Project Origin is both a sequel and a fresh beginning for the F.E.A.R. series. While it will continue the story of its predecessor, it promises to be more action-oriented thanks to an increase in outdoor environments.

Certainly, the addition of mech-based combat is a new direction for the series, even if it isn't for developer Monolith, which has produced large-scale games in the past. We got a chance to look at an updated build of Project Origin today when Warner Bros. popped into the office, and the publisher was kind enough to tell us about where it's hoping to take the game when it's released in the first quarter of 2009

Playing the game on the Xbox 360, we got to see how Project Origin's open outdoor environments are set to change the dynamic of the combat. Many of you will remember that the original F.E.A.R. had its fair share of scary moments, and while they still occur in Project Origin, the urban environments have been incorporated to allow for a distinct change of action. The gunplay is frantic and violent, while the enemy AI looks like it has learnt even more about using flanking techniques, as well as taking cover.

Enemies open car doors to use as cover, but thankfully you can use a sniper rifle to shoot off extremities that peek out around the edges. If you shoot a soldier in the leg, then he'll hobble over to stronger cover, or you can be safe and use a rocket launcher to blow the entire car up.