Fear Effect Reinvented maintains that classic fixed camera of the original game while making visual and control changes to bring the game up to modern standards. It is still set to be released for Xbox One, PS4, Nintendo Switch and PC sometime in 2018, published by Square Enix and developed by Sushi.

• 1. Development
• 2. Story
• 3. Gameplay
• 4. Characters

Development

Announced at Gamescom 2017 for Nintendo Switch, PC, PS4 and Xbox One for release in 2018, French Developer Sushee and Square Enix Collective first showed off Fear Effect Reinvented, which was being released as a companion to the upcoming sequel title, Fear Effect Sedna. It was then said that the game would be retaining a connection to the original title through use of cel shaded visual style and fixed camera angles, but visual updates and control improvements would help bring the game in line with modern titles.

As a part of the Square Enix Collective Program, which was created in order to help indie developers bring their ideas to frutition and has Square Enix assist them with crowdfunding campaigns, publishing and finding the proper audience. This also allowed developer Sushee access to the otherwise defunct IP from Eidos, allowing them use of the Fear Effect name and characters.

Story

Hana and her crew are the first people on the scene when Wee Ming, the daughter of a powerful Hong Kong Triad boss disappears. These mercenaries haven’t been hired to find Wee Ming, and they don’t have heroic motives either. They want to kidnap the girl and hold her for ransom.

The simple snatch and grab plot goes sideways when supernatural elements begin to get involved, revealing Ming’s father, Mr. Lam as having connections to demons. A pact he made with the demons a long time ago is what gave him his wealth and power. His daughter is revealed as a mere paper doll come to life, and she is to be sacrificed. A sacrifice that Mr. Lam is intent on seeing through for his own nefarious reasons.

Gameplay

Fear Effect’s original charm was that it took the fixed camera angles and gameplay from Resident Evil and bumped the presentation and story up a notch by using FMV for backgrounds instead of still images. Fear Effect Reinvented is still very much the same game, but with the benefit of new technology behind it to up the presentation. Characters are more detailed with proper cel shading, environments are actually 3D, and controls will be improved.

The player will play as the leader, Hana, the weapons expert, Deke and the measured mercenary, Royce throughout the game in different situations. They all play identically, and can use the same weapons.

The unique point of Fear Effect and thus its remaster is the health system. Resembling a heart monitor readout, the green line of the UI will speed up its pulse and turn from green to red when damaged. Allow your heart to get too excited and it will eventually flatline, but performing action that calm the player down can bring them back to green.

The game will still retain the fixed camera angles and present itself as a classic survival horror style game. Unlike the original Resident Evil games, the player can move and fire their weapons simultaneously in Fear Effect Reinvented, they can dodge roll as well as shoot at two different enemies at once using their two guns. Between action segments, the game includes stealth opportunities and other puzzles like its contemporaries. Puzzle solving and stealth kills are two of the ways players can calm their heart rate and improve their health.

Characters

Hana Tsu-Vachel is the 24 year old main protagonist of Fear Effect and the leader of her group of mercenaries. Hana is part French and part Chinese and first lived with her parents in Hong Kong. Due to the mysterious deaths of her parents as a child, she was raised within the Chinese Triad and trained as their assassin. An ace marksman and pilot, Hana is just as dangerous armed as she is unarmed. Her life’s goal is to be able to buy out the triad contract she was forced into.

Royce Glas is another contact of Hana’s who joins her on her mission to rescue Wee Ming. Trained within a US intelligent agency so secret that not even the CIA knew it existed, Glas is an expert of counterintelligence and all kinds of weapons. Still hunted by the government he once swore to serve, Glas is likely and willing to kill someone for his own protection as he is to find a more quiet solution.

Jacob Decourt, otherwise known as his nickname “Deke” is a hulking man who learned his skills during the wars of New Australia. He’s the kind of guy who just loves to take on dangerous, high paying jobs for the fun of the destruction, and so he can maintain his extravagant lifestyle. He loves his big guns and is the perfect man to have along when you don’t mind a mess being left behind, naturally making him another contact for Hana.

Mr. Lam is the high ranking Triad boss who made a deal with the demon to gain his standing and power. Jin is a mysterious individual who rarely sees Hana in person, but has a major role to play within the story. Jin is for some reason, in Mr. Lam’s building at the start of the game, though Hana was unaware of this.

Note: This wiki will be updated once we have more information about the game.

Age of Empires 4

Talk about unexpected. In the midst of Microsoft’s disappointing Gamescom presentation, it did have one big new exclusive in the form of Age of Empires 4. Developed by Relic Entertainment (Warhammer 40K: Dawn of War, Company of Heroes), there’s next to no details available. However, it will have historical battles and based on Relic’s incredible portfolio, we’d say it’s a pretty good choice for the next big Age of Empires. Age of Empires 4 is currently in development for PC.

Square Enix Collective had a little surprise for Fear Effect fans during Gamescom week. It’s confirmed that Fear Effect will receive a remake in the form of Fear Effect Reinvented, which launches in 2018 for the Xbox One, PS4, PC and Nintendo Switch. Sushee, the developer in charge of Fear Effect Sedna, will be handling the remake which features improved HD visuals and controls. The fixed camera angles still remain though.

Interestingly, Sushee’s Kickstarter-funded project for Fear Effect Sedna is what led to the remake gaining traction. Sushee founder Benjamin Anseaume said he was amazed by the support for Fear Effect Sedna and the franchise in general among fans.

“At the same time, we realized that as well as offering established fans something new with Sedna, it would be great to introduce fresh players to Fear Effect by remaking that first great adventure. Fear Effect Reinvented will capture the same spirit and atmosphere as the original game, but it’ll bring it into the present with drastically improved visuals, tweaked controls and other exciting extras,” said Anseaume.

The announcement trailer features Hana Tsu-Vachel, one of the main characters, and the significantly revamped graphics in all their glory. While no release window was provided, Fear Effect Reinvented should be an excellent addition to 2018’s games lineup. Interestingly enough, Fear Effect Sedna is still billed as releasing in 2017 despite no concrete date being provided yet. You can check out the free demo here though.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLG3VLiNnlw