Set eleven months after the events of the first game, former FBI agent Ethan Thomas has become a violence-prone alcoholic plagued by hallucinations. As violence continues to escalate throughout the city of Metro, Thomas's former colleague, Rosa, elicits his reluctant assistance in tracking down the missing Malcolm Vanhorn. Learning that Leland Vanhorn (aka Serial Killer X) may still be alive, Thomas soon finds himself at the centre of a vast conspiracy and must do all he can to evade the powerful cult who want him dead at any cost.
In making Condemned 2, Monolith looked closely at the reception of the first game, focussing on what was popular amongst fans and critics and what was not. With this in mind, they specifically set out to correct the two most frequently criticised elements of the original; the implementation of the forensic tools and the lack of depth in the melee mechanics. At the same time, they attempted to enhance or expand upon every aspect of the original; from the graphics and cutscenes to the AI and overall gameplay and game mechanics. They also hoped to take the story in unexpected directions by making Thomas a much darker figure than in the previous title.
Condemned 2 was well received by critics, who praised the graphics, AI, sound design, atmosphere, the overall improvements to the game from the original Condemned, and, especially, the enhancements to the combat system and the introduction of combos and chain attacks without betraying the core of the original. Critics lauded Monolith for listening to fans and attempting to address their grievances. Common points of criticism included the storyline, an overuse of firearms, and what was perceived as a pointless online multiplayer mode.
The game's combat is built primarily around melee; firearms are available, but are relatively uncommon (although they are more prevalent than in the first game).[5] Players can acquire melee weapons from their immediate surroundings in several ways; they can be found lying out in the open, they can be forced from the environment (such as pulling a pipe from a wall or snapping off a 2x4), or they can be taken from an enemy.[6] Enemies can also acquire and use any weapon that the player can use, including firearms.[7][8][9] Each weapon has its own combination of damage, speed, and range stats; so, for example, an axe may have higher damage and range stats than a pipe, but the pipe may have higher speed.[10] There are three classes of melee weapon; light weapons, heavy weapons, and exotic weapons. Light weapons are fast but weak, and include 2x4s, pipes, signs, electrical conduits, and batons. Heavy weapons are strong but slow, and include sledgehammers, baseball bats, shovels, crowbars, and axes. Exotic weapons are level-specific and include prosthetic arms, gumball machines, exploding dolls, broadswords, and antlers.[11]
The player takes on an enemy in Condemned: Bloodshot.
Blocking is an essential component of the game mechanics as the player can only take a few melee hits before dying. A successful block momentarily knocks an enemy off balance, giving the player a chance to attack.[12] The player can also use a quick-kick, which is available at all times; if the player is unarmed, if they are carrying a firearm, or if they are carrying a melee weapon.[12]
The melee combat system differs from the system used in the previous game in several ways. For example, Bloodshot allows for bare-fist hand-to-hand combat.[13][14] Additionally, the variety of weapons available to the player has been significantly increased, and throwable weapons have been included (including bottles, bricks, and billiard balls).[15] Unlike in the first game, all melee weapons will eventually break after repeated use. The game also features context-sensitive "environmental kills" (such as shoving an enemy's head into a TV or a spiked wall, setting them on fire, impaling them, or throwing them off a balcony).[15][16]
Another significant difference is that whether fighting with a melee weapon or fighting bare fist, the player can now chain attacks and achieve combos.[8][9][12] To perform a chain attack, the player's chain meter must be full, and if so, a chain attack can be initiated at any time, at which point a QTE will begin, which allows the player to chain up to four attacks.[8][9][17] Combos can be performed at any time and require a specific sequence of attack types, but if the player takes damage mid-combo, the combo resets and must be restarted.[12]
When using a firearm, as in the first game, each firearm lasts only as long as there are bullets in the current magazine.[18] However, unlike in the first game, the player can now reload their current magazine by picking up spare ammo.[5] The player can also use the butt of any firearm as a melee weapon.[18] The player also has a taser which can be used to temporarily stun a target. This does minimal damage, but it does allow the player to seize the stunned enemy's weapon. However, the taser can only be used a limited number of times before the battery is drained, meaning it cannot be used as a regular substitute for the game's melee weapons.[19]
Initially, the player can carry only one weapon, whether firearm or melee. Later in the game, however, a holster can be unlocked, allowing the player to wield a melee weapon and keep a handgun as a backup weapon. As the game progresses, the holster can be upgraded to hold larger weaponry.[20] A new component to firearm combat is the addition of iron sights aiming. When using iron sight, the gun will begin to shake and the screen will fade in and out of focus. This is caused by DTs tied to Thomas's alcoholism, and can only be countered by drinking alcohol, which is found throughout each level. Each drink will steady his aim for a limited amount of time.[8][9][5]
The overhauled forensic gameplay mechanics in Bloodshot. Here, the player has found evidence and must report back to Rosa. The player has been given five choices from which to choose, only one of which is correct and will unlock the complete dialogue between Thomas and Rosa.
