Gamers weaned on the grotesque thrills of Resident Evil and Silent Hill may have developed a strong stomach over the years, but Segas savage Condemned: Criminal Origins still packs quite a punch.
Starring an FBI agent framed for murder, Condemned thrusts players into a range of shadowy locations including urban slums, abandoned warehouses and ruined shopping malls as they search for the real killer, using whatever items come to hand as makeshift weapons. Cornered by a gang of tramps in a changing room? Just rip a locker door from its hinges and start swinging.
Trapped in a classroom by a pistol-wielding thug? Then rip the blade from a paper guillotine and cut him a new arsehole. And with barbarous finishing moves where you can headbutt stunned enemies to death and see the fear in their eyes as you move in for the kill this is an experience that will live with you long after youve switched off your console.
The demonic action and gloomy locations tend repeat themselves after a few hours, making you wish for a few more puzzles to punctuate the hard-core combat, but Condemned is still one of the most atmospheric and memorable games on Microsofts new machine.