GamerSince'76
12-03-2007, 11:01 AM
Condemned 2: Bloodshot
Under-appreciated horror classic gets a deserved sequel
by: Clint McCreadie 03/12/2007
“I believe in two things. Both of them are fists. Both of them are mine.” It could be a rallying cry for the nihilistic post-Fight Club generation. Instead, these are the words of one Ethan Thomas. The fallout of the events that occurred in Condemned: Criminal Origins two years ago has seen the ex-FBI agent sink further into madness.
For those who missed it first time round (shame on you), Sega’s horror FPS was the gory gem in Xbox 360’s launch crown. Mixing brutal hand-to-hand combat, forensic science and a gradual spiral into dementia, developer Monolith created a memorable spine-chilling experience. However, it was unfairly outshone by the bombast of Call of Duty 2 and the commercial appeal of Project Gotham Racing 3. With a scheduled March release date putting it well out of the way of the current summer glut of titles, the sequel looks set to make a much bigger impression.
Already it’s looking disgustingly lovely. Monolith has had the better part of two years to eviscerate the system’s innards. It has taken the original engine, scrubbed and cleaned it, and put it back together – then set about it with hacksaws and hatchets. The series’ trademarks of gritty visuals and gut-churning detail are now pushed to the point where your eyeballs feel dirty just by looking.
The released trailer and screens suggest the game is dragging itself towards Jericho’s twisted and decaying character designs. The homeless ‘crazies’ of the original are slowly replaced with demonic creatures that may (or may not) be the by-product of Ethan’s fracturing mental state.
Nothing has been revealed of the plot, but Monolith has stated that the fighting system is being totally overhauled, with hand-to-hand combat now offering a full range of offensive and defensive options. It’s clearly confident of the results, as it’s basing a multiplayer game around the system. From what we’ve heard, this will take the form of Fight Club-style matches, but with only one rule: they last until one of you is dead.
The forensic-research element is due to return – here’s hoping this receives a major overhaul as well, as the constant searching of every crime scene was one of the weakest parts of the original title. We’re looking for a game with gore and brains. Poirot with knuckledusters, if you will.
Link with photos:
http://www.gameplayer.com.au/Home/PREVIEWS/PREVIEWGAME/tabid/1484/Default.aspx?CID=ddb74f4a-9309-487f-aa80-0ebc7039ac14&v7Pager=1
Under-appreciated horror classic gets a deserved sequel
by: Clint McCreadie 03/12/2007
“I believe in two things. Both of them are fists. Both of them are mine.” It could be a rallying cry for the nihilistic post-Fight Club generation. Instead, these are the words of one Ethan Thomas. The fallout of the events that occurred in Condemned: Criminal Origins two years ago has seen the ex-FBI agent sink further into madness.
For those who missed it first time round (shame on you), Sega’s horror FPS was the gory gem in Xbox 360’s launch crown. Mixing brutal hand-to-hand combat, forensic science and a gradual spiral into dementia, developer Monolith created a memorable spine-chilling experience. However, it was unfairly outshone by the bombast of Call of Duty 2 and the commercial appeal of Project Gotham Racing 3. With a scheduled March release date putting it well out of the way of the current summer glut of titles, the sequel looks set to make a much bigger impression.
Already it’s looking disgustingly lovely. Monolith has had the better part of two years to eviscerate the system’s innards. It has taken the original engine, scrubbed and cleaned it, and put it back together – then set about it with hacksaws and hatchets. The series’ trademarks of gritty visuals and gut-churning detail are now pushed to the point where your eyeballs feel dirty just by looking.
The released trailer and screens suggest the game is dragging itself towards Jericho’s twisted and decaying character designs. The homeless ‘crazies’ of the original are slowly replaced with demonic creatures that may (or may not) be the by-product of Ethan’s fracturing mental state.
Nothing has been revealed of the plot, but Monolith has stated that the fighting system is being totally overhauled, with hand-to-hand combat now offering a full range of offensive and defensive options. It’s clearly confident of the results, as it’s basing a multiplayer game around the system. From what we’ve heard, this will take the form of Fight Club-style matches, but with only one rule: they last until one of you is dead.
The forensic-research element is due to return – here’s hoping this receives a major overhaul as well, as the constant searching of every crime scene was one of the weakest parts of the original title. We’re looking for a game with gore and brains. Poirot with knuckledusters, if you will.
Link with photos:
http://www.gameplayer.com.au/Home/PREVIEWS/PREVIEWGAME/tabid/1484/Default.aspx?CID=ddb74f4a-9309-487f-aa80-0ebc7039ac14&v7Pager=1