The other primary game mechanic is forensic investigation, which has been overhauled since the first game.[15][20][21] Once the player has been alerted that they are in a "study area", they must select the appropriate tool to record and/or collect the evidence. Upon doing so, the player is presented with multiple statements about that evidence and they must pick answers to communicate to Rosa in the lab.[8][9][20] For example, the player might need to determine if a wound is an entry or an exit wound, how a blood splatter occurred, whether a body crawled or was dragged, or a cause of death.[20][21][22] Picking the correct statements often reveals additional backstory and dialogue and counts towards a better end-of-level ranking, which unlocks upgrades, such as brass knuckles, body armor, and a holster.[20] The player has four forensic tools available to them; a GPS device, a Spectrometer, a Digital camera, and a UV light.[15][23]
Bloodshot Fight Club
Available in single-player only, this mode of play puts the player in arena-like environments where they must fight waves of opponents. There are six arenas available: "Practice" (a customisable fight against a never-ending wave of opponents), "Lockdown" (make as many kills as possible in five minutes), Riot Control (using long-range combat only, the player must defend the police), "Streets of Rage" (the player and four AI-controlled allies must defend a building against waves of enemies, the game ends when all five defenders are dead), "Smoke 'Em" (the player must kill as many enemies as quickly as they can) and "Deadly Daycare" (the player must kill 100 exploding dolls).[24]
Multiplayer
The game's online multiplayer can support up to eight players.[25][26] There are four game modes;
"Bum Rush" – a time-based game of SCU Agents versus Influenced. Two players are randomly selected to be SCU agents and the rest of the players are Influenced. The SCU cannot respawn but they can use guns (which the Influenced cannot), they have more health, and they can kill with one melee hit.[25][26][27]
"Crime Scene" – four Influenced versus four SCU agents; the Influenced must hide two cases of evidence, while the SCU must use their equipment to find and scan the evidence before the timer reaches zero. The SCU can use firearms, whereas the Influenced cannot.[25][26][27]
Plot
It is 11 months since the events of Condemned: Criminal Origins. Ethan Thomas has resigned from the FBI and become a violence-prone alcoholic plagued by hallucinations.[28] Meanwhile, the phenomenon causing violence and psychosis amongst Metro's vagrant population has gotten worse.
As the game begins, Malcolm Vanhorn is missing and Lt. Rosa convinces a reluctant Thomas to help find him. Narrowing Vanhorn's last location to a derelict hotel, Serial Crimes Unit (SCU) Director Ike Farrell dispatches Thomas, Cmdr. John Dorland, and Sgt. Pierce Le Rue to investigate. They find Vanhorn's mutilated body, and back at SCU, Rosa discovers that the thoracic cavity is exposed and the sternum is missing. She also notes that Vanhorn has unusual vocal cords. She links this back to Thomas's chest x-ray in his personnel file, which would have shown his vocal chords if the area wasn't redacted.[29]
Meanwhile, Mayor Rachel Mars's body is found in Metro Museum, decapitated, with parts of her skin peeled off, and lumps of muscle torn from the bone. Also by her body is a piece of paper with a hand-drawn X. Pointing out that Leland Vanhorn's body was never found, Rosa speculates that perhaps he didn't die, and was nursed back to health by Malcolm until Leland killed him. Thomas also finds blood-stained pieces of metal, which appear to have been ripped from Mars's body.[30]
Finding evidence that Vanhorn recently visited a nature reserve and lodge, Thomas heads there. En route, Farrell contacts him and says, "some of us see you as a threat - the enemy. I see you as an asset, a special tool too great to be wasted. Rememdium." Finding Dorland's men all over the reserve, Thomas sneaks in and finds a computer on which Vanhorn has left him a message. He explains that Thomas's parents were in a cult known as the Oro, but when they left they were killed. Thomas's existence was kept secret from the Oro by Vanhorn but when Leland learned of the Oro, he became obsessed with joining, leading to Thomas's exposure to the cult.[31]
Meanwhile, Rosa informs Thomas that Farrell has disappeared. Thomas finds him held captive by Leland and asks Leland why he killed Malcolm and Mars, to which Leland says, "their bodies possessed the Oro's secret." As Thomas and Farrell leave, they are trapped by Dorland. Farrell sacrifices his own life to save Thomas, saying, "Find the Voice."
