snickothemule
March 14th, 2009, 13:32
Condemned 2: Bloodshot
From the bottle
As a rule first person games have excelled at the shooting element, but fall horribly short when it comes to hand to hand combat. There have been titles in the past which have made an attempt to rectify this problem of creating compelling and exciting first person beat ‘em ups but on all accounts they have never been able to make the experience enjoyable. Then Condemned came along, a title from Monolith games who were able to create for possibly the first time ever, a first person beat em’ up that worked, and worked incredibly well. Although not a critical success or hugely successful game, possibly due to some ham fisted design choices away from combat, it did open new doors and allow us all to see how this genre can work with tight controls, thrilling story and dripping atmosphere. Now, Monolith and Sega are proud to release a sequel, but can it address the issues that were inherent with the first game, while maintaining the tight and well designed control scheme?
http://i42.tinypic.com/jt9x53.jpg
Why! Why did I fail sock puppet school!
Picking up directly after the first game, we find Ethan Thomas, a now ex Serial Crime Unit officer; a man who once was an investigator for vicious crimes is sitting alone in a bar, homeless, sleepless and fighting off alcohol addiction. To make matters worse, Ethan is hallucinating and fighting off his own inner demons. To complicate things, SCU are looking to re hire him and put him on the case of investigating a trail of SCX, a serial killer who has gotten loose and with the drastic increase of violent crimes Ethan couldn’t be reinstated at a worse time. So now Ethan must fight off homicidal homeless and drug addicts, while pursuing an incredibly dangerous individual who has ties with a cult group, who until recently was believed to be non-existent. The story is told through cinematic shorts at the beginning and end of each chapter and through interactive scenes during the chapters, and with Warner Brothers being involved with the project, these scenes are on par with modern drama and horror cinema. Exploring Ethan’s psychosis with hallucinogenic scenes that rival the disturbing and frightening imagery of such films as Jacob’s ladder and the Saw series, these cinematic shorts using the in game engine are truly engaging to watch, and add a natural flow to the games progression.
Face punch
Not wanting to change what is essentially the best first person combat control scheme, Condemned 2 manages to maintain and develop upon the already successful formula. Combat is essentially a one on one affair, with fights focusing on brutality and causing the most amount of damage to the opponent as possible and with some sections of the game being two or three on one affairs control must be tight and responsive. All control of Ethan’ offense and defence is done through the control sticks and triggers, with the right triggers serving purpose for right hand attacks and throwing of items, and the left hand triggers focusing on left hand attacks and aiming. Defence is accomplished by holding the two attack triggers and by timing the blocking move when the enemy strikes, then a counter can be done to inflict more damage. What makes this control design so successful, is that Ethan’s range of attack never becomes an issue, something that is an institution with other franchises and with every attack being responsive and without frustration.
Speaking of combat, Condemned 2 has without a doubt the most brutal display of fighting any game has managed to achieve. Punches that land on the opponent result in blood spray, bruising and visible physical damage, and with the bone crushing sounds coming through the speakers, killing an oncoming attacker is as wincing and as disturbing as taking a life could be. These attacks are upgradable as the game continues on, with more combos being added, and more quick time events for critical finishes that make taking down a hobo all the more visceral. To increase the destructive power, Ethan can use the environment to his advantage to deliver some life ending attacks that would put the Punisher to shame. Throwing a drug addicts face through a pane glass window, only for him to withdraw with glass shards protruding from his face as he screams and falls to the floor lifelessly is so incredibly brutal it is stunning that this game made it through the review classification board.
http://i44.tinypic.com/wv2tyo.jpg
Racial and gender equality police en route
Ethan is not just limited to his fists, as he can employ all sorts of objects from the horrid world to be used at his disposal, bricks, empty bottles, conduits, locker doors, anything heavy can be used to crush the skull of the enemy, though these items have limited power and will break with continued use. Firearms are also present, though their rarity and instant stopping power make them a highly sought out item, and if the crazed denizens happen to open fire and land a hit on Ethan, there is a very high chance that he will be killed. Which brings me on to the health system, which is a combination of the old med kit design that has been around since the fps was born, and the modern regenerative health system that has lead to game design that is simply run and gun, then go hide in the corner to allow the health bar to be regenerated. With 3 or more cells on hand, each cell will regenerate when damage is taken, although a fully depleted cell will not regenerate without medication taken to replenish these depleted cells, it is quite similar to the health system from the first Halo. It is a great system, and further emphasises that this character is vulnerable, not just a testosterone filled gym junky who can heal on willpower alone.
