Let me take a deep breathe to calm my nerves and then tell you about the Condemned 2: Bloodshot demo that is available on Xbox Live and PlayStation Network. 

Now normally I do not actively seek out horror games as they give me the willies, the creeps and all other general ill feelings.  Even watching friends play games such as Resident Evil would trigger my fight or flight response.  Needless to say, I was a little nervous about playing the Condemned 2: Bloodshot demo as I had no idea what I was getting myself into. 

I began my entrance into this world with the visual stimulus of a cut scene.  Not the best way to start off a game but it certainly helped me understand the story slightly, just slightly.  It certainly did not help me understand why the main character, who begins narrating towards the end of this cut scene, speaks clearly and precisely even though he is clearly drunk.  He sees and understands what is going on even though everyone else seems to have a blind eye towards it all, though I still don't have much of a clue about anything.

Where the demo really starts is in a small room which is in a state of disarray.  There are a few items scattered around here that can be used as weapons such as: a driveshaft, a piece of conduit or a piece of pipe.  What I finally realized is that the HUD will tell you when you are over a weapon whether or not that weapon is better or worse in a few areas than the one you currently are carrying.  The walls and the entire city are covered in a creepy looking goo resembling oil. (Gives it the "Eww don't want to touch" look)  

The people you come across apparently do not like you much (or anyone else for that matter) as they attacked me upon sight.  The fighting controls are almost intuitive and once you have gotten them figured out you will not easily forget them.  I for one like to drop my weapon and take these people on barefisted if only to engage the combo, where by parrying their attack and then following on screen prompting, I can go slow motion and give them some heavy punches.

The two devices in this game are interesting, to say the least.  You will find TVs around the city that allow you to move their antenna and on screen will appear tidbits of information from a strange masked man.  One of these bits of information is about the other devices in the city, the ones on the walls making everyone go crazy.  Destroy those...

I've also seen the creepiest creatures of the whole demo, the oil men (as I call them).  These humanoid/demonic looking creatures form out of areas of the walls and will actually jump/drip down to attack you.  Sometimes they end up behind you, which is the part that really freaks me out.  I am used to clearing out areas and once I am done, I stop worrying about what is behind me.  This is clearly not something you should do in Condemned 2: Bloodshot, as you never know when something will blindside you. 

The demo is not very long but does convey a sense of what the world is and how you go about saving it.  Actually at the end of the demo the character you are trying to catch up with is taken by one of the oil men, so I guess if you want to save him you are going to have to buy the full game.  Check out the demo to really see if you are ready for this game.  Once I change my pants I think I might be ready for some more.

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