Sorry about the three month delay in game reviews. All of the problems with my XBOX and getting a copy of CONDEMNED 2 have now been resolved. Without further ado my review...
CONDEMNED 2: BLOODSHOT
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Developer: Monolith Productions Software
Publisher: SEGA Software
Systems: XBOX 360 and PlayStation 3
INTRODUCTION:
CONDEMNED 2: BLOODSHOT is one of those games I held on a pedestal for quite some time; I was so impressed by Sega's first game that my expectations were set that much higher. It's not that CONDEMNED 2: BLOODSHOT is a bad game. It's just not as good as CONDEMNED: CRIMINAL ORIGINS.
The story picks up a year after the events of CONDEMNED: CRIMINAL ORIGINS. Once again you play as Ethan Thomas - except now you're an alcoholic and sporting the beard of a homeless man. Things are still freaky deaky in Metro City and you'll have to punch, smash, and shoot to survive the madness! Can Ethan survive in time to once again figure out what the hell is going on?
Not just exclusive to the XBOX 360, CONDEMNED 2: BLOODSHOT also allows PlayStation 3 owners a crack at the horror. Both games also include multiplayer but, for me, there wasn't enough content or polish to pull me in. This review is of the XBOX 360 version only.
GAMEPLAY:
CONDEMNED 2: BLOODSHOT is primarily a first person boxer. Players use ordinary items like hammers and their fists for the majority of the game. There are areas where you'll employ a pistol, shotgun, or assault rifle; however, because ammo is at such a premium you won't be firing for long. There are also weapons like bricks that are better off thrown at enemies. Once you've exhausted all of your makeshift weapons you're left with fists to take care of business. This gameplay decision connects this sequel with the original on the most basic of level. Too bad that "innovations" were added that suck out some of the fun.
Added to the hand-to-hand combat are two new innovations that negatively affected my experience. New this time around is a combo meter and a finishing move mechanic. My problem with the combo meter is that it took me out of the experience. CONDEMNED: CRIMINAL ORIGINS was an amazing game to play because it easily felt like the situations were real. While the experience was way out of the ordinary, most of the game was plausible. By adding cartoony graphics for how many times you've punched a bum, it makes things to cut-and-dry. The joy of the original combat mechanic was not knowing how many hits it would take to kill a guy. It felt more like a real fight and less like a video game.
The other innovation that bothered me was the finishing move mechanic. The original finishing move was way too simple. You were limited to only a handful of finishers and they became boring after you tried them all. While they added more variety for CONDEMNED 2: BLOODSHOT, the design is clumsy. Basically, you put a dude in a headlock and run him over to a symbol for a predetermined action. When you are running around with a guy in a headlock Ethan's movements are stiff and the targets you aim for don't look remotely organic. This would be better served with an interactive cut scene or removal altogether. For me, these two new features took away from the storytelling and didn't really add that much to an otherwise entertaining gameplay.
Ignoring the new aspects of gameplay, CONDEMNED 2: BLOODSHOT delivers gameplay that will feel comfortable to most gamers. In fact, you'll wonder why more games ignore hand-to-hand combat in first person games. Sure, HALO 3 includes a melee button, but wouldn't it be more fun to allow Master Chief two fists to fight with? The continuation of environmental weaponry is very welcome and keeps the spirit of CONDEMNED: CRIMINAL ORIGINS alive. Overall, the gameplay in the CONDEMNED series is well designed and thought out. My only issue is with the stiff additions that feel more arcade-like than they should.
Gameplay: 8.6/10
GRAPHICS:
I have no qualms with the looks of CONDEMNED 2. Because this is a close-quarters game a lot of what it is rendered is indoors. Beautifully rendered open areas aren't necessary because of the intimacy of the levels. The atmosphere is dark so some of the levels hide some of the detail. That's just fine because you don't need to see every single design element to recognize great workmanship.
The character models are well designed and the human-like appearances help sell the storyline. The models aren't 100% lifelike; however, they better represent human beings than, say, big name titles like GTA IV or HALO 3 do. For example, the details added to the hands and arms of Ethan are especially eye-catching and help build the realism. And even when bizarre characters that are obviously not of this dimension pop up, I didn't get the feeling that they contradicted the overall art style. Like the first CONDEMNED, CONDEMNED 2: BLOODSHOT delivers the graphical details that you hope to see out of a current generation title.
Graphics: 9.0/10
STORYTELLING:
This is one category that CONDEMNED 2 relies on heavily. As the player, you'll either get sucked in by the creepiness or you'll find the whole concept unacceptably impossible. For me, I definitely had the chills several times. Many of the bumps in the night and scares are perfectly executed; so much so, that like the first game, I can only play this game for an hour at a time.
Unfortunately, the great scares in the game didn't completely translate to an interesting story. Much like the end of the original CONDEMNED, the storyline here was just too obtuse for me to fall in love with it. It went a bit too far out of the realm of reality and I found myself shaking my head more than nodding in agreement. For me, the beginning of the first CONDEMNED worked because I could identify with the reality. Once things get a bit wacky - I move along.
The voice-acting in CONDEMNED 2 is pretty good but the absence of Greg Grunberg is noticeable. Grunberg portrayed Ethan Thomas in the original game and delivered one of the best performances in a game that year. André Sogliuzzo takes the role of Ethan Thomas seriously but never breaks out of Grunberg's shadow. It seems that the entire cast was changed. Most players won't notice the difference - which is something the new cast should be proud of.
Storytelling: 8.0/10
FINAL VERDICT:
CONDEMNED 2: BLOODSHOT is a good game that fails to live up to the raised expectations of being a sequel. Players new to the series will likely have an easier time accepting some of the changes. However, those of us that are well versed in the intricacies of the original can see several backward steps. The inclusion of online multiplayer sounds like a great idea in theory but failed to add anything of real value. Lag issues and clumsy execution make this more a time kill than a full-blown feature. If you're looking for a horror game that is good but not perfect, you should give CONDEMNED 2: BLOODSHOT a chance.
Final Verdict: 8.5/10
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