Arterial spray
It isn’t all hobo killing and face smashing. Condemned 2 contains an investigation and forensic element that is both critical to the games progression and adds to the games brilliance. During the course of the game, crime scenes will need to be identified and resolved. Case in point, the first crime scene is a man that has been seemingly killed on the spot, with a gunshot wound to the back. As the player, we must identify the persons gender, age, cause of death and if the body has been tampered with. Instead of these questions being answered by the story, we must choose from a drop down list of possibilities, such as if the gunshot wound is an entry or exit wound, and if there are any traces of blood from accompanying rooms. After the evidence has been discovered and submitted to headquarters a rating is given on how accurate we are. Although it does require a bit of prior knowledge into identifying what kind of blood spray is at hand, Condemned 2 never punishes the player for errors and instead makes this aspect of the game the most rewarding. And because we were able to identify that the scene at hand was not the place of his death, we could follow a blood trail using a UV light to return to the original scene of the crime, thus pushing the story forward and making the whole experience as smooth and real as it can be.
http://i44.tinypic.com/24evnkj.jpg
Tired of his baseless emotions, Morpheus pistol whipped Neo
Condemned 2 is a dark game. Really dark and not just with its horror themes, being set at night means that contrast between light and dark is a major feature of the visual impact this game creates. Light sources cast shadows that crawl across any surface and add a dynamic and haunting feel, character models are incredibly detailed, with torn clothes, bleeding wounds, and very natural facial expression and lip synching that is some of the best around. Environments may be simple, but with the dark theme everything feels like it is closing in around you, and can leave a claustrophobic feeling. For the dark mood Condemned 2 wants to achieve, it succeeds incredibly. There are a few issues though, with the PS3 version, aliasing is noticeable and the console versions suffer from rather low res textures and dirty textures that will have a negative effect with the investigation element of the game, especially when identifying critical evidence. The sound though really excels, the voice acting is nothing short of superb, the cold winds leave a chilling feeling, and the subtle yet haunting soundtrack may not take centre stage, it just ties in all the themes of the game so eloquently, and chillingly brilliant.
Broken Knuckle
On almost all accounts Condemned 2 tops the previous effort by leaps and bounds, yet still falls short of being a contender for game of the year. The aforementioned low res textures can hurt the visual appeal of the proceedings, but the story also falls short on so many levels. For instance, the effect of the psychosis on Ethan is done so very well with the twisted imagery, but the overall story seems to unravel itself so ungracefully and heads in a direction that just seems so out of place. Some of the story arcs just seem to disappear completely, never to be seen again, or ends up being so unrealistic that it seems to unravel the great setup the game creates. Without wanting to give anything away, the final third of the game ends up feeling rushed and not completely thought through, and when compared with the early pacing, it just ends up being so disappointing.
http://i42.tinypic.com/33kez5h.jpg
"Draw me, like one of your French girls"
Although the story seems to go completely to pot, the rest of the game is such an incredibly thrilling, chilling and involving experience, it truly feels like a cinematic tour de force, with bonafide gripping gameplay to boot. Coming back for a second run may not be high on the agenda, the bonus fight club modes manage to extend the life of the game, and unlocking bonus artwork makes the whole package feel like you are getting your monies worth. Condemned 2 expands on so much, yet still manages to fall short of being truly great. It does set up for a third instalment, so fingers crossed that a third game will be on the way. If you are looking for a truly adult gaming experience, then look no further than Condemned 2. Even for its flaws, the good points stand head and shoulders above its bad ones.
Gameplay – 89
Visuals – 85
Audio – 89
Overall - 87
A very adult, brutal, gripping game that falls just short of greatness. A truly unique experience and not for the faint hearted.
