of which is the ability to get inside you're head,
much like Fettel does.  More disturbing however, is her ability to literally
disolve the flesh right off of her enemies, leaving behind nothing but blood
and a pile of bones.  And there will be lots of blood.
----------------
4.3 The Controls
----------------
Since this is an FPS, you can modify the controls as you see fit.  There is
also a layout of the keys on the back of the manual.  However, in case you have
lost the manual, I will give a layout of the controls as well as the
combination of keys needed to perform some of the special manuevers.
Movement
--------
Walk Forward             W
Walk Backward            S
Strafe Left              A
Strafe Right             D
Turn Left                Left Arrow
Turn Right               Right Arrow
Sidestep                 Right Ctrl
Walk                     Unassigned
Jump                     Space Bar
Crouch                   C
Lean Left                Q
Lean Right               R
Toggle Walk              Unassigned
Toggle Crouch            Unassigned
Interaction
-----------
Fire                     Mouse 0 (Left Mouse Button)
Melee                    Mouse 1 (Right Mouse Button)
Throw Grenade            G
Use                      F
Reload                   R
Aim/Zoom                 Shift
SlowMo                   Left Ctrl
Flashlight               X
Inventory
---------
Weapon Slot 1            1
Weapon Slot 2            2
Weapon Slot 3            3
Next Weapon              Mouse Wheel Down
Previous Weapon          Mouse Wheel Up
Last Weapon              Unassigned
Select Frag Grenade      4
Select Proxy Grenade     5
Select Remote Bomb       6
Next Grenade             Unassigned
Use Medkit               Z
Holster Weapon           H
Status
------
Scores/Refresh HUD       Tab
Mission Status           M
Talk                     T
Team say                 Y
Team radio               V
Look Up                  Up Arrow
Look Down                Down Arrow
Center View              End
Quick Save               F5
Quick Load               F9
Melee Attacks
-------------
Punch                    Melee(Weapons holstered)
Weapon Butt              Melee(Weapons unholstered)
Roundhouse Kick          Jump + Melee
Slide Kick               Forward + Crouch + Melee
Jump Kick                Forward + Jump + Melee
These controls can be rearranged as you see fit to optimize your control as
well as your comfort.  I found the regular controls to be a bit cumbersome, and
rearranged them some.  Although my control setup will not work for everyone, I
will give a few tips about key placement.
1)Move the grenade throw key.  It is awfully close to the use key, and the
last thing you need is to throw a grenade when trying to open a door and
blow yourself to pieces.
2)Move the flashlight and or medkit key.  It is rather wasteful to use a
medkit at nearly full health because you are trying to turn your
flashlight on.
3)If you are using a mouse with more than two buttons, use them!  I assigned
both the Aim/Zoom function and the Melee function to my mouse because I
use them so often.
===============================================================================
===============================================================================
---------------
5. Survival 101
---------------
I call this section Survival 101 because it's devoted to keeping your butt
alive from the beginning to the end of the game.  This section has all the info
you need to beat the odds, from what gun to use to when to hide and when to
fight.  Follow my advice here, and you just might make it out alive.
---------------
5.1 The Weapons
---------------
This section provides an in-depth examination of each weapons strenghts and
flaws, so use it to compare weapons before deciding to run into a group of bad
guys with a rocket launcher and a pistol.
AT-14 Pistol
------------
Power: 5/10
Accuracy: 7/10
Rate of Fire: 5/10
Range: 6/10
Description: The AT-14 pistol is a decent weapon, with relatively average
stats and usefulness.  One advantage is the ability to dual wield it,
increasing the clip size and decreasing the likelihood of having to reload
in a firefight.  However, the AT-14 suffers because of its averageness.  Its
lack of stopping power, combined with its low rate of fire, severely limit
its usefulness later in the game when enemies become stronger.  Furthermore,
since the fire button has to be hit each time you fire, your trigger finger
may get tired, a conditon the true FPS player fears and despises.  The only
way to make the AT-14 useful later in the game, is if you can line up
headshots like it's nobody's business, which, though possible, may be rather
difficult for beginning players.  A further handicap for the AT-14 is the
extreme scarcity of ammo toward the end of the game.
