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Condemned - Criminal Origins - Weapons and Enemies Guide
Document Started: June 25, 2007
Last Updated: March 18, 2007
by Alan Chan (joylock @ hotmail.com)
The Usual:
This document is mine. Please don't rip it off or take credit for it. That
being said, feel free to post it on any site you want, provided you a)
don't make any changes to it, and b) don't charge money for it. You
don't even have to get my permission to post it (as long as it remains
unaltered), but it would be nice if you emailed me and let me know
(joylock @ hotmail.com).
Version History:
*******************************************************************************
* *
*1.0: Initial Release *
* *
*1.1: Minor update: grammer corrections, handrail weapon info updated *
* *
*1.2: Minor reformat for easier reading *
* *
*1.3: Slightly recalculated weapon stats based on official stats *
* Minor corrections to enemy strategies (i.e. Dark Watchers/final boss) *
* *
*******************************************************************************
The latest version of this FAQ can be found at www.gamefaqs.com.
WRITE-IN CONTRIBUTIONS:
Teleedude wrote:
Hi,
I was looking at your Weapons/Enemies FAQ for Condemned on GameFAQs, and I'd
like to point out that you don't get the handrail just once in the game - I
found two of them in the bathrooms in St. Joseph's School.
Just thought I'd point that out,
Teleedude
Agent JR wrote:
Just thought you should know, you can actually find the handrailoutside of that
one train car scene. In the bathrooms of the school Imanaged to find at least
two. There may be more, but my copy decidedto erase all my saves and I need to
start from the beginning again. Cheers!-Agent JR
ski4life615 wrote:
Hi my gamefaqs user name is ski4life615 and i want to say that your faaq has
been very helpful but a tip that would be helpful to add is when telling the
location of the Desk Drawer weapon in the boards section of the weapons you
say that you only found one in the area where you are with rosa and you get
attacked by to addicts. I found atleast 6 Desk Drawers between meeting up
with rosa and her being kidnapped, both in desks and on floors.
Beatrixgamer wrote:
The Desk Drawer weapon is also found in Level 3, so they're not exclusively on
level 7. Inside the office where the bird was on the TV. It's from the other
desk in the room.
jmkfour wrote:
i noticed with the weapons in this game that by holding a direction key and
attack, the weapon swings a different way. weapons that are not entry tools
when pressing left and attack makes the character swing from the left, while
pressing attack and back causes the swing to be downward. with entry tools
the left and attack makes a quick jab instead and the back attack also causes
and overhear strike. just something i wanted to say
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
- GAME MECHANICS
- COMBAT TIPS
- WEAPONS
- MELEE WEAPONS
- FIREARMS
- OTHER ATTACKS
- ENEMIES
- NORMAL ENEMIES
- FREAK ENEMIES
- BOSSES
*****************
*GAME MECHANICS:*
*******************************************************************************
- On easy difficulty, enemies do reduced damage.
On normal difficulty, enemies do normal damage.
On hard difficulty, enemies still do normal damage, but have better
aim, making them more likely to strike you in the head and thus do
increased damage.
- Hits to the head appear to do twice as much damage as normal. You
can hit an enemy in the head with melee weapons as well as
firearms. Enemies also appear to do double damage when they
strike you in the head.
- On normal difficulty, your character can survive about twice as much
damage as a regular enemy. E.G. you can take about 12-13 hits from
a 2x4 Bolts, or about 8 hits from a small pipe.
- Health kits restore 50% of your total health. They are relatively
common throughout the game, so you usually won't have to worry
about running low on health when you're not in the middle of a big
fight.
- Although your character can run, you have limited stamina and
thus can only run for a limited period of time. You can run for about
7 seconds, after which it will take 20 seconds for your stamina bar
to recover completely.
