Difficulty:

Just Right

Time Spent:

10 to 20 Hours

The Bottom Line:

"Worth playing"

I played the demo for this game and liked it a lot. It has a very chilling atmosphere, and I liked the serial killer story line. The retail game overall is worth a look if you are into first-person shooters and the horror genre. But after finishing the game (about 10-12 hours), I was left with the impression that Condemned could have been so much more if more thought had gone into the story line.

Gameplay: The story line is somewhat trite. You're an FBI agent who is framed for killing two cops, and you have to figure out the mystery while the FBI and the real killer are stalking you. Nothing special there. The game is genuinely creepy with dimly lit environments, good use of sound effects, and a number of grotesque opponents. However, after a while, you'll get very use to fighting the same 8-10 character models and crawling through the same shabby buildings and subway tunnels. The big problem with the game is that it lacks tension. There is little rhyme or reason to your investigation except for the fact that there's a serial killer on the loose. You do get the feel for being a crime investigator, since you use forensic tools and have a virtual laboratory at your disposal. But it all seems forced after a while as the game guides you through a linear story line and in many instances tells you exactly what to do next. There are a few cheap scares, but the game is more creepy and foreboding than outright scary. Unfortunately, the game leaves a number of unanswered questions--as if it were setting up a sequel, and I found the ending unsatisfying.

To its credit, Condemned does get a number of things right. The melee combat is well done and frenetic. Most of the fighting in the game is done with axes, sledgehammers, pipes, and other hand-held items. You can block, dodge, do combos, and finishing moves. The firearms, while powerful, are much less interesting since they are almost always low on ammo. Thankfully, there are no jumping sequences in this game and really no puzzles. The straightforward nature of the gameplay is both its strength and weakness, but you can adjust the difficulty level to increase the game's challenge.

Graphics: A pretty good looking games. Character models and animations are convincing, and environments are very detailed though repetitive after a while. Lighting effects are especially well done. Sound: There is very good use of sound effects to make the game creepy. Creaking floors, growls, footsteps, weapon impacts, etc. are all convincing. Voice acting is passable, and I actually liked the theme song that plays when the main menu is open. The developers seem to understand that its not the visuals but the sounds that make a game creepy (good visuals, of course, help).

Technical issues: I think the game may have crashed once, but otherwise it was very stable. The manual is decent, and the opening sequence of the game serves as a tutorial. The controls are typical for a first-person shooter.

Replayability/Value: There is no reason to replay this game given its linearity. The outcome will always be the same, and there are no sub-plots or additional missions to unlock. If you like the FPS or horror genre, the game is worth a look. But be sure to get it at a discount.

Pros:
+creepy and atmosphere
+convincing sound effects
+good graphics
+dynamic melee combat

Cons:
-repetitive gameplay
-lackluster ending and some unanswered questions
-missed opportunities in the scares department