My conclusion: Use it until you can find 3 better weapons.
RPL Sub-Machinegun
------------------
Power: 3/10
Accuracy: 4/10
Rate of Fire: 10/10
Range: 4/10
Description: Before you make a judgement on the RPL because of the stats I give
for it, I must warn you, statistics can be used to decieve.  The RPL is one
of the most useful guns in the early and middle parts of the game.  Its
combination of high rate of fire and mediocre damage make it a lean, mean,
killing machine at close range.  Even at medium range it can be effective,
if used in single shots or bursts.  It can also be useful for laying down
suppressing fire before moving in for the kill.  A further advantage of the
RPL is that its recoil is very minimal, allowing you to empty an entire clip
with little muzzle climb.  Later in the game, the RPL begins to suffer, as
the enemies become better armored and the damage it inflicts is minimal at
best.  Just remember to never use the RPL at long range, unless of course
you want to piss away ammo.
My conclusion: Keep it until you don't have any bullets to shoot or until the
enemies just laugh when you pull it out.
VK-12 Combat Shotgun
--------------------
Power: 9/10
Accuracy: 2/10
Rate of Fire: 2/10
Range: 2/10
Description: The VK-12 is a true powerhouse, unleashing death and destruction
wherever it goes.  At close range, no gun in the game can match the sheer
stopping power of the shotgun, and most enemies will die in a single blast
from this badboy.  It can even remove limbs or blow an enemy entirely in
half, an effect for which I give serious props to the developers at Monolith
Studios.  Although it suffers from a very low rate of fire in the game, it
is of little consequence if you can kill an enemy with every shot.  The
downside to its power is its range.  Because of the spread, the shotgun
rapidly loses its effectiveness over distance, becoming useless at any range
greater than a dozen yards or so.  However, the frequency of close quarters
fights throught the game mean that it will be fairly useful and worth that
slot in your inventory.  After all, what would a FPS be without a boomstick.
My conclusion: This baby's a keeper.
G2A2 Assault Rifle
------------------
Power: 6/10
Accuracy: 7/10
Rate of Fire: 7/10
Range: 7/10
Description: The G2A2 is essentially a modified version of the RPL to make it
more effective at a range.  The G2A2 boast superior firepower and accuracy
over the RPL, but suffers from a decreased rate of fire as well as a
substantial increase in recoil.  However, the increase in firepower and
accuracy is well worth the disadvantages, because it enables you to take out
your enemies at a distance, something that will be very valuable in the
early and middle parts of the game.  It can also function as a more powerful
submachingeun at close and medium range.  The G2A2 becomes especially useful
towards the end of the game, when it is found more often in the hands of the
enemy, and ammo is more plentiful.
My Conclusion: An all around good weapon that can fix any problem.  Kinda like
duct tape.
ASP Rifle
---------
Power: 8/10
Accuracy: 8/10
Rate of Fire: 5/10
Range: 9/10
Description: I've never been a big fan of snakes, and, as such, I'm not a big
fan of the ASP.  Although its stopping power is quite nice, the fact that
burst fire mode is the only way you can use the gun tends to become a bit
annoying, especially at long range.The fact that it has a scope might make
one think it is for use at long range, but that proves to be a bit counter-
intuitive.  Although the first shot is spot-on accurate, those other two
always manage to end up somewhere else than buried in the head or chest of
your target.  In fact, this gun is most useful at medium range, where the
spread of the burst isn't nearly as bad.  The other downside to the ASP is
that it is extremely difficult to find ammo for it.  Despite these problems,
the ASP is still the only weapon that can take down enemies at a distance in
the early part of the game.  So some times it is a necessary evil.
My Conclusion: Use it when you need to, but replace it when it has outlived it
usefulness (which won't take long I assure you).