**************
*COMBAT TIPS:*
*******************************************************************************
- Always keep moving, even when fighting an enemy in melee combat. In
Condemned, you don't have to just stand in front of your foe and
go toe-to-toe with him. Your character is manueverable enough to
move in and out to strike at foes whiling dodging their attacks. Your
best strategy in combat is to move in, hit an enemy, then back away
before they can swing back at you.
- Immediately after striking an enemy, back away and always hit the
block button. Enemies will often strike back at you as soon as you hit
them (especially if they manage to block your swing), so if you get
into the habit of automatically blocking after every swing, you'll
end up parrying enemy attacks that would have otherwise hit you.
- Blocking enemy attacks not only protects you from harm, but will also
briefly stun an enemy, leaving them open for a counterattack. Whenever
you successfully block an enemy's strike, move in quickly and hit them
back before they can recover and continue their assault.
- Enemies armed with firearms are best dealt with using the taser. Zap
them to prevent them from attacking you, then strip them of their weapon
and use it against them.
- When dealing with multiple enemies, use the taser to stun one of them,
giving you time to concentrate on your remaining foes while the stunned
enemy staggers from the taser jolt.
- When an enemy is performing a "movement action" (i.e. climbing through a
window, or jumping over a fence) a single strike will kill them instantly.
**********
*Weapons:*
*******************************************************************************
****************
*MELEE WEAPONS:*
****************
- Melee weapons are the bread and butter of Condemned's combat
engine. You can grab a variety of improvised weapons from the
environment to bash enemies with, ranging from 2x4s to pipes to fire
axes. All melee weapons in Condemned have 4 attributes: Damage,
Speed, Block, and Reach.
- DAMAGE indicates how powerful a hit from the weapon is. A
weapon with a damage value of 1 (i.e. the Mannequin Arm or 2x4
Burnt) takes about 7 to 8 hits to kill a normal enemy. A weapon with
a damage value of 5 (i.e. a Gas Pipe) takes about 4 to 6 hits to kill a
normal enemy. A weapon with a damage value of 10 (i.e. a Fire Axe)
generally kills enemies in 1 or 2 hits.
- SPEED, straightforwardly, indicates how fast you can swing a
weapon, as well as how long a delay there is between swings. A
weapon with a high speed swings quickly, and also can be swung
several times in a short period. A weapon with a low speed swings
slowly, with a second's delay between when you press the fire button
and when you actually swing the weapon. A low speed weapon also
has a delay between swings.
- BLOCK indicates how well the weapon can be used to block enemy
melee attacks. A weapon's ability to block attacks is highly correlated
with its speed. Fast weapons can block quickly and reliably, while
slow weapons respond slowly and can therefore be difficult to block
attacks with.
- REACH indicates the range of the weapon. The further the range,
the further away you can be from an enemy and still hit them.
- I've also indicated each weapon's frequency, or how often it appears
in the game. Some weapons are level specific (only showing up in
one or two specific levels) or unique (only 1 appears in the entire
game).
NOTE: The stat values given in this FAQ are on a scale of 1 to 10, 1
being the worst and 10 being the best. These values are not
absolute, but rather relative to the game's other melee weapons. For
example, a weapon with a damage value of 6 does more damage
than one with a value of 5, but that doesn't necessarily mean it does
exactly 10% more damage.
NOTE: If you're interested in the real stats of all the game's weapons,
IGN Guides has a table showing them. You can find it at:
http://guides.ign.com/guides/728997/page_3.html
=======
=2x4s:=
===============================================================================
2x4s are basically long, rectangular wooden clubs. They've got
decent reach and are some of the fastest weapons in the game, but
at the cost of also doing the least damage (with the exception of 2x4
fire). Due to their low damage rating, I generally prefer to use pipes
rather than 2x4s, but if you really like quick weapons then 2x4s are
great for you.
