Never actually played the first game, but once i got my hands on this, boy, hard to put down.

User Rating: 8.5 | Condemned 2 PS3
Condemned 2 is the sequel to Condemned Criminal Origins, a XBOX 360 exclusive gone platinum ( also on the PC). You play as Ethan Thomas, a dude who used to be a cop but because of the his experiences in the first game, has now turned into a mean drunk. But he's called back to action from former friends to help solve the string of violent behavior in the city.
Gameplay is mainly focused on hand to hand, you have access to weapons ranging from pipes all the way to toilet seats...that's right, toilet seats. Dirty yellow stained toilet seats. ANYWAYS. Combos add more depth in the game, you can kick enemies till their shins snap, hook them across the face, or just plain beat them crazy with a good old fashioned 2x4 (nails and bolts included). Firearms are included in the game, bunt similar to the Silent Hill series, they are rare to come by and ammo is extremely sparse. Enemies will fall after 2 or so shots, but same goes for you. Unfortunately, the gun play isn't as good as the hand to hand. you'll find yourself dumping you assault rifle just so you can get your hands dirty.
During the duration of the game, you will be visiting creepy locales like an abandoned Doll Factory and School. Examining crime scenes play an important part in the game, using UV lights to discover hidden messages and blood, and trying to determine a victims death, identity and more. Think of it as CSI. The game will keep you engaged with a high creep factor, making you guess when an enemy will pop up and slug you across the face with a brick. Lack of music is sometimes bad , but for a game like this, its just perfect. the sounds of movements will keep you awake and keep you alert, being sure that you don't get caught off guard. Enemies are brutal and smart, but don't expect ALOT of challenge when facing an enemy one on one, worry about groups running towards you.
The storyline is solid and the great voice acting and animation makes it seem like an actual movie.
Now some problems hold it back from a higher score. The writing is sometimes almost impossible to read, and the Multi player is pretty stale. Consisting of 4 main modes, Team Death match, deathmatch, Bum Rush and Crime Scene (the most interesting). Bum rush pits two law enforcers (EXTREMELY overpowered and equipped with guns) against an infinite amount of baddies to pound, these two have too survive till the time runs out while the others have to kill the cops before the time runs out, it's okay for a while, but the balance isn't right. Crime scene however, makes things more interesting. two teams, the bad guys and the cops (again) the bad guys have 2 evidence boxes which they have to hide and keep away from the cops, whereas the cops have to scan and search the area for the evidence boxes, but the bad guys can pummel the cops with weapons found around the area and the cops can shoot the baddies with limited ammo. two completed scans equals a win for the cops but the death of all the cops equals a win for the baddies. Just like the game, the multiplayer has its creepiness that you will love.
I definitely recommend this game and label it a MUST BUY. If you like First Person games and if you want to beat the living **** out of a bunch of homless crazys with a crutch (and more)