10mm HV Penetrator
------------------
Power: 7/10
Accuracy: 9/10
Rate of Fire: 5/10
Range: 8/10
Description: Despite its name, the Penetrator does not penetrate armor all that
well.  Although it has a decent rate of fire, the lack of power takes what
could have been an extraordinary weapon and makes it more mediocre.  One
distinct advantage, however, is its accuracy and range.  The Penetrator can
often be used in lieu of a real sniper weapon, as the first shot is always
spot-on accurate.  The Penetrator shines in one-on-one and small group
combat, but loses effectiveness against larger groups, due to its small clip
capacity and low rate of fire.  Also, ammo for the Penetrator is somewhat
uncommon, and it's not unusual to quickly find yourself without any ammo for
it.  One plus to the Penetrator is that the first shot always kills if it is
a headshot or chestshot.  Overall though, its not too impressive.
My Conclusion:  Use it in when there's nothing better, but replace it once you
have a better gun.
Type 7 Paricle Weapon
---------------------
Power: 10/10
Accuracy: 10/10
Rate of Fire: 1/10
Range: 10/10
Description: The Type 7 is, without a doubt, one of the best guns in the game.
It has incredible power, killing light- and medium-armored anemies in a
single shot.  It shoots a beam of particle energy, causing your enemies to
literally disolve, as the particles rip their flesh off, leaving nothing
but bones and blood.  Now that sounds like a toy I wanna give to my kids.
The Type 7 also has incredible range and accuracy when standing still, as
well as the best zoom in the game, making it the best sniping weapon in the
game, hands down.  However, its rate of fire is quite slow, and ammo is very
scarce, so make each and every shot count.  Also, don't try to run-n-gun
this bad boy, because accuracy goes down the toilet when you try and shoot
the Type 7 on the run.  Also, the Type 7 isn't as useful against heavy
enemies because of that slow rate of fire.  But it can still beat the socks
off of your average grunt.
My Conclusion: If you find this bad (expletive deleted), pick it up and don't
let go until they pry it from your cold dead hands.
MOD-3 Multi-Rocket Launcher
---------------------------
Power: 10/10
Accuracy: 7/10
Rate of Fire: 3/10
Range: 7/10
Description: The name says it all.  And if it confuses you, maybe you shouldn't
be reading this guide.  The MOD-3 shoots (surpise!) 3 rockets in a spiraling
path towards your enemies.  Although I gave the MOD-3 a high power rating,
that's only if you hit the same enemy w/ all thre rockets, a task that can
prove difficult on all but the biggest hulking enemies.  That said, the
splash damage does decent damage, but not nearly enough for a one-shot kill,
even on weak enemies.  But it can be useful to launch a rocket at a group of
unsuspecting enemies, as they take lots more damage.  Then you can finish
off the ones that didn't die with a back-up gun.  Just remember, rockets go
BOOM, so don't use one on a guy that's close enough to reach out and touch
you.  That said, the MOD-3 is best at medium to long range, but at long
range you better be using it on a big target, as it is much harder to
predict the path those rockets will follow.  And don't try to fire this
weapon on the run, as your chances of hitting what your aiming at are slim
to none.
My Conclusion: Use this behemoth to knock those big guys down a few pegs, but
dont expect it to be a panacea for all your FPS woes.
MP-50 Repeating Cannon
----------------------
Power: 8/10
Accuracy: 8/10
Rate of Fire: 6/10
Range: 6/10
Description: Repeating Cannon.  Don't you just love the sound of that as it
rolls off the tounge.  Unfortunately, the MP-50 doesn't quite live up to its
name.  You would expect a gun like this to kill in one hit, but apparently
Monolith thought otherwise.  On high difficulties it usually takes several
hits to put someone down for the count.  That said, it slightly redeems
itself with a decent rate of fire, and a large clip.  Most useful however,
is that it causes enemies to stagger when hit.  This makes it incredibly
useful against heavy armors, as it is one of the few guns that can make them
flinch.  It is also useful against enemies that are hiding behind cover, as
it does do a bit of splash damage, though not nearly as much as the MOD-3.
Also, this gun doesn't lose as much accuracy on the run as the Type 7 does,
so you can use it while moving from cover to cover.
My Conclusion: Use this gun when you can, but don't expect it to be as powerful
as it looks, sounds, feels, and seems.
------------
5.2 The Gear
------------
In this section, I will explain the uses of all of the gear in the game that
doesn't shoot something, from grenades to medkits.