2x4 Bolts:
Damage: 2
Speed: 9
Block: 8
Reach: 6
Frequency: Very Common
2x4 bolts is one of the most common weapons in the game, along
with the small pipe. You'll find 2x4s laying all over each of the game's
levels, and many enemies carry them as well. 2x4s are very fast, but
unfortunately they do very little damage. If you really like speed over
power, they're decent weapons, but otherwise I generally
recommend using pipes instead.
2x4 Nails:
Damage: 3
Speed: 9
Block: 8
Reach: 6
Frequency: Common
2x4 nails is virtually identical to 2x4 bolts, except it does slightly more
damage. If you can find 2x4 nails, there's no reason to use 2x4 bolts.
2x4 nails is slightly less common than 2x4 bolts, but you should still
be able to find some laying around the environment or dropped by
enemies.
2x4 Burnt:
Damage: 1
Speed: 9.5
Block: 8
Reach: 6
Frequency: Level Specific
2x4 burnt is only found in two levels of the game, Level 7 and Level
10. It can be found towards the end of Level 7, in the burnt out
section of the library, and also is occasionally dropped by Crawlers in
Level 10. 2x4 burnt is slightly faster than 2x4 bolts or 2x4 nails, but at
the cost of doing less damage as well. In fact, 2x4 burnt does the
least damage out of all the game's weapons. I don't recommend it,
you really should fight with pipes or 2x4 fire instead.
2x4 Fire:
Damage: 7.5
Speed: 10
Block: 8
Reach: 6
Frequency: Level Specific
2x4 fire is found only in the game's very last level, Level 10, although
it's very common in that level. It's basically a flaming 2x4. Besides
serving as a melee weapon, the flames also provide a decent light
source. This is important, because you won't have a flashlight in the
last level.
2x4 fire is one of the best weapons in the game. Besides being one of
the game's fastest weapons, it also does lots of damage (the only
2x4 that does), and even has decent reach. It should be your
preferred weapon in Level 10.
========
=REBAR:=
===============================================================================
Rebar are ridged sticks of metal used to reinforce concrete. Rebar is
fast and does more damage than 2x4s, but also has rather short
reach. I'm really not a big fan of rebar, and generally don't
recommend it; certain pipes and even boards are actually just as fast
and damaging as rebar, but with much better reach.
Rebar Bent:
Damage: 4
Speed: 8
Block: 6
Reach: 2
Frequency: Common
Rebar bent is the most common form of rebar, although it's actually
somewhat rarer than 2x4s or small pipes. Enemies occasionally
carry rebar bent, and you can also pull it out of cracks in concrete
walls. Rebar bent is fast (although not quite as fast as a 2x4), and
does average damage. Unfortunately, rebar bent is also very short,
giving it a significantly reduced reach. Due to it's short reach and
average damage, I really don't recommend it. I prefer pipes, or 2x4s
if you want a fast weapon.
In fact, certain pipes, such as conduits or the gas pipe, are superior
to rebar bent in every way, so if you can find a conduit or gas pipe,
there's no reason at all to use rebar bent.
Rebar:
Damage: 4
Speed: 8
Block: 6
Reach: 4
Frequency: Rare
Rebar is similar to rebar bent, except it's straight instead of bent
(duh). As a result, it's longer and has somewhat better reach,
although still not as long as a 2x4 or pipe. Normal rebar is probably
the most balanced type of rebar, but it's still not quite as good as a
pipe (rebar falls about halfway between 2x4s and pipes).
Rebar is actually quite rare; it's used to prop open garbage
dumpsters, you can occasionally find it stacked on metal shelves,
and enemies may drop it once or twice in the game. The only times I
remember specifically finding rebar are at the beginning of Level 2
(used to prop open the dumpster next to the cans of developer fluid),
near the beginning of Level 8 (stacked on a metal shelf), and in the
middle of Level 8 (used to prop open the dumpsters in the outdoor
playground area).
A conduit does the exact same amount of damage as rebar, but has
better speed and reach. A gas pipe is also superior to rebar in every
way, except it's slightly (and only slightly) slower. If you can find a
conduit or gas pipe (and they're pretty common), there's no reason to
use rebar at all.
