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Condemned 2: Bloodshot

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8.6 User Score:

Generally favorable reviews

Based on 37 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

Based on 28 votes
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Game Info

Publisher: Sega

Developer: Monolith Productions

Genre(s): First-Person Action, Adventure, Horror

Players: 8

ESRB Rating: M (Mature)

Release Date: March 18, 2008

Summary

Featuring new fighting mechanics and online multiplayer functionality, Condemned 2: Bloodshot is a first-person action thriller immersing players in a world of psychological terror. Following a string of gruesome murders, players must use their deductive skills and brute force to track down sadistic serial killers. Players assume the identity of Ethan Thomas, former Serial Crimes Unit investigator, who has been called back to duty to track down his missing partner. The disturbing events from Ethan's past have left him a broken man – a desperate burnout drifting aimlessly through society in an inexplicable decline. Fighting inner demons throughout his one-man investigation into a sinister conspiracy, Ethan needs to use anything and everything in the environment to survive as he unravels the mysteries shrouding the city in darkness. As Ethan, players engage in visceral combat using a variety of firearms, blunt instruments and a new fighting system complete with defensive and offensive combo chains, as well as grapples and holds. To help track the killer and solve the mysteries behind Condemned 2: Bloodshot, players crack open an all-new set of high-tech forensic tools. Using wits and brute strength, murders can be solved a number of different ways to keep players guessing throughout each suspenseful investigation. Condemned 2: Bloodshot introduces a variety of online multiplayer modes, including deathmatch. [Sega]

Also On Metacritic

GAMES: Condemned: Criminal Origins (360)

Cheat Codes & Hints: Cheat Code Central

Also On The Web: Official Website

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

100

Giant Bomb

This game is all raw nerves and bloody fists, so if that’s what you’re looking for, you’ll find plenty of it in the equally damaging Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions of Condemned 2: Bloodshot.

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Play Magazine

Not only is this the best first-person adventure I've played but it's the most brutal, skillfully detailed and paced as well. [Apr 2008, p.50]

GameShark

The combat engine has been dramatically improved, making every fight a unique experience.

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GamerNode

It's an unbridled one-of-a-kind mature ride with scant a boring moment in its 11 mission single-player campaign. Multiplayer is welcome, but ultimately passable.

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Official Playstation 2 Magazine UK

If you're on the trail of a first-class scare, this truly terrifying game is unmissable. [Mar 2008, p.103]

Cheat Code Central

It has enjoyable gameplay, an engaging story, some freaky visuals, and super-effective sound. And while it is the single player mode that stands out as the best part of this title, the multiplayer is not too shabby either.

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GamingExcellence

That said, Condemned 2 is still a heck of an experience that should be played by any who are fans of survival horror type games.

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Game Informer

Probably the best survival horror title we’ve seen this generation. The online multiplayer modes aren’t going to blow your mind, but they are a thoughtful addition. It’s got a higher level of action than its predecessor, and some gorgeous horror backdrops.

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Worth Playing

Condemned 2: Bloodshot will stand well against the competition in action, horror and even most shooter games, just on the merit of being a sequel improving on the original, rather than slipping beneath its foundation like so much land-filled garbage.

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Extreme Gamer

Condemned 2: Bloodshot takes everything the original game offered and expands on the gameplay with new combat mechanics and upgraded forensics spots.

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PTGamers

Condemned 2: Bloodshot is the ideal sequel. Monolith fixes most of the problems of the first game, expands the good points and offers a more intense atmosphere.

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GameSpot

This horror-themed sequel's thrilling set pieces and bloody combat are remarkably satisfying but not for the faint of heart.

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ZTGameDomain

A perfect example of how to make a sequel. Sega and Monolith have fixed everything that was wrong with the original and made it an all around better game. The entertaining story and genuinely creepy atmosphere is well worth the price of admission and the substantial story mode is satisfying and challenging.

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GameZone

The gameplay elements are great but it’s the creepy atmosphere and story that will keep you glued to your controller.

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Game Chronicles

My final though on this game is that it was good but it could have been better. One of this games down falls is the fact that the environments are to coincidental.

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Jolt Online Gaming UK

One of the nastiest experiences you are ever going to have in a game, but in a good way.

Maxi Consolas (Portugal)

Above all, it’s well worth just for its incredible atmosphere of pure tension, with the help of the technical side of things that work “for” the game instead of enslaving it. The first person action has an even more physical approach than in the original game and delivers a more “personal” experience. [Apr 2008]

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GamingTrend

Condemned: Criminal Origins did a lot of things right. Condemned 2: Bloodshot improves on that foundation in nearly every way. More brutal, visually fantastic, an aural treat, and familiar gameplay makes for a compelling and decent title.

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PSM3 Magazine UK

Gorgeous visuals, tough hand-to-hand combat and insanely creepy. Shame it's so damn dreary. [Apr 2008, p.64]

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IGN

There are more features, fan complaints are addressed and it's still as spine tingling as ever. The story, though less akin to Swiss cheese than the first one was, is not as gripping and the game feels as if it lost its focus in the latter stages.

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GameTap

Quite possibly the ugliest game I've ever played--literally. I tip my hat to the developers at Monolith Productions for crafting a consistently dark, dirty, dilapidated, and decayed (and a host of other "d" words) world for both Condemned titles.

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GameTrailers

The anything-is-a-weapon aesthetic is still ace, but the combat system is too unwieldy when tackling multiple foes. It’s a game of ups and downs, but horror fans will be more than satisfied with its bleak and gloomy disposition.

