The dawn of the millennium saw a preference for more grounded horror stories, with shifting cultural sensibilities leading audiences to gravitate towards more down-to-earth scares rather than the masked bogeymen and supernatural threats that had previously dominated the horror genre. This change may have begun in the 90s with movies like The Silence of the Lambs and Seven, but it was only in the 2000s that the Saw franchise proved that audiences were truly hungry for hyper-violent yarns about urban carnage.
However, it would be a while before this change began to affect videogames. While the early 2000s boasted some of the most memorable survival horror experiences of all time (from the iconic Silent Hill 2 to Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem), the latter half of the decade brought with it a decline in interactive scares. We saw a few interesting experiments in Dead Space, Alan Wake and even Zombie Studios’ Saw adaptation, but it was still quite rare for horror games to attempt something different during the early days of HD graphics.
That’s why I think Monolith Studios’ Condemned: Criminal Origins is so unique, as this first-person survival horror experience defied convention by playing with popular horror tropes in ways that hadn’t been seen in gaming before, incorporating elements from police procedurals and serial killer narratives in an oddly compelling combination. And nearly two decades after its release, I’d like to discuss why there’s still nothing else quite like this spooky brawler.
Even back in the early 2000s, Monolith was already known for titles like Blood and Aliens vs Predator 2, but the studio had grown tired of overused horror tropes and wanted to create something new with their previous genre experience. Inspired by some of their favorite scary movies, the developers soon began production on two innovative horror projects, one that would end up being the legendary F.E.A.R., and another that would trap players in a gritty urban nightmare and take full advantage of the then-upcoming new generation of console hardware.
Scarier than a zombie!
Originally known as The Dark, this unusual project focused on serial killers in a gritty criminal underworld, with players taking on the role of an investigator as they used a mix of supernatural spells and gunplay to take down maniacal enemies. While the project would undergo a complete overhaul once the developers realized that the superpowers and other traditionally game-y aspects distracted from the narrative’s underlying horror elements, the renamed Condemned still maintained the big-city thrills of the original premise.
Keeping only a few of the proposed supernatural elements (most of which were clearly inspired by the work of Clive Barker), the final version of Condemned: Criminal Origins tells the story of FBI investigator Ethan Thomas as he embarks on a quest to apprehend the infamous Serial Killer X, a deranged psychopath who only murders other serial killers. The ensuing investigation leads Ethan down a disturbing rabbit-hole of homicidal gangs and spooky vagrants as he explores a run-down metropolis that appears to be eating itself alive.
While this premise is compelling enough for a horror game, the plot isn’t really the star of the show here. What Condemned: Criminal Origins is really remembered for is its creepy level design and impeccably crafted atmosphere. Over the course of the game’s ten chapters, the investigation strands players in abandoned tenement buildings and gloomy back alleys, evoking the feeling of becoming lost in the wrong neighborhood after dark in a way that hadn’t been seen in videogames before – and arguably still hasn’t since.
From dilapidated department stores containing deformed mannequins (some of which are actually enemies lying in wait to ambush Ethan) to ruined schools and their homicidal former alumni, the world of Condemned is filled to the brim with street-level scares that you don’t often see in this kind of media. The fact that your enemies are insane people instead of the usual mutants and zombies makes the whole thing that much scarier, even if the title exaggerates these elements for a more entertaining experience.
The main gameplay loop is also incredibly unique, with players literally taking the law into their own hands as they beat down homicidal enemies through simple-yet-thrilling melee combat while also using hi-tech tools and Ethan’s Red-Dragon-inspired instincts to piece together the mystery of Serial Killer X. The first-person combat system may not be as in-depth as something like Zeno Clash, but the clever AI and lack of combos mean that you feel appropriately underpowered as you explore this metropolitan hellscape.
Round one, fight!
I also appreciate how the game uses fire axes and other weapons to violently open up new pathways, forgoing traditional keys and ID cards to make traversal even more vicious. Unfortunately, the gritty atmosphere takes a nosedive towards the end of the experience as the plot begins to explore bizarre supernatural ideas that don’t quite gel with the established mood. While the idea that a mysterious entity is responsible for the madness overtaking the vulnerable population of Metro City is admittedly interesting, it still clashes with the rest of Criminal Origins.
In fact, the game basically culminates in what can be best described as a fist-fight with a cenobite, which is kind of disappointing when you consider the rest of the title’s focus on down-to-earth terror. That’s not to say that the ending ruins everything that preceded it (and I actually kind of like The Hate’s hellish design), but it’s a shame that the story takes this sudden turn into speculative territory.
The controversial finale didn’t seem to affect the game’s reception, as it was relatively well-reviewed by most critics and sold exceptionally well despite being banned in a few countries for its “cruel” content. The title’s success even led to a proposed film adaptation that never got off the ground, which was meant to bridge the gap between the first game and a possible sequel. Fortunately, a sequel did eventually see the light of day in 2008, with Monolith attempting to take the first game’s urban thrills to the next level, but that’s a story for another time.
At the end of the day, Condemned: Criminal Origins isn’t exactly a masterpiece, suffering from some janky combat mechanics and an uneven narrative, but I’d argue that it’s still worth playing today if you’re willing to overlook these surface-level blemishes in order to enjoy a thrilling look at urban horror. After all, it’s not everyday that we see a game where you can rip a rusty pipe off a wall and use it to beat down a literal murder elemental.
The post ‘Condemned: Criminal Origins’ – There’s Still Nothing Quite Like This Spooky Brawler Almost 20 Years Later appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.