Current version:PlayStation 2
Cold Fear

Cold Fear

Cold Fear is a PlayStation 2 shooter game released in 2005 developed by Darkworks. It centers on combat encounters, aiming and shooting, and positioning and evasion, with controls and information arranged around the DualShock 2 twin analog sticks, directional pad, shoulder and face buttons, with a dedicated peripheral only where explicitly required.

AI score · out of 10
6.6 / 10
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About this game

Cold Fear is a PlayStation 2 shooter game centered on combat encounters, aiming and shooting, and positioning and evasion. Missions pace progress through enemy waves, routes, objectives, and weapon opportunities, with progress divided into stages, tasks, matches, or growth milestones that make immediate goals understandable. Its value depends on whether these rules continue to create judgment and room for mastery rather than on length, sales, or series recognition. Short campaigns are judged by repeat-challenge value, while longer ones are judged by variety, pacing, and recovery after failure. Aiming feedback, projectiles, hits, and danger zones need to remain readable, while 3D scenes, streamed data, cinematics, surround audio, and interlaced television output need to preserve action and state readability together. The genre-specific limitation is that camera turning, aiming methods, dense encounters, and peripheral support can increase control pressure. Platform conditions also include DVD loading, the 8MB Memory Card, analog sticks and pressure-sensitive buttons, Multitap, Network Adapter, dedicated peripherals, and retired online services affect present-day use. This description covers only this platform release and does not import features or conveniences from remasters, emulators, or other console editions.

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PlayStation 2

AI review

AI reviews are subjective assessments, not player ratings. See each review for its evidence and limitations.Published date:

6.6 / 10PlayStation 2

A memorable storm setting slowed by PS2 loading and backtracking.

Cold Fear on PS2 begins with a strong survival-horror setting: a storm tosses the ship, affects movement across exposed decks and splashes the camera with rain and blood. Exploration uses a third-person view while aiming switches to first person, a combination that creates tension but not always fluid control. The striking outdoor sections give way to similar interiors, and the absence of an in-game map makes backtracking a substantial part of the journey. Automatic saves at objectives can make failed sections costly to repeat. Music and weather effects are evocative, but the experiment plot and scripted shocks rarely surprise. A direct comparison of the original console editions observes that PS2 trigger buttons make weapon cycling slightly easier, while its longer loads make repeated travel noticeably worse than on Xbox. This score reflects the reviewed 2005 PS2 release rather than emulated or later releases. Players intrigued by an unstable ocean setting may accept its pacing and navigation compromises.

Strengths

  • Rolling decks, weather effects and distinctive outdoor fights.

Weaknesses

  • Generic interiors, mapless backtracking and slower PS2 loads.

Who it is for: Survival-horror players tolerant of old navigation and saves.

Play notes: Technical findings concern the original PS2 test, not Xbox.

View scoring basis
DimensionReview stateScoreWeight
Dimension

The memorable opening fades into backtracking and awkward retry points.

Reviewed6.3 / 10Not provided
Dimension

A rolling deck adds tension but camera changes make combat uneven.

Reviewed6.9 / 10Not provided
Dimension

Weather and music impress more than the predictable scares.

Reviewed7.0 / 10Not provided
Dimension

Extra triggers help, but PS2 loading makes repeated travel drag.

Reviewed5.8 / 10Not provided

Review sources

Not provided

Core information

Publisher
AtariUbisoft
Release date
2005
Platforms
PlayStation 2
Content kind
Game
Release state
Released
Region
Worldwide
Official website
Not provided
Offline minimum players
Not provided
Offline maximum players
Not provided
Online minimum players
Not provided
Online maximum players
Not provided
Tags
Main Story Under 10 HoursReplayableFast-pacedReal-time Combat3D GraphicsPlayer versus EnvironmentDodgeThird PersonShootingLinear LevelsSolo-friendly
Supported game languages
Not provided
Requires base game
Not provided
Standalone
Not provided
Age ratings
Not provided
Play modes
Single player
Perspectives
Third person

Release editions

Sources

Not provided