Condemned 2: Bloodshot adds polish but loses scares.
Using a first person perspective and an effectively simplistic melee combat system, Condemned dragged players kicking and screaming into level after terrifying level of visceral crime and violence.
Storywise, the game revolved around Ethan Thomas, a likeable Special Crimes Unit investigator voiced by Greg Grunberg of Heroes fame, and his exploits to stop the deadly vigilante SKX, or Serial Killer X.
As Thomas' search for SKX continued, the plot tumbled deeper down the rabbit hole of conspiracy theories and occults, eventually being resolved with the stop of SKX, only to have the end left open for much scarier ideas and villains. That's where Condemned 2: Bloodshot comes in, unfortunately.
Ethan Thomas, now a bitter and homeless drunk voiced by a significantly less talented voice actor, has hit rock bottom with the terrors witnessed in Criminal Origins. Unable to shake the idea that society's violent tendencies are linked to an unseen supernatural presence, Thomas is soon plunged back into the world of criminal investigation by his former employers as a familiar serial killer resurfaces to hunt.
While a bit clichéd, this is certainly not a bad setup for the second game in, most likely, a three part series. Yet, the problem with Bloodshot is that it quickly shovels way too much plot in way too little a time. Instead of the secrecy of a behind-the-scenes cult controlling society, players will find out the name of the cult, exactly what the cult is, what they look like, how they operate, their special controlling abilities, everyone in the cult (which is literally almost everyone in the game), and pretty much everything else except individual cult members' social security numbers.
Not only that, but this pile of farfetched information and plot detracts from the Criminal Origin's more realistic setup and mythology. No more simply hunting a crazed serial killer because you play as one of the best criminal investigators around, now the plot moves to the ever-tired "chosen one" angle as Ethan searches for who he is exactly and what he's capable of, i.e. becoming a lame plot device.
Disappointing plot aside, Bloodshot thankfully retains all of its brutal first person melee action. Players can once again rip pipes off the wall, pick bricks up off the ground and pretty much use any item at their disposal to crush crazy people skull.
But the much smarter addition in this installment is the ability to use Ethan's fists to fight. Players can now link different types of punches and attacks together to create devastating combos for extra damage.
Even environmental kills are introduced, and it certainly broadens the melee combat a bit. However, halfway through the game, the action really starts to head into first person shooter territory.
Back again, but found much more frequently, are the use of firearms. The sparse ammo is still a hindrance, but many bad guys in later levels carry their own guns which can be used to reload.
While some will see the gunplay as a welcome addition to the oftentimes repetitive fisticuffs, Condemned loyalists will see this as destructive to the suspenseful atmosphere. Running around with an assault rifle in hand, as opposed to a wrench, is much more reassuring when spooky enemies are nearby.
Even though many negative things can be said in proxy of the first Condemned game's ideas and execution, Bloodshot does stand on its own as a successful and fun game.
In comparison, level designs are much more complex, the game looks infinitely better, and online multiplayer keeps the game alive even after the somewhat short single player story is finished.
It's just a shame that for every good aspect found in the game, the experience is brought down by horrible lines delivered by voice actors or players going through an entire level without so much as a startled jump.
Fans of Criminal Origins should be wary of Bloodshot if they found themselves enveloped with the original story and characters, but if said fans are willing to dig a new, more fantastical, direction for the series, then Condemned 2: Bloodshot is definitely worth a shot.