As a huge fan of the original Fear game back in the day, I felt a sense of nostalgia diving into Trepang 2. This game clearly wants to follow in the footsteps of Fear, especially when it comes to that slick bullet-time mechanic. While many games have tried to emulate this feature, few have nailed it like Fear did, and Trepang 2 does a decent job as a AA game that's honest about its approach.
Let's start with the good. The bullet-time mechanics in Trepang 2 are solid. The way enemies react when you shoot them adds to the intensity, making each encounter feel engaging. The sound design is particularly impressive; every shot you fire feels weighty and impactful. The level design is fairly linear, which I didn't mind too much. There are bits and pieces like memos and emails scattered throughout that try to flesh out the story. Honestly, I didn't pay much attention to those because the plot isn't the focal point here-it's mainly about one faction clashing with another.
Most of your foes are soldiers, which keeps the gameplay pretty straightforward. There are also a few mutants thrown in, but they mostly serve as cannon fodder. The game offers around 5-6 weapons, which feels just right for a game that wraps up in about 6 hours. It's a nice length given my busy schedule; not every game needs to be a massive time sink.
The music in the game is mostly forgettable electronic tunes-nothing that really stands out or enhances the experience. My one real downside with the gameplay was the bullet-time mechanics. The focus meter is pretty limited, so I found myself using bullet time just to reload my gun, which kind of took away from the cool factor I was hoping for.
Graphically, Trepang 2 doesn't stand out. While it boasts good motion capture and maintains a smooth frame rate, the visuals feel more like something from the PS3 era. This could be intentional, perhaps to give the game a certain charm, but it still left me wanting more.
Playing this on console, I found the controls to be just fine-nothing too clunky, and they get the job done.
Overall, Trepang 2 is a fun throwback to the days of intense shooting action, even if it doesn't quite reach the heights of its inspirations. It's not groundbreaking, but it's an enjoyable experience that doesn't overstay its welcome. I'd give it a solid 7/10.
