Condemned: Criminal Origins

87%
Game Brain Score Based on 3,374 reviews
  • story
  • atmosphere
  • gameplay
Condemned: Criminal Origins Game Cover
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"Condemned: Criminal Origins" is a horror-crime investigation game with an interesting plot following Detective Ethan Thomas as he uncovers the minds of serial killers. The game boasts fabulous gameplay, pretty visuals, amazing music, and an amazing atmosphere, but may have some bugs and grinding. Experience tense investigation, collecting evidence, and intense combat with makeshift weapons as you reveal the terrors lurking in the city.

  • PC
  • Windows
  • Xbox
  • Xbox 360
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

87%
Audience ScoreBased on 3,374 reviews
story424 positive mentions
optimization32 negative mentions
  • The game has a genuinely creepy atmosphere that keeps players on edge throughout.
  • Melee combat is visceral and satisfying, allowing players to use a variety of improvised weapons.
  • The AI of enemies is surprisingly intelligent, often ambushing players and using the environment to their advantage.
  • The game suffers from significant performance issues on modern systems, requiring community patches to run smoothly.
  • The story becomes convoluted and less engaging towards the end, with a disappointing final boss.
  • Movement is slow and cumbersome, especially when navigating stairs and slopes, which can detract from the overall experience.
  • story1,118 mentions

    The story of "Condemned: Criminal Origins" is a mixed bag, with many players finding it engaging and atmospheric, particularly in its early stages as it follows FBI agent Ethan Thomas on a quest to clear his name while tracking a serial killer. However, numerous reviews highlight that the narrative tends to lose coherence and becomes increasingly convoluted towards the end, with supernatural elements that some found unnecessary or poorly executed. Overall, while the story captivates many with its dark themes and twists, it also suffers from plot holes and a lack of resolution, leaving some players feeling underwhelmed by the conclusion.

    • “The story itself is very interesting as you are relentlessly trying to track this killer down all while trying to clear your own name.”
    • “The story, setting, and atmosphere are satisfyingly bleak, and the combat is, in my opinion, the best in the survival horror genre, perhaps second only to Resident Evil.”
    • “The story is genuinely excellent and I love the unnerving atmosphere created throughout the game.”
    • “My main gripe about the game is that the story seems to go off the rails towards the end.”
    • “The lighting engine is a mess, hit detection is awful, the detective moments are extremely linear and awkward and the story is a silly mess.”
    • “The story is weak, characters are very generic, and at the end I didn't really get who I was fighting and why... but I also didn't care much, at that point.”
  • atmosphere718 mentions

    The atmosphere in "Condemned: Criminal Origins" is widely praised for its thick, oppressive, and immersive qualities, effectively creating a sense of dread and tension throughout the game. Reviewers highlight the game's exceptional sound design, lighting, and environmental details that contribute to a genuinely creepy experience, often comparing it favorably to other horror titles. Despite some criticisms regarding gameplay mechanics and story, the overall consensus is that the atmosphere is the game's standout feature, making it a must-play for fans of horror.

    • “The atmosphere was fantastic.”
    • “Just atmosphere so thick you can cut it with a knife.”
    • “The game goes above and beyond to build its atmosphere and there's a lot of neat little additions here that truly elevate the entire experience.”
    • “The atmosphere is thick and oppressive, you can hear sounds all around you that make you wonder if a bad guy is coming up to get you (most of the time they are) and the gritty detective story is balanced quite well between the supernatural elements in the plot.”
    • “The atmosphere gives anxiety for sure but the combat system becomes too repetitive after a while.”
    • “The atmosphere of this game is very chilling and dark that makes you paranoid as you watch your back throughout the game.”
  • gameplay664 mentions

    The gameplay of "Condemned: Criminal Origins" is primarily focused on melee combat, with players navigating through linear levels while engaging in visceral encounters against various enemies. While the combat mechanics can feel clunky and repetitive, they are complemented by a tense atmosphere and unique investigative elements, although some players find the pacing and simplicity of the gameplay to detract from the overall experience. Despite its age and technical issues, many reviewers appreciate the game's engaging mechanics and horror elements, making it a notable title in the survival horror genre.

