As I mentioned earlier, the forensics are perhaps the biggest improvement in the area of the gameplay. Instead of the usual routine of just taking pictures and pointing your camera at an item from the original, Condemned 2 now employs the gamer to make decisions based on the evidence and determine what it is. When you pick your answer to the questions, you’ll be graded on how well you performed and at the end of the investigation; you might even receive an upgrade for impeccable job.
Many of you may be asking if the sequel lives up to the original in terms of the horror features, but unfortunately, Condemned 2 is nowhere near the level of scary that the original produced. There are moments where you might jump or be scared, but they are spots where something jumps out from the dark. If I had to pick one particular moment that does its job well, it would have to be the time when Ethan is being chased by this gigantic bear throughout a cabin and it always seems to come out of nowhere when you previously thought you had lost it. But outside of that, Condemned: Criminal Origins is vastly the superior in terms of making you turn all the lights on in your house to make sure nothing is there watching you from the dark.
Due to the atmosphere and dark environments, Monolith did a solid job of producing an eerie world to traverse through. The graphics are solid and the animations often provide humor when you do decide to beat down a bum in the street. But back to the environment, it hands down made Condemned 2 exciting to move on throughout the levels going toe-to-toe with a drunken bum wanting his alcohol back. On top of all this, the sound is superb with excellent voice-overs and a satisfying soundtrack.
There’s also a multiplayer component, which was thrown in there as an extra, that isn’t the most intriguing of 2008. Supporting up to eight players online or via system link, players can now be pitted in a bum-fight battle royale to determine who the best crazy alcoholic meth-addict on the streets is. The multiplayer isn’t crazily addictive, but it’s nice for an hour getaway from the single-player campaign.
After it is all said and done, gamers should be satisfied with their purchase of Condemned 2: Bloodshot. It has a multiplayer that should distract gamers for a few hours, a strange storyline to involve you in, and improved gameplay features to take advantage of. It’s by no means better than the original, but it does produce a similar play through of exhilaration that’ll have you on the edge of your seat.