Game experienced with PS3 on Bravia at 720p and 7.2 audio.
From the bottle
As a rule first person games have excelled at the shooting element, but fall horribly short when it comes to hand to hand combat. There have been titles in the past which have made an attempt to rectify this problem of creating compelling and exciting first person beat ‘em ups but on all accounts they have never been able to make the experience enjoyable. Then Condemned came along, a title from Monolith games who were able to create for possibly the first time ever, a first person beat em’ up that worked, and worked incredibly well. Although not a critical success or hugely successful game, possibly due to some ham fisted design choices away from combat, it did open new doors and allow us all to see how this genre can work with tight controls, thrilling story and dripping atmosphere. Now, Monolith and Sega are proud to release a sequel, but can it address the issues that were inherent with the first game, while maintaining the tight and well designed control scheme?
http://i42.tinypic.com/jt9x53.jpg
Why! Why did I fail sock puppet school!
Picking up directly after the first game, we find Ethan Thomas, a now ex Serial Crime Unit officer; a man who once was an investigator for vicious crimes is sitting alone in a bar, homeless, sleepless and fighting off alcohol addiction. To make matters worse, Ethan is hallucinating and fighting off his own inner demons. To complicate things, SCU are looking to re hire him and put him on the case of investigating a trail of SCX, a serial killer who has gotten loose and with the drastic increase of violent crimes Ethan couldn’t be reinstated at a worse time. So now Ethan must fight off homicidal homeless and drug addicts, while pursuing an incredibly dangerous individual who has ties with a cult group, who until recently was believed to be non-existent. The story is told through cinematic shorts at the beginning and end of each chapter and through interactive scenes during the chapters, and with Warner Brothers being involved with the project, these scenes are on par with modern drama and horror cinema. Exploring Ethan’s psychosis with hallucinogenic scenes that rival the disturbing and frightening imagery of such films as Jacob’s ladder and the Saw series, these cinematic shorts using the in game engine are truly engaging to watch, and add a natural flow to the games progression.
Face punch
Not wanting to change what is essentially the best first person combat control scheme, Condemned 2 manages to maintain and develop upon the already successful formula. Combat is essentially a one on one affair, with fights focusing on brutality and causing the most amount of damage to the opponent as possible and with some sections of the game being two or three on one affairs control must be tight and responsive. All control of Ethan’ offense and defence is done through the control sticks and triggers, with the right triggers serving purpose for right hand attacks and throwing of items, and the left hand triggers focusing on left hand attacks and aiming. Defence is accomplished by holding the two attack triggers and by timing the blocking move when the enemy strikes, then a counter can be done to inflict more damage. What makes this control design so successful, is that Ethan’s range of attack never becomes an issue, something that is an institution with other franchises and with every attack being responsive and without frustration.
Speaking of combat, Condemned 2 has without a doubt the most brutal display of fighting any game has managed to achieve. Punches that land on the opponent result in blood spray, bruising and visible physical damage, and with the bone crushing sounds coming through the speakers, killing an oncoming attacker is as wincing and as disturbing as taking a life could be. These attacks are upgradable as the game continues on, with more combos being added, and more quick time events for critical finishes that make taking down a hobo all the more visceral. To increase the destructive power, Ethan can use the environment to his advantage to deliver some life ending attacks that would put the Punisher to shame. Throwing a drug addicts face through a pane glass window, only for him to withdraw with glass shards protruding from his face as he screams and falls to the floor lifelessly is so incredibly brutal it is stunning that this game made it through the review classification board.
http://i44.tinypic.com/wv2tyo.jpg
Racial and gender equality police en route
Ethan is not just limited to his fists, as he can employ all sorts of objects from the horrid world to be used at his disposal, bricks, empty bottles, conduits, locker doors, anything heavy can be used to crush the skull of the enemy, though these items have limited power and will break with continued use. Firearms are also present, though their rarity and instant stopping power make them a highly sought out item, and if the crazed denizens happen to open fire and land a hit on Ethan, there is a very high chance that he will be killed. Which brings me on to the health system, which is a combination of the old med kit design that has been around since the fps was born, and the modern regenerative health system that has lead to game design that is simply run and gun, then go hide in the corner to allow the health bar to be regenerated. With 3 or more cells on hand, each cell will regenerate when damage is taken, although a fully depleted cell will not regenerate without medication taken to replenish these depleted cells, it is quite similar to the health system from the first Halo. It is a great system, and further emphasises that this character is vulnerable, not just a testosterone filled gym junky who can heal on willpower alone.