N6A3 Fragmentation Grenade
--------------------------
Generally refered to as frag nades, this type of grenade is easily the most
versatile of the bunch.  While only a direct hit will kill instantly, they
still have many uses that can lead to the death of your enemy.  Primarily,
frag nades can be used to flush enemies out from behind cover.  They can
also be used to finish off a damage opponent that is hiding, or to inflict
some initial damage so that you can finish them off quickly.  Just remember,
you can only carry a few, so don't go crazy.
AT-S Proximity Mine
-------------------
Proxy mines as I like to call them, these are used mostly for setting traps
to draw your enemies into.  If anyone but the person who planted them gets
too close, they detonate, inflicting considerable damage.  In general, place
these mines near chokepoints, then try to draw enemies in, multiple ones if
possible.  They are somewhat ineffective if you just throw them into a group
of enemies, because by the time the motion sensor activates, they will
usually have run away.
M77 Remote Bomb
---------------
A personal favorite of mine since the days of GoldenEye, the remote mines
are fun and effective, both for traps and as an offensive weapon.  The
reason they are so awesome is because you can blow them up anytime.  Set one
on the ground, then wait until an enemy is right on top of it, then detonate
it, blowing the guy to pieces.  Also, you can throw them at an enemy who is
hiding, behind a box for example, then detonate it when it is right over his
head.  It can also be tossed into a group of enemies and then detonated at
the right time to do massive damage to all the nearby enemies.  There are so
many possibilities it makes my head spin.
Medkits
-------
Like any FPS, F.E.A.R. uses medkits to help you regain health lost during a
battle, or other damaging encounter, such as a fall from a high platform.
Each medkit cures 50 points of damage, so only use them if you need to.  You
can carry up to 10 medkits at a time, so if you can pick one up, do it.  One
thing to remember is that if your health gets below a certain point (the
amount depends on the difficulty) your health will regenerate.  So if you
end up in that zone, and you aren't in the middle of a firefight, let it
recharge before using your medkit.
Boosters
--------
There are two types of boosters in the game: health and reflex.  Health
boosters raise your maximum amount of health, obviously.  Reflex boosters
increase the amount of use available for SlowMo.  Each health booster will
increase your max health by 5 hit points, as well as healing any damage you
have taken, so if you are coming up on a health booster soon, avoid using
medkits, since you will get all that health back anyway.  Reflex is not
measured definitely like health, but I assume that each booster raises your
maximum amount of reflex by about 5% of the original amount.
SlowMo
------
Though not gear in the sense that it is a corporeal object that you carry
with you on your hip, SlowMo is still one of your greatest assets in battle.
SlowMo allows you to slow time to about half its normal speed, allowing you
to shoot with unerring accuracy, even while moving.  SlowMo can be used to
help out in tight spots, where there seem to be too many enemies to handle,
by letting you pick up those headshots without spending forever trying to
line one up.  More strategies for SlowMo will be found later on.
---------------
5.3 The Enemies
---------------
This section will give you the lowdown on all of the enemies in F.E.A.R. so you
can beat them with ease.  In this section, I will assess the enemy armor rating
and threat level, which follows this pattern: Minimal, Low, Moderate, High,
Extreme.  I will also make som allowances for difficulty level, as most enemies
become much more diffiuclt on hard and extreme.
ATC Security
------------
Armor: 3/10
Threat: Minimal to Low
These guys are the most lightly armored enemies in the game.  They are pretty
easy to kill, but they make up for that by attacking in numbers, usually in
groups of 4 or more.  They carry a variety of weapons, but mostly just the
standard weapons (i.e. RPL, AT-14, G2A2, etc.).  They still act like a team,
but they are considerably less effective than the Replicas.
Replica Light Infantry
----------------------
Armor: 4/10
Threat: Minimal to Moderate
The Replica light infantry is the most common enemy in the game, and as such
they are not to difficult to defeat.  Any weapon can be effective against
these enemies, so feel free to use whichever gun you please to take these guys
out.  They use basic and mid-level squad tactics to attack you, but they aren't
much of a threat unless they attack in large groups (5 or more), which is not
too common.  These guys carry most all of the standard weapons, except for the
AT-14.  Towards the middle of the game, they start coming in groups that also
include medium infantry.
