Condemned: Criminal Origins
Investigate crime scenes, collect evidence, and bring to light the murderers terrorizing the city as Detective Ethan Thomas. With danger lurking around every corner, you’ll need whatever weapons you can find to stay alive. What twists the mind of an ordinary human into a serial killer? Assigned to the Serial Crimes Unit, Agent Ethan Thomas must answer this question, and bring the worst of society to justice. His solve rate is the best in the bureau....perhaps too good.
What it feels like
Sustained edge-of-seat pressure from constant danger and the possibility of ambush in dark, cramped environments. An unflinching, harsh darkness characterizes the tone, with visceral gore and brutal violence presented without flinching. Visceral horror imagery, grotesque crime scenes, and disturbing subject matter couple terror with revulsion throughout.
What it's about
Unraveling the truth behind a network of serial murders and discovering the conspiracy is the narrative spine. The game centralizes questions of mental deterioration, paranoia, and what drives ordinary people to kill. Playing as Detective Ethan Thomas investigating crime scenes and gathering evidence to solve murders is fundamental to the experience.
How it plays
Close-quarters melee combat with found weapons is the primary combat system throughout the game, with emphasis on visceral brawling and weapon-switching. Crime scene investigation requires examining and manipulating the environment to collect evidence and solve the mystery of murders. Finding and collecting evidence from crime scenes is a core investigative loop, requiring careful observation and search.
How it looks and sounds
The entire game is experienced from a first-person perspective, making this definitional to how the game is presented. Grimy, decaying urban environments covered in blood, dirt, and decay are the visual signature of the condemned city. Condemned, crumbling buildings and dark claustrophobic spaces evoke a gothic atmosphere of urban decay and moral ruin.
How it's structured
The game is exclusively single-player with no multiplayer component. A bounded story arc of investigation following Ethan Thomas from crime scene to revelation with a definite narrative conclusion. While there is exploration, the game progresses through a series of discrete crime scenes and locations in largely fixed order.
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