As Rosa continues to study the Oro, she learns the group is over three thousand years old, and Oro is short for Oro Invictus which means "Invincible Voice". Their goal involves "Sonic Generation"; sounds that cause paranoia and hallucinations, and for those with a natural tendency for violence to become significantly more violent.[32] Sonic Generation requires a hollow sternum, a higher than normal bone density, and very unique vocal cords, and the resulting sounds can be enhanced with the implantation of metal apparatuses throughout the body.[33] Meanwhile, Thomas learns that "Rememdium" refers to a myth; someone capable of resonating a sound so powerful it can destroy flesh and bone and could potentially wipe out the Oro.
Discovering the secret Oro base from which the sounds are being transmitted to Metro, Thomas heads there and shortly after arriving, realises he can use "The Voice." He battles his way through the Oro members, destroys the sonic machinery, and is confronted by Dorland. He explains that the Oro's motives are "to create hostility, the unwavering desire to fight, to unknowingly become our protectors". Thomas asks what they are protecting against, but Dorland doesn't know. Thomas kills him by using the Voice and escapes in a helicopter with Rosa and Le Rue.
Three hours later, at a press conference to address the violence and social disorder that is now nationwide, the President of the United States receives a note, and upon reading it, has an apparent heart attack. The note reads, "The Remedy is among us!!!" In a post-credits scene, SKX is on an operating table. He says, "I'm ready" and he receives a metal implant to his jaw.
Development
Announcement and rating
Production on Condemned 2 began in February 2006, just three months after the release of the original game.[34] The press first became aware of the game in March 2007, when Play.com listed it on their website and began taking preorders. Although neither Monolith Productions nor Sega had confirmed the title was in development, Play.com listed a release date of November 30, 2007, with the game selling for £39.99.[35][36] Sega declined to comment on the authenticity of the listing.[37] Nothing more was heard about the game until May, when Sega and Monolith released a gameplay trailer and formally announced the title for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, with a projected release date of early 2008.[38][39] The game was first shown in demo form at E3 in July.[40]
In June 2007, Manhunt 2 had received an AO rating from the ERSB. At E3 the following month, due to the violent nature of Condemned 2, and wishing to avoid such a rating, producer Constantine Hantzopoulos stated that Monolith had been in contact with the board and had decided to remove several of the more violent environmental kills; "we're working closely with the ESRB to make sure everything goes through okay but there's stuff we've cut already." Examples of cut content included several decapitations, crushing someone's head in a vise, and driving a drill through someone's eye.[41] This close working relationship between Monolith and the ESRB continued throughout the development period. In November, producer David Hasle said, "we're being pro-active about this. Whatever we do we're running by the certification people. If a red flag comes up we're going to address it, we're not going to get to the end and have some big media blow-up."[42]
Ethan Thomas
Greg Grunberg (pictured) did not return to voice Ethan Thomas in Condemned 2; instead, Thomas was voiced by André Sogliuzzo, something about which many fans were not happy.
