The story of Condemned is very interesting and fresh. You are framed for killing two people in the beginning of the game and from there the story keeps you wondering, while also keeping you on the edge of your seat the whole time. Finding one piece of the puzzle will only make you more thirsty for the next. Your character, Agent Thomas, has a special ability to see the past and the trail the criminals have left behind. These quick flashes of the past are done very nicely in a grainy, black and white, movie like fashion. They help you find clues with your investigating tools, or even tell you where to go next. Your investigating abilities help you solve the mystery behind the Killer who framed you. Your agency quickly turns against you and with the help of one loyal friend at the bureau you set out to find who set you up. While on this hunt to find the truth you are being attacked by sick drug addicts who wander the dark alleys of your city. So grab a steam pipe and be ready.
Condemned’s gameplay is original in that it uses a very unique combat system and mixes it with the investigating part of the game. You can take pictures, scan for liquids with a UV light, or even take DNA samples in the game's various crime scenes. All are very easy to do, but at the same time feel very rewarding once you find the next piece of the puzzle in the story.
The AI of your enemies will surprise you and the excellent animations in the game will make it all seem like a horror movie. Your enemies are frantic and hate the sight of you. When they are not knocking things down or throwing dead bodies to scare you, they will be running at full speed, with their 2x4s handy, at you.
The game's physics engine is excellent and many times you will be knocking down boxes and breaking pieces of wood, or your gun, while bashing your enemies in the head. The ragdoll physics for your enemies add more life to their dead bodies, although this effect should be mandatory for any next gen title, and Condemned definitely delivers in that field.
Overall, I feel very satisfied with the way Condemned plays out. I was satisfied once the game was over and I never felt like taking a break while playing.
The controls are mapped out very nicely over the controller. The combat in Condemned is very simple in that all you do is basically block and hit. The Left Trigger button performs a block while the Right Trigger will perform a hit. The weapons in the game range from a simple 2x4 with nails in it, a steam pipe, a paper cutter, to a wide range of guns. It won't take you long to notice that the guns you pick up only have a handful of rounds in them. The game has a very unique feature in that you need to check the gun's barrel or clip for how many bullets you have left, as your hud will not tell you. The B button will let you check your ammo when you’re not busy fighting off enemies.
But don't worry, even after running out of ammo you can simply flip your gun over and give those crackheads a nice bash in the face with the butt of your gun. Other alternative ways to fighting your enemies will be your trusty taser. By hitting the right shoulder button, you will zap the attacker and stun him for a brief period. It will take you some time to become good at it, but this system of block and hit never really becomes redundant even though that is basically what you do 95% of the time.
When you are not fighting the bad guys, you will be looking for their trail using your investigating tools. The game will let you know when to take out your tools, which can be done by hitting the X button. Some of the tools, like the camera, will need you to use your analog sticks for, in this case, increasing or decreasing the focus on the camera. Once you are ready to take the picture and send it to the lab for processing, just hit the Right Trigger button.