Replica Medium Infantry
-----------------------
Armor: 6/10
Threat: Low to Moderate
The Replica medium infantry is the second most common enemy in the game, and
much like the light infantry, they are not very hard to kill.  Though they take
a noticably greater amount of damage, they still stun just as easily as the
light infantry, so the only real difference is the amount of ammo it takes to
kill one.  Any weapon can be used effectively against them, and they carry most
of the standard weapons, and sometimes carry special weapons, though rarely.
Medium infantry use all of the basic squad manuevers, but they can also allow a
group to use more advanced manuevers, especially the multi-directional attack,
in which you get attacked from two or more sides at once.  If they didn't die
so easily, I might have given them a high threat level, but I decided not to.
Replica Elite Infantry
----------------------
Armor: 7/10
Threat: Moderate to High
The Replica heavy infantry IS NOT the same as the heavy armor, which I will
discuss next.  That said, the heav infantry is the least common of the basic
enemies, and can take quite a beating.  They don't appear until near the end
of the game, and they usually carry more powerful weapons, including the unique
weapons.  They usually come in small groups, so they generally don't use many
squad based tactics, but they more than make up for it by being incredibly good
shots.  Because of their good armor, light weapons are less effective, so tend
more towards high-powered weapons when fighting these guys, unless you can get
in close enough to make the light weapons effective.
Replica Heavy Armor Soldier
---------------------------
Armor: 9/10
Threat: High to Extreme
This bad boy is quite the bruiser, doling out punishment by the ton, and taking
just as well as he gives.  You can spot these guys easily by the huge armored
plates on their shoulders, as well as the fact that they stand a good foot or
so taller than the rest of the Replicas.  Fortunately, encounters with heavy
armors are quite rare, but unfortunately they hardly ever attack alone.  If you
see a heavy armor, there is almost always a pair or more of Replica light or
medium infantry with them, so always take those guys down first.  Now for how
to deal with a heavy armor: Move.  Never stand still, because heavy armors are
quite good shots, and can rip you to pieces in no time.  A strategy that I find
to be quite effective is to lure the heavy armor in close, then use your melee
attacks and your shotgun to rip him a new one.  If this isn't viable for any
reason, then use weapons with decent armor penetration, such as the G2A2 or the
ASP.  SlowMo is also a very good asset in battles against heavy armors, since
it allows you to rack up those headshots, making them much easier to kill.  But
I warn you, on Extreme these guys take so much punishment they are almost
invincible, so be careful.
Replica Assassin
----------------
Armor: 2/10
Threat: High to Extreme
I think these enemies easily win the Most Annoying Enemy In The Game award.
These enemies come equipped with a cloak that renders them all but invisible,
in a manner similar to the Predator's from the Schwarzenegger movie of the same
name.  These guys have no guns, but instead attack with a devestating melee
attack that can deplete a full health bar in no time.  Fortunately, you usually
get a slight warning before they attack, since they like to jump through nearby
windows before coming after you.  Also, they have very little health and armor,
so a single shotgun blast or a swift melee attack can make them no more.
Luckily, you only fight these guys a few times.  When fighting them, I suggest
you find a location such that they can only attack from one direction, thus
preventing them from sneaking up behind you and beating you like a dog.
Automated Turret
----------------
Armor: 5/10
Threat: Low to High
Automated turrets are a bit of a wildcard, since they can be really easy to
destroy, or a major pain in the ass.  The armor rating is perhaps a bit
misleading because they are really easy to destroy on the Easy difficulty, but
they take forever on the Hard and Extreme difficulties.  They also do
considerably more damage on the higher difficulties as well.  My suggestion is
to try and get underneath them and use your shotgun, since they turn slowly and
won't be able to target you if you can keep moving so they can't hone in on
you.  Some can also be disabled using special methods, such as turning off the
power via a nearby switch.
