Condemned 2: Bloodshot

The Good
To me, the original Condemned was something of a hidden gem and a minor masterpiece. What made it so good was that it was scary, it had a smart plot (Despite too many questions about the ending and Ethan's "Potential") and it had a unique survival horror combat system where you only had the environment to work with. So I hotly anticipated this sequel.

One of the first things you'll notice upon starting the game (As well as the fact you'll notice where the game gets its cover shot) is that this is going to get bloody. Condemned 2 is unashamed of its insanely high amounts of blood and violence, any game that allows you to shove someone onto a drill bit, slit their throat with a Saw blade on a stick painted like a lollipop, or cave in a skull with a sledgehammer isn't going to be pretty. While C2 may not be the "goriest" game out there, its easily one of the most brutish and violent. It amazes me that these games haven't caused controversy (Although they have been banned in some countries) especially since one could easily compare this series to the highly controversial Manhunt game. What makes C2 more disturbing in its violence is how realistic the combat feels, how up close and personal it gets, and a real sense of pain displayed in victims. Its unnerving, and if you are squeamish, C2 is a game you won't want to touch with a 10,000 foot pole. For gorror fans like myself, it adds more atmosphere as well as making it more intense and in some places, a bit more disturbing. Its one of the most violent and brutal games I've ever played, but if you can handle that, it only adds a layer of intensity to the combat as well as the creepiness.

The combat is MUCH better now. It was great in the first game, but it had problems. One of the annoyances of combat in the first game was the fact that you had to time blocks, 5 years later I still can't fully grasp how to time said blocks in that game perfectly. Here, you can block much easier and hold a block as well although don't think that this means you can hold a block forever and not expect to be hurt or killed, because the AI will simply use low blows, and you can't move as easily or fast when blocking so they can easily change their flank. You can also use your fists now, so if your weapon breaks in the middle of combat or you are in an instance where you don't have time to find a weapon without receiving 3 varieties of broken pipe to the skull you can still duke it out with more than just your kick. Another improvement is the ability to use both arms in combat. This means that you can string together better combos and stumble your enemies, one time it was funny I was using a trash can lid and I smacked an enemy one way, stumbling him tot he right then as he twisted around I smacked him again and he stumbled the other direction and then stood there going "ARGHHH!" while clasping his hands over his ears. :P Speaking of combos, you can build specific in game combos now and these are powerful and very useful at times.

The games graphics may not be the best out there, but they have great modeling and animation, and Monolith's twisted art design and attention to detail is both eye pleasing and at the same time horrendously ugly. The villainous drug addicts and insane hobos are disturbing and sub-human, and although I disagree with their explanation (More on that later) I feel that The Oro look awesome and at the same time creepy. Who are The Oro you ask? Well, I won't ruin that mystery (Both because its a somewhat lame twist, and to avoid spoilers) but I will say this: Remember "The Hatred" from the first game? You know, that twisted metal thing from the ending? He was an Oro. So were those strange metal folks in Ethan's hallucinations. The art design is distinct on the various "Factions" in Condemned and the character modeling is eye popping, and some of the games special/gore effects are... erm, well, impressive but also somewhat disturbing. Lets just say that the game is very good at rendering slime of various colours and origins.

The story, while it takes a turn for the worse towards the end, is compelling and interesting. Ethan Thomas was a great character, but he's even better here. Why? Well, if there was one flaw with Ethan in the first game, it was that he was a little too innocent. While I know that he was a good guy and that he was trying to prove his innocence in the murder of his fellow agent, he seemed too "Goody two shoes" for someone who had the balls to cave in a hobos skull with a spiked two-by-four and until the games end scene, you never saw Ethan's "bad side," and we all know that every human has to have one. Condemned 2's Ethan Thomas is a more 3-Dimensional character, succumbing to vices and sins of alcohol and violent street life, and when he gets reinstated and must return to the law the game uses the opportunity to have Ethan fight with his dark side. Ethan's dark side is represented in various physical and metaphysical forms and does a great job of f**king with the laws of reality as well as Ethan's mind, which gets under both Ethan's skin and your own. The story also benefits from top notch voice acting.

