Condemned

Condemned is a first-person action/horror series in which the player takes the role of Ethan Thomas in his search for secrets while having to survive in close-quarters fights with people who seem to have gone insane.

Overview

A screen capture from the first Condemned game (PC version).

The Condemned series takes a first-person perspective and applies it to both action and horror genres. As federal agent Ethan Thomas, the player walks through a variety of dilapidated and foreboding buildings (some are condemned, get it?). Most enemies in the game are psychotic in nature and will viciously attack the player on sight.
Although firearms are present in the series, Condemned games place a strong emphasis on improvised melee weaponry. Players can find a variety of brutal weapons around the game's environments, like axes, lead pipes, 2x4s, and more. Using the triggers, players can either swing or block with these weapons.

The hallmark of the series is the way in which these melee battles are presented. Fights in Condemned are up-close and often very jarring. As enemies hit you, the camera snaps back as if to absorb the impact of the blow, and wavers as Ethan regains his composure. Likewise, striking an enemy causes them to recoil under your force and yell in agony. These fights have made the game slightly notorious in the media, but in general the Condemned series' extreme violence has very rarely been under any scrutiny.

Sequel Controversy

Condemned 2: Bloodshot was released for the Xbox 360 (which the original was released on) as well as the PS3. Although many critics gave the game positive reviews, many fans took exception to the game's increasingly surreal and supernatural elements. The most scrutinized feature in the sequel is a late-game power that allows you to explode people's brains by shouting. Some, however, found these changes made the game more intriguing and fresh.

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		Name	Platforms	Developer
		Condemned 2: Bloodshot released on March 11, 2008	PS3, X360	Monolith Productions, Inc.
		Condemned: Criminal Origins released on Nov. 15, 2005	X360, PC	Monolith Productions, Inc.

Name:	Condemned
Total games:	2 games
First game:	Condemned: Criminal Origins
Aliases:

Deputy Director Ike Farrell first in Condemned: Criminal Origins	2
Serial Killer X first in Condemned: Criminal Origins	2
Malcolm VanHorn first in Condemned: Criminal Origins	2
Ethan Thomas first in Condemned: Criminal Origins	2
The Oro first in Condemned: Criminal Origins	2
Alcohol Demon first in Condemned 2: Bloodshot	1
Special Agent Pierce LeRue first in Condemned 2: Bloodshot	1