Cold Fear

About

Cold Fear is a single player survival shooter game with a horror theme. It was developed by Darkworks and was released on May 13, 2008. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and positive reviews from players.

"Cold Fear" is a single-player horror shooter game with a good story, solid gameplay, and impressive visuals and sound. As Coast Guard veteran Tom Hansen, you investigate a distress signal from a Russian whaler in the Arctic, where you uncover gruesome and terrifying secrets. The game boasts an exceptional atmosphere, with a relentless sense of fear and unease throughout.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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82%

Audience ScoreBased on 582 reviews

story54 positive mentions

stability8 negative mentions

Cold Fear offers a unique maritime setting that enhances the survival horror experience, with the ship's rocking and environmental hazards adding tension.
The game features a satisfying combat system that allows for headshots and environmental interactions, making encounters engaging.
Despite its flaws, Cold Fear is considered a nostalgic gem for fans of classic survival horror, reminiscent of the early Resident Evil games.

The game suffers from clunky controls and a confusing camera system that can disrupt gameplay, especially during tense moments.
There is no map or manual save option, leading to frustrating navigation and potential loss of progress.
The story and character development are weak, with a rushed ending that leaves many plot points unresolved.

story
237 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
68%
9%
The story of the game is a blend of familiar survival horror tropes, featuring a rescue mission that spirals into chaos with parasitic creatures and military secrets, reminiscent of classic titles like Resident Evil. While some players appreciate its cheesy B-movie charm and atmospheric setting, many criticize the narrative for being underdeveloped, predictable, and filled with clichés, often relying on collectible notes for deeper lore. Overall, the story is seen as serviceable but lacking in depth and character development, leaving it feeling rushed and generic.
- “The story mixes mystery, infection horror, and military secrets in a way that keeps you hooked from beginning to end.”
- “What begins as a standard rescue mission quickly escalates into a struggle against terrifying parasitic creatures and hostile mercenaries.”
- “The story is captivating and the art style is awesome, the gameplay is repetitive but enjoyable, and it gave me quite a few good scares.”
- “Couldn't give two shits about the story while some cutscenes have such abrupt transitions that it will make you wonder if you accidentally skipped something in between - nope, this is how the cutscenes were directed.”
- “However, the narrative often feels underdeveloped, with plot threads hinted at but rarely explored in depth.”
- “The story feels so rushed it's kind of hilarious how fast it goes from one story beat to the next; it'll give you whiplash.”
gameplay
158 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
66%
7%
The gameplay of "Cold Fear" is a blend of classic survival horror mechanics reminiscent of the Resident Evil series, featuring a mix of fixed camera angles and over-the-shoulder shooting. While the game introduces unique environmental hazards, such as the ship's movement affecting aiming, it suffers from clunky controls and frustrating mechanics, including a lack of a manual save option and a confusing map layout. Overall, it offers a nostalgic experience for fans of the genre, but its dated design and execution may deter new players.
- “One of the standout elements of Cold Fear is the way the environment directly impacts gameplay.”
- “The gameplay is great, can feel clunky when aiming, moving a bit, but overall manageable and playable.”
- “What really sets the gameplay apart is the physics-based movement: the ship rocks violently with the storm, affecting your aiming and movement.”
- “Its gameplay is where things can frustrate some people; its movement isn't as refined as Resident Evil 4, especially in close quarters. Turning around is just the character model pivoting, and as you walk around, the camera constantly repositions itself, which can change your sense of direction where sometimes 'S' is forward.”
- “The gameplay in its entirety can be summed up as a pure Resident Evil clone, but without the intuitive puzzles; instead, it's all fetch quests.”
- “At its worst, it's a clunky mess of withered features and mechanics that have just not held up well over the last thirteen years.”
atmosphere
121 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
62%
36%
2%
The atmosphere in "Cold Fear" is widely praised for its immersive and intense qualities, effectively capturing the claustrophobic and eerie setting of a storm-battered ship. Players appreciate the combination of environmental design, lighting, and sound that creates a genuinely unsettling experience, reminiscent of classic survival horror games. Despite some criticisms regarding gameplay mechanics and visual inconsistencies, the game's atmospheric elements stand out as a significant strength, making it a memorable entry in the genre.
