Reviews// Condemned (Xbox 360)

Combat aside, the other integral aspect to proceedings is the actual investigation itself. Not just your typical Fed who shoots people, pisses off the boss and then hits some seedy bar to knock back shots and pull a few mingers in cowboy hats, our very own Agent Thomas is by no means shy of getting his hands dirty himself. Throughout the game you’re regularly presented with scenarios that require a little more detective work than “yes, he’s dead”, at which point it’s time to delve into your rather impressive collection of weird and wonderful forensic tools, which includes the likes of UV lights (for looking at semen with), 3D scanners, cameras and samplers, not to mention the wonderfully-titled ‘Gas Spectrometer’. In each of these scenarios, one of said inventory is required in order to scout around for evidence, which is subsequently transmitted back to base in order to unravel more of the plot and thus open up new chapters to the increasingly-eerie saga.

It’s a welcome addition to the game on the whole, which provides one of the few breaks from the unrelenting butchery, without quite reaching the depths of tedium.

Anyway, now we’ve got the technical stuff out of the way, you’re going to want to know what we thought about it - after all, we’re talking about a launch title for a brand new console, due imminently, which is surely one of the most exciting times for fellow nerds. Graphically, it does look spanking gorgeous. The lighting (or lack thereof, in most cases) is probably the most notable aspect to Condemned, enveloping the majority of the game in a cloud of near-darkness, impenetrable if not for your trusty flashlight, which renders real-time shadowing throughout the game’s environments, itself the source of a fright or two along the way. Bloom saturates the screen during the brief moments that you manage to see the light of day (dusk, actually) and heavy use of pixel-shading throughout gives everything an extremely crisp and shiny feel.

Now audio generally takes second place behind visuals in the willy-waving of most video game marketing these days, but another element that strikes you immediately about the game is its remarkably effective soundtrack, and for this it should be applauded. Seldom more than a minimalist soundscape accompanies the action throughout, leaving the rest of the aural spectrum free to frighten the pants off you with bangs, clanks, moans and distant grunts of the next psychopath about to round the corner and vie for your temple with a plank of wood, usually garnished with rusty nails. Sometimes, as they say, less is more, and it’s never been more appropriate here. And while we’re here: the voice acting is not too cringe-worthy either.

As far as actual gameplay is concerned, however, there’s not really anything that stands out, at least as far as originality and innovation are concerned - and certainly nothing along the lines of what we’re being told to expect from this next generation of console gaming. Exploration follows a very linear path (not that this is necessarily to be deemed as a bad thing), puzzle-solving elements mostly comprise a particular door requiring a particular weapon or tool in order to progress (fire door=fire axe, padlock=sledge hammer, etc.) and there’s just a general ‘on-rails’ approach to the proceedings that has us stuck with the tried-n-tested formula of ‘kill baddies, move to next place, repeat...’

That said, Condemned is still one of the stronger launch titles for the 360, oozing character and atmosphere, and generally making for an ‘edge of your seat’ experience throughout. It boasts a novel and effective combat system, despite its evident lack of guns and grenades, etc. and, as mentioned before, it certainly looks the part.

SPOnG Rating: B-

It’s always a little difficult to pass judgement on the first batch of titles for a new piece of gaming hardware, as our expectations generally run higher than perhaps they should. A predominant question that’s inevitably cropped up with all the 360 launch titles is: “but is it next-gen?” . Well, if you’re looking for some kind of mind-blowing new experience that’s going to change gaming as we know it, then no, it’s not. If, on the other hand, you’re looking for a significant leap in visual quality, coupled with confident technical polish, then that’s just about where we seem to be at with the 360, and Condemned is a prime example of what you can expect.