EVE
---
Armor: 10/10
Threat: High to Extreme
The EVE is basically a heavily armored walking tank that shoots rockets.  That
sounds fun already.  The AI for the EVE is very predictable: it's gonna walk at
you and shoot its rockets or its machine guns.  That simple.  However, the task
of defeating one is another story entirely.  They take incredible amounts of
damage, and their heavy armor makes light weapons useless against them.  One of
the best strategies to use against EVEs is to lay traps using proxy and remote
mines to whittle away their health before you attack directly.  When you attack
with guns, use the MOD-3 or the MP-50 if you have them.  If not, use long range
weapons like the G2A2, the ASP, or the Type 7.  Just stay away from walls and
doorways, since the rockets can inflict splash damage if they hit too close to
you, and those machine guns can rip you up if you stand still.
Aerial Attack Unit
------------------
Armor: 5/10
Threat: High
These enemies are one of the more annoying in the game, as their laser does a
lot of damage, and they have very good accuracy.  Just about any weapon can be
used to take these guys down, depending on how close or far away they are.  I
recommend the G2A2 for most encounters, but if they are real close, the shotgun
can take them out much faster.  Just keep moving and hope their lasers miss.
Evil Spirits
------------
Armor: 1/10
Threat: Moderate
These enemies are the easiest enemies in the game to kill, requiring only one
shot each.  However, if they touch you, they cause massive damage.  Usually
they only attack during dream sequences, but at the end of the game they start
attacking in considerable numbers.  Just try and take them all out before you
get overwhelmed.
------------------------------
5.4 Combat Tips and Strategies
------------------------------
F.E.A.R. is a first-person shooter and the most valuable assets you can have
are quick reflexes and an even quicker trigger finger.  Although the tips I
give here aren't the only way to play through F.E.A.R., the can definitely
increase your chances for survival, especially on higher difficulty levels.
1)Headshots work wonders
I can't reinforce this point enough.  Headshots are the most effective and
ammo-efficient way to take down an enemy.  An unsuspecting enemy will die
with a single headshot from any gun, and even enemies who know you are
there will go down much quicker with a shot to the head.
2)Don't just stand there and bleed!
Never stay still for too long in a firefight.  If you stop moving, the
enemy will throw grenades at you, or use the opportunity to regroup and
rush your position.  Neither of these will end well, so don't just stand
around, get moving!
3)Use cover
The mechanics of F.E.A.R. make the use of cover essential to victory,
especially on the higher difficulties.  When you are taking heavy fire,
quickly duck behind cover and wait for your enemies to reload.  Then pop
out and blast those suckers with ease.  Also, cover can be very useful for
those times when you need to reload during a firefight.  Just duck behind
a corner or box, pop in a new mag, then unload some more lead on those
(not so) stupid Replicas.
4)Lean on me
Remember to use your lean when behind cover.  You only expose a small bit
of your body, making you a smaller target, while still allowing you to
shoot back at your enemies.  By the same token, you can crouch behind low
cover to decrease the amount of your body that is exposed, as well as
getting a nifty little increase in your accuracy.  So, by putting one and
one together, we get two: an extra small target and increased accuracy.
So just duck and lean, and you might just find this game get a bit easier.
5)This ain't Doom, hotshot!
The AI in this game is, without a doubt, the most impressive I have ever
seen in any game, and I have been playing video games for over 15 years.
The AI responds incredibly realistically to almost every situation in the
game, and it only gets smarter at the higher difficulties.  When they spot
you, they spread out and attack as a group.  When you eliminate most of
a group, the survivors will call for backup. They go for cover, use nades
to flush you out, and use the level to try and flank you.  This can make
for some pretty intense firefights later in the game, when you find
yourself being rushed by three different groups of enemies from three
different directions.   So just remember, these aren't some dumbass goons.
These guys think like you, so you might have to get smarter to beat them.
6)Don't hit a screw with a hammer!
Having trouble getting through an area?  Maybe you aren't using the right
tool for the job.  Trying to use the shotgun to snipe guys half a block
away just might prove to be somewhat ineffective.  Always try and find the
right gun for the situation.  This may change rapidly, as you could be
trying to eliminate guys on the far side of a big area, when you suddenly
get rushed by a pair of soldiers.  So you may find yourself changing your
weapon a lot as the situation changes.  So always carry around a diverse
arsenal, so you don't end up with a bunch of guns you can't use.