Just prior to E3, Monolith revealed that actor Greg Grunberg would not be reprising his role as Ethan Thomas; instead, Thomas would be voiced by André Sogliuzzo. Hasle assured fans that this was due to the mandates of the material rather than any dissatisfaction with Grunberg's work; "we were very happy with the voice-work he performed for us but we've taken a darker turn with Ethan and wanted to find a voice that better represented that edgy darkness."[15] After fans proved unhappy with the decision to recast the part, Hasle explained,
it was a very, very hard decision. We loved working with Greg and he was excited about working on the game himself. When he found out that we were making Bloodshot, he was the first one to call us up and say, "I'm willing to do it even though Heroes is taking off." But in the end, we had to make that really hard choice about the type of character that Ethan has become. In the first game, Ethan wasn't as hard or dark as he is now and the voice had to go into a new and darker direction.[40]
In 2020, speaking of the changes to Thomas's tone and appearance, writer and lead designer Frank Rooke argued that "the main character's transformation between the first and second games was evolutionary. Who the character was reflected the turmoil of the narrative." He pointed out that "in the first game, Ethan was just discovering the dark world around him. In Condemned 2, he was a bit broken as a result."[34] However, art lead and animator Richard Lico says that the changes to the character was a subject of disagreement; "some felt that Condemned 1's Ethan didn't quite hit the mark and a darker tone was desired for the sequel. But some felt Ethan was too different in Condemned 2."[34]
Plot and environments
As with the changes to Thomas's character, the evolution of the plot also caused disagreement amongst the designers. According to Rooke, there was a push to fill in the narrative blanks and resolve the open-ended mysteries from the first game. However, "in my opinion, and I feel mostly responsible for this, the result revealed explanations for things that should have remained a mystery."[34]
Unusually, the game's storyline was constructed around the environments, rather than the other way around. Lead level designer Jonathan Stein says that "level theming [...] was more centred around "what environments would be new?" than concern over a cohesive whole [...] after we had our environments, the story was threaded between them."[34] This approach was yet another cause of disagreement; Stein explains, "some – myself included – were concerned that the environment, the story, and the enemies felt schizophrenic, or at least not cohesive."[34]
The Timberline Lodge served as inspiration for the lodge seen in the game.
Of the overall design ethos, Rooke said, "the most important element in Condemned 2: Bloodshot is not necessarily a single feature but a philosophy, a goal if you will, to add depth and variety to all facets of the game."[15][43] Speaking in 2020, he said of the original game, "there were things that we could have done better or expanded upon, which later became the starting point for the sequel."[34]
The team's initial task was to seek out and understand what people had disliked about the first game. Hasle explains, "one thing we did when we decided to make Condemned 2 was to seek out every piece of feedback on the first game we could find and apply that to Bloodshot."[40] Searching forum postings and both critical and user reviews, the team wanted "to determine what the users thought needed to be improved for a sequel."[44] Indeed, so thorough was this process that the "feature list [was] nearly entirely driven from the public's input."[45] Similarly, Stein says, "we devoured every review and forum post after release. Transitioning to the sequel, everyone had a list of improvements to explore."[34]
They found that one area of the first game that was almost universally criticised was the implementation of the forensic tools, and so they decided to completely overhaul not just the mechanics, but the actual purpose, essentially turning the bulk of the forensic tasks into optional side missions.[46][47] Hasle explains, "unlike the first game, where the player's involvement was mostly about locating evidence rather than deciphering and using deductive reasoning, this time around, the system immerses the player in an investigation."[48]
The other major gameplay element was melee combat, and although fan feedback from the first game was largely positive, the team still wanted to expand the system. Within that, maintaining the feel and tone of the first game was paramount; "we knew we wanted to keep the in-your-face feeling of the melee combat but that we wanted to add several layers and improvements to give depth and choice to the player."[44] Of the game's more complex melee mechanics, which Lico calls "more game-y", particularly the introduction of combos, Rooke clarifies, "realism was never a goal."[34] Similarly, lead character animator Scott Shepherd states, "realism wasn't the goal. We felt with the first one we had the beginnings of something, possibly the best first-person melee combat system out there. We really wanted to continue to develop and expand that into a fully fledged skill based system."[34]