Rebar Concrete:
Damage: 9
Speed: 3.5
Block: 1
Reach: 2
Frequency: Uncommon
A piece of rebar with a huge chunk of concrete attached to the end,
rebar concrete is one of the most damaging weapons in the entire
game, second only to the sledgehammer and fire axe. In fact,
enemies carrying rebar concrete can kill you in just 3 or 4 hits,
making it one of the game's most dangerous weapons.
Unfortunately, it's also rather slow (although not as slow as an entry
tool), and also has ridiculously poor blocking ability and reach. I don't
really recommend it, due to its slow speed and poor ability to block
enemy attacks. I suppose it's alright if you use hit-and-run tactics and
don't try to go toe-to-toe with an enemy.
A paper cutter does the exact same amount of damage as rebar
concrete, but has a much longer reach and somewhat better speed.
If you can find a papercutter, I recommend using that instead of
rebar concrete.
=========
=BOARDS:=
===============================================================================
Boards are large, flat pieces of wood or metal than you can swing
around with 2 hands. Their stats actually vary quite a bit depending
on what type of board you're using, although generally they tend to
have long reach and average-ness in all other stats. Unfortunately,
boards are big and tend to block off a good portion of the screen.
They also block the entire screen when you try to block with them,
making it impossible to see what your enemy is doing. Because of
this fatal flaw, I really don't recommend using them.
Sign:
Damage: 5
Speed: 6.5
Block: 6
Reach: 8.5
Frequency: Level Specific
These metal subway signs are found exclusively on Level 3, the
subway platform. Several enemies carry them, and you can probably
also pull them off the walls as well. Signs are actually one of the
better boards; they have long reach and decent speed and damage,
but also have the major disadvantage of blocking your entire view
whenever you try to block with it. Because of this flaw, I generally
don't recommend it as a weapon.
Desktop:
Damage: 4
Speed: 6.5
Block: 8
Reach: 4
Frequency: Level Specific
A rectangular wooden desktop from a high school student's desk-
chair. You can find these in Level 8, the School, where you can rip
them from desk-chairs or taken them from enemies. The desktop has
above-average speed, but has below average damage and reach. A
pipe would be much preferable.
Desk Drawer:
Damage: 5
Speed: 4.5
Block: 3
Reach: 8
Frequency: Level Specific
I only remember finding one desk drawer in the entire game; near
the beginning of Level 7, the library, inside the first room Rosa tells
you to search (the one where things goes black & white and 2 ghost-
like trespassers attack you). A loose desk drawer can be found
laying on a collapsed filing cabinet near the door.
Apparently, you can also find a Desk Drawer in Level 3, the Subway
Platform. You can rip it out of one of the desks in the room with
the portable TV. You can also rip a few other Desk Drawers out of
various desks in Level 7, the library.
The desk drawer has long reach, poor blocking speed, and is strictly
average in all other areas. I recommend grabbing a papercutter instead;
you can find one on the desk right next to the desk drawer.
CONTRIBUTOR RECOGNITION:
Beatrixgamer and ski4life615 both wrote to me indicating the location
of other Desk Drawers.
Large Plank:
Damage: 5
Speed: 4.5
Block: 4
Reach: 9
Frequency: Uncommon
A large wooden plank, this can be found in Level 4, Level 9, and
Level 10 being carried by various enemies. The large plank is pretty
similar to the desk drawer; long reach, and average in all other
areas. Like the sign, it blocks the entire screen when you try to block
with it, preventing you from seeing what your enemies are doing. For
this reason, I recommend against using it.
Locker Door:
Damage: 6
Speed: 7
Block: 4
Reach: 9
Frequency: Level Specific
This yellow metal locker door is probably the "best" board available.
It has a long reach, and above-average stats in all other areas.
