Condemned 2: Bloodshot- may just be the scariest game ever made..
Overall Score: 8.0
Condemned 2: Bloodshot, may just be the scariest game ever made....ever...(and I've played Dead Space- I'm not exaggerating.
Monolith has always shown talent for putting some good horror in video games, which is much more satisfying than renting a horror movie that's part of an over-done premise (I'm looking at you, Saw)- but Condemned 2 will blow you away in this sense. This is definitely a game you want to play when late at night in the dark, even though the game is so intense you may be reluctant to do so, Condemned just demands that respect if you are to enjoy the game to the full extent.
Story: Condemned is a sequel- but knowledge of the first game's story line isn't at all necessary to understand what's going on, as the story is decently fleshed out for you as the game progresses. Even if you played the first game- you'll have a hard time remembering the characters. Ethan Thomas is now done by a new voice actor, who adequately fits the new depressed/self-loathing/alcoholic ethan you play now. Rosa, who assisted Ethan with the first game's investigation, is entirely different in every way but name. Players shouldn't mind these changes, however, as it just means that Condemned 2 was built from the ground-up, rather than the flawed foundation of the original.
The story in a nutshell. The killer you tracked down in the first game is still alive. Ethan is no longer working in crime investigation after leaving the bureau for problems tied to the first game that he hasn't mentally healed from- but he's called back into service when he learns "Serial Killer X" has somehow managed to survive, and is connected to a much larger conspiracy that is tied with the unusually huge number of violent criminals and drug addicts who roam the city, and will be your main enemies in Condemned.
Gameplay: Condemned is all about brutal first-person hand to hand (or 2x4 wooden plank with nails at the end) combat. Condemned doesn't pull any punches either- the game is made to be as raw and scary as possible, and some of the finishing moves you'll pull off can be gruesome. It manages to put you in a position where you'll feel very uneasy- and more susceptible to scares.
Combat is simple- to start with. You can pick up a weapon, swing it with one trigger, and block with another. You can kick to get an enemy at a better distance, pick up a rusty shotgun with two shots left in it, and block and follow up with a counter attack. Enemy movements in combat are even more predictable than in the first. The enemy may approach you slowly, only to violently jump on you at the last second. An enemy you hit may flinch- but may or may not follow up with a quick surprising attack. Other times they'll run away, hide around the corner, and wait for you to pass so they can jump out at you- and in turn, have you falling over in your chair due to the ensuing heart attack caused by the shock. The AI is hard to describe as good, or bad, but it is designed well to make fighting enemies both scary, and tense- and you'll be relieved after surviving any encounter.
Condemned is all Horror- and gameplay includes elements of survival horror as well. Guns are rare, and when you have them, you either have only a few shots, or plenty of ammo- but surrounded by enemies in a dark place where you can't see two feet in front of you. In such a case, you'll find yourself shooting at shadows that you thought may have moved, only to discover its your mind playing tricks on you. The game has some very devious enemies indeed- the most intimidating of which, are somewhat paranormal in nature. For example, you find yourself in a building, pitch-black apart from the small circle of light created by your flashlight. The interior of the building is covered mostly with a pitch black ooze of sorts. Enemies pop out of the black substance, themselves covered with it, so they can be running directly towards you, and you still may not notice till they've grabbed you- you have to be very attentive to motion. Another example is a type of enemy that hangs from the ceiling, and drops down and grabs you if you pass under unsuspectingly, giving you a quick chance to pull the left and right trigger rapidly to avoid damage.
Hand to hand combat is both brutal and satisfying. You'll also use guns when you get the chance- in the later parts of the game, guns will become a larger part of the game- which is a complete nuisance, because two of the levels almost seem to make the game into a FPS altogether. These levels almost seem to be a relief from a constant pressure of scares and shocks- but they still aren't welcome.
Another aspect of the game is the newly more-in-depth investigations. You'll get to solve some of your own CSI puzzles, by observing a grisly crime scene, and choosing from a list of pre-determined conclusions- of which, the more closer you are to correct, the better score you get on the mission- the better score you get in turn, the better equipment you will be awarded for next mission. Awarded equipment can range from a taser, to a holster for your pistol. New equipment doesn't adequately change the game, and getting more equipment isn't much of an incentive to go for an extra play-through.
Graphics: The game looks decent- if you manage to be able to see anything. Condemned is a dark as it gets. Even with your flashlight, you will at times feel you are stumbling around helplessly in the dark. And while this just makes the game that much more tense, it can sometimes prove to be a nuisance. At times you will literally find yourself walking into walls, or accidently backtracking, because the game is just that dark, it is difficult to recognize details.
The level design is once again- superbly detailed- but the choice of locales, in one place especially, is very questionable. One level in particular, still has me scratching my head as to why the game took me there in the first place. Locations do feel that they where chosen as levels because they were cool and/or scary, with little regard for how they blended into the story. When it's not pitch black, you may notice that the lighting is well done, but nothing else seems to stand out. Cut-scenes look good, and it is indeed an improvement over the really ugly cutscenes in the first Condemned, which had some of the worst facial animations and expressions i've ever seen in video games.
Sound: Scary. You will rarely ever here a pleasant sound in condemned. Frequently, you're seeing things in the dark, and you're almost always hearing something that may be right behind you, forcing you to turn around cautiously and inspect. The sound is especially effective considering walking. When you are walking in a back alley, and step over a can you didn't notice, you'll hear it, and instantly look around to see who made the sound, only too look down and see the piece of aluminum. You'll hear the squeak of a single rat which will put you on your toes, and shooting it even if it startled you that much. Indeed, the game is that effective at making you feel uncomfortable, and the sounds of the city and the slums you explore will do just that as you track down a Serial Killer on the run.
Overall: Condemned is a decent length, clocking in around 9 hours- but it does have the same problem so many other horror games tend to have- a lack of replayability. Indeed, you should be almost just as frightened on your second play-through (which is inevitable if you enjoyed the game as much as I did, but there's nothing significantly new with scoring higher on your investigations and getting new equipment. Some replay incentive may come in the form of the FPS mode which you unlock after beating the game. It wasn't a needed addition, but it is a welcome one, that will allow you to play the game with gun in hand all the way if you've grown tired of melee in your first play-through. This would be a big draw, were it not for two of the levels in the game, which are pretty much focused on FPS gameplay already- which in a Condemned game, is unacceptable. But even when Condemned seems to have lost its spark when you have a fully loaded assault rifle in your hands instead of a rusty pipe or burnt piece of wood- you can't shake the undeniably feeling brought on by the creepy, and (mostly) immersive atmosphere. Multiplayer- on a final note, shouldn't be here, and you'll likely ignore it, as players have. There isn't a community for it, and in this game, it isn't necessary.
So, if you aren't weak of heart- try Condemned. I can't say for certain if this is the scariest game ever made- it depends on the person. But Condemn will undoubtedly frighten you...alot. And that's what the game should do. It strays from it's path from time to time, and at some points has questionable level location, bad pacing, and too much clunky gunplay- but there is definitely something special to the game that makes it stand out in a genre that seems be shifting focus away from horror to action, without blending both equally. Play it in the dark, at night.