One area of the game that became an example of feature creep was the Bloodshot Fight Club. Originally called Hobo Fight Club, it was created as a simple way for the designers to test various aspects of the gameplay and to allow them to easily demonstrate the game for Sega. It was never intended for release to the public. However, after they realised how much fun they were having using the arenas, the designers decided to make them available in the game.[20][49][50] According to Hasle, "it seemed simple enough. But it then quickly grew in June and July to not only a Practice Arena but to also include five different environments with five unique challenges, and a slew of unique UI work that was needed to pull it off."[51]
Cutscenes
Another area that the team particularly wanted to tackle was the cutscenes. Of the cutscenes in the first game, lead artist Matthew Allen states, "we spent a good amount of time developing a new process to get them into the game with consistent movement and camera animation, all controlled by the animators."[52] However, due to the limited amount of memory, the scenes needed to be rendered real-time, forcing the designers to cut back on "texture resolution and animation fidelity." This led to some of the shots looking pixilated. Another problem was frame rate; "since all of our lighting and shadows are dynamic, being generated real-time, our frame rate is greatly affected by the amount of lights we have in a scene." This again led to compromises with which the team weren't happy.[52]
For the sequel, Allen and cinematic director Rocky Newton decided to pre-render all of the cutscenes in Maya using Mental Ray;
this way we don't have to worry about frame rate, so we can add as many lights and as much shadow-casting geometry as we want, and we also don't have to worry about memory, since we were rendering it on a beefy PC. The memory stuff allowed us to up the resolution on all of the textures.[52]
As they were now using the game engine to render the cinematics, it meant they could use the latest in-game assets for rendering, which freed up time, allowing them to focus on
lighting and tweaking effects rather than moving things into Mental Ray and trying to replicate our in-game shaders. We could also now do a bunch of stuff that the engine can handle, but modern consoles can't - like turning up the real-time velocity-based motion blur, and running with 30 to 40 lights per scene. We can also use a ton of our in-game special effects together: things like depth of field, full-screen color mapping, film grain, sharpen, and a whole host of others, that the consoles aren't powerful enough to use together in real-time.[52]
Condemned 2: Bloodshot received "generally favorable reviews", with the Xbox 360 version holding a score of 80 out of 100 on Metacritic, based on 76 reviews, and the PlayStation 3 version holding a score of 82 out of 100, based on 37 reviews.[53][54]
Game Informer's Ben Reeves scored the PlayStation 3 version 8.75 out of 10 calling it "an atmospheric powerhouse" and "the best survival horror title [of] this generation." He especially praised the combat mechanics and level design, citing the bear chase as one of "the most memorable gaming moments of 2008."[57]GameSpot's Kevin VanOrd scored the game 8.5 out of 10, praising the "thick, dreadful atmosphere" and citing "the most decrepit and decayed visual design in recent memory." He also praised the sound design, voice acting, score, weapon variety, depth of the combat mechanics, and AI.[8][9]
PSM3's Andrew Kelly scored the PlayStation 3 version 8.1 out of 10, calling it "incredibly well-designed." He was particularly impressed with how much the character animations and physics enhanced the feeling of combat. On the other hand, he was critical of the shooting mechanics and storyline. He concluded by calling it "one of the best action games on PS3."[64]Eurogamer's Kristan Reed scored it 8 out of 10, calling it "a one-of-a-kind horror title" and seeing it as "improved in every area" from the first game. He was especially impressed with the atmosphere and environments. He was critical of multiplayer, which he found pointless, but he concluded, "Condemned 2 deserves hearty praise for improving on everything it did first time around."[14]
IGN's Erik Brudvig scored it 8 out of 10, saying it "tackles every criticism levelled at the franchise." He was critical of the "unsatisfying" story and "pointless" multiplayer, but praised the melee combat, sound, graphics, artistic design, and atmosphere.[60][61]Official Xbox Magazine's Dan Amrich scored it 8 out of 10 and praised the atmosphere, graphics, and sound, finding it to be an improvement in almost all aspects over the original. Calling the atmosphere "its finest creation", he said that the world "looks disgustingly tangible". He also praised the use of silence for "creating a hyper-aware environment that is terrifying in its lack of ambience." However, he was critical of the "hit and miss" voice acting and the forensic tools.[62]
Edge scored it 5 out of 10, and said that the game had sacrificed the original's tight storyline in favor of violence, in which guns and gore "occur anywhere and everywhere to ever-decreasing effect."[56]Destructoid's Anthony Burch scored it 3 out of 10. He was impressed with the improvements to the combat system, but little else, arguing that the level design was "irritating" and the gameplay "repetitive." He was heavily critical of the shooting mechanics, the forensic tools, and the changes to Thomas's character. He concluded, "the story sucks, the level design is even worse, and the graphics are grimy to the point of being ridiculous."[55]