- “Cold Fear, developed by Darkworks and published by Ubisoft, is a survival horror game that sets itself apart with its unique maritime setting and intense atmosphere.”
- “The stormy sea, the creaking ship, and the oppressive atmosphere combine to create a setting that feels alive and dangerous.”
- “Its intense atmosphere, challenging combat, and immersive stormy setting make it a worthwhile dive for fans of the genre; just prepare for some rough waters and a few hiccups along the way.”
- “The fixed camera angles, while contributing to a cinematic atmosphere, sometimes obscure enemy positions or make navigation disorienting, especially in the tighter spaces of the ship’s interior.”
- “It's also painfully not scary (read: boring), the moments that could be haunting are sometimes overlaid with a bombastic action music score that deteriorates any atmosphere that could be garnered from the experience.”
- “Although the atmosphere at the start of the game is unnerving enough and the rocking ship in the middle of a storm is an interesting setting, in practice it means a lot of similar looking metal corridors.”
graphics
84 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
37%
53%
10%
The graphics of the game, while showing their age, are generally considered decent for a title from the early 2000s, with some reviewers noting that they still hold up well in terms of atmosphere and aesthetic appeal. However, many players have pointed out persistent graphical glitches, issues with resolution settings, and a lack of modern updates that hinder the experience. Overall, the visuals contribute positively to the game's horror atmosphere, but they are marred by technical limitations and outdated design elements.
- “Fantastic graphics and a true cinematic feel; I genuinely found myself believing that I was in the situation.”
- “Truly this is a cult classic that lives up to the hype and RE4 comparisons, with its insane combat and graphics that look great even after 20 years.”
- “For a 2005 game, the graphics are amazing; I think it may even put some of the new titles to shame.”
- “The graphics show their age, with dated visuals even for its time.”
- “While graphically the game holds up surprisingly well for a PS2 title, there has been no patching for modern systems, and as such, the game is locked to a lower aspect ratio and resolution.”
- “Graphics are outdated and gameplay is clunky, but the atmosphere and enemies are amazing!”
music
52 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
52%
8%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising its ability to enhance the atmosphere and build tension, particularly during combat and safe moments. However, others criticize the soundtrack for being out of place, with bombastic tracks that detract from the horror experience, particularly the inclusion of a Marilyn Manson song during the credits. Overall, while the soundtrack has standout moments, it can be inconsistent and occasionally disrupts the intended mood.
- “Its setting on a ship in the middle of a raging ocean is a really unique setting for a game and its atmosphere and music is stellar.”
- “The music fits the atmosphere really well and adds to the ambiance.”
- “The atmosphere's major saving grace is the music and sound effects.”
- “The Hans Zimmer music feels inappropriate, especially at the start - why are you blasting a track from a Michael Bay movie in the beginning where we as the player only have a couple of hints of what is going on?”
- “It's also painfully not scary (read: boring), the moments that could be haunting are sometimes overlaid with a bombastic action music score that deteriorates any atmosphere that could be garnered from the experience.”
- “The ending cutscene was 10 seconds long and felt underwhelming, and then you get blasted with some bad rock song that repeats for the entire credits sequence.”
optimization
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
56%
19%
The game's PC port has received mixed reviews regarding optimization; while some players report smooth performance with a stable 60 fps and minimal crashes, others experience clunky controls and inconsistent performance, particularly in certain areas. Overall, the optimization appears to be a significant issue for many users, detracting from the overall experience.
- “I surprisingly have no major technical issues getting the game to run, and everything has run smoothly.”
- “For performance, it is 60 fps locked, almost no crashes for the whole playthrough, but you have to use a fan fix for widescreen.”
- “In-game performance is good, and there is a good selection of inventive enemies and AI.”
- “The PC port is poorly optimized, and the controls feel clunky and unresponsive.”
- “The performance is really weird.”
- “At times I was fighting against a bunch of enemies and didn't have a single FPS drop; however, there were some areas (especially the last section of the game) where my performance was all over the place.”
humor
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is described as a mix of unintentional comedy and cringe-worthy moments, with players finding amusement in the bad voice acting and cheesy dialogue. While some aspects, like the main character's lines, are genuinely funny, the overall rushed and convoluted story adds to the absurdity, making it a peculiar fit for a horror-focused title. However, the humor often feels misplaced, leading to frustration rather than enjoyment.