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Playstation Official Magazine UK

This is the first proper horror experience on PS3 and it's a truly terrifying one. Whether it's a set-piece scare or a random hobo jumping out at you, it genuinely can make you jump out of your seat. [Mar 2008, p.90]

Gamer.nl

Condemned 2 is a pleasant but also frightening game in which the gameplay feels quite fresh. The fighting system works great and the murder investigations are a good way to involve the player into the storyline. Unfortunately the game doesn't stay as fun as the first few missions.

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VideoGamer

It's the audio that steals the show though.

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TheSixthAxis

Anyone that remembers the shopping mall (with the mannequins) in Condemned will take great delight in knowing that Bloodshot has it's own uber-scary environment for you this time around too - in fact we'd happily say that the sequel ups the fear factor considerably throughout. If you like to play your videogames with white knuckles, this is a great ride.

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Playstation: The Official Magazine (US)

There are more than enough memorably twisted moments of genuine fright and bewilderment to keep any horror fan's eyes wide open through these ten warped hours of madness. [July 2008, p.80]

Wired

Condemned 2: Bloodshot has plenty of creepy moments, but it favors action over atmosphere. To that end it performs very well, and even throws in some juicy plot twists and a cliffhanger ending. But I miss the tension of the original, just the same.

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Play UK

Despite being awash with new features and ideas, Condemned 2 is no match for its predecessor thanks to clumsy pacing and a lack of any real craft of subtlety. Still, fans of extreme violence won't be disappointed. [Issue#165, p.88]

PSX Extreme

Monolith has once again proved that they are quite capable of developing fear-based first person shooters. I found a number of problems with the game that will frustrate most FPS fans, such as the often clunky hand-combat controls.

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Game Over Online

As sequels go, Bloodshot is sort of a mixed bag. Chances are if you liked the first Condemned you’ll like the second, even if it doesn’t pull it all off with the same panache.

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Gaming Age

Condemned 2 does succeed at what it what it intends to do, which is providing a truly horrifying experience for a player unlike the majority of "survival-horror" titles on the market. However, a bit of that "new" sheen has worn off the second time around, and while improvements have definitely been made, there's still more areas that need a bit of work.

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AceGamez

Despite its shortcomings, Condemned 2: Bloodshot is a good game by all accounts.

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GameSpy

It's pretty irritating to play a sequel and face so many of the issues of the original, but Bloodshot's ability to take you into the terrifying world Monolith has crafted is astonishing.

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Game Revolution

As a survival horror game, Condemned 2 is too short on horror. As an FPS game, it’s too short on strategy and level design. At best, it’s a brawler with some horror and FPS elements.

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Gamer 2.0

As it is, Condemned II is a scary, clichéd, sometimes engrossing videogame, with good relay value, personality and, darkness permitting, an enjoyable single-player mode.

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DarkZero

In truth, you’ll probably end up being more shocked by the gore and brutality you see on screen this time round instead of jumping from your seat at the shock of one of the game’s set pieces.

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this game is 8.6 (out of 10) based on 28 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Nik M. gave it a9:
Aside from the story, the game is great. Mostly because of atmosphere and amazing melee combat.

Pedro D. gave it a6:
Very strange game, I'm all for horror. Love the genre but this is not horror, the start is more like something out of a mental asylum. Very weird, so weird to the point you think it's a bit stupid. The game actually made me want to stop playing it. I did persevere and have finished the game. Overall the story gets better and the evidence gathering sections are pretty interesting. The fighting controls are average and using a gun is pointless, i found it easier to throw my guns at people to stun them and then close in to finish them in close combat. Overall this is not a spoiler, only a note to highlight how pathetic the early gun fights are, it only gets realistic when you get to semi automatics. Overall about 10-15 hours of gameplay which is ok but was not super impressed with the game. Having played FEAR on PC recently maybe I'm expecting too much but FEAR was a lot better, far more engrossing story. Again this is not so much horror as it is weird sci-fi on acid.

Jack D gave it a10:
Condemned 2 is creepy and disturbing and is probably one of the scariest games I have played, however the new combat system needs some time got used to.

Red Rose gave it a0:
Positives: those who love violence for the sake of violence will love it. Okay graphics (when you can see them). Negatives: 1. On the PS3 - awful sound; 2. Too dark to be able to see what you are doing most of the time which makes for an incredibly frustrating gaming experience; 3. Absurd story line, which makes no sense. 4. Almost impossible to fight more than one enemy at a time. 5. Controls are so limited, you cannot even jump or climb over things. Combat becomes very repetitive. 6. The game has become far too fantastical. Conclusion: If you have played the Half Life series or Bioshock, I suspect you will find this a very limited FPS. 6. Ending is anti-climatic.

Kempner J. gave it an8:
This game was great, despite the sound bug which cause the audio to pop every so often.

Andrej T gave it a9:
WOW !!! Very cool !! The graphics and sound on the 360 are very good and the atmosphere outstanding !! And now waiting for Project Origin !!!!

Tom gave it an8:
Condemned 2: Bloodshot is pretty engaging, the romance of this game has to be the atmosphere, in which it hits its goal dead on. The melee system is a bit cumbersome and can take more than a hour or two to get used to. The over the top storyline can be a little can be unappealing to some, but the twists and turns that follow the story via gameplay is exciting, over all a great game, gore, adventure even possibly sci-fi fans can pick this one up without regret.

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Condemned 2: Bloodshot

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