Condemned: Criminal Origins
Posted January 23, 2006
Capturing the gritty, cinematic forcefulness of movies such as Se7en and Dark City, Condemned: Criminal Origins transports the player into a grotesque world filled with drug addicts, brutal serial killers, and instinctual hallucinations. Our protagonist is Ethan Thomas, a federal agent in charge of tracking and arresting high profile serial killers. Ethan's journey takes him through horrific urban environments filled with deranged lunatics and unspeakable evil. The psychological stress wears down on Ethan throughout the manhunt, yet it seems to fuel his thirst for justice as well.
Obviously spending an enormous amount of time on the presentation, Monolith Productions has managed to create a revolting, uneasy atmosphere with enough scare tactics to frighten anyone. The story flows quite well due to the cutscenes and cell phone calls that continue to inform Ethan about the gravity of his situation. The story begins with Ethan investigating the gruesome crime scene of the latest victim of the Match Maker, a serial killer who enjoys posing his defiled women with department store mannequins. At this point, the story takes an unexpected turn and the hunt begins. I'm not going to spoil anything beyond that, except to say there are numerous twists in your adventure into violent depravity.
Gameplay:
Since the game relies so heavily on setting the right mood, the level structure also needed to be unique. The ten levels are mostly within closed spaces; usually no more than a dimly lit corridor. This imposes a claustrophobic impression upon the player and certainly makes you wonder what's around the next corner. Also, it's impressive how much each level varied in design. The unique feel to every level keeps the player guessing about the objects within the surrounding environment and allows paranoia to take over. While the game is blatantly linear, the developers designed the levels so there are multiple paths to the final location. This opens the game to exploration for various resources such as a new weapon, a much needed health pack, or just an achievement. Many times, a certain weapon is needed to progress through a door on a level which furthers the need for exploration.
The sheer amount of weapons in the game is marvelous. There are two types of weapons available, firearms and melee. The firearms take a page from the Resident Evil library of games and give you a limited amount of ammo to use. Once the ammo has been expended, the firearm is can be used as a weak melee weapon which will degrade with each hit. There are no ammo drops to pick up, so you are forced to choose shots wisely. The weapons vary from pistols, rifles, shotguns, and submachine guns. Also, if any enemy is carrying a weapon, they can run out of ammo as well. The faster you can disable an enemy will dictate how much ammo is left in the gun.
The melee weapons are a completely different bag. A melee weapon will not degrade, nor will it be as powerful as a gunshot. Melee weapons are basically spread all over a level. A few of the weapons include metal pipes, concrete rebar, 2x4 with nails/bolts, metal signs, fire axes, sledgehammers, bloody meat cleavers, and my personal favorite, the metal paper cutter. Each weapon has four stats to compare against other weapons; speed, reach, damage, and block. As you decide to switch weapons, the stats will automatically compare against each other and tell you the strengths/weaknesses of changing them out. The weapons are artistically detailed with appropriate usage marks or blood splatter if it has been used to take down an enemy.
Effectively assaulting an enemy with a melee weapon requires knowledge of the combat system. The weapons can be swung using the directional stick and the right trigger. Direction on the controller will command the motion of the weapon. For instance, pulling left on the stick will produce quick jabs with the fire axe, opposed to the normal slow, sweeping motion. Also, the left trigger will induce a blocking motion that, if successful, can be followed up with a quick attack or the kick maneuver. If you happen to miss the block, their attack will cover the screen in a spattering of your blood. Learning the nuances of each melee weapon is a necessary step in finishing off an enemy.
When an enemy is nearing death or unconsciousness, they will drop to their knees and enter a short daze. At this point, you have the option of simply attacking again or performing a finishing move with the directional pad. The finishing move is an interesting addition that allows for four brutal assaults to incapacitate an opponent. The moves are incredibly bloody and each worth seeing at least once even if not used often. These actions are performed in the same perspective as the rest of the game which can be very overwhelming in terms of violent exhibition. Of course, you will have to catch an enemy in the daze pretty quickly as they will get back up for more action within a few seconds.
The enemy AI is well polished, but can be predictable occasionally. The actions of the enemy are prompted by their size and the weapon they are carrying. Overly large enemies, such as the firefighters, will not hesitate to bring the fight to you. The same applies for enemies with weapons until they run out of ammo. Otherwise, enemies will hide behind corners and pillars to jump out and scare the living daylights out of you. They can pretty much perform any melee move that's available to you along with blocking your attacks. If you manage to disarm an enemy, the AI will do one of two things. If they are close enough to you, the enemy will grab hold of Ethan and attempt to murder you with their bare hands. Otherwise, they scamper in search of another weapon somewhere within the level.