7)My name is Neo
Although the description that the game gives is that you have super-human
reflexes, SlowMo is essentially a Matrix-style bullet time effect that
allows you to see what's going on at a reduced speed.  This can allow you
to place your shots with deadly accuracy, as well as greatly increasing
your ammo efficiency.  SlowMo is most useful when you encounter a large
group of weak enemies, or a small group consisting of a few weak enemies
and one or two stronger enemies.  It has to be used sparingly though, as
your reflex meter depletes rapidly and builds back up slowly.  SlowMo can
also be very effective against a single tough enemy, such as a heavy or an
EVE.  One important thing about SlowMo is that it GREATLY increases your
accuracy, so feel free to run-n-gun, since it makes you a hard target.
Just remember, SlowMo doesn't make you bulletproof, so if you take a few
rounds in the chest, you won't get back up like Neo.
8)Smack my bitch up
You may be thinking to yourself, "Why on earth did Monolith decide to put
melee attacks in this game?  I mean, its a FPS.  Besides, melee attacks
are useless."  Well that's right Slappy, it is a FPS, but those melee
attacks are far from useless.  Most melee attacks can kill an enemy in one
hit, and still do considerable damage to heavy enemies.  This can be very
useful if you find yourself being rushed by multiple enemies, or if you
just run out of ammo.  But I would advise against just rushing into a
group of bad guys and trying to go Jet Li on their asses, as they will
procede to blow your stupid ass into little chunks.  I would also advise
against trying to use a melee attack on robotic enemies.  Call me crazy,
but I just don't think a roundhouse is going to take down a walking tank.
But in a one-on-one situation, a good slidekick or jumpkick can help you
save some ammo.  Besides, melee attacks look so cool.
9)FIRE IN THE HOLE!!!
Grenades are useful in F.E.A.R., though they're not as deadly as they are
in some FPS games.  Although mainly used to flush enemies out of heavily
entrenched positions, they can also be used to take out clusters of bad
guys (a rare occurance, but it can happen).  If you ever see a group of
unsuspecting baddies, toss a frag nade at them and you might be able to
take them all out at once.  The most useful function of grenades though is
to create traps.  For example, lay a proximity mine or remote bomb behind
a box, then stand up and shoot at a nearby enemy to get him to head toward
you.  When he crosses past that box, BOOM!  They'll be wiping him off the
walls with a sponge.
10)Communications have been compromised
If you hear an enemy tell his pal that they're gonna flank you, maybe you
should move somewhere else.  Listening in on enemy transmissions can clue
you in on what your opponents are up to.  Use it to your advantage!  If
they call for reinforcements, there is probably only one or two guys left
alive, so go ahead and attack.  And if you hear them say that they can't
find you, take them out while they aren't expecting it.  Of course, some
communications also reveal plot info, so always be listnening for the
enemy.
11)Play smart!
The best hint I can give is for you to use your brain muscles.  Maybe they
have fallen into disuse because of too many lost hours playing Quake, but
F.E.A.R. might need you to think sometimes.  Don't try and use the same
strategy over and over again just because it worked once.  Improvise, find
new methods of betting a section, and just play on your toes.  This is the
key to success.  Even someone with the worst hand-eye coordination in the
world can succeed in F.E.A.R. if he thinks his way through each encounter.
This is all of the wisdom I can impart.  Now prepare to dive headfirst into the
gaming experience that is F.E.A.R.
===============================================================================
===============================================================================
--------------
6. Walkthrough
--------------
In this section I will provide a complete walkthrough of the game, including
the locations of all of the health and reflex boosters.  For the more difficult
battles, I may also provide a more indepth strategy on different methods for
getting past these situations.  I will also warn that this walkthrough contains
some spoilers, so don't read ahead of where you are in the game if you don't
want to ruin the plot.
----------------------------
6.01 Interval 01 - Inception
----------------------------
At the start of this level, there is a short cutscene in which the F.E.A.R.
team leader explains your mission, which is to locate and eliminate Paxton
Fettel, who has taken control of a battalion of clone soldiers who can all be
controlled by a single psychic commander.  After the screen fades out, you
see a short sequence of visions, which foreshadow some later elements of the
plot.