The AI, much like the first game, is disturbingly intelligent. They haven't changed much, but in truth, this is a positive considering how good they were in the first game. They still know their environment just as well, if not better, than you do and will use strategies such as hiding, ambushing, and finding bigger and better weapons if they have a chance. They aren't dummies, and they are fierce to fight against. They feel "real," and the way they interact with the environment is frightening, you're not the only one who knows how to aerate someones skull with that drill in the corner of this dank room.

The controls are tight and very workable. Forensics have also been improved, actually acting as puzzles this time around. While they still don't live up to their full potential, they are MUCH better this time around and you actually have to think to get it all right, although it is disappointing that there really isn't much punishment if you do mess up like there should be.

The game, while not quite as tense or scary as the original, is still creepy. Its disturbing and has plenty of frightening moments.

Fight club mode is fun.

The level design is a bit more interesting and not as monotonous as it was in the first game.

The Bad
The games story, while it has interesting components, is relatively stupid when compared to the first. What made the first games story great was that it was relatively realistic, it was steeped in reality and it used subtlety and grace to tell a great murder mystery as well as making sure you jumped out of your seat and cowered in a corner at times. While the first few areas of Condemned 2 retain this, the game loses its subtlety when you run into a suicide bombing baby doll, and from here on out, there are more and more strange things that simply break the laws of reality, and not in a hallucinatory way like it should. The story takes a massive turn for the worst when The Oro and your "potential" are explained, as they are ridiculously contrived and stupid, and simply don't fit with what should be a murder mystery. The last few levels are so stupid it made my brain hurt. The final boss, rather than being an intense fist fight like in the first game is easy and ridiculously lame. All you have to do to get rid of him is scream at him a few times. I'm bloody serious, you win the game by screaming. When the screaming is introduced is when the game goes to pot, and the ending and last two levels are downright atrocious save for some gruesome sights and the fact that you get to see more of the creepy Oro designs.

While the brutality and insane blood and gore make the combat intense and at times, scary, other times it ruins the scares by being so ridiculously over the top. As I said before, it lacks subtlety and much of the tension of the first game. There are also some areas that have way too powerful weapons that make you feel less vulnerable, which is an important part of the survival horror element as feeling vulnerable makes you feel human and enhances the need to "Survive," hence 'Survival' horror. The game is consistently creepy for most of the part, and there are a few intense set pieces (Most notably running for your life from a pissed off Grizzly bear) but one can't really call the game "Scary" like they could the first. There are a couple good scares, but it lacks much of what made the first game so scary. The psychological elements are also toned down, save for Ethan's demon.

The multiplayer sucks a rusty fire hydrant. It could've been decent if they were presented as cage matches like the fight club mode, but they are often slow, bland, and poorly implemented deatmatches that feel shallow compared to the combat in the single player mode.

The games graphics, while stunning artistically, have some muddy textures and certainly won't "Wow" you beyond the slimy details and excellent and moody lighting.

While most of the levels are fun, there are times that the game forces a gun into your hands and these couple levels are painfully boring. Condemned should be entirely based around melee, the first game had guns and while they were occasionally saving graces, they had practically no ammo and weren't common and were only used if you were low on health and needed a quick way to dispatch the enemies so you could limp on. There's one level that FORCES you to use an assault rifle all throughout and it pissed me off because the gunplay is poor and it ruins the concept and atmosphere.

The Bottom Line
While it may lack the intelligent plot and intense scares of the first game, Condemned 2 is a blast to play and still has its fair share of creepy moments as well as retaining the unique gameplay of the first game and for the most part improving it. As a horror themed combat game, it works great. With great AI, brutally visceral combat, and other elements the game is simply a lot of fun. If you can stomach it, Condemned 2 is a solid sequel and worthy of playing regardless of whether or not you've played the first, although you do need to play the first or else I will come to your house and sic my personal Jason Vorhees on you. So basically that means my wife will slaughter you if you don't. Either way though, C2 is a good sequel and I'm hoping Monolith will finish what they started, just remove the stupid screaming guys.