Cold Fear

The Good
Cold Fear is a really interesting midway point between the classic 1992-2004 era of survival horror and modern action horror pioneered at the same time by Resident Evil 4. The map layout and design is just complex enough to immerse you in exploring creepy locations without hindering the pacing of action-oriented gameplay. The hybrid camera system combining fixed shots with over-the-shoulder view might be difficult to get used to at first, but overall the game is pretty easy to control, allowing for some really solid third-person shooter gameplay.

While Cold Fear isn't exactly the most original horror game out there, it has a feature that sets it apart in a really good way - the setting. The game takes place on open sea, first on a ship and then on an oil rig. The tight spaces and lifeless feel of metallic surfaces add a sense of claustrophobia and confusion to which the game owes much of its atmosphere.

The Bad
The weakest point of Cold Fear might be the fact that it was very clearly designed as a competitor to Resident Evil 4 (which was released a few weeks earlier). Despite the unique marine-industrial setting, it borrows quite a lot from earlier games in the Capcom series in terms of aesthetics and story elements, and even the mixed camera system seems to be inspired by an earlier phase in RE4's development.

Another element that diminished Cold Fear's impact is its lack of memorable boss fights (and scarcity of boss fights altogether). Miniboss encounters, while decent, are usually over very quickly, and the final boss is very underwhelming.

The Bottom Line
Ultimately, Cold Fear is a very solid action horror game stuck somewhere in between classic survival horror and newer games like Resident Evil 4 and 5. It may be underwhelming, but its claustrophobic environments are likely to keep you hooked. 7/10