- “It is hilariously inappropriate for something focusing solely on horror, so it suits Cold Fear perfectly since it puts a greater emphasis on the combat.”
- “The story feels so rushed it's kind of hilarious how fast it goes from one story beat to the next; it'll give you whiplash.”
- “The story is weird, convoluted, and it makes no sense at all, but the bad voice acting and cheesy dialogue are utterly hilarious.”
stability
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
89%
The game's stability is widely criticized, with numerous reports of bugs, graphical glitches, and issues with hit registration, particularly in single-player mode. Players have noted frustrating camera transitions and a lack of support for modern resolutions, leading to a clunky experience. While some users found the Steam version to be less buggy than previous iterations, the overall consensus is that the game is plagued by technical problems that detract from the experience.
- “This game runs great; I was surprised it had controller support.”
- “The stability of the game is impressive, with minimal crashes and smooth performance.”
- “I appreciate how well the game performs on various devices without any noticeable lag.”
- “It's a buggy frustrating mess that requires you to enter at full health.”
- “A terrible Resident Evil 4 clone with unintuitive level design (also, there is no map), buggy hit registration (in a single-player game, yes), no support for 1920x1080p monitors (you will have to mod a 2005 game yourself), and the janky transitions between 3rd person and 1st person modes are a product of nightmares.”
- “Clunky as hell and the graphics aren't stellar by today's standards, and it needs a widescreen fix you'll find around the discussions forum, and don't ever alt-tab while playing because you'll end up in a negative-bizarro world with graphical glitches trying to pull you into the heavens.”
replayability
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
45%
33%
The game has minimal replayability, primarily limited to four difficulty settings, with little incentive for exploration or varied gameplay experiences. Reviewers express disappointment, noting that the lack of engaging content and intensity detracts from the survival horror experience, making it feel less replayable compared to genre benchmarks like Resident Evil 4.
- “This is quite sad in a survival horror game where replayability is often a must.”
- “Well, that is Cold Fear, a totally okay game; it just lacks the intensity and sense of exploration that made RE4 one of the best and most replayable games I have ever played.”
- “No replayability outside of four difficulty settings.”
- “Not much for exploring in this game; you can find ammo, health, and maybe some notes that are way too long to read through, but outside of that, not much in terms of replayability, unless you count higher difficulties.”
- “Cold Fear also has zero replayability, which I believe is the worst sin in this genre.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious and frustrating, primarily due to the absence of an in-game map, which leads to aimless wandering and difficult backtracking. The lack of clarity on main versus optional areas exacerbates the issue, making it challenging to progress, especially after dying and having to repeat lengthy sequences without the ability to heal manually.
- “The lack of an in-game map only compounds this issue, as players are frequently left to wander through similar-looking corridors and decks, making backtracking tedious.”
- “These two things make the game extremely tedious and frustrating to play.”
- “It is really bothersome when you need to backtrack due to missing a few locations. Without maps, you can’t tell which areas are optional and which are main, and this can take a while. If you die, you have to do it all again, and having no ability to manually heal makes the experience even more frustrating and tedious.”
character development
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
Character development in the game is largely criticized for being minimal, with the protagonist and supporting cast failing to provide depth or elevate the narrative beyond basic clichés. While some players found the experience satisfying despite the lack of growth, overall, the character arcs are seen as underwhelming.
- “Hansen himself is serviceable as a protagonist, but character development is limited, and the supporting cast does little to elevate the story beyond its basic beats.”
- “Character development is almost non-existent.”
- “The story is pretty cliché, with no real character development, but it gave me what I wanted.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization aspect of the game is primarily centered around an ads system that players find decent, although the frustrating tank controls detract from the overall experience. While some mechanics require the use of these controls, the reliance on aiming and ads suggests a mixed reception regarding monetization strategies.
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional impact of the game is hindered by the NPC voice acting, particularly with the character Hanson, whose delivery lacks the necessary pacing and gravitas to create a relatable experience for players.