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

40%

Audience ScoreBased on 132 reviews

story19 positive mentions

gameplay13 negative mentions

Retains the iconic Fear Effect art style and atmosphere, appealing to fans of the original games.
Interesting puzzles and engaging cutscenes that capture the essence of the series.
Offers a nostalgic experience for long-time fans with familiar characters and story elements.

Combat mechanics are clunky and frustrating, often leading to chaotic and unstrategic gameplay.
The AI for both enemies and allies is poorly designed, resulting in a lack of tactical depth.
The story and dialogue suffer from weak writing and voice acting, detracting from the overall experience.

gameplay
79 mentions
15 % positive mentions
68 % neutral mentions
16 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received mixed to negative feedback, with many players citing issues such as cumbersome puzzles, poor mechanics, and lackluster combat. While some appreciate the atmosphere and character development, others find the gameplay repetitive and frustrating, with a significant number of players feeling that it fails to capture the essence of previous titles in the series. Overall, the gameplay is often described as serviceable at best, with many elements needing improvement to enhance the overall experience.
- “I am really enjoying this game; it looks really well, gameplay is interesting, but I like the atmosphere. You do 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 + some puzzles might be frustrating), and it might take some time to fully understand the mechanics, but it is totally worth it, trust me!”
- “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.”
- “Actual gameplay is incredibly underwhelming, from the bad cover mechanics to the terrible tactical strategy. Allies have terrible AI, stages feel incredibly similar and boring, and puzzles mostly range from typical to downright irritating.”
story
72 mentions
26 % positive mentions
60 % neutral mentions
14 % negative mentions
The story of the game has received 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 the overall narrative was often described as rushed and lacking depth. Despite its flaws, some players found enjoyment in the visuals and character dynamics, suggesting that the story has potential but ultimately falls short of expectations.
- “Sedna manages to retain the fear effect vibe through the recognizable unique art style, story, interesting puzzles, and classic animated death scenes.”
- “Overall, I really enjoyed the story that even included multiple endings just like the originals.”
- “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.”
- “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 original games (especially the first one) are cult classics, this mobile game is like spitting in their name...and about the story, didn't see much, but the lesbian stuff written by a horny 14-year-old was too much, even in 2001, the relationship between Hana and Rain in Fear Effect 2 was considered immature, but this...I mean, seriously, this game was released in 2018, and lesbians in video games are still portrayed like this?”
graphics
46 mentions
57 % positive mentions
37 % neutral mentions
7 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Fear Effect Sedna" have received mixed reviews, with many praising the unique art style that retains the essence of the original games while also modernizing it. Although some players found the graphics to be merely adequate, others highlighted the quality of the artwork and cutscenes, noting that they effectively capture the dark and supernatural atmosphere of the series. Overall, the visuals are considered a strong point, contributing positively to the game's experience despite some gameplay flaws.
- “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 is meh.”
- “Stupid quests, stupid battle system, nice art and graphics.”
music
33 mentions
33 % positive mentions
58 % neutral mentions
9 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with some praising it as nostalgic and well-composed, earning scores as high as 9/10, while others find it clunky and forgettable, rating it around 8/10. Many players appreciate the incorporation of classic soundtracks that evoke strong emotions, although some note a significant departure from the series' traditional Chinese motifs. Overall, the soundtrack contributes positively to the game's atmosphere, despite some criticisms regarding its repetitiveness.
- “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.”
- “Main trilogy's soundtrack had Chinese motifs with different styles on modern China levels and ancient places.”
- “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 ffsedna's soundtrack may feel forgettable and repeatable.”
atmosphere
13 mentions
31 % positive mentions
46 % neutral mentions
23 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is a significant highlight, with many players appreciating the engaging worldbuilding, character depth, and dialogue that evoke emotional investment. However, some critics feel that the game struggles to maintain the series' traditional atmosphere, citing a lack of scares and a more basic execution. Overall, while the atmosphere is praised for its visuals and moments of intrigue, it is also noted that gameplay issues detract from the overall experience.
- “I am really enjoying this game; it looks really well, gameplay is interesting, but I like the atmosphere. You do really care about the characters and listen to each dialogue.”
- “Despite having some flaws in plot and gameplay, I still like Fear Effect Sedna for its new direction in myths, atmosphere, and graphics.”
- “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.”
- “Its gameplay falters miserably and even with the unmistakable atmosphere of the old games, Sedna just isn't enjoyable to sit through.”
replayability
6 mentions
33 % positive mentions
50 % neutral mentions
17 % negative mentions
The game offers a degree of replayability with three distinct endings, primarily influenced by a single pivotal choice. However, the ease of accessing these endings by simply loading the last save may limit the overall replay value, as players can quickly experience all outcomes without significant investment.
- “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
4 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that the humor in the game, characterized by quirky elements like dark ghosts with painted eyes and funny teeth, feels outdated and less effective compared to the original titles. While it may have been amusing in the past, players now find it lacks the charm and freshness it once had.
- “I think we were all okay with the original games as story-driven games were still fairly fresh, and the quirky humor worked at that time.”
grinding
3 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate a mixed perception of grinding in the game, with some players noting a lack of grinding elements, while others describe it as a tedious experience that detracts from the game's legacy. Overall, the aspect of grinding seems to be a point of contention, with a general score of 5/10 reflecting this divide.
- “A tedious slog that sullies the legacy of its vaunted predecessors.”
optimization
2 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game is rated moderately, with a consistent performance-to-price ratio of 7 out of 10, indicating that while it performs adequately, there may be room for improvement in delivering better value for the investment.
emotional
2 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is largely criticized, with multiple users finding the story to be unengaging and lacking depth.
monetization
2 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Users express disappointment with the monetization strategy, feeling that the advertisements led them to expect a different experience from the series.