Unfortunately, like the other boards, it blocks your view when you try
to block with it. This is a pity, as the locker door is otherwise pretty
decent for pounding enemies with. Locker doors can be found in
Level 6 (the Alley) and Level 8 (the School).
========
=PIPES:=
===============================================================================
Pipes are probably the most well-rounded weapons in the game.
They're decent in all stats, and certain pipes (such as the gas pipe,
steam pipe, and conduit) even have high overall stats. Pipes are my
favorite category of weapons in the game, and I highly recommend
using them.
Conduit:
Damage: 4
Speed: 8.5
Block: 8
Reach: 6
Frequency: Common
This thin metal electrical conduit does slightly less damage than the
other pipes, but compensates with greatly increased speed. If you
like fast weapons, the conduit is probably one of the best; it's very
quick, yet still does decent damage and has above-average reach.
The conduit is one of my favorite weapons in the game, just below
the gas pipe. I highly recommend using it; they're reasonably
common, so you should find them fairly often.
Small Pipe:
Damage: 4.5
Speed: 6
Block: 7
Reach: 7
Frequency: Very Common
The small pipe is probably the "weakest" pipe, in terms of having the
lowest overall stats. At the same time, it's still a decent weapon, with
average stats in all categories. The small pipe is also one of the
game's most common weapons, along with the 2x4, as many
enemies carry it. Use it if you can't find a better weapon, like a
conduit or gas pipe.
Large Pipe:
Damage: 5
Speed: 5
Block: 6
Reach: 8
Frequency: Uncommon
The large pipe is a slower, more powerful version of the small pipe.
However, the difference is relatively small. The large pipe is also
somewhat uncommon. Overall, the large pipe is a good weapon, but
I'm not too fond of it. Use a gas pipe or a steam pipe instead if you
can find one, as they're both superior.
Gas Pipe:
Damage: 5
Speed: 7.5
Block: 9
Reach: 8
Frequency: Uncommon
The gas pipe is one of the better weapons in the game, as well as
one of the most well-rounded. It is superior in every way to the small
pipe or the large pipe, and better than the conduit or rebar in almost
every category except for the fact it's slightly slower (but still very
fast). Although it's less common than the small pipe, you can still find
a gas pipe in almost every level in the game. The gas pipe is one of
my favorite weapons in the game, I highly recommend using it
whenever you find one.
Steam Pipe:
Damage: 6
Speed: 5
Block: 9
Reach: 8
Frequency: Rare
The steam pipe is similar to the gas pipe, except it does somewhat
more damage at the cost of being slightly slower. The steam pipe is
also fairly rare, you'll only find it on a few occasions throughout the
game. I always recommend it over the small pipe or large pipe, but
you can use the gas pipe or conduit instead depending on
preference.
==============
=ENTRY TOOLS:=
===============================================================================
Besides serving as melee weapons, entry tools can also be used to
break open doors or locks. Condemned: Criminal Origins often
requires you to find an entry tool so you can break down a door and
proceed further into the level (they serve the same purpose as
colored keys do in other games). Generally, entry tools are powerful
weapons with long reach, but are also extremely slow and poor at
blocking attacks. On the plus side, the heavy, powerful swings of
entry tools have a chance of breaking through an enemy's block and
damaging them even if they successfully block your swing.
Shovel:
Damage: 7.5
Speed: 2
Block: 3
Reach: 10
Frequency: Rare
The shovel does good damage, but is also rather slow and unwieldy.
It is also notable for having the longest reach of all the game's
weapons, being slightly longer than other entry tools such as the
crowbar or fire axe. Shovels are used to break open electrically
locked gates.
Although strong, the shovel isn't overwhelmingly strong. Several
much faster weapons do the same amount of damage or even more,
including the stick, the 2x4 fire, the papercutter, and rebar concrete.
