It’s exciting when new video game systems launch. Stronger hardware gives developers more tools to realize their visions, and games released alongside a console are meant to sell this, delivering experiences greater in scope than what was formerly achievable. The release of the Xbox 360 in November 2005 was an especially big deal, ushering in the era of high definition console gaming. Today, the 360’s launch titles are mostly forgotten, though I still occasionally see one of them garner adoration. Exactly seventeen years and two hardware generations later, I’m finally sitting down with Condemned: Criminal Origins.
Condemned was developed by Monolith Productions (no, not Monolith Soft, the Xenoblade Chronicles studio). SEGA published it. (Image: Jace Hall)
Criminal Origins shows its age. One small detail dating it is how Condemned informs you of the “Achievement Awards” you unlock; nearly every other game just calls them “Achievements” (strangely, the game’s Achievement-less Steam release apparently retains this quirk). A bigger issue betraying Condemned’s age is its visuals; stage geometry is blocky and simplistic. Character models are similarly unpolished, with protagonist Ethan Thomas awkwardly getting reworked into much of Condemned’s cast. This rough look does at least suit the game’s gritty, muted aesthetic. Plus, transitioning to more complicated, demanding hardware was notoriously difficult for developers; I sympathize with Monolith. But Condemned doesn’t convey the 360’s horsepower.
It is, however, a straightforward trek through Metro City’s dark corridors and alleyways. Sometimes, a door or gate blocks you, and since these require specific tools to open, you’ll have to backtrack until you locate your proverbial key (occasionally, Condemned gives you a shortcut, saving some time). Optional diversions—safes, side rooms or hallways, and garbage cans or vending machines you can randomly interact with—hide firearms or the game’s collectible goodies, so if you’re desperate for a decent weapon, tirelessly examine everything. Condemned‘s three collectibles—dead birds, scraps of metal, and Xbox 360 systems—litter each stage and, frankly, aren’t important.
Jogging drains Ethan’s stamina meter, though it refills itself automatically. Stages also place checkpoints and health pickups at regular intervals, and you can change Condemned‘s difficulty on the fly. (Image: Jace Hall)
Our leading FBI agent is stacked with fancy gadgets and regularly forces us to use them. A precursor to the comparably unengaging detective segments popularized by Batman: Arkham Asylum, Ethan busts out his equipment during investigations, asking us to scan whatever’s of pertinence (just look for whatever’s glowing). Then Ethan whips out his camera, we take a snapshot of the evidence, and he automatically sends it to his lab technician, Rosa, who rewards us with exposition. The worst of these segments are when you’re asked to use the trail scanner to follow trails of blood along what are already very linear walkways. It’s so superfluous that I eventually stopped using it altogether—well, Chapter 9 aside, where it’s genuinely necessary—and was never punished.
According to Condemned, something’s adversely affecting Metro City’s massive homeless population, enraging them. Our resourceful hero can grab any nearby tool—pipes, hammers, whatever—and bludgeon them in retaliation. Every makeshift weapon feels weighty and viscerally satisfying to use. They also feature different attributes and break after enough use, meaning you can’t get comfortable with any single one. Only rarely does Condemned offer Ethan a gun, and even then, they’re usually loaded with very little ammo. You also never unlock any new abilities or, the “super taser” aside, better gear; you’re always scrounging for whatever gets the job done.
Ethan’s lab technician, confidant, and friend Rosa frequently calls him. We’re defenseless during their chats, but enraged thugs kindly never interrupt them. (Image: Jace Hall)
But Condemned‘s enemy roster lets that raw tension down. Toughs mostly approach Ethan in the same direct way, so fights follow a formula: baddies appear, lunge at you, you defend yourself (either by dodging their attack, blocking it, or tasering them from a distance, stunning them), and then you retaliate. Some enemies are slightly smarter and try sneaking up on Ethan (though observant players will hear their breathing getting louder as they approach; the game’s audio work is splendid). Others can tank more abuse, or might employ a unique attack. Sometimes, you can exploit their AI; hiding and letting foes claw into each other is a legitimate strategy. There are also a few bosses, and… that’s kinda it. Criminal Origins’ combat is functional but forgettable.
Unfortunately, the narrative stringing these brawls together is boring. The setup’s fine: Ethan is investigating serial killers, one of whom frames him for murder. Then we spend the game on the run, trying to clear his name. An old guy named Malcolm monitors Ethan, helps him a few times, and clearly has ulterior motives. Meanwhile, Ethan starts undergoing some sort of change, perhaps unlocking a psychic ability—short cinematics sometimes flash while playing that show us where to go. Or maybe he’s just going insane. Enemies and environments may spontaneously appear, disappear, or distort themselves, visual tricks reminiscent of those seen in later psychological thrillers.
Chapter 9 is fantastic, a delightfully creepy, nonlinear tour through a creaking, rundown house. Chapter 5’s mannequin scene is brilliant, too. Overall, the game’s atmosphere is great. (Image: Jace Hall)
The game’s first big twist is also underwhelming. Chapter 1 opens with us pursuing the “Match Maker.” Soon, we meet a felon we naturally assume is him. A few chapters later, we discover the Match Maker’s corpse, and… he’s some guy we’ve never seen before. Evidently, he was murdered by “Serial Killer X,” the creep from the beginning of the game who we’ve unknowingly been hunting already. All of Criminal Origins‘ characters are threadbare, and the status quo doesn’t change at all after this revelation.
Only near the end of the game does the sense that we’re cornered and desperate to apprehend our stalker finally start growing. Then we confront Condemned‘s mastermind, and… he’s just some babbling nutcase who’s promptly discarded. The final boss isn’t the guy who harassed us for the last six or seven hours, but some cult figurehead who supposedly manipulated him (in fairness, though, the Pinhead wannabe doesn’t come out of nowhere; a few of Ethan’s hallucinations throughout the game foreshadow it). Criminal Origins does still, thankfully, end with a sense of closure, showing Ethan presumably lose his career… and sanity.
Our final act in Criminal Origins is a choice between shooting or sparing Serial Killer X. It’s retroactively undercut because I know X survives—he’s in the sequel. (Image: Jace Hall)
If I had to compare the experience that is playing Condemned to anything, it’d be Outlast. Yes, Outlast hit eight years later. Aside from both games employing a first-person perspective, they aren’t similar mechanically; you’re completely defenseless in Outlast. But the feeling of monotony is the same, the tedium of wandering down dilapidated buildings and groaning whenever antagonists show up (Condemned’s gameplay is significantly stronger than Outlast‘s, though). Still, playing through Criminal Origins so long after its release was interesting; nuggets of many later works can be seen here. Ethan power walked so later heroes can run.
Condemned never did take off. A film was announced and unceremoniously canceled. There’s a comic set before the events of Criminal Origins. And 2008’s Condemned 2: Bloodshot is the series’ final release, one fans and critics deride as a weaker experience. Still, Criminal Origins is no failure; reception to it was generally positive and fans hope to revisit Metro City someday. Former Monolith CEO Jace Hall, at least as of 2015, owns the rights to the franchise and hasn’t given up on it. Though I hope they get their followup, a potential third game isn’t likely to entice me, nor do I plan to hunt down Bloodshot. Frankly, I’m content with this being my final glimpse of Ethan and his humble franchise:
If you’re curious, Viva Piñata, Dead Rising, and Gears of War would validate my purchase of my 360, delivering experiences the prior hardware generation could not. (Image: Jace Hall)
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