Written by Chris Matel
Sunday, 30 March 2008
Monolith is known for their ability to scare gamers through convincingly-haunting environments, and psychologically-demented gameplay. Almost three years ago Condemned: Criminal Origins was released on the Xbox 360, introducing players to a city plagued with violent transients and a serial killer on the loose. While the game did well in implementing melee-based combat in eerie settings, there were enough loose ends in the story to keep players scratching their heads once everything was done. Condemned 2: Bloodshot answers leftover questions in the story, but does so in new, improved ways.
The first Condemned game was an introduction into a city seething with violence, and to the series’ protagonist Ethan Thomas. By the time he survived to clear his name, and apprehend Serial-Killer X, Ethan’s on-the-run investigation opened up a deeper plot filled with conspiracy and mysticism. The game ended in a cliffhanger, leaving little detail as what exactly was going on. Bloodshot picks up a few months after the SKX investigation, with Ethan no longer on the SCU, and is a drunk struggling with inner-demons.
Bloodshot acts both as a standalone story, as well as a functional sequel. This time around, Ethan is recruited by the SCU to help track down Malcolm Van Horn after he mysteriously goes missing.
It’s nearly impossible to go into too much detail about the story elements of the game, as each level answers more questions about who Ethan is, why the city has broken down to frenzied-addicts and crazies, and why there are people with metal bits protruding from their bodies.
Ultimately, Bloodshot with leave fans of the game satisfied with knowing exactly what is going on, with a fairly well flushed out story. There are a few odd story choices, and some unexplained characters, but all of the major plot points are answered in the end.
While the first Condemned game invoked a compelling mystery, gameplay elements made up most of the buzz it received. By introducing a melee-centric, first-person brawler, Condemned was about using whatever you could find as a weapon. The same core mechanic is transferred to Bloodshot, with a few improvements.
Wooden 2×4s, pipes, bats and other melee weapons reappear in Condemned 2, but there are also a multitude of additional weapons scattered about levels. Between bowling balls, prosthetic arms and foosball handles, the array of possible weapons create a great sense of urgency and environment interaction that almost no other title offers.
Along with more melee weapons, are an increased number of firearms. Unfortunately, by providing more accessible guns, the game begins to feel less unique as some areas are nearly impossible to complete without firing a bullet.
Still, even with more guns, Bloodshot tries to keeps things interesting by accounting for alcohol withdrawals. To calm your nerves and steady your shot, you’ll have to take a drink from random liquor bottles. The mechanic is a nice touch, but boozing it up doesn’t carry other effects than just a steady aim, and with the ability to complete the game without taking a shot, it’s almost unnecessary.
Complementing the increase in weaponry is improved hand-to-hand fighting and a performance-based upgrade system. A new combo system has been implemented for which allows for engaging, visceral fights. Also, similar to the Punisher game from a few years back, environmental-finishers add to previous moves of the past. By subduing an enemy, the dazed individual can be dragged to a piece of scenery that can inflict a gruesome demise. Although it’s nothing new, shoving an enemy into a T.V. completes the immersive feel of the game.
To augment your street fighting, additional combos as well as improved inventory are awarded based on how well you perform investigations and complete each level. While the first game held your hand during investigations, Bloodshot requires some actual thought, through logical deduction. The investigation sequences are much more robust compared to the previous edition and are a welcomed change.
Weapons, fighting and investigations aren’t the only changes to this year’s sequel. The overall visuals have been overhauled with better lighting effects and improved character models, but the game retains its genuinely creepy feel. It’s interesting however, as Ethan and Rosa are hardly recognizable to their earlier incarnations, and, along with a new cast of voices, they feel a bit out of place. The situation is almost like having Brosnan talk about missions that Connery went on in Bond films; it’s just kind of weird.
There are some additional, minor troubles with the game. Instances of un-synced voiceovers and some grinding audio effects dislodge an otherwise top-notch experience, complete with convincing ambient noises and a fitting soundtrack. Both versions of the game hold up well technically, but there are some framerate dips. Also, with a later release date, the PS3 version has subtle graphical differences than the 360 one, with some strange texture popping and a slightly overall less-ominous feeling.
Though, such problems are not prominent enough to mar the experience. The Monolith team has done a great job in supplying fans of the first game with a total package. Bits of nostalgia are provoked as Ethan revisits some of the same locations as the first game. Yet, between the new and old levels, there’s an uneven balance of action and fear. While the first game supplied a good amount of psychological unrest, a lot of the thrills in Bloodshot tend towards more action-based elements.
The final big change to the game is the inclusion of new game modes, to both the single and multiplayer side of things. Besides playing through the story, you can choose the instant, action-based Fight Club which throws you into a scenario with a specific objective. Ultimately, the 6 additional challenges do little to add more life to the game, unless you’re really into leaderboards.
The most notable addition to the series is the inclusion of a multiplayer. Playing either online or through a LAN, you have your choice of familiar game types. Instead of capture the flag, Crime Scene has a team of “Influenced” who hide boxes containing heads, with SCU agents searching for them. Similar is Bum Rush which pits two gun-wielding SCU agents against a mob of Influenced in a survival game.
These multiplayer options offer a different-than-usual experience for online play, but suffer if your team lacks coordination and cooperation. Without a plan, the Influenced team usually gets decimated from the lack of guns, making the games a chore to play through.
Finally, there are the classic Deathmatch and Team Deathmatch options. For a game that is melee-centric, these games show the shortcomings of Condemned-style multiplayer. Matches devolve into players blindly swinging weapons into huddled groups of frantic, punch-happy characters. There is skill involved in these games, but odd splash-damage from weapons coupled with limited maneuverability and vision, make for a never-ending string of killing than dieing. Ultimately, matches feel more opportunistic than strategic.
In the end, Bloodshot is a much more complete game than its predecessor. The 360 launch title introduced players to a game based on melee combat. Monolith took a successful formula and built on it with better visuals and improved gameplay. The story still has some holes, and there some odd, out-of-place elements, but the overall product retains the game’s creepy, thrilling precedent.
Gameplay: 8.5
Graphics: 8.0
Audio: 8.0
Lasting Appeal: 7.0
Overall: 8.0
