Fear Effect 2: Retro Helix

Reviewed by:
Scott Steinberg

Software publishers are realizing there’s an adult audience that wants more than bright colors and huggable animals from their video games. Unfortunately, they still haven’t figured out how to satisfy them. Presenting itself as a mature adventure, Fear Effect 2 lets players juggle between femmes fatales Hana and Rain, who bitch-slap foes in an animated style reminiscent of the MTV cartoon Æon Flux. Though there’s plenty of gunplay (plus the occasional onscreen costume change), the repetitive combat and difficult puzzles make you wonder if programmers spent too much time on flash and not enough on substance. Fans of the genre will probably get their rocks off, but casual gamers will find it a big tease.

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