Overall, I don't really recommend the shovel as a melee weapon,
due to its slow speed and difficulty with blocking attacks. On the
other hand, if you use hit-and-run tactics instead of going toe-to-toe
with your enemies, this is less of a problem, and the shovel's high
power swing may be useful.
Crowbar:
Damage: 7.5
Speed: 3
Block: 3
Reach: 9.5
Frequency: Rare
Gordon Freeman is the crowbar messiah. You are not Gordon
Freeman. As a result, you swing the crowbar rather slowly, although
it does do good damage when it connects. The crowbar is slightly
faster than the shovel, but also slightly shorter as well (although it is
still longer than any other non-entry tool weapon in the game).
Crowbars are used to pry open safes or power boxes.
Again, although the crowbar is strong, several much faster weapons
actually do the same amount or more amount of damage; such as
the stick, the 2x4 fire, the papercutter, and rebar concrete.
Again, I really don't recommend the crowbar as a melee weapon. It's
faster than the other entry tools, but still slower than any other
weapon in the game. Again, if you use hit-and-run tactics and prefer
strong, slow weapons, you might feel otherwise.
Sledgehammer:
Damage: 9.5
Speed: 1
Block: 1
Reach: 9.5
Frequency: Uncommon
The sledgehammer does massive damage, being the second
strongest weapon in the game. However, it's also the slowest
weapon in the game as well. Sledgehammers are used to bash open
padlocks.
The sledgehammer is decent if you use hit-and-run tactics, but
because of the slow speed you'll get murdered if you try to go toe-to-
toe. I don't use it, but your playing style may vary. Notably, the fire
axe is superior in every way to the sledgehammer, so if you can find
a fire axe, go ahead and ditch the sledgehammer for it. One
advantage of the sledgehammer is its ability to break through
enemies' attempts to block, damaging them.
Fire Axe:
Damage: 10
Speed: 1.5
Block: 2
Reach: 9.5
Frequency: Uncommon
The fire axe is the most powerful melee weapon in the game, killing
most enemies in just a couple hits. Unfortunately, it's also very slow,
resulting in a slow swing, as well as making it very difficult to block
attacks with it. Fire axes are used to chop through locked wooden
doors.
The same general advice that applies to other entry tools also
applies to the fire axe. Its slow speed makes it poor for going toe-to-
toe with enemies, but its long reach and high damage make it a
decent weapon if you use hit-and-run tactics instead. Like the
sledgehammer, the fire axe will often break through an enemy's
block attempt and damage them.
================
=OTHER WEAPONS:=
===============================================================================
You can also find a few miscellaneous weapons that don't fit neatly
into any category.These weapons are generally level-specific objects
that only appear in a single level.
Mannequin Arm:
Damage: 1
Speed: 9.5
Block: 9
Reach: 3
Frequency: Level Specific
There's a mannequin arm lying in a trash can about halfway through
Level 2. Otherwise, the mannequin arm is only available in Level 5,
the Department Store. It's very common, you can pull an arm off any
mannequin in the store, and some of the living Mannequin enemies
you fight will also drop one as well. The mannequin arm is the 2nd fastest
weapon in the game; unfortunately, it's also the least damaging. It
also has a below-average reach as well.
One advantage of the mannequin arm is that it swings so quickly you
can actually score multiple hits on an opponent without them being
able to counter-attack. It's also fairly easy to block enemy attacks
with it, since its high speed allows you to react quickly. If you like
quick weapons, it's pretty good, but if you want something with a little
more punch, you'll probably want to try a clothes rack instead.
Clothes Rack:
Damage: 4.5
Speed: 8.5
Block: 4
Reach: 8.5
Frequency: Level Specific
The clothes rack is only available in Level 5, the Department Store.
It's reasonably common; you can pull one out of the various empty
clothing racks, and it's also often dropped by the Mannequin
enemies you fight in that level. The clothes rack is much like a pipe,
only somewhat faster than most pipes. It does average damage, and has
high speed and long reach. Overall, it's a good weapon, and I generally
recommend using it.
