Ever wondered what it would be like to be on the hunt for a serial killer? Developer Monolith wants to put players in that position with their Xbox 360 horror game Condemned: Criminal Origins. Most horror games throw hordes of wild monsters at the gamers. Instead the developer decided to give gamers a crack at the only real monsters in this world, human beings. Condemned is set to be a first person shooter game that looks like it will follow the same formula of Doom 3 with some extreme lighting and sound effects.

Gamers take on the role of Agent Thomas , who is an FBI agent tasked with bringing some extremely deranged killers to justice. Players will need to keep their wits about them as they search for clues in the urban environments of this game to track down their prey. There are a number of forensic tools to aid gamers in this task. Special attention is being paid to the surround sound components of this game to add an extra level of suspense as players can hear their enemies moving around them. Monolith is making the most of the next generation graphics this game will utilize to give players highly detailed lighting and shadows in the eerie underworld they will be playing. There will be a few guns available to players but ammunition will be scarce.

To help players defend themselves there are a number of other weapons in the game. Melee weapons such as two by four boards, long metal pipes, and what looks like a Taser gun will help round out the selection. The finishing touch to Condemned will be the story line. Agent Thomas will be plunged into the mind of the criminally insane in an effort to understand what drives them. The question is will he be able to keep his own sanity after such an experience?

What's This Game All About Anyhow? from the developer.

Developed by award-winning Monolith Productions for the Xbox® 360â„¢ video game system from Microsoft, Condemned: Criminal Origins allows players to experience a heightened level of psychological tension as they use their instincts, forensic tools, and melee combat to track serial killers and bring them to justice. Gamers will play as Agent Thomas, an investigator in the FBI’s Serial Crimes Unit (SCU), whose pursuit of relentless serial killers leads him through urban environments filled with sociopaths lurking on the periphery of humanity. Weapons and ammunition are scarce, leaving the player vulnerable to a gallery of mentally deranged criminals. Careful detective work and precision reflexes are a player’s primary means of survival.

Gameplay Features - from the developer

  • First-person view gives maximum visceral effect

  • Next-generation lighting, mapping, and filtering techniques provide for environments of unprecedented detail and visual quality.

  • Intelligent enemies respond strategically to your offensive and defensive maneuvers.

  • High-level physics allow players to manipulate background items, which respond realistically when picked up, kicked, or bumped.

  • A tightly wound story is backed with strong character development and major plot twists.

  • Meticulously crafted 5.1 surround sound will cue players to the location of off-screen enemies.

Game Media - Screenshots

Condemned: Originins Xbox 360 Screenshot
Never bring a board with rusty nails to a Boomstick fight!


This shotgun seems to do the trick.

Game Info and Resources

XBS Commentary - Our Thoughts

Though my interest in horror games comes and goes, Condemned has got my attention. We’ve all seen the Hannibal movies; now we will be more than spectators to the action. The idea of having a game in the horror genre that features normal old human beings as the enemies is a fresh start from the usual zombie and demons approach. The low ammo for your gun routine seems to be a standard formula for any horror game though, which is tiresome. Thankfully it looks like we’ll have some melee type weapons to help deal with the creepy individuals that we are sure to encounter.

The graphics look top notch which is to be expected from an Xbox 360 title. If the surround sound effects work as advertised it should really help to create an immersive atmosphere in this game. Overall I think fans of the genre will be pleased with the fresh approach to horror games that Monolith is taking. The less than hard core horror fans will probably find this game worth their while as well.

Written by XBS Previewer Pure Ego.

Filed under: Xbox 360

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