![]() ![]() She’s going to jump out and attack me, isn’t she?Īnd speaking of conspiracies, Bloodshot truly embraces the unbridled lunacy of the previous game’s final moments, doubling down on the preternatural elements that were only hinted at in that story. Beyond the combat, the investigation aspects have also been redesigned, with the title now allowing for more player input as you attempt to unravel a bizarre web of serial-killing conspiracy with hi-tech gadgets and some good old-fashioned detective work. Gunplay is slightly more important now as well, with the game featuring fully-fledged FPS sequences to break up the melee showdowns. While Criminal Origins always made you feel like you were just barely surviving combat encounters, it appears that our main character has spent some time polishing his boxing skills on the mean streets of Metro city, making combat more fun than terrifying this time around. In the 2008 title, Ethan is now a homeless alcoholic with a penchant for fist-fights, justifying the game’s new bare-handed combo system. However, all this extra polish came at a cost, as the game’s slick visuals and enhanced controls ended up overshadowing some of Criminal Origins’ exceptional horror elements while also eliminating many of its janky charms. Even the returning cast now look and sound more like traditional Hollywood actors rather than the grungy law enforcement personnel of the first game. Nearly every aspect of the original game was improved this time around, from smoother traversal to more lifelike animation. Leaving artistic sensibilities and personal preference aside, there’s no denying that Condemned 2: Bloodshot is an objectively superior title when it comes to gameplay and overall production value. While this more generalist approach miraculously worked, as Monolith’s sequel was ultimately better received than the first game, its inflated budget and more mainstream appeal turned it into a completely different beast. Like Silent Hill: Homecoming and Resident Evil 5 before it, Bloodshot was another victim of the late 2000s trend of over-emphasizing the action elements of a horror franchise in order to make it more appealing to non-horror fans. This curious desire to fix what isn’t broken is why I think Monolith Studios’ 2008 hit Condemned 2: Bloodshot is such an interesting sequel, as it simultaneously misunderstands and improves on its iconic predecessor, making it still worth discussing after all this time.Ī follow-up to 2005’s Condemned: Criminal Origins, which chronicled the trials of FBI agent Ethan Thomas as he attempts to apprehend a rogue serial killer that only murders other serial killers, Condemned 2 was meant to bring the urban thrills of the original game to a wider audience. This also applies to videogames, with developers sometimes trying too hard when attempting to expand on a solid foundation. Sure, a larger and more elaborate follow-up to a horror property can sometimes result in a masterpiece, like in the case of Aliens or Evil Dead II, but added complexity can often sabotage an over-ambitious sequel. Bigger isn’t always better when it comes to the horror genre.
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