Condemned 2

Okay, so that was violent. Having just blasted through Condemned 2, I think it’s safe to say that it’s one of the more gory titles in recent memory. I can’t think of many other games, for example, that let you crush someone’s head in a gigantic vice. This level of violence can quickly get out of hand in some games, but in Condemned 2, the developers have managed to improve on the first game’s better aspects, and minimized its faults, for an experience that’s scary, visceral, and generally quite a lot of fun.

The original Condemned was released early in the life of the 360, and provided many thrills and scares, but also a fair amount of frustration. Essentially, the game could be described as a first person shooter that emphasizes melee combat (and executions) as much as gunplay. There were also some promising ‘investigatory’ elements that added a bit of variety to the gameplay.

Condemned 2 again places you in the shoes of Ethan Thomas, a former investigator - and now a homeless alcoholic, thanks to the events of the first game. However, you’re called upon to look into the relentless crime wave of Metro City, and are once again plunged into a nightmare. The overall story is interesting enough, but it’s clear it’s not the major focus of the game – that honour is instead given to each level, and individual set pieces within them. These are the moments you’ll be playing this game for, and they’re well worth the admission price. One moment you’re in a decrepit doll house being attacked by kamikaze dolls, and then a moment later you’ll be back in the rundown alleyways of Metro City, running for your life. Setpiece moments can go horribly wrong in games, but Condemned 2 does most of them just right, drawing you into the game and forcing even the staunchest of gamers to turn on the lights.

As it’s all about atmosphere, Condemned 2 needed to get several major elements right to really draw people into its dystopian setting. One of these is the gameplay, which is, for the most part, very satisfying. You’ll constantly be picking up a huge variety of melee weapons, from a two-by-four to a couple of saw blades, and considering how difficult first person melee can be to pull off, the developers should be commended – it feels immediate, satisfying, and deep. The gunplay, on the other hand, is pretty average, and does nothing to stand out from the gameplay of any other FPS. Oddly enough, whenever I had a pistol in hand, I found myself itching for a baseball bat instead.

You’ll once again be collecting evidence throughout levels, but it’s unfortunate that this part of the game has been simultaneously improved and minimized. You’ll have the chance to answer contextual questions about levels you’ve just played, and answering right nets you more rewards – it’s a mechanic that adds a small, yet fun, layer on top of mindlessly bludgeoning everyone to death.

The graphics and sound both help draw the player in to this screwed up world. Metro City looks as decrepit, rundown, and hostile and you’d expect; enemies look truly disturbing at times; and the execution moments are rendered in sickening detail. All in all, this game looks good – not necessarily for the amount of technical detail on display, but simply for its artistic direction, which goes a long way to suspending disbelief. Aurally, if you have a decent sound system, prepare to be freaked out – the developers have obviously put a lot of effort in to ambient noises and enemy noises, and it’s paid off.

Overall, if the violence doesn’t put you off, Condemned 2 is a worthy purchase. If you’re a shooter fan, and are after a visceral, disturbing experience, then this is the game for you. While not all of its elements are totally up to scratch, the amount of ‘gasp’ moments packed in here make the trip worth taking.