Condemned 2: Bloodshot

As far as high hopes go Condemned 2: Bloodshot was on my big anticipation list, and yet whilst it had many appealing factors to it I did not enjoy this game very much. However there definitely parts of the game that I thoroughly enjoyed, but unfortunately there were very few of them and the moments that were enjoyable were far too short.

As far as originality goes Bloodshot also had an uncanny resemblance to F.E.A.R. in almost every way; be it the geometry (Vending machines, tables, cabinets, walls, entire rooms etc. all of which were almost literally identical to F.E.A.R.)

Graphics-wise this game has its highs and lows whilst the characters, NPCs, cutscenes and weapons looked great, the environment did not walls, objects, lights doors etc. all seemed dull and shallow, bar the reflections on reflective surfaces which looked fantastic.

As for the sound this game is a real winner, the sound of smashing a goon in the head with a bowling ball or a spiked plank of wood is both crisp and incredibly realistic. The voice acting was also top notch with the screams of pain after whooping a goon in the face are also realistic.

But the gameplay… this is where Condemned 2: Bloodshot really bites the bullet. The melee fighting and the crime scene investigations really is all it has going for it and can get repetitive very quickly, the shooting is awful and even though it is not the soul focus of the gameplay the gunplay falls very short indeed. Navigating the levels is just as much a chore and like countless games before it, constantly getting lost not knowing which way to go gets old fast.

The story was both confusing and trippy with the hallucinations, the hunt for the killer, the Oro and whatnot being a bit hard to digest along with the irritating gameplay.

While it might appeal to others I found Condemned 2: Bloodshot a molehill rather than a mountain with its shoddy gameplay, bad graphics (in most areas) and just overall boredom I would find it incredibly difficult to recommend to anyone else.