Arterial spray
It isn’t all hobo killing and face smashing. Condemned 2 contains an investigation and forensic element that is both critical to the games progression and adds to the games brilliance. During the course of the game, crime scenes will need to be identified and resolved. Case in point, the first crime scene is a man that has been seemingly killed on the spot, with a gunshot wound to the back. As the player, we must identify the persons gender, age, cause of death and if the body has been tampered with. Instead of these questions being answered by the story, we must choose from a drop down list of possibilities, such as if the gunshot wound is an entry or exit wound, and if there are any traces of blood from accompanying rooms. After the evidence has been discovered and submitted to headquarters a rating is given on how accurate we are. Although it does require a bit of prior knowledge into identifying what kind of blood spray is at hand, Condemned 2 never punishes the player for errors and instead makes this aspect of the game the most rewarding. And because we were able to identify that the scene at hand was not the place of his death, we could follow a blood trail using a UV light to return to the original scene of the crime, thus pushing the story forward and making the whole experience as smooth and real as it can be.
http://i44.tinypic.com/24evnkj.jpg
Tired of his baseless emotions, Morpheus pistol whipped Neo
Condemned 2 is a dark game. Really dark and not just with its horror themes, being set at night means that contrast between light and dark is a major feature of the visual impact this game creates. Light sources cast shadows that crawl across any surface and add a dynamic and haunting feel, character models are incredibly detailed, with torn clothes, bleeding wounds, and very natural facial expression and lip synching that is some of the best around. Environments may be simple, but with the dark theme everything feels like it is closing in around you, and can leave a claustrophobic feeling. For the dark mood Condemned 2 wants to achieve, it succeeds incredibly. There are a few issues though, with the PS3 version, aliasing is noticeable and the console versions suffer from rather low res textures and dirty textures that will have a negative effect with the investigation element of the game, especially when identifying critical evidence. The sound though really excels, the voice acting is nothing short of superb, the cold winds leave a chilling feeling, and the subtle yet haunting soundtrack may not take centre stage, it just ties in all the themes of the game so eloquently, and chillingly brilliant.
Broken Knuckle
On almost all accounts Condemned 2 tops the previous effort by leaps and bounds, yet still falls short of being a contender for game of the year. The aforementioned low res textures can hurt the visual appeal of the proceedings, but the story also falls short on so many levels. For instance, the effect of the psychosis on Ethan is done so very well with the twisted imagery, but the overall story seems to unravel itself so ungracefully and heads in a direction that just seems so out of place. Some of the story arcs just seem to disappear completely, never to be seen again, or ends up being so unrealistic that it seems to unravel the great setup the game creates. Without wanting to give anything away, the final third of the game ends up feeling rushed and not completely thought through, and when compared with the early pacing, it just ends up being so disappointing.
http://i42.tinypic.com/33kez5h.jpg
"Draw me, like one of your French girls"
Although the story seems to go completely to pot, the rest of the game is such an incredibly thrilling, chilling and involving experience, it truly feels like a cinematic tour de force, with bonafide gripping gameplay to boot. Coming back for a second run may not be high on the agenda, the bonus fight club modes manage to extend the life of the game, and unlocking bonus artwork makes the whole package feel like you are getting your monies worth. Condemned 2 expands on so much, yet still manages to fall short of being truly great. It does set up for a third instalment, so fingers crossed that a third game will be on the way. If you are looking for a truly adult gaming experience, then look no further than Condemned 2. Even for its flaws, the good points stand head and shoulders above its bad ones.
Gameplay – 89
Visuals – 85
Audio – 89
Overall - 87
A very adult, brutal, gripping game that falls just short of greatness. A truly unique experience and not for the faint hearted.
Game experienced with PS3 on Bravia at 720p and 7.2 audio.