Carlos

So, last night, I went on my PS3 to check on the latest firmware update, right? I got 2.17 on my system now. And with 2.20 looming just ahead, I came prepared.

That's not what I'm going to be writing about, though, I went on PS Store last night, and found the Condemned demo. Excited I was, I installed it.

I loved the first one with much respect. The first one was a launch title along with Xbox 360. But that's not the first time I played it. I played it at E32005 as I worked for a site called Xbox Evolved.

When I loaded the game up, I was excited to see what they had changed in this installment over the first.

Graphics:
The game is dark, gritty, and violent. This game isn't suitable for kids, of course. You will find from the get-go that the developers took a lot of time making the game feel like real-world environments. The textures may seem blurry from up-close and personal, but the detail is still visible not just from five meters away, but from a long distance. Do not go into the darkness without turning on a flashlight, which you will have the ability to use from the start.

The one thing that I loved about the original was the detail in everything they created in the environments. The other thing that I loved about it, was the interactivity of the environments. Condemned 2 builds on this very aspect. This time, in combat they give you a menu to work with: Pick up, or Drop. The other aspect of interactivity they used in this game over the first one is character and NPC. You as player, are given the option of responding, or not to respond. This is something that was automatic in the demo I played for the original.

Thar's not all, the characters have emotion. They are using a lot of character movement with regards to how characters react to a situation. This is something that is missing in most games today. And, with these character emotions, they exhibit what they need. Example, at the end of the demo, you are treated to a character who was needing help. He screamed for help, and not only that, before the events leading up to the character screaming, the room that you were in before you go downstairs are pitch black, however, the stairs had light, and out of the blue, there was something happening, so the lights went out. You are now to investigate it. Once on the second floor below you, you will be met with a screaming character banging on the window. This gives off the cracked window effect. Once the character is being attacked by an enemy, he is taken away, from here on out, you'd start seeing shattered widow pieces.

The game is dark, but there are great, and I mean, GREAT use of light sourcing this time around over the original. For every object that you come across, it comes with detail, but with the right lightsource, with the right shadows. The original had all of this, but sometimes, it doesn't feel real...This time, this is taken further.

The characters move fluidly with the environments, for every turn, they scare you out of the woodwork. Every time they do so, they swing at you as if it was the real thing. They pick up objects from the ground, and they throw it at you sometimes. Other times they jump from another floor to your floor. The detail on the characters' faces are astounding, because you will not only see the detail on the skin, but some accessories that they use. Once you punch, you will see blood on their faces, and its more noticeable than any other horror title to date. This is one of those reasons why the game is NOT suitable for kids.

Sound:
Why isn't this game a Halloween release title? The music, the sounds in the game is too creepy. Make sure you have a big screen tv, or a surround sound system to go with the PS3 or Xbox 360, because this game is suspenseful in every sense of the word. The sounds in the game will make you cringe every time you are alone in the room. One thing that will come to mind is "what the fuck is going to happen next?" Like this one time, I let go the prisoners, the next, they're running, there's sound, but you can't tell where they're going. You'd have to find them, and if they're close, you'll know. One would think that they would rush to the next room, but they'll be surprised to know they will go to another room.

Gameplay:
To go with the suspenseful atmosphere, the gameplay is just as good as the first game. I enjoyed picking up a weapon and swinging a bitchy zombie coming up to your face with their own weapon. What I loved about the first game is that it makes you think on your feet, and makes you think strategicly. You have to think on your feet, because there is a low number of weapons available in the environments. There is not enough emphasis of gunfire, although there is some....The point of the game is hand-to-hand combat.

You MUST learn how to block in this one. Because you don't have enough life to work with. In this installment you are given a right or left punch buttons, a block button by holding both left and right arm up, and a kick button. With weapons, you are given a light and hard swing, and a throw button, which is good for solving puzzles/unlocking new passages.

That whole idea of first person hand-to-hand combat has taken to a whole new level in the sequel. Because the game introduces new finishing moves, much like the famous fatalities in Mortal Kombat. But the twist is, it doesn't require memorization, instead it gives you a God of War-like button sequences. IF you get it right the first time, you will be given the option of going further by pressing another button, or two buttons together. GOOD job Sega!

Verdict: Whether you are a PlayStation guy, or a Xbox guy, GET this game for whichever console you own.

This article is a copyright of CarlosX360 Co. Ltd., any use of this article without the author's permission is liable for a lawsuit.

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