Condemned 2: Bloodshot - Creepiest thing since Silent Hill 2
It was stated by Wishbane in a previous post long ago that GTA IV has killed this blog. This is understandable as no game other than GTA IV had been worth a mention since then. For my part, no game has given me pause to consider the gross social and gaming industry ramifications, cause to dig deeper into the philosophical, nor wax intellectual about the pros and cons which were equal and great. That said, I don’t own a PS3. That said, I’ve been living on a shoe-string for some time now. THAT SAID, I was lucky enough to come upon a game which I believe embodies the good and bad that the state of gaming finds itself in today. Condemned 2: Bloodshot. Here we go…
The story line from “Condemned: Criminal Origins” is further clarified and given direction that is well setup for a third installment. I will spoil this game only as far as the first chapter is concerned and truly there is no worry about story being lost as most of it is a refresher from the end of the first game. First and foremost, this game has style. Not just graphics (which are great). Not just interactivity (which is great). But style. Not since Silent Hill 2 have I been confronted with the dilemma of NOT wanting to walk through a door knowing that there is something on the other side that, though easily killable, will cause me to wet myself. Use of the First-Person-View in conjunction with a well thought out sound effect and music scheme, will have you in a panic trying to figure out where the hell that noise came from, and also how that thing snuck up on you like that….oh wait…your dead.
As with the first game, your enemies are the everyday denizens of the street that you would find in any urban setting, save for their newly discovered murderously violent streak that they take out on everybody (including other enemies, use wisely). Use of environmentally well stocked weapons won’t leave you hanging though you’d better learn how to use them quickly. The Stun Gun from the first game does come back in use, but its usefulness is severely diminished (I’m sure I could have used it, but I finished the game without it). In its place, gamers are offered a Chain Attack option. You are required to successfully land combos (Parry/Strike or the old One-Two) to fill the Chain Attack bar in order to unleash this steadily more devastating assault. What does this mean? Button mashing galore!!! It requires some, but not a great deal of button control to land the combos. The Chain Attacks require greater control, but only for the span of a three to four button chain that does everything from maiming to later on killing your intended target. After the first chapter, you should have the fighting part down with only the new weapons presented as the game progresses to learn.
Fans of the first game may remember searching for items throughout the levels as a means to reaching the ultimately worthless 100% completion (artwork is cool and interviews are fun, but used as a reward for in-game tasks simply use up disc space that could have been used for, oh I don’t know, the GAME?). The second installment has drastically reduced the number of “find ‘em” items and instead have revamped the CSI (yup, Crime Scene Investigator) aspect to include asking questions that you think will be relevant to your investigation. The better the question, the better the result for the level. Your reward for being so Sherlock-minded, as well as the completion of optional missions throughout any given level, is a character upgrade to be used for the remainder of the game. Better use of firearms or better body armor are a couple of the rewards available and even their level of quality is based on whether you receive a bronze, silver, or gold rating.
The only thing about this game that I did not care for was its length: short. Too short in my opinion. Like so many games that have come out recently, even GTA IV, if they have great game play they lack length. Conversely, stories with more epic feel tend toward lesser quality graphics or game play, or simply have terrible stories. Condemned 2: Bloodshot is short but well made, effectively utilizing the environment to add to its creepy minimalist charm and adding a second chapter to the saga (can sagas be short?) of Special Agent turned violent alcoholic, Ethan Thomas.
Ideal cost: Buy it for $25 new and not a penny more.
If you enjoyed this post, please consider to leave a comment or subscribe to the feed and get future articles delivered to your feed reader.
Comments
No comments yet.
Leave a comment