Sega and Monolith appear to be going above and beyond expectations with the harrowing first-person action sequel, Condemned 2: Bloodshot, due to arrive next month on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. We recently went hands-on with a near-finished build, leaving several hobos and "goop monsters" suffering as we swung our fists.

The game puts you back in the shoes of former lawman Ethan Thomas. He spends a lot of his days consuming alcohol and pills, trying to forget the events that unfolded in the original Condemned. A fight in a local tavern leaves him on the dark, empty streets, where demonic forces surround him yet again for reasons unknown. The story becomes clear a few levels in, but Sega gave us strict instructions not to spoil them. We can tell you this; fans of the original Condemned will love Bloodshot's surprises.

This opening scenario leads to a tutorial, which explains the simple yet strong fighting controls. The left trigger controls your left fist, and the right one moves your right. You can hold them together to block incoming attacks and tap them accordingly to execute vicious combos. A parry system leaves your opponent dazed and wide open for attack. Along the course of the first stage (in which you go looking for a recognizable face from Condemned, Malcolm Van Horn), you'll also pick up various weapons, such as gas pipes, electrical conduits and other tools of the trade. Best of all, you can grab a dazed enemy and slam them into a number of objects, such as a television or a washing machine to finish them off. (These objects show up as solid white skulls, and there are several to pick from.)

Handguns aren't introduced until the second level, when Ethan acquires a rifle from a cautious police officer escorting him to a hideout. Still, Monolith has done a splendid job implementing weapons like these into the game. You're only given a certain number of bullets, although more ammunition is accessible in storage lockers over the course of the level. What's really cool, though, is when you go into zoom-in mode with the left trigger. Ethan looks down the crosshairs of his gun to get a closer view, but it shakes back and forth, rather than staying motionless. It's really a cool effect, giving you an idea of Ethan's descent into madness.

In addition, Ethan receives clues from a strange masked figure over the course of the level, but there's a trick involved in getting them. See, this freak talks to you through TVs and radios, and the reception isn't the greatest. You have to twist an antenna around with the right analog stick to get solid reception, and it doesn't always stay in one spot. It's an interesting addition to the game that works well.

In terms of graphics, Bloodshot looks insanely cool. The atmosphere draws you in, inviting yet haunting in its appearance. At one point, you'll find yourself in the creepy underbelly of a mental facility, with the walls lined with solid black goop – resembling the creepy chambers in the Aliens movies. Furthermore, the game moves at thirty frames per second and pays striking attention to detail, particularly on lighting and particular enemies. They jump around and swing their fists and legs realistically, coming at you with incredible relentlessness. The "ceiling zombies", in particular, are a real creep-out, grabbing you out of nowhere and staring at you with blackened eyes. Lastly, big props go to Monolith for also nailing above-average dialogue and skin-crawling sound effects.

We haven't play around with the game's multiplayer component or Bloodshot Fight Club, a place where you can pretty much beat up as many bums as you'd like. However, the single player missions are deep and satisfying – especially if you play them in the dark. We'll be back with a review upon the game's release in March and let you know if it's worth condemning yourself to.

Related Links
Condemned 2: Bloodshot Game Guide

Sega