- Investigate area for signs of Paxton Fettel
When you come back, you're with Betters, about to be dropped off near the last
location of Paxton Fettel.  When you get out of the car, you gain control of
your character, and can now move freely.  This level is mostly for getting
acquainted with the controls, so take advantage of it.  Head forward and use
your melee attack to break the wooden boards on the fence.  Head through the
door in the courtyard and proceed through the rooms until you reach the room
with Jankowski.  You can't get through the door so you have to find a way
around.  But first, go into the room on the right, and head to the back corner.
There is a health booster on the table, which increases your max health to 105.
Head back into the room you came from and go up the stairs and through the
door.  You can get over the table by jumping.  Upon rounding the corner, you
get your first scare of the game.  Go down the hallway and through the door.
Through the door at the other end of the hall, you see Fettel walk by, but you
can't hurt him so don't bother shooting.  Crouch to get under the door and into
the next room.  When you reach the padlocked door, shoot the padlock so you can
proceed.  Go up the stairs and you will meet up with Jankowski again.  The game
will save a checkpoint, just before you bust into a room SWAT-style.  After
going through the door, you will enter a SlowMo scene, where Fettel talks to
you telepathically, and reveals a bit of the plot.  Walk through the series of
rooms untill you reach the corpse.  Then the SlowMo ends, and Jankowski calls
Jin in to examine the body.
- Search area
Jankowski tells you to search the area.  As there is only one way out of the
room aside from the door you came in through, that is the way you need to go.
Proceed up the stairs and through the series of rooms until you encounter
Fettel.  He'll knock you out before you can get a shot off so don't even bother
shooting at him.  When you come to, Fettel is standing over you with a pair
of Replicas, and he tells you who the corpse was.  You'll fall unconcious again
and wake up to hear the Delta Force squad inform Betters about the incident at
the harbor.
- Rejoin your team
Head back down to where you left Jankowski.  Jin and Jankowski will be talking
about you, and you can even hear Jin call you cute.  Now doesn't that just
float your boat.  Anyway, you will soon enter into another cutscene revealing
a bit of the plot.  When you come back, you will be sitting in a helicopter
with several Delta Foce members, preparing to leave for the harbor.
-----------------------------
6.02 Interval 02 - Initiation
-----------------------------
You start this level in a helicopter, flying towards the harbor area, where a
large group of Replica soldiers has taken over the South River Wastewater
Treatment Plant.  Although you don't yet know why the Replica soldiers have
taken over the plant, you'll find out sooner or later.  You rappel out of the
helicopter into a freight area filled with boxes.  You and the Delta Force
squad soon reach a locked gate.
- Find gate controls and open gate
Turn to the right and head between the fences and the boxes until you reach a
large door that leads into a storage area.  Duck to get under the door and grab
the reflex booster inside.  Head back out and go around the side and up the
stairs.  Proceed through the rooms until you reach the gate controls, then
activate them.  As you return to the Delta Force Squad, you hear gunfire, and
when you reach them, all that's left is a pool of blood and some skeletons.
After a short cutscene, you recieve a new objective.
- Rendezvous with Jankowski's team
After the cutscene, head to the other end of the parking lot and into the
building.  When you go through the door, you see a dying man asking for help.
Get ready for your first F.E.A.R. firefight.  In the next room there are two
enemy soldiers, who are easily dispatched.  After you slaughter them like so
many cattle, head into the next room.  Oh, and watch out for falling corpses.
There is a door on the lower level, but a fence keeps you from progressing
further.  So like any good person would do, find an excessively complex way
around it!  Head up the stairs and around to the windows.  Make sure to grab
the health pack in the office.  Knock out the wood boards blocking the window
and go out onto the ledge and drop onto the ground on the farside of the fence.
Man that was so much easier than climbing that dumb fence.  Anyway, once you
go through the door, you will have your first serious enemy encounter.  There
are a few enemies in the next area, which consists of a storage garage, office
(which also contains a medkit), and a loading area filled with giant crates.
Although you initially only face 1 or 2 enemies, the rest will quickly become
alerted after your first shot.  Try to catch the first enemy off-guard, as the
damage inflicted by the initial shot is much greater.  After you've cleaned up