M. Rephun February 12, 2008
"Condemned: Criminal Origins", Monolith's latest addition to the long-standing horror-survival genre, proves two things: one, that bashing a drug-addled lunatic in the face with a fire-ax is great fun, and two, that few things are more disturbing than an anonymous freak with a video camera. Especially when the lens of that camera is pointed at you.
The game bears many similarities to previous Monolith efforts like F.E.A.R., from the style of its drab yet eerie environments to the impressive ragdoll physics. The story, however, which has you assuming the role of a psychically gifted gumshoe detective on the trail of a serial killer, features a distinctive atmosphere of terror and chaos all its own.
The combat system in Condemned is far more highly developed than most games in any genre, and puts a horrifyingly literal spin on the "survival" aspect of "survival horror". With only the occasional assistance of a fire-arm, the environment becomes your very own nightmarish playground of death, as you find yourself desperately scrounging for any potential weapon, be it a small lead pipe, the above mentioned fire-ax, or even a mannequin arm, to defend yourself against the ceaseless hordes of lunatics who strike at you from the shadows.
Most of the time you will find yourself engaged in incredibly harrowing melee combat with these freaks, who, considering their drug-fueled state, display surprisingly impressive A.I., leaping over bannisters, using sheet metal to deflect your blows, and shoving large objects in your path to throw you off their trail. At times they even fight with one another, which is truly a sight to behold.
Though there are a few bugs, Criminal Origins' graphics are mostly impressive, particularly the lighting effects, which are stunning, and the extraordinary level of detail thrown into each of the unsettling environments you traverse, from the graffiti on the walls to the dead pigeons littering the ground, which the game for some bizarre reason has you collecting. Watching swarms of fowl plummet to their deaths for some unknown reason is an image it will be hard to wipe from your memory.
Another element of Condemned which makes it stand out from the ever-burgeoning list of quality horror games, is the forensic one, which is only fitting, given your status as a detective. Imagine CSI on mind-warping hallucinogens, and you'll probably have some conception of what this is like.
For those who find this franchise and its twisted depravity addictive (and there will doubtless be hordes of them, some possibly wielding crowbars) fear not: Condemned 2 is on its way. This reviewer is excited, but thinks he might bring an extra change of underpants, just in case.