F.E.A.R. 3, however, is more ambitious, adding two-player co-op and special powers. F.E.A.R. 3 still feels like a F.E.A.R. title, but it no longer acts like one.

Let’s talk guns: F.E.A.R. has always been known for its solid gameplay and fantastic AI. The good news is that both of these elements are still present. The bad news is that both these elements take longer than they should to appear.

The guns that helped make F.E.A.R. unique, such as the Penetrator, which shoots nail-like rounds that pin enemies to the walls, are not available until near the end of the eight-hour campaign. While the enemy AI is still as solid as ever, the level design prevents them from using their tactics more often than not by limiting the fighting area to single rooms or hallways. When F.E.A.R. 3 delivers, it's an amazing experience, but the game just does not deliver often enough to make it standout.

In F.E.A.R. 3, the attempts at horror feel lackluster. The game gives a nod at its horror roots, but does little else.

Sometimes you will see the shadows move and dance along the walls ahead of you, or creatures run across doorways and halls, but these moments are far from scary. Honestly, F.E.A.R. 3 feels like a solid shooter that is going through the motions of a horror game just because it knows it is what people expect. The horror spirit the F.E.A.R. series is known for is missing from the latest entry in the series.

Multiplayer is where F.E.A.R. 3 really gets to spread its wings. It is unique and interesting, providing a new experience to an all too familiar genre. F.E.A.R. 3 drops straight death-match game types in favor of more unique modes: Contractions, Soul Survivor, Soul King and F***ing Run.

Contractions is a wave-based horde mode. Players team up to defend a location against waves of enemies. Between waves, players can rebuild barricades and gather supplies.

Soul Survivor is similar to Contractions, but adds a twist. One player is corrupted by Alma and is set to kill his former comrades. When a player dies they join the corrupted side until one "Soul Survivor" remains.

Soul King is the closest F.E.A.R. 3 comes to a classic death-match mode. Soul King drops players into a battle zone filled with AI soldiers as ghosts. Players can possess the AI soldiers to wage war and collect souls from fallen enemies. The person with the most souls wins. However, dying will cause you to lose half of your soul collection.

The last mode, F***ing Run, is a team-based mode that has players running between checkpoints from a misty "Wall of Death" that follows them through the level. Enemy AI controlled soldiers will get in your way to kill you or slow your progress. If any member of your team dies, it's game over for everyone.

Overall F.E.A.R. 3 is more of the same great action the series is famous for but with less of the scares.

It's a good first-person shooter, but not a great one.

While F.E.A.R. 3's unique multiplayer options are solid and interesting, they do not have the same market appeal as standard death-match modes. Online matches can be hard to find, and without a strong community the value of these unique match types is lost. F.E.A.R. 3 is a run-of-the-mill shooter, but not much more.