    • “Even though Condemned: Criminal Origins is not a perfect game, it knows how to be fun and scary very well, and thanks to its gameplay, it has become a special experience.”
    • “Absolutely phenomenal gameplay, audio, and enemy design that delivers an extremely tense experience.”
    • “The gameplay is really upfront and visceral: melee your way, grabbing every weapon you can hold while beating up the filth of the city and following a mysterious trail that gets crazier with each passing hour.”
    • “The gameplay can become monotonous.”
    • “The gameplay itself is quite literally just walking, solving a dumb 'puzzle' that is usually just getting a specific weapon by walking even more, and sometimes pointing a stupid tool at photos and dumb stuff like that.”
    • “The story is weak and the gameplay is repetitive and dull.”
  • graphics450 mentions

    The graphics of "Condemned: Criminal Origins" are widely regarded as dated, reflecting its 2006 release, with many players noting that while the environments and lighting contribute to a compelling atmosphere, character models and textures often appear low-resolution and janky. Despite these shortcomings, some players appreciate how the older graphics enhance the horror experience, creating a gritty and unsettling aesthetic that aligns with the game's themes. However, numerous reports of bugs and performance issues, particularly on modern hardware, suggest that a remaster could significantly improve the overall experience.

    • “Even all these years later it still sticks out in my mind because of the eerie atmosphere and jump in graphics compared to PS2 era stuff, especially the lighting and motion capture.”
    • “Despite being old, the graphics hold up very well, and I think the crust adds to the scare factor similar to that of Cry of Fear's graphics.”
    • “The graphics are also great for a game from 2006, and are still nice to look at today.”
    • “The graphics are, let’s face it, terrible.”
    • “The game is not scary in the slightest, the graphics are an eyesore in the worst way, the movement is clunky and feels awful to just walk in general (and guess what you'll be doing the whole game), and the story is enough to make you sleep.”
    • “The graphics aged terribly and the port has a lot of bugs and issues, like framerates getting stuck below 30fps, missing audio, etc. all can be fixed by an externally downloadable patch, which you can find by googling it, but, retroactively, I'd say it is more trouble than the title is actually worth.”
  • music118 mentions

    The music in the game is generally praised for its ability to enhance the atmosphere, with many reviewers noting its effectiveness in creating a sense of unease and horror. While the soundtrack is often minimalistic and ambient, contributing to the game's tension, some players found certain music choices odd or jarring, particularly in menu screens. Overall, the sound design and music quality are highlighted as strong points, despite some criticisms regarding voice acting and occasional audio glitches.

    • “The soundtrack is spot on and hard to describe with how good it is as it fills each level and event with just the right feeling of unease.”
    • “Condemned gives you an awesome experience with the ambiance, music and especially the environments that are primarily slums.”
    • “The music and atmosphere is very terrifying and scary and I have never been more scared of abandoned buildings, malls, houses and tunnels but after playing this game they left a huge impression on me.”
    • “The voice acting is subpar, there is little to no music, and the sound design isn't very good.”
    • “A very thrilling moment, with just one problem: there was no music and hardly any sound effects for this section.”
    • “The PC version (at least on Steam) has a lot of sound issues where various effects and music are either missing or so low that they can barely be heard.”
  • optimization78 mentions

    The game's optimization is widely criticized, with many players experiencing severe performance issues such as low frame rates, stuttering, and graphical glitches, even on high-end PCs. Users often recommend installing mods or patches to improve performance, as the vanilla version is deemed largely unplayable. Despite some players managing to run the game smoothly with tweaks, the overall consensus is that it suffers from significant optimization problems that detract from the gaming experience.

    • “Go use this guide from the amazing thirteenag because he gives you files that will fix optimization, graphical issues, missing audio, etc. Also, turn VSync on; if not, it causes an issue where you won't be able to walk up stairs.”
    • “One more thing: despite this game being old, it can still be laggy and difficult to run if you have a low-end PC, unless you go into the 'performance' settings found in the 'options' menu and turn down certain settings in both the 'detail' and 'graphics' sections, such as effect detail and texture filtering.”
    • “This title needs a few simple tweaks to fix low performance on modern hardware and some graphics glitches (if present).”
    • “Ok, so I have a pretty monster PC for specs, but for some reason when I first started this game, I immediately noticed the game ran way below 30 fps and constant stuttering, which made it unplayable.”
    • “There are also massive performance issues that you need to install a mod to fix.”
    • “Condemned: Criminal Origins is a staple of the horror gaming genre, a well-crafted bloodied gem of the first-person survival horror thrashers... but this optimization is absolutely awful.”
  • stability68 mentions

    The game's stability is a mixed bag, with many users reporting various bugs and glitches, particularly on the PC version, which can hinder gameplay and require troubleshooting. While some players experienced no major crashes or freezing, others faced significant issues like black screens, audio problems, and unresponsive mechanics. Overall, the game runs well for some, but it is clear that it needs optimization and a remaster to address its aging engine and persistent bugs.

