Condemned 2: Bloodshot

"Not exactly a proper sequel, but fun nonetheless"

Condemned was one of the most unique titles of the 360's launch and one of the scariest games to come along in years. Seeing that it was the first example of what the horror genre could be like on next-gen systems, it wasn't too much of a stretch to guess there would be a sequel. Now that it's here, many of the problems from the first have been addressed (for better or worse) and the result is Condemned 2: Bloodshot.

STORY
Bloodshot picks up several years after the incoherent end of the original. Ethan is no longer an agent and has slipped into an alcoholic, homeless lifestyle. Things haven't gotten any better for the city either, as it is still packed with maniacs and deformed freaks. However, it would seem that the lunatics are getting even more restless as crime is once again on the rise and the city has fallen even further into decay.

As the game progresses, large parts of the plot from the original Condemned will finally become clear, such as the significance of all those dead birds and just what is causing everyone to become so crazy. On the whole however, the game raises more questions than it is capable of answering and when it finally comes to a close, all you'll be left with is a disjointed, half-baked mess that even the Sci-Fi channel would be ashamed to air. To make matters worse, one of the last scenes pretty much acknowledges the fact that the developers didn't really know where they were going with the whole affair. In a nutshell, Ethan asks a man what the purpose of the whole affair was (which should have wrapped many of the loose ends together) and he has no idea. I was literally dumbstruck when I realized the entire game had been leading up to this moment and the developers basically said, “Sorry people, that's all we've got so far.”

However, it is worth mentioning the way the story is presented. Aside from cutscenes before and usually after every mission, you can seek out TV's and radio's strewn throughout the levels, which give an interesting look at some of the other chaos that is unfolding throughout the city.

GRAPHICS
Anyone who has played the original probably has one big question, that being whether or not the levels are any easier to navigate. In short, yes. By and large the levels are much better designed and there is enough visual differentiation to make it harder to get turned around. In addition to that, it is a much better looking game than the original with better texture work and character models. And, though I wouldn't have though it was possible, the environments look even nastier than before (in a good way).

But apparently the developers must have thought that the game wasn't scary enough (and it isn't) because there is a liberal use of visual effects that are meant to mess with your head. Oftentimes, I was subjected to high contrast black and white filters, or moments when the screen bugged out with different colors and grainy filters. In effect all they do is obscure your vision at crucial moments (like when several enemies are teaming up on you at one time) and make it harder to distinguish where you're going.

SOUND
The key to any great horror soundtrack is subtlety. Bloodshot has all the right elements (spooky noises and… well, just spooky noises) they're used entirely wrong. Letting tension build is key – By leaving someone alone for an extended amount of time and then suddenly throwing out some strange noise or a few notes of music, then you can really scare a person. However, when these noises are constantly used they quickly become boring and eventually elicit no effect whatsoever.

GAMEPLAY
Just like the original, Bloodshot is a horror game with fighting, shooting and crime scene investigation elements. Throughout the course of the game you'll find yourself piecing together clues to determine how people were killed, beating down bloodthirsty maniacs and gunning down imaginary freaks.

The first thing that comes to mind when someone mentions Condemned is that pervasive sense of tension and dread that was present all throughout the original. For whatever reason, that is largely nonexistent in this iteration. While those “jump out of your seat” moments are still around they aren't as prevalent as they once were. This could safely be attributed to any number of reasons – the fact that the tension level just isn't as high due to the fact that you're never left alone long enough to start getting scared and the environments are a little more open, leaving fewer opportunities for something to pop out. Then there's the fact that an auto-save message typically pops up right before anything really scary happens, giving any watchful player plenty of time to prepare himself. And if all that doesn't suck the fear out of the game, this little fact should. At one point I thoroughly searched a level, completely clearing it of all enemies. I then went into a bathroom and immediately turned around, fast enough to see an enemy literally spawn out of thin air, right behind me. Once I realized that there was nothing I could do to avoid being attacked whenever it was supposed to happen, I just started charging full-force through the levels killing everybody in my way.

Melee combat has been given a dramatic overhaul as well. This time around it has become a much more tactical affair, with blocking and punching taking on a deliberateness that sucks some of the brutality and fun out of it. In the previous game, combat felt much more spontaneous (like a real fight) with each person going at the other like a wild animal, heedless of personal safety. The new approach of gauging your enemy and timing your attacks to exploit their weaknesses would feel much more at home in a boxing game rather than here.

The new additions to the combat system include a combo system that gives out damage multipliers depending on what moves you pull off. There is also another form of combo that has you pressing the triggers in an up-close and personal slo-mo smackdown. Finally, you can take advantage of the environmental kills, which allow you to drag a stunned enemy to a marked place in the environment and finish them off. Again, most of this just feels out of place here but it does give greater variety to the fighting, and a few new ways of dishing out a nasty beat down.

While most of the things I've mentioned don't really harm the game in any great way, there is one true problem with the melee combat. Weapons are underpowered. If I hit some guy in the face with a brick, it should hurt him pretty bad. If I smack a guy in the face with a battle-axe (yes, there are battle-axes in this game) he should die – No questions asked.

Speaking of firearms, guns do play a larger role in the game. While you won't always have access to them, if you play your cards right, most missions will give you the opportunity to get your hands on one. In contrast to the lead pipes and bottles, these are serious implements of destruction, capable of splattering the brain-matter of anything that gets in your way. They do take a certain amount of finesse to use though, since precise aiming is, well… not that precise. Due to Ethan's alcoholism, his hands shake uncontrollably, making it almost impossible to do anything other than fire blindly. Of course if you find some alcohol, you can steady his aim for a limited amount of time. The connection between story and actual gameplay is cool and welcome, seeing that many games have plot elements that should fit into the game, but don't.

Last but not least, the crime scene investigations have received a huge overhaul. They have been expanded in several ways – requiring you to listen to transmissions and then ask the proper questions, looking at physical evidence to determine how a person died or tracing evidence back to its source. As in the first game you have a few tools to help you out and it is all very intuitive to use. Despite the fact that it's all very straightforward, I never failed to feel like a true detective when I perfectly nailed my assessment of a crime scene. Unfortunately, true crime scenes are few and far between. More often than not you'll just be using the new investigation options to do trivial things such as deciding which camera was overlooking the crime scene or asking questions about your current situation. Still, even these minor interactions always seem natural and are fun enough not to be a hassle.

THE VERDICT
All the elements from the original Condemned are present, but they don't always come together cohesively to provide a memorable experience. I love the fact that the investigations are now more detailed, but it sucks that they are on the whole de-emphasized. Plus, the whole tactical, combo-oriented reinvention of the melee system feels out of place here. On the whole however, this is an enjoyable game that doesn't quite live up to the awesomeness of its predecessor.

HIGHS
- Heavily atmospheric
- Expanded investigation techniques

LOWS
- Stupid graphical effects
- De-emphasis of investigations
- Nonsensical story

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 09/30/08

Game Release: Condemned 2: Bloodshot (US, 03/11/08)