German ban
Due to its violent content, the game was indexed in Germany by the Federal Department for Media Harmful to Young Persons in April 2008.[65] In October, all copies of the game were confiscated because of § 131 StGB, which outlaws the dissemination or public display of media "which describe cruel or otherwise inhuman acts of violence against human beings in a manner which expresses a glorification or rendering harmless of such acts of violence or which represents the cruel or inhuman aspects of the event in a manner which injures human dignity". Although it is not illegal to own the game, it is illegal to distribute it.[66]
Future
In a Facebook post in January 2015, Jace Hall, Monolith co-founder and co-creator of the Condemned concept (as well as the sole owner of the IP), addressed the fact that he is frequently asked about a Condemned 3. Noting that both of the Condemned games sold well, he said, "I am contemplating finding an interested and proven Indie development team so that they can take over the franchise and move it forward."[67]
The following week, after his post received a very positive response, Hall was interviewed by IGN. Asked if he had approached any developers himself, he said, "I have not approached anyone. I have received some inquiries over the last 24 hours. Ultimately I tell them to just send me a proposal for consideration. I place no limiting parameters on the proposal. My desire is to fully empower an indie developer with all the decision-making authority." If the project were to go ahead, he stated,
I believe that the best approach to this is to let a passionate developer do what they do best without interference or limitations imposed by me. Once I decide to grant the rights to a team, they are the boss. I plan on making a real commitment to that. I've developed many games in my career and I know how unpleasant it is to have 'the brand' lording over every design/gameplay decision you are making.
Hall also said that he would not impose any restrictions regarding how funding was raised, or what platforms the game was to appear. He would not even mandate that it be a full Condemned game;
I am going to grant a license to use the Condemned franchise in general, and the chosen developer will be able to pick what kind of game they want to make. They can choose their vision of the content. They can build up momentum. Perhaps a prequel. Perhaps a simple mobile phone app for starters. It's all on the table. I'm open to hearing new ideas.
Noting that the Condemned game was originally conceived as part of an expanded universe that was never brought to fruition, he pointed out that all the potential for different mediums is still there; "perhaps it would make sense for a mobile app developer to make one kind of game derived from the Condemned universe, and then an entirely different developer create a console game that is Condemned 3. Perhaps while that is happening, some graphic novel artists want to take the franchise and produce a book. There is room here for all these things/ideas."[68]
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F.E.A.R. Perseus Mandate is the second standalone expansion pack for the first-person shooter psychological horror video game F.E.A.R. First Encounter Assault Recon. Developed by TimeGate Studios and originally published by Vivendi Games under the Sierra Entertainment label, it was released for Microsoft Windows and Xbox 360 in November 2007. The Xbox version was only available packaged with the first expansion, F.E.A.R. Extraction Point, and released as F.E.A.R. Files. On the PC, as well as a standalone release, Perseus Mandate was also bundled with the original game and Extraction Point for F.E.A.R. Platinum Collection, which was also released on Steam in 2012 and GOG.com in 2015. In 2021, F.E.A.R. Files was added to Microsoft's backward compatibility program, making the games playable on the Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S. Neither expansion is now considered canon, as the Monolith Productions-developed F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin ignores the events of both.
F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin is a 2009 first-person shooter psychological horror video game for Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3. It is the second game in the F.E.A.R. series and is followed by F.E.A.R. 3. Developed by Monolith Productions and published by Warner Bros. Games, it was released for all platforms in February 2009. In September 2009, Monolith released a single-player DLC pack, F.E.A.R. 2: Reborn. In March 2015, both the base game and Reborn were made available on GOG.com. In November 2021, the F.E.A.R. franchise, including Reborn, was added to Microsoft's backward compatibility program, making the games playable on the Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S. Project Origin ignores the events of both TimeGate Studios-developed expansion packs for the original game, which are now no longer considered canon to the F.E.A.R. universe.