    • “Such a great game, brings back a lot of memories and still runs great on Windows 10.”
    • “Runs great on Windows 10 for me.”
    • “But the game played well, no glitches or issues.”
    • “That being said, this game is in desperate need of a remaster, not even a remake. I love the graphics, but it's glitchy and buggy at times.”
    • “If you can get this game to work (the PC port is a buggy mess), then you are in for a treat.”
    • “Very buggy, crashed the first three times I tried to launch.”
  • humor46 mentions

    The humor in the game is often described as unintentionally hilarious, with players finding amusement in the absurdity of ragdoll physics, awkward animations, and nonsensical dialogue. Many reviews highlight moments where the game's serious tone contrasts with its comedic elements, creating a unique blend of terror and laughter. Overall, the humor adds an enjoyable layer to the gameplay, making it a memorable experience despite its flaws.

    • “I had a shovel and an enemy was climbing up a ladder, I smacked the life out of them and I just went 'What did you learn?' and we both busted up laughing because of the stupid look of the corpse just splayed out like you just hit them with a semi-truck.”
    • “The dialogue is hilarious; everyone is incredibly calm for what's happening in the story.”
    • “This game is unintentionally hilarious and weird at times while it tries to maintain a scary atmosphere. Although it did give me a good scare at times, I laughed due to the accidental animations and ragdolls.”
  • grinding42 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for its tediousness, with players noting slow movement speeds, repetitive investigation segments, and frustrating backtracking for weapons. Many find the gameplay experience marred by the need to constantly manage stamina and navigate cumbersome environments, leading to a sense of monotony and frustration. Overall, while some enjoy the nostalgic elements, the grinding mechanics detract significantly from the overall enjoyment.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “Possibly the most tedious thing about this game is how often it interrupts you to perform 'investigations' which involve pressing a button when your screen flashes to bring up the required tool (which the game selects for you) then just looking around until you see a highlighted footprint or splotch or map you need to take a picture of/scan.”
    • “The combat seems fun at first but quickly becomes tedious and boring.”
    • “It's unique but this is a tedious and boring game that earns way more praise than it deserves.”
  • replayability24 mentions

    Overall, the game's replayability is mixed, with some players appreciating the engaging combat and atmospheric design that encourage multiple playthroughs, while others criticize its linear structure, slow pacing, and lack of significant changes in subsequent runs. Many reviewers noted that despite some elements that could enhance replay value, such as collectibles and inventive enemy AI, the overall experience feels limited, leading to a consensus that it offers little incentive for repeated play.

    • “Story was captivating, combat was responsive and held great replay value thanks to the inventive enemy AI.”
    • “Good FPS melee combat system and lots of replayability.”
    • “6/10 and fully replayable.”
    • “There is not much replay value here and while there are collectibles, I never felt compelled to specifically locate them.”
    • “My only real complaint is that it has little to no replay value since nothing changes, cutscenes are slow and not skippable, and the game is very slow-paced; something most people will tolerate the first time they play it but not during a second playthrough.”
    • “For a game without much replay value (it's essentially a corridor with cutscenes), that's not very long.”
  • emotional6 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is described as deeply compelling, with its morally depraved themes enhancing the overall experience, despite its flaws. Players report feeling a significant sense of unease, reminiscent of classic horror, while also appreciating the unique detective tools that evoke a sense of empowerment akin to Batman. However, some players feel that the game ultimately falls short of their expectations.

    • “It's been a while since I experienced a piece of art where pretty much every flaw just ended up making it more compelling to me specifically... super uncritically morally depraved in a way that perfectly reinforces the hyper-draining aesthetic, emotional, and mechanical experience.”
    • “No horror game has made me feel so uneasy in quite some time.”
  • monetization6 mentions

    Reviewers express nostalgia for a time when game development was less influenced by monetization strategies like microtransactions and free-to-play models, allowing developers to focus on creating engaging and enjoyable gameplay experiences. The emphasis on crafting quality games without financial interference is highlighted as a key factor in enhancing the overall atmosphere and tension in gameplay.

    • “It's amazing what the developers could pump out back then when there was less interference about experimenting, fewer microtransactions, no free-to-play, and they just wanted to make good, fun games.”
  • character development6 mentions

    Character development in the game is praised for its strong story progression and unsettling character designs, particularly as the narrative delves into supernatural themes. The combination of engaging mechanics and atmospheric music further enhances the overall experience, contributing to a compelling character-driven story.

    • “The story is suspenseful, and once the game begins dipping into supernatural territory, the character designs get pretty unsettling.”
    • “That's some good character design and fighting style right there.”
    • “Pretty good game with good mechanics, story progression, character design, and atmospheric music.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Buy Condemned: Criminal Origins

Play time

7hMedian play time
6hAverage play time
7hMain story
13hCompletionist
6-8hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 20 analyzed playthroughs

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