There are a couple ancillary items that will help with the onslaught of addicts. The taser gun is awarded in the first level and allows for temporarily knocking out an attacker by pulling the left trigger. During battles of several enemies, this gun is a handy tool for controlling the flow of the fight. The taser does have a period of recharge time of several seconds. The other tool is more of an exploration help, but it can flesh light on the baddies. The flashlight never runs out of juice and shines a decent amount of light on the surrounding environment.
Besides the weapons, there are crime investigation tools at your disposal. In combination with your lab partner in the FBI, a crime scene can be picked apart with these forensic additions. While designed to further the story and increase interaction, they further immerse the player into the life of a federal agent. A digital camera, a gas spectrometer, laser lights, and a chemical sampler provide the tools to decipher clues left by the serial killer. The processing time of the samples is ridiculously instant, but it keeps the player focused on the story. Also, using the gas spectrometer will help in collecting dead birds which unlock achievements.
Dead birds, metal plates, and flickering TV's with 360's hooked up to them can be collected for achievement points. The 970 achievement points are broken up over 50 challenges and the vast majority are attainable on the first run through. The remaining points can be acquired easily by replaying certain chapters. Unlocking specific achievements will open behind the scenes footage about the creation of Condemned and reports about the background behind Ethan Thomas. Really, the only replay value this title has comes from searching for missing achievements due to the lack of multiplayer.
Beyond the single player game, there is not a multiplayer mode over Xbox Live. There are online leaderboards to compare playtimes among other stats. This feature is rather pointless and only instituted for die hard addicts of Condemned. It would have been interesting to see the melee combat in an online arena if only for novelty.
Graphics:
This is undoubtedly one of the best looking launch titles for the Xbox 360. The grimy environments, the creepy character design, and the lighting effects really scream out as the best graphical features within Condemned. The claustrophobic level design is amazingly varied and keeps the creepy mood in place. The facial animations are some of the best I've seen on a console. There is an overly artificial attribute to the character design, but it seems to fit in well with the rest of the ambiance. The lighting usage is molded around creating the scariest environment possible. Many of the light fixtures will shine brightly and burst for the most climactic moments. Also, the sparingly used fire effect is absolutely beautiful in action.
The character animations are fluid and distinctly accurate. Many of the enemy animations are particularly impressive. They react appropriately to the direction of any weapon hit and counter the attack in the most effective manner. When an instinctual urge kicks in, a black and white grain filter creates an accurate illusion of a flashback. This gritty imaging allows for increased usage of shadowing which is very powerful. Overall, the only thing to complain about is a bit of clipping which can ruin the surprise of a waiting enemy ready to lurch out at Ethan. Monolith did a superb job painting the disturbing landscape and its ominous inhabitants.
Audio:
I found the musical score to be a tension inducing, nightmarish melody of jarring disharmony at the most stressful of times. The score gave new meaning to pandemonium and ultimately trepidation as I inched through the levels in a state of consternation. The music attacks at the most climatic moments and performs its duties admirably. The sound effects are accurate and jarring as well. Whether it's the footsteps of a sneaking sewer creature or the gratifying thump of a sledgehammer into a screaming addict, the sound effects are wonderfully befitting to the nature of the game. Also, everyone with a 5.1 Dolby Digital surround system will take full advantage of the frightening directional effects. It's an extreme help in warning of an impending attacker approaching from the rear.
Unfortunately, the auditory news isn't all good. The voice acting is only passable at best. Many times, the conversations sound like they are being poorly read off a script instead of flowing back and forth. The fault may partly have to do with the quality of the voice actors used. There is no recognizable talent within the game and it ultimately harms part of the story Monolith was careful to establish. On a positive note, the voiceovers don't take a huge role in dictating the atmosphere of the game.
Conclusion:
Condemned: Criminal Origins will take approximately 8 to 10 hours to compete the first time through on the only difficulty level available. I do have one bone to pick with the game's ending. I'm not going into detail, but it seems tacked on and doesn't explain much at all. The developers kept a wonderful pace and tension filled story throughout 9 chapters, but the final chapter is outlandish and pointless in comparison to the rest of the story. I'm thinking they wanted to keep the game open for a sequel at the expense of plausibility.