Golden Axe: Beast Rider is an action-adventure hack and slash video game available on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. It was published by Sega, and developed by Secret Level. It is the first 3D entry in the Golden Axe franchise. The game was released in North America on October 14, 2008, in Europe on October 17, and in Australia on October 23.
Sonic Unleashed is a 2008 platform game developed by Sonic Team and published by Sega as part of the Sonic the Hedgehog series. The plot follows Sonic as he attempts to restore the world after his nemesis Doctor Eggman shatters it with a powerful laser to unleash Dark Gaia, an ancient evil which periodically transforms Sonic into a werewolf form. Gameplay features two distinct styles: daytime stages incorporate Sonic's traditional platforming and trademark speed; while night-time stages see Sonic transform into the Werehog and engage in slower combat against waves of enemies using the Werehog's brute strength.
Bayonetta is a 2009 action-adventure hack and slash video game developed by PlatinumGames and published by Sega. It was released for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in Japan in October 2009, and in North America and Europe in January 2010. It was released on Wii U in September 2014, Windows in April 2017, Nintendo Switch in February 2018, and PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in February 2020.
Risen is an action role-playing game developed by the German company Piranha Bytes and published by Deep Silver. The first title in the Risen series, it was released internationally for Microsoft Windows and Xbox 360 in October 2009, with a North American release for Xbox 360 in February 2010. Ports for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch were released in January 2023.
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine is a third-person shooter hack-n-slash video game developed by Relic Entertainment and published by THQ. The game was released for PlayStation 3, Windows, and Xbox 360 in North America, Australia, and Europe in September 2011. It was released in Japan and published by CyberFront on October 27, 2011.
Battlefield 3 is a 2011 first-person shooter video game developed by DICE and published by Electronic Arts for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. It is a direct sequel to 2005's Battlefield 2.
Fable III is a 2010 action role-playing open world video game, developed by Lionhead Studios and published by Microsoft Game Studios for the Xbox 360 and Microsoft Windows. The third game in the Fable series, the story focuses on the player character's struggle to overthrow the King of Albion, the player character's brother, by forming alliances and building support for a revolution. After a successful revolt, the player becomes the monarch and is tasked with attempting to defend Albion from a great evil. The game includes voice acting by Ben Kingsley (Sabine), Stephen Fry (Reaver), Simon Pegg, Naomie Harris (Page), Michael Fassbender (Logan), Zoë Wanamaker (Theresa), Bernard Hill, Nicholas Hoult (Elliot), John Cleese (Jasper), Jonathan Ross, Adjoa Andoh (Kalin), Kellie Bright, and Louis Tamone.
Iron Man 2 is an action-adventure video game loosely based on the 2010 movie of the same name. It was released in Europe on April 30, 2010, and in North America on May 4 for Xbox 360, Nintendo DS, Wii, PlayStation 3, and PlayStation Portable. Published by Sega, the game was developed by Sega Studios San Francisco for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, Griptonite Games for Nintendo DS, High Voltage Software for Wii and PlayStation Portable, and by Gameloft for iOS and BlackBerry PlayBook. A Microsoft Windows version was planned, but it was cancelled.
F.E.A.R. 3 is a 2011 first-person shooter psychological horror video game developed by Day 1 Studios and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment for Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3. It is the third game in the F.E.A.R. series. It was released on all platforms in June 2011. In 2015, it was released on GOG.com, and in 2021, it was added to Microsoft's backward compatibility program, making it playable on the Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S. Filmmaker John Carpenter consulted on the cutscenes and script, which was written by comic writer and novelist Steve Niles. It is the only F.E.A.R. game to feature co-op gameplay.
