Condemned sets you in the shoes of Ethan Thomas, a police officer who is struggling to differentiate friend from foe.
Let's start with the setting. The world which Condemned calls its own is a series of rather cramped, claustrophobic locales adorned with dashings of insanity and crazy inhabitants. Throughout the course of the game Ethan Thomas will have to battle through derelict buildings, closed-down subway stations, and eerie, abandoned stores where the mannequins see all. In addition to this already creepy atmosphere, Condemned is super-dark, in order to maximise the terror when a thoroughly-enraged psycho leaps from the darkness swinging a heavy crowbar coated in ancient, crusty blood.
In order to combat these assailants, our hero will need weps to spill some serious crazy blood. Unfortunately, Ethan has his gun nicked in the first level - miffed much? The in-game weapons range from planks of wood with nails embedded in the sides, to enviromental melee weapons, such as conduits ripped from pipes cobwebbed on the walls. In addition, there are a few firearms - however these are simple affairs such as pistols and shotguns. They get the job done, though; blasting a psycho between the eyes with a shotty is a lot easier than hitting him between the eyes with a crowbar; Gordon Freeman Ethan Thomas ain't. Also handy to Ethan is his trusty Taser, which can be used to stun enemies for a short period of time. Thomas can then reach out and steal the disabled opponent's weapon, and use that to finish them off. Nifty. If a firearm isn't available, melee fighting works well, too. Attack is mapped to the Right Trigger, while the ability to block is mapped to the left. Clicking down on the right analog stick allows Ethan to plant a hefty kick in an enemy's stomach, should the need so arise. After thoroughly battering the enemy into a submissive pulp, Ethan can choose between four different finisher moves mapped to the d-pad - snapping necks and headbutting foes, among others. All this combines to provide a solid combat system which is integral to Condemned's gameplay.
Your cannon fodder in the game - I know them as psychos - range from gaunt wisps with anorexic features and crafty, ceiling-crawling ways to buff, raging bulls armed with fire axes and sledgehammers. Their murderous motives are unclear - I blame the education system - but one does not have time to question their intentions when one is being attacked on all sides by screaming psychos with heavy industrial weapons. The AI in Condemned is stellar - the enemies use cover, strafe and hide in strategic spots. They also pick up weapons discarded by others, or simply prise them from cold, dead fingers. The AI truly is chilling; foes in this game show a sort of desperate cunning which can quickly combust into uncaring rage.
Graphically, Condemned is so-so. The game is old; those looking at it with a 2010 perspective should really be forgiving, but the darkness of the game mostly hides its minor blemishes and bumps. The sound is very minimal; which contributes to its somewhat-austere setting and creepy backdrop. No screeching violins or corny canned screams follow this game around - instead, a shout or a yell is heard, and ambient sounds further increase the immersion the player will find themselves sinking into.
In conclusion, Condemned is a great game designed for the horror/action market which has steadily grown over the years. The game is now available at bargain-bin prices - if you like your action gritty, and macabre, this is the game for you.