Anyway, I still highly recommend this game to horror fans, detective novel readers, or anyone that enjoys a nail-biting, gut-wrenching tale. I won't advise anyone to purchase this title due to its high price and short length unless you are going to resell it immediately on Ebay, but it's definitely a must rent. Don't miss out on the absolute best action/horror title on the Xbox 360.
Obviously spending an enormous amount of time on the presentation, Monolith Productions has managed to create a revolting, uneasy atmosphere with enough scare tactics to frighten anyone. The story flows quite well due to the cutscenes and cell phone calls that continue to inform Ethan about the gravity of his situation. The story begins with Ethan investigating the gruesome crime scene of the latest victim of the Match Maker, a serial killer who enjoys posing his defiled women with department store mannequins. At this point, the story takes an unexpected turn and the hunt begins. I'm not going to spoil anything beyond that, except to say there are numerous twists in your adventure into violent depravity.
Gameplay:
Since the game relies so heavily on setting the right mood, the level structure also needed to be unique. The ten levels are mostly within closed spaces; usually no more than a dimly lit corridor. This imposes a claustrophobic impression upon the player and certainly makes you wonder what's around the next corner. Also, it's impressive how much each level varied in design. The unique feel to every level keeps the player guessing about the objects within the surrounding environment and allows paranoia to take over. While the game is blatantly linear, the developers designed the levels so there are multiple paths to the final location. This opens the game to exploration for various resources such as a new weapon, a much needed health pack, or just an achievement. Many times, a certain weapon is needed to progress through a door on a level which furthers the need for exploration.
The sheer amount of weapons in the game is marvelous. There are two types of weapons available, firearms and melee. The firearms take a page from the Resident Evil library of games and give you a limited amount of ammo to use. Once the ammo has been expended, the firearm is can be used as a weak melee weapon which will degrade with each hit. There are no ammo drops to pick up, so you are forced to choose shots wisely. The weapons vary from pistols, rifles, shotguns, and submachine guns. Also, if any enemy is carrying a weapon, they can run out of ammo as well. The faster you can disable an enemy will dictate how much ammo is left in the gun.
The melee weapons are a completely different bag. A melee weapon will not degrade, nor will it be as powerful as a gunshot. Melee weapons are basically spread all over a level. A few of the weapons include metal pipes, concrete rebar, 2x4 with nails/bolts, metal signs, fire axes, sledgehammers, bloody meat cleavers, and my personal favorite, the metal paper cutter. Each weapon has four stats to compare against other weapons; speed, reach, damage, and block. As you decide to switch weapons, the stats will automatically compare against each other and tell you the strengths/weaknesses of changing them out. The weapons are artistically detailed with appropriate usage marks or blood splatter if it has been used to take down an enemy.
Effectively assaulting an enemy with a melee weapon requires knowledge of the combat system. The weapons can be swung using the directional stick and the right trigger. Direction on the controller will command the motion of the weapon. For instance, pulling left on the stick will produce quick jabs with the fire axe, opposed to the normal slow, sweeping motion. Also, the left trigger will induce a blocking motion that, if successful, can be followed up with a quick attack or the kick maneuver. If you happen to miss the block, their attack will cover the screen in a spattering of your blood. Learning the nuances of each melee weapon is a necessary step in finishing off an enemy.
When an enemy is nearing death or unconsciousness, they will drop to their knees and enter a short daze. At this point, you have the option of simply attacking again or performing a finishing move with the directional pad. The finishing move is an interesting addition that allows for four brutal assaults to incapacitate an opponent. The moves are incredibly bloody and each worth seeing at least once even if not used often. These actions are performed in the same perspective as the rest of the game which can be very overwhelming in terms of violent exhibition. Of course, you will have to catch an enemy in the daze pretty quickly as they will get back up for more action within a few seconds.
The enemy AI is well polished, but can be predictable occasionally. The actions of the enemy are prompted by their size and the weapon they are carrying. Overly large enemies, such as the firefighters, will not hesitate to bring the fight to you. The same applies for enemies with weapons until they run out of ammo. Otherwise, enemies will hide behind corners and pillars to jump out and scare the living daylights out of you. They can pretty much perform any melee move that's available to you along with blocking your attacks. If you manage to disarm an enemy, the AI will do one of two things. If they are close enough to you, the enemy will grab hold of Ethan and attempt to murder you with their bare hands. Otherwise, they scamper in search of another weapon somewhere within the level.
