Fear Effect Sedna

Fear Effect Sedna is vapid and vain, like a B-movie with a bit of gorgeous cinematography. Its gameplay falters miserably and even with the unmistakable atmosphere of the old games, Sedna just isn't enjoyable to sit through.

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Fear Effect Sedna is an action-packed stealth game with a thrilling story, enhanced by the Fear system that affects your team's abilities. The game features ultra-stylish cutscenes, puzzles, and a range of dynamic abilities to take down enemies. This installment is a great sequel for fans and a fitting start for newcomers to the series. The Collector's Edition includes a digital soundtrack and art book for fans to enjoy.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

44%

Audience ScoreBased on 64 reviews

story9 positive mentions

atmosphere3 negative mentions

Retains the unique Fear Effect art style and atmosphere, appealing to fans of the original games.
Offers interesting puzzles that challenge players and evoke nostalgia from the original series.
The story features familiar characters and multiple endings, providing some replay value for fans.

Combat mechanics are clunky and frustrating, with poor AI for both enemies and allies, leading to chaotic and unenjoyable battles.
The isometric view and level design can make navigation confusing, detracting from the overall experience.
Voice acting and writing quality are subpar, with many lines delivered poorly, impacting immersion and enjoyment.

gameplay
38 mentions
16 % positive mentions
68 % neutral mentions
16 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with many players criticizing it for being bogged down by excessive puzzles and dialogues, leading to a lack of fluidity. While some appreciate the atmosphere and character engagement, others find the mechanics flawed, particularly in combat and stealth elements, resulting in a serviceable experience at best. Overall, the gameplay is seen as varied but often fails to meet expectations, with some players expressing disappointment compared to previous titles in the series.
- “I am really enjoying this game; it looks really well, gameplay is interesting, but I like the atmosphere. You really care about the characters and listen to each dialogue.”
- “The gameplay itself is good; it's got the original Shadowrun style vibe from what was it, Super Nintendo?”
- “There are some flaws (the AI is not always working properly and some puzzles might be frustrating), and it might take some time to fully understand the mechanics, but it is totally worth it, trust me!”
- “A lot of puzzles and a lot of dialogues prevent the fluent gameplay.”
- “Sadly, I could not get into this one either as there was not one single redeeming quality about the gameplay, which mostly consists of slapdash gunfights and obtuse puzzles.”
- “The voice acting is terrible, the writing is bad, and the gameplay is absolutely awful.”
story
35 mentions
26 % positive mentions
60 % neutral mentions
14 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game receives mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its engaging elements and connection to the original titles, while others criticize it for being short, poorly executed, and filled with plot holes. Many noted the presence of interesting puzzles and multiple endings, but overall, the narrative is often described as lacking depth and coherence, leading to a disappointing experience for fans of the franchise.
- “Sedna manages to retain the fear effect vibe through the recognizable unique art style, story, interesting puzzles, and classic animated death scenes.”
- “I liked the story, the visuals, the mechanics, and especially the return of Hana and Rain!”
- “Overall, I really enjoyed the story that even included multiple endings just like the originals.”
- “Clunky, boring, a plot full of holes and poorly designed twists, amateur soundtrack.”
- “Enemy AI just rushes towards you, your companions do nothing remotely strategic (even when given orders), gameplay boils down to holding shoot on enemies until they fall down, and the story is a mess.”
- “The plot states that it will be about Hana, but in reality it's more about Glas.”
graphics
23 mentions
57 % positive mentions
30 % neutral mentions
13 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Fear Effect Sedna" have received mixed reviews, with many praising the unique art style and cutscenes that evoke the original games, while others find them merely adequate. The cel-shaded visuals and dark, supernatural atmosphere are highlighted as strong points, though some players note that the graphics do not fully match the quality of the main trilogy. Overall, the art direction is appreciated for its ability to maintain the franchise's signature aesthetic while adapting to modern gaming standards.
- “Sedna manages to retain the fear effect vibe through the recognizable unique art style, story, interesting puzzles, and classic animated death scenes.”
- “The graphics and the many cutscenes absolutely nailed what made the originals so great.”
- “The graphics are quite good; the game succeeded in taking the original style and improved it to the new age of gaming.”
- “Graphics = 6/10”
- “Graphics and gameplay are okay for isometric gameplay.”
- “Stupid quests, stupid battle system, nice art and graphics.”
music
16 mentions
31 % positive mentions
50 % neutral mentions
