Condemned 2: Bloodshot Review

When the Xbox 360 launched I remember picking up the original Condemned as a launch title based upon the strength of the visual presentation. When I began to play the game, what I discovered was a game that created an atmosphere of oppressive evil and urban decay that was more than a little disturbing..but in a completely immersing way. Here we are in 2008 and main character Ethan Thomas is back in Condemned 2: Bloodshot, and he's brought back the franchise's trademark atmosphere along with more than a few improvements to the game design.

When we last saw Ethan Thomas in the original Condemned, he had quit his position as an Agent at the SCU police force. When we catch up to Ethan in the sequel its apparent that retirement is not sitting well with him. Clearly an alcoholic, this Ethan is a disheveled shell of the persona we first met in Condemned Criminal Origins who is running from the dark visions and hallucinations that dog his every move. Shortly after the player witnesses first-hand Ethan's fall from grace, he is whisked back into the investigation that began in the first game through a series of grisly events.

If you have played the first Condemned then you are well aware that it helped solidify the genre of "first person puncher." Just as in the first title, Condemned 2 has your left and right fists mapped respectively to the right and left triggers on the controller. Along the way you'll have many opportunities to pick up all manner of hand-held weapons including pipes, electrical conduit, medieval swords, and even a foos-ball table rod. There are firearms to be had in the game, but ammo is scarce and Ethan's aim is shaky at best due to his alcohol dependence issues. In a twisted streak of creativity, Ethan can momentarily steady his aim by swigging from bottles of alcohol that are strategically placed throughout the game. The combat system works well and has a surprisingly deep combo system that enables you to string together attacks versus wildly mashing down the triggers to pummel your enemies. If the combat system has any big fault it is that tackling multiple foes is often an exercise in frustration due to the one-on-one nature of the attack and defend options given to you as a player. Taken as a whole, the combat system is fast, brutal, and fun. As an added touch, it is possible to trigger finishing moves based upon items in the environment. My personal favorite environmental finishing move involved a human head and a machine press....*crunch*

One of the series' first innovations was the inclusion of the crime scene investigation gameplay mechanic. Condemned 2 takes a much more hands-on approach to these gameplay segments by tasking the player to solve logic based puzzles and utilize observation skills to piece together the relevant threads of a given crime scene. It is a very methodical and simultaneously rewarding experience to enter a crime scene and use tools such as UV Light and Spectrometer to find clues and gain insight into the dark and mysterious things going on in the city. The investigation sections also serve as a nice break from the relentless action and sense of danger that permeate the rest of the gameplay, even it is a little humorous to go from bashing foes in the head with a toilet seat lid to quietly skulking about a crime scene looking for clues. The crime scene investigation mechanic is the biggest area to see improvement in the sequel and it really helps this series stand out from the rest of the FPS pack.

The story of Condemned 2 weaves a complex narrative about a secret evil organization and Ethan's role in the events from the first game forward. The story is more than a little convoluted and by the end you may find yourself scratching your head about the motives of some characters and what exactly a lot of the surprises revealed mean. Condemned 2 is largely effective based upon the quality of the audio visual presentation.

With a 5.1 home theater system, everything from the enraged cursing of your insane opponents to the spot-on environmental effects serve to completely put you into Ethan Thomas's grime covered shoes. I did notice a few minor instances where audio would periodically stutter in intense battles with multiple opponents, and one instance where a character's dialog was mixed too low to hear plainly. These minor nit-picks aside, Condemned 2 boasts a fantastic audio presentation. Much like the audio, the video quality of Condemned 2 also helps to seamlessly transport you into the filthy urban landscape of the game's setting. Much like the first game, this is a very dark game not only in tone but in brightness level. There is an in game brightness level to help those with contrast challenged displays. On fairly high contrast display the game looks very impressive with subtle lighting and highly detailed textures, so detailed in fact that you may think twice about picking up that toilet-seat lid...

For anyone who played the first game and enjoyed it or anyone in the mood for something different, I would heartily reccomend Condemned 2: Bloodshot. There really isn't anything else out there quite like the gameplay experience offered in this title and the game's ending promises more exciting possibilities for the series' inevitable 3rd chapter.

****/*****