The above is all strong and very well handled by the developers, but Condemned 2 has a number of problems which prevent it from becoming a psychological classic like the Silent Hill series.įirstly, you generally can't go 5 minutes without a deranged murderer jumping out at you. Although, I am unsure of how popular a melee first person multiplayer game will prove to be in the long term. Multiplayer builds on the combat of the main game and whilst I only played it briefly it seemed to be acceptable if difficult. There is a good sense of replay value with plenty of unlockables, a serious of combat based challenges and even a multiplayer mode. There is a good selection of levels, most of which take at least an hour to complete, especially on higher difficulties. I was also very pleased that Condemned 2 wasn't over in a flash like most games these days. Most of them aren't necessary to proceed and simply improve your rating at the end of a mission, but I enjoyed them and although they are a little underused it makes them seem fresh.
These generally include searching for clues, photographing evidence and examining blood spatter. Mostly they involve analysing evidence at a crime scene then selecting from a list of options on what you think happened. These puzzles are much better than most obscure survival horror ones and there certainly isn't any "combine the apple with the turnip" weirdness. However, the game isn't entirely about clubbing junkies to death with table legs and there are some interesting forensic sections which remind me of CSI. The inclusion of environmental finishing moves, reminiscent of The Punisher game, allows you to execute your enemy in a particularly hideous manner. There are some scenes which are pretty shocking and I was surprised at some parts being passed by the censors especially with the furore over video game violence at the moment. It is worth mentioning that this game is definitely not for those under the age of 18. There are times in the game when the system seems unforgiving, but by persevering or trying a new tactic you can get past these with a sense of achievement. You have to quickly learn the combos and the importance of blocking and gaining the upper hand with any weapon possible. The system can be punishingly difficult to master though, with L1 and R1 being your left and right attacks which form the core basics of melee. The brutality of the moves and the reactions of the enemy only help to add to the general viciousness of the game. When your blows connect you have nowhere else to look and this lends real weight to the violence. Fire arms are a luxury instead you will tend to fight off people using rusty pipes, broken bottles and in one surreal situation a table foosball piece. The first person view also helps to add a visceral strength to the truly brutal melee combat which is genuinely bone crunching. There are some memorable set pieces, the escape from a burning building wearing a gas mask which restricts your vision, whilst trying to fight off waves of psychotic lunatics is a particular standout. This perspective gives the game some real scenes of tension and the immersion created is impressive. The core gameplay consists of first person combat, which is one of the games strongest elements. Inevitably nothing is quite what it seems.
#Condemned 2 bloodshot help series
To make matters worse, Ethan's old employers contact him to help out with a series of bizarre murder cases. Soon it becomes clear that the city is in the grip of some strange crisis, the streets are lined with people desperate to batter you to death with various nasty implements.
The game throws you in at the deep end, playing Ethan Thomas the protagonist from the first title, who has become an alcoholic tramp following his previous experiences. Having never played the original I was a little anxious about not being able to follow the plot, but thankfully the game provides several catch up sections to help get you up to speed without wasting too much time. In my opinion creeping down pitch black, dark industrial corridors filled with gibbering freaks is a pretty good way to unwind, so it is nice to see Condemned 2 delivering on these grounds. Reviews // 12th Nov 2008 - 13 years ago // By Christopher Wakefield Condemned 2: Bloodshotįirstly, I like survival horror games.