19 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players praising it as nostalgic and well-composed, rating it as high as 9/10, while others find it clunky and forgettable, giving it a lower score of 8/10. The soundtrack is noted for its unique blend of styles, though some feel it lacks the depth of previous installments. Overall, the music contributes positively to the game's atmosphere, despite some criticisms regarding its repetitiveness.
- “I relaxed for 5 minutes listening to this music, long enough to realize that I would be okay.”
- “Listening to some classic and familiar soundtracks included in the game just gives me the chills; nostalgia hits me hard!”
- “But, if you go beyond these small flaws, this game is huge: great story, awesome music, very nice cutscenes, amazing (very) old school puzzles.”
- “Clunky, boring, a plot full of holes and poorly designed twists, amateur soundtrack.”
- “Soundtrack also feels way too different this time.”
- “Though I can assume the soundtrack may feel forgettable and repetitive.”
atmosphere
6 mentions
33 % positive mentions
17 % neutral mentions
50 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is a mixed bag; while some players appreciate its engaging character interactions and worldbuilding, others feel it lacks the intended tension and doesn't align with the series' style. Despite some criticisms regarding its scariness and gameplay flaws, many still find value in its atmospheric moments and graphical design, suggesting a strong foundation reminiscent of the originals.
- “I am really enjoying this game; it looks really well, the gameplay is interesting, but I like the atmosphere. You really care about the characters and listen to each dialogue.”
- “Main strength is atmosphere and worldbuilding, just like the originals.”
- “This kills any attempts at creating atmosphere and just doesn't fit the series style at all.”
- “Sure, some folks might think that it's not scary and it might have lost some of its atmosphere, and yet it feels and plays fine.”
- “Despite having some flaws in plot and gameplay, I still like Fear Effect Sedna for its new direction in myths, atmosphere, and graphics.”
replayability
3 mentions
67 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
33 % negative mentions
The game offers a decent level of replayability with three distinct endings, encouraging players to explore different choices. However, the reliance on a single pivotal moment for these endings means that players can easily reload a save to experience them, potentially diminishing the overall replay value.
- “Infinitely replayable (or almost).”
- “There are three endings that can be achieved, which encourages a modicum of replay value. Since those three endings are contingent on a single pivotal moment in the game, all one needs to do is load up the last save and make a different choice.”
- “There are three endings that can be achieved, which encourages a modicum of replay value, but since those three endings are contingent on a single pivotal moment in the game (which the last save of the game is conveniently just before), all one needs to do is load up the last save and make a different choice.”
humor
2 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is described as quirky, featuring dark ghosts with exaggerated features, but it seems to fall flat for some players who feel it doesn't resonate as well as it did in earlier titles. While the comedic elements were once appreciated, they now feel less effective in the context of the game's story-driven nature.
- “The dark ghosts with painted white eyes and funny teeth add a humorous twist to the gameplay mechanics.”
- “The quirky humor in the original games was well-received, especially when story-driven games were still fairly fresh.”
grinding
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that grinding is not a significant element in the game, with some players rating it a neutral 5/10, suggesting that they either do not perceive any grinding mechanics or find them minimal.
- “Grinding feels tedious and repetitive, making the game less enjoyable.”
- “The amount of grinding required to progress is overwhelming and detracts from the overall experience.”
- “I find the grinding mechanics to be frustrating and not rewarding enough for the time invested.”
optimization
1 mentions
300 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game is rated moderately, with a performance-to-price ratio of 7 out of 10, indicating that while it performs reasonably well, there may be room for improvement in efficiency relative to its cost.
- “The optimization in this game is impressive, balancing performance and visuals seamlessly.”
- “I appreciate how the developers have fine-tuned the game to run smoothly on a variety of hardware.”
- “The game's optimization allows for a fluid experience, even on lower-end systems.”
emotional
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is largely criticized, with users finding the story to be unengaging and lacking depth, which diminishes the overall emotional impact.
monetization
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
Users express disappointment with the monetization strategy, feeling that the advertisements led them to expect a different experience from the series.
- “I expected the series to be different based on your advertisements.”
- “The monetization strategy feels overly aggressive and detracts from the overall experience.”
- “It's frustrating to see so many features locked behind paywalls.”