An immediate classic when the Xbox 360 was launched, Monolith’s fine horror survival title has evolved and mutated into a sterling example of how games can perfectly replace the adult’s established viewing habits. The strong, mature plot line and visceral visuals and themes leap from the screen to assault the senses in the most profound way.

Horror and gory entertainment comes under a lot of flak for the supposedly detrimental effect it has on society; allegedly desensitising us grisly murder and rampant mayhem. Despite there being very few of us actually weak minded enough to be guided in such an inhuman direction by these brief and unrealistic showcases of fantasy (and despite the fact that real desensitisation actually comes from trite soap operas, where things like divorce, infidelity, casual violence, misery and bad manners are considered too mundane to actually court controversy, and are propelled at viewers with far greater regularity and far less constraints than any horror film) Condemned 2: Bloodshot’s deeply disturbing themes seem to have slipped under the Thought Police’s radar.

Perhaps this is because of the clear rating on the box, or because the gore, violence and brutal style are kept perfectly within context by a quite superb narrative. You might be wandering around murdering the homeless with your bare hands, lumps of wood with nails through them and lengths of electrical cable, but the strength of storyline ensures there’s never any doubt as to why you’re doing this; the sub-genre of “horror/survival” is a descriptive and accurate one, leaving no ambiguity as to the nature of content or onscreen events.

Therefore, it feels immediately appropriate to credit Monolith for developing Condemned 2 not for the purposes of courting controversy and selling off the back of negative publicity, but creating a game that, while never holding back, uses it’s brutally mature themes appropriately and crafting a superior entertainment experience because of it.

Picking a year after FBI agent Ethan Thomas first tackled the serial killer known only as X, we find our reluctant hero drunk and living among the bums in dingy back alleys; wrestling with the demons of his crumbling insanity. When a strange cult begins to corrupt the minds of the homeless and turning them into savage, blood lusting monsters, Ethan finds himself once again drawn into the sadistic fray.

The combat is the first difference fans of the original will notice. The trigger buttons are now mapped to the character’s left and right fists, and once players get the hang of blocking and countering at the appropriate moments (frustrating at first, but ultimately an excellent gameplay mechanic as it prohibits a boring, motionless trading of blows between characters) the absorption into the game becomes very real. Weapons can be scavenged from all manner of places, from bits of old wood with rusty nails through them to bits of old pipe, thick electrical cable and even guns.

Rather astutely, Monolith has prevented this from becoming yet another FPS, by severely limiting the use and capability of firearms. Despite the first person visuals suggesting a lean toward the prolific trend for shooters, the game resists the temptation much to its credit. This way, when a firearm does come along, it provides a brief spurt of unruly amusement before it’s back to getting your hands quite literally dirty.

Literally, because the visuals and sounds are horrifically stunning. Every crunch of bone against metal, every loosened tooth and broken skull is felt – killing an enemy isn’t taken lightly at all, and the flying blood, cries of pain and mutilated faces are a testament to the necessity of a proper rating on the game boxes. Not to say that it should have been toned down, of course – it’s this raw and unromantic approach to killing that ensures Condemned 2 remains fully within the context of its vicious remit – but younger players could suffer some seriously sleepless nights after an hour at the controls.

Previously, gamers were ushered through the events and investigations quite blatantly, with little in the way of cerebral puzzle solving. The sequel still doesn’t push itself to become a particularly taxing test of intellect and observation, but does manage to deepen the investigative experience of the first game. Players can essentially choose whether to follow the clues, blood trails and other instinctive sensations to uncover every element of the seedy, inspired environments. Doing so gives upgrades and achievement points as a reward, but the overall gaming experience isn’t really hampered if you’re more inclined to push on. Indeed, some of the puzzles, if we want to call them that, can prove a little more frustrating than they’re ultimately worth, but they at least grant a decent reason to play through a few more times.

The levels, while often a little too dark for practicality (often leaving you feeling that you’ve either missed something, or have been deprived of enjoying the incredible visuals as thoroughly as you might have), are as well presented and realised as the gruesome characters. Every dank, depressing and dilapidated environment imaginable has been beautifully captured and brought to horrific life, and around every corner is a terrible surprise. The imagination imbued into these diverse environments are what keeps the gameplay and plotline razor sharp – just when an instanced event begins to drift into tedium (which is rare, but not absent) something will invariably happen that twists the story, characters and gameplay like a rust blade in a fresh wound. The brilliance of these story driven moments make you immediately forget whatever it was that irked a moment ago, and make the lengthy game dissolve into the kind of intensity most films fail to achieve.

While it’s definitely one for the over 18 market (as denoted by the box), Condemned 2: Bloodshot is permeated with precisely the kind of primeval thrill horror fans look for. A good 80% of entertainment these days, whether games or movies, are so dry and formulaic they fail completely to involve the audience in any way, shape or form. Even a half decent horror film forces viewers to participate in the onscreen events, however, so a superb horror story like Condemned 2 – with it’s equally intuitive and engrossing gameplay – make it a triumph of the genre that transcends medium.

If you’re old enough and of a suitable iron constitution (and even if you’re not), then Condemned 2: Bloodshot will show you what a true gaming experience can be like, and change your perceptions of what to expect for ever more.