If your a fan of Horror video games, the Condemned 2 Bloodshot is way to go

User Rating: 8.5 | Condemned 2 PS3
Condemned 2 reminds me of a next generation game that combines elements of Manhunt and Silent Hill. Great graphics with a cast of bad guys ranging from street thugs, monsters, and demented possessed homeless people, there's no shortage of adversaries waiting in the darkness. The eerie settings make you hesitate to take another step around each dark corner in fear of what lies ahead. Game play is seen through a fist person view with smooth controls and good camera angles. As you engage in hand to hand combat, you will learn a variety of combos to finish off your opponents. Although learning how to accurately put these combos together to make them work was one of the only difficult parts of the game that I never seemed to master.

You play as renegade special agent Ethan Thomas. A tough angst ridden guy with a thirst for a drink anytime he can have one and a short fuse to say the least. Along your travels you will pick up a variety of weapons to use that never seems to get boring. You will find weapons ranging from light to heavy. Rummage through junk to find 2x4's ( with nails of course ), conduit pieces, or a bowling ball. Pick up a heavier weapon like a shovel, axe, gumball machine or even a prosthetic arm. Each weapon will give a rating as to it's damage, speed, reach and condition it's in. This making it easier to decide what to grab when fighting for you life. You can also throw these objects at enemies as well. Guns are also available throughout the game. Pistols, shotguns and rifles make it easier to blast through enemies but watch your ammo. Taking a swig of any alcohol you may come across to improve your aim tremendously.

In addition to fighting, the game also adds great forensics challenges as well. Gather clues to send back to the lab for analysis. You are eventually equipped with a spectrometer, camera, UV light and a GPS navigation system. Gathering the right clues and answering your partners questions correctly will lead to greater rewards and help solve crimes quicker. These challenges make the game much more interesting than just fighting bad guys level after level.

Condemned 2 is a great horror survival game that has everything you could ask for. However, there are a few cons. The first is the on screen text. I played this game on a standard TV that has always looked great for games. But the text in Condemned 2 is so small, it can be almost impossible to read at times. This can be extremely frustrating when trying to accurately gather evidence and solve a crime. I've read that people with larger HDTV's even had a difficult time reading the text as well. Also, Ethan has limited ability to move. He cant really jump onto things ( unless at certain points in a level where an on screen prompt tells him to ) and he can't duck and hide in the shadows too well. It would have been nice to see a bit more stealth added to the game like in Manhunt. Overall I highly recommend this game. It was fun and challenging. The combination of combat and puzzle solving added a lot of variety to Condemned 2. As any game you really enjoy, it could have been a bit longer. The end was a bit anti climatic as well, but getting there was enjoyable the whole way through.