Three years ago Monolith Productions, previously known for a diverse set of titles ranging from The Matrix Online to No One Lives Forever, released two games near simultaneously of which both utilized similar resources and themes while at the same time being quite different in style and approach. While the more successful title of the two, F.E.A.R., went in the more traditional FPS direction with a complete focus on gunplay the other, Condemned: Criminal Origins, went in a direction that is rarely utilized in games to a successful level: FPS meele combat. Condemned 1 was a sleeper hit as a Xbox 360 launch title and its sequel has a lot to live up to. But does it? Read on and find out…
2005’s Condemned: Criminal Origins was a great launch title with a very compelling singleplayer campaign. The sequel occurs a little over a year later and once again follows the story of Eathan Thomas. Life has not been too fair to the former FBI agent as he has fallen from grace to become a drunk bum living on the streets. The story follows him and his collegues (friend and foe alike) as he hunts for the source of the mass insanity that infected the city in both the previous game and this one. The singleplayer delivers a very good story that does a nice job of making you jump out of your seat in fear but the ending is somewhat lackluster yet sets up the story well for an inevitable third game.
Bloodshot differentiates quite a bit from its predecessor in many ways, not the least of which is the combat this time around. While the game still has the distinct Condemned feel the game puts an increased focus away from meele combat to hand-to-hand conflict and, most welcomingly, gunplay. After defeating a foe players can even execute finishing moves on them, some of which will make even the most ironclad of stomaches cringe. Players can box with their fists this time around with the introduction of a combo system though most veterans of the series will be happily suprised by the increased emphasis of guns, something that was quite the rarity in the first game. Players can collect ammo from fallen foes and even aim down the barrel of their guns, though since Eathan is an alcoholic this time around he must have a drink in order to calm his jitters and make precision aiming effective. This is probably the first game I’ve come across in which the game advocates drinking and shooting at the same time. And they gave the Manhunt series a bad rap…
Unlike its predecessor Bloodshot comes with a ton of stuff to do once the campaign has been completed including for the first time a multiplayer mode. With a maximum of eight players groups can engage in a diverse set of modes ranging from the standard deathmatch to the most intriguing (and fun) Crime Scene in which one team attempts to do a forensics investigation while the other (as a pack of crazies) attempts to thwart them. Unfortunately the rest of the multiplayer doesn’t meld well with the meele combat, so don’t expect a strong following to develop.
- Rating: 4 out of 5
If there’s one thing that’s absolutely clear its that Monolith is a master in the horror game genre. Condemned 2 stays within this tradition as being a visually splendid game. While the graphics haven’t changed all that much since the first game many improvements have thankfully been made to the overall engine. Character models are much nicer (and gruesome) to look at this time around and don’t feel last-gen at all and the environments are as bleak and desolate as ever. Its clear however that some textures were recycled especially when going through some of the many trashed out buildings.
The audio is where the most of the praise for the game is deserved however. Like the first game, Bloodshot does a magnificant job of sucking you in and making you jump at every little sound along the way, especially when played in Dolby 5.1. The voice acting has improved greatly over the lackluster performance done in Criminal Origins, with names like Paul Eiding and Michael Bell in the voicecast, though the excellent Greg Grunberg, voice of Ethan in the previous game, is disappointingly abscent but is replaced with the great André Sogliuzzo. Overall the soundwork for the game is top notch and emotionally unnerving at times.
- Rating: 4 out of 5
Condemned 2: Bloodshot is one of those games you play with friends at a get-together in a fun and blatant attempt to scare the crap out of them. In this regard Bloodshot excels but as a singleplayer game alone it doesn’t merit staying on your shelf for two long. With a campaign that can be beaten in a single day of focused gaming and a lackluster multiplayer setup (save for Crime Scene) Bloodshot isn’t destined to keep you occupied but for at most a few weeks. Condemned 2 is a definite must-play but is almost certainly not a must-buy.
- Overall Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Single and Multiplayer: 4
Technical Specs: 4
Overall and Replay Value: 3.5
Developer: Monolith Productions
Publisher: SEGA
Genre: First Person Shooter
Players: 1-8
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