F.E.A.R. is a first-person shooter psychological horror video game series created by Craig Hubbard in 2005. Released on Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360, there are three main games in the series; F.E.A.R. (2005), F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin (2009), and F.E.A.R. 3 (2011). There are also two standalone expansion packs for the first game; F.E.A.R. Extraction Point (2006) and F.E.A.R. Perseus Mandate (2007), but these games are no longer considered canon, as their plots were ignored in Project Origin and F.E.A.R. 3. In 2014, F.E.A.R. Online, a free-to-play game, was released, but the servers were shut down in 2015 with the game still in open beta. Monolith Productions developed the original game and Project Origin; Day 1 Studios developed F.E.A.R. 3; TimeGate Studios developed Extraction Point and Perseus Mandate; Inplay Interactive developed F.E.A.R. Online. Initially, the series' publishing rights were owned by Vivendi Games, who published the original game and the two expansions under the Sierra Entertainment label. In 2008, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment acquired the publishing rights and went on to publish Project Origin and F.E.A.R. 3. Aeria Games published F.E.A.R. Online under license from Warner.
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor is a 2014 action-adventure video game developed by Monolith Productions and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. An original story based on the legendarium created by J. R. R. Tolkien, the game takes place between the events of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings film trilogies. The player controls Talion, a Gondorian Ranger who bonds with the wraith of the Elf Lord Celebrimbor, as the two set out to avenge the deaths of their loved ones. Players can engage in melee combat, and use wraith abilities to fight and manipulate enemies. The game introduces the Nemesis System, which allows the artificial intelligence of non-playable characters to remember their prior interactions with Talion and react accordingly in subsequent encounters.
↑ Monolith Productions (2008). Condemned 2: Bloodshot. Sega. Level/area: Chapter One: Rock Bottom. Cmdr. John Dorland: It's been 11 months since his suspension. / Lt. Rosa: He was cleared of those charges. / Dorland: Nevertheless, he resigned from the agency shortly after and basically disappeared. He's probably passed out in some gutter. / Director Ike Farrell: Unlikely. A man like that doesn't just lie down quietly.
↑ Monolith Productions (2008). Condemned 2: Bloodshot. Sega. Level/area: Chapter Five: SCU Building. Rosa: When I first examined the crime scene photos you sent me, I was a little taken aback by the structure of his vocal cords. They're really quite amazing and unlike anything I've ever seen before. / Thomas: So, he had a deformity? / Rosa: Possibly. Does this looks familiar? / Thomas: It's an x-ray of my chest. You showed me this during the SKX investigation. / Rosa: Right. And we noted it odd that your throat area was redacted. / Thomas: I remember. / Rosa: Why? Why is it classified as top secret?
↑ Monolith Productions (2008). Condemned 2: Bloodshot. Sega. Level/area: Chapter Six: City Museum. Rosa: Evidence sample consists of thin metal strips and small bolt shaped pins. Alloy properties similar to Damascus steel but does not match known foundry formulas. Blood, human tissue, and bone fragments are present on all surfaces of sample. / Thomas: Any evidence the metal pieces came from Rachel Mars's body? / Rosa: Yes. The coroner has found extensive scar tissue throughout her body and bored holes in her bones matching of the dimensions of the metal pieces you discovered.
↑ Monolith Productions (2008). Condemned 2: Bloodshot. Sega. Level/area: Chapter Seven: Black Lake Lodge. Vanhorn: To complicate matters, my nephew, the person you know as SKX, just recently found hope in the Oro. It was never my intention [...] This put my nephew and me at odds resulting in the current state of my affairs. He will stop at nothing to become one of them.
↑ Monolith Productions (2008). Condemned 2: Bloodshot. Sega. Level/area: Chapter Nine: Magic Theatre. Rosa: The root of the Oro's plan revolves around a tradition called Sonic Generation. It's the ability to produce complex sounds that project out from not just the mouth but the entire body. People subjected to these sound waves experience acute bouts of paranoia. This is followed by hallucinatory episodes that slip quickly into psychosis and other forms of uncontrolled violent behavior. It goes on to say that people with natural tendencies to be violent become even more so when exposed to sonic emissions.
↑ Monolith Productions (2008). Condemned 2: Bloodshot. Sega. Level/area: Chapter Nine: Magic Theatre. Rosa: Their ability to create sonic tones is due, in part, to an enlarged hollow sternum and a higher than normal bone density. Unique vocal cords can create, when trained, complex sounds that reverberate through the sternum and chest cavity like a finely tuned instrument. Now get this; various metal apparatuses, surgically implanted into the bone and skin, can amplify the effect.
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