There are a couple ancillary items that will help with the onslaught of addicts. The taser gun is awarded in the first level and allows for temporarily knocking out an attacker by pulling the left trigger. During battles of several enemies, this gun is a handy tool for controlling the flow of the fight. The taser does have a period of recharge time of several seconds. The other tool is more of an exploration help, but it can flesh light on the baddies. The flashlight never runs out of juice and shines a decent amount of light on the surrounding environment.
Besides the weapons, there are crime investigation tools at your disposal. In combination with your lab partner in the FBI, a crime scene can be picked apart with these forensic additions. While designed to further the story and increase interaction, they further immerse the player into the life of a federal agent. A digital camera, a gas spectrometer, laser lights, and a chemical sampler provide the tools to decipher clues left by the serial killer. The processing time of the samples is ridiculously instant, but it keeps the player focused on the story. Also, using the gas spectrometer will help in collecting dead birds which unlock achievements.
Dead birds, metal plates, and flickering TV's with 360's hooked up to them can be collected for achievement points. The 970 achievement points are broken up over 50 challenges and the vast majority are attainable on the first run through. The remaining points can be acquired easily by replaying certain chapters. Unlocking specific achievements will open behind the scenes footage about the creation of Condemned and reports about the background behind Ethan Thomas. Really, the only replay value this title has comes from searching for missing achievements due to the lack of multiplayer.
Beyond the single player game, there is not a multiplayer mode over Xbox Live. There are online leaderboards to compare playtimes among other stats. This feature is rather pointless and only instituted for die hard addicts of Condemned. It would have been interesting to see the melee combat in an online arena if only for novelty.
Graphics:
This is undoubtedly one of the best looking launch titles for the Xbox 360. The grimy environments, the creepy character design, and the lighting effects really scream out as the best graphical features within Condemned. The claustrophobic level design is amazingly varied and keeps the creepy mood in place. The facial animations are some of the best I've seen on a console. There is an overly artificial attribute to the character design, but it seems to fit in well with the rest of the ambiance. The lighting usage is molded around creating the scariest environment possible. Many of the light fixtures will shine brightly and burst for the most climactic moments. Also, the sparingly used fire effect is absolutely beautiful in action.
The character animations are fluid and distinctly accurate. Many of the enemy animations are particularly impressive. They react appropriately to the direction of any weapon hit and counter the attack in the most effective manner. When an instinctual urge kicks in, a black and white grain filter creates an accurate illusion of a flashback. This gritty imaging allows for increased usage of shadowing which is very powerful. Overall, the only thing to complain about is a bit of clipping which can ruin the surprise of a waiting enemy ready to lurch out at Ethan. Monolith did a superb job painting the disturbing landscape and its ominous inhabitants.
Audio:
I found the musical score to be a tension inducing, nightmarish melody of jarring disharmony at the most stressful of times. The score gave new meaning to pandemonium and ultimately trepidation as I inched through the levels in a state of consternation. The music attacks at the most climatic moments and performs its duties admirably. The sound effects are accurate and jarring as well. Whether it's the footsteps of a sneaking sewer creature or the gratifying thump of a sledgehammer into a screaming addict, the sound effects are wonderfully befitting to the nature of the game. Also, everyone with a 5.1 Dolby Digital surround system will take full advantage of the frightening directional effects. It's an extreme help in warning of an impending attacker approaching from the rear.
Unfortunately, the auditory news isn't all good. The voice acting is only passable at best. Many times, the conversations sound like they are being poorly read off a script instead of flowing back and forth. The fault may partly have to do with the quality of the voice actors used. There is no recognizable talent within the game and it ultimately harms part of the story Monolith was careful to establish. On a positive note, the voiceovers don't take a huge role in dictating the atmosphere of the game.
Conclusion:
Condemned: Criminal Origins will take approximately 8 to 10 hours to compete the first time through on the only difficulty level available. I do have one bone to pick with the game's ending. I'm not going into detail, but it seems tacked on and doesn't explain much at all. The developers kept a wonderful pace and tension filled story throughout 9 chapters, but the final chapter is outlandish and pointless in comparison to the rest of the story. I'm thinking they wanted to keep the game open for a sequel at the expense of plausibility.
Anyway, I still highly recommend this game to horror fans, detective novel readers, or anyone that enjoys a nail-biting, gut-wrenching tale. I won't advise anyone to purchase this title due to its high price and short length unless you are going to resell it immediately on Ebay, but it's definitely a must rent. Don't miss out on the absolute best action/horror title on the Xbox 360.