Condemned 2: Bloodshot

[mr_woo]

What the **** is it with

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mannequins?

Why are they so bloody creepy? best bit I've encountered so far

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is the room where one appears... then a few more when you turn around... really unnerving stuff.

Actually reminds of Silent Hill 3 in a few places with regards to the complete ****ed up nature of the imagery, if this were a horror film, I'd have **** myself already!

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*whispers* you're gonna die!

Definitely a standout scary moment in the game, I found the game to have fewer big scares compared to the original but damn that overwhelming sense of 'something bad's going to happen' type of atmosphere stays with you throughout the whole game.

[Synthesthesia]

I'm loving this, upto the

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Doll factory

well, more like nearly through it.

Only problem i'm having is it's seriously dark. Oh, that and my box was mangled on the bottom when it arrived...

[Bleeders]

Bleeders, that bit you mention is an homage to the original. It was damn creepy though, I just stood there for a few minutes in total shock and then slowly walked past

I nearly crapped myself, actually made me really, really un-easy and kept turning round to see if they were standing behind me when I left the room. As a matter of fact, I shut the door behind me.

[chopemon]

WTF is with all the goddamned HUD icons?

Any time I feel like I am being scared I am completely drawn out of the experience by the game vomitting HUD graphics at me.

Why in God's name is there a combo meter in a horror game? Why do I need a text box full of hate when I look at a weapon?

The combo meter is down right retarded. It feels like a bad beat em up when I see that filth on the screen.

I can tell that this lead pipe is going to do more damage than that toilet seat, why do I need a stat page for it?

Combined with some vile QTE combos and a garish action button icon, these mistakes completely draw me out of any horror that might be there.

At one point I was ****ting myself as I was aware I was being stalked by an enemy but all tension disappeared when the screen suddenly lit up with a bright red HUD that pops up when an enemy is nearby. It turns out he was pop locking round a corner in some kind of broken AI routine and I only knew I was near him because the HUD suddenly popped on screen.

Beneath the over used HUD that panders to knuckle dragging simpletons, there is a great game that is ruined by the clusterf**k of the in-game interface. If this game had been HUDless it would have been fantastic.

[Spatial]

I thought someone said in the Headlines thread that they'd played preview code and that there was a way to turn it off - is that not there any more?

[chopemon]

I didn't notice it. If there is, my bad.

I'll try to find it. If I can, I shall probably restart it and enjoy it properly.

[mr_woo]

I thought someone said in the Headlines thread that they'd played preview code and that there was a way to turn it off - is that not there any more?

Unfortunately not, you can only change things such as brightness etc.

As for the hud can't say it bothered me too much throughout the game, especially in regards to the fighting/combos as during a fight you're generally excited and wanting to kick the **** out of the enemy. So when it slows down and you get to do some really great smacks to the enemies face I find it generally very satisfying especially with the last blow. It is a bit of a shame though that they didn't give you the option, quite surprised that they didn't tbh.

[Spatial]

I'm only up to the third level but really loving this so far (and yes I'm not ashamed to admit I've squealed like a school girl a few times already).

Within a few minutes of playing you get that same feeling you had with the first one - that creeping unease about going in to dark places (which is a problem if you don't toughen up because the games filled with them).

While they don't seem to have improved the visuals that much (not that there's anything wrong with that) one place I definitely noticed an improvement was enemies. It was particularly when one of the meth addicts grabbed me (you know, that really gopping looking one) and started mumbling gibberish right in my face. Then the bastard went and jammed a dirty needle in to me

I enjoyed the whole

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Silent Hill style opener too

and it'll be interesting to see how that develops. And how the new investigation aspect. I like how they've given you the options on the investigation aspect.

Feels quite cool having to suss out what actually happened.

[Spatial]

Oh Christ, this game

That factory.

I said they wouldn't get me the minute I clapped eyes on it. Ho-ho you bastards, I won't fall for that like I did in the first one. Then... BAM!

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those bloody mannequins again!

Such a nice homage to the first game I couldn't help but chuckle afterwards. Then I stopped smiling when I came up against the

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dolls.

It wasn't too bad until I picked one up and it's

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eye just kept looking me up and down.

Geargh! *shudder*

Plus the game has to be most faithful recreation of using a

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gas mask

ever. Having been jammed in one IRL for an hour (long story and sadly not fetish related) the breathing just sealed it. That guttural choke he makes every now and then just topped it all off.

As others have said the sound in this game is phenomenally good. Through a pair of surround sound headphones it's more nerve wracking than the first.

[Spatial]

This game took a serious turn for the worse tonight.

Seriously Monolith what the hell have you done to your franchise? Since when did Condemned enter into the run and gun domain that you used to let F.E.A.R. rule over?

The perfect isolated setting, nice creepy atmos which is very reminiscent of the end section of the first game - and then you get to run around with an automatic rifle with limitless ammo.

I forgave the earlier bit that was like this because it was so short but now it's almost like they didn't know how else to progress the series so thought they'd throw in more gun combat. And in doing so they're taking the game away from the very thing that made it so unique.

Where's the tension when you're armed to the teeth like John Rambo?

Very disappointed and if it carries on like this (and the indications are that it will) then this game will become a real chore and turn into another third rate first person shooter.

If it wasn't for the fact that the back story for this one was laid down in the first game then I'd swear after tonights experience that they'd just made this sequel for the sake of it.

[Eight Rooks]

Goodness, it's almost as if the Edge review were worth reading! No, surely not.

[Spatial]

I highly doubt it. I stopped paying attention to what EDGE said circa 1995 for that very reason.

Like 99&#37; of people here I'd personally rather play things for myself and form my own opinions without some backhanding journo's telling me what I should be expecting / thinking before hand.

[Rossco]

Aha just as I first suspected! Glad I didn't bother.

[Eight Rooks]

Now, now! I just get amused when the news thread is full of "5/10 sod right off up their own arses lol" comments and here you are - you've always seemed like one of the posters here who likes a little more... thought from their game design - disappointed at the possibility the game's just turned into a thoughtless run and gun shooter which has just thrown subtlety and careful tension-building out of the window. Which, funnily enough, was one of Edge's main complaints - that in upping the instances and the nature of the brutal melee confrontations, not to mention progressing towards a largely firearms-oriented climactic section, the game turns into a thoughtless run and gun shooter which throws subtlety and careful tension-building out of the window.

I'm not shilling for them. I never read the original Condemned review, but for all its faults I'd rate it higher than a 6, no question. But it's nice to have my point of view reinforced, that a large part of the new wave of internet "YOU CAN'T TELL ME WHAT TO THINK" is just thoughtless reactionary flag-waving from people who're happy enough (in this instance at least) with three times the psychotic homeless people they don't really care what else the game does or does not do.

[Spatial]

I take your point but that didn't really come across in your post and you should have been more elaborate from the off.

It's also confused by the fact that I've never said that EDGE could shove their score on this game because I don't read it, take little more than a passing interest in the threads on here as Mod, and couldn't care a less what they think.

You should have saved the `you were told` for one of the people who did.