Handrail:
Damage: 5
Speed: 5
Block: 4
Reach: 9
Frequency: Level Specific
You get the handrail at the end of Level 3, just as you climb aboard
the subway train. The handrail automatically replaces whatever
weapon you were holding in your hand, and you can't switch away
from it until the end of the level. Surprisingly, you only use it to bash
a couple of addicts who tries to climb aboard the train with you.
Two handrails can also be found in Level 8, the School, inside the
boys and girls bathrooms on the second floor, near the beginning of
the level.
The handrail has average damage, speed, and block ability, but has
a VERY high reach; it's the third longest weapon in the game,
next to the shovel and the other entry tools. The handrail has
the exact same damage and speed rating as a large pipe, so you can
think of it as a very long pipe. I still prefer the gas pipe, however,
which is almost as long and has much better speed and blocking ability.
CONTRIBUTION NOTE:
Thanks to TeleeDude and Agent JR for telling me that you can find a
handrail in the School level.
Papercutter:
Damage: 9
Speed: 4
Block: 2
Reach: 8
Frequency: Level Specific
The papercutter is found in Level 7 and Level 8 (the Library and the
School). It's basically a 2-foot long papercutter blade, which you can
yank out of various papercutter machines laying on desks. It's
somewhat rare, but you can find 3 or 4 in each of the 2 levels where
it appears.
The papercutter does massive damage (as much as rebar concrete),
and also has a very long reach as well. On the downside, it's a little
slow, but it's still faster than an entry tool or rebar concrete. Overall, I
recommend using it on the levels where it's available, unless you
really prefer quick weapons.
Stick:
Damage: 7.5
Speed: 8.5
Block: 8
Reach: 5
Frequency: Level Specific
This foot-long metal fighting stick is wielded exclusively by the Dark
Creatures, and only appears in the last couple of levels in the game.
Since the Dark Creatures are the masterminds behind all the events
in the game, it's fitting that their weapon of choice is also one of the
game's best weapons. The stick does LOTS of damage (as much as
a crowbar or shovel), and is also wicked fast as well. The reach is a
little low (shorter than a pipe or 2x4, but longer than rebar), but still
fairly decent if you use hit-and-run tactics.
The stick is just barely inferior to the 2x4 fire (which does just as
much damage, yet is slightly faster and longer), but better than most
other weapons you can find in the last couple of levels. I recommend
using it, except when you can get your hands on 2x4 fire.
=================
=UNIQUE WEAPONS:=
===============================================================================
There are also a couple unique weapons, that only appear once in the
entire game.
Meat Cleaver:
Damage: 8
Speed: 10
Block: 10
Reach: 1
Frequency: Unique
The meat cleaver is the signature weapon of the huge, insane lunch
lady boss (the Butcher) in Level 8, the School. You get it from her
after you kill her, about halfway through the level. You need it to cut
loose a fire axe being held by a corpse, which you need to smash
through a wooden door to reach the school gym. If you want to use
the meat cleaver for the rest of the level, backtrack and pick it up
after you use the fire axe to smash down the door.
The meat cleaver does very heavy damage, and is also the fastest
weapon in the entire game. It's excellent for carving your way
through enemies, and its high speed makes it great for blocking
enemy attacks as well. The only downside of the meat cleaver is it
also has the shortest reach in the entire game, but this is
compensated for by its high speed and damage ratings. I
recommend using it, it's very useful against the many Crawlers that
will be coming at you later in the School area.
Poker:
Damage: 7
Speed: 7.5
Block: 6
Reach: 8
Frequency: Unique
You automatically get the poker after a cutscene near the end of
Level 9, just before your final battle with Serial Killer X. The only
purpose of the poker is for you to fight Serial Killer X with it. The
poker's actually a very good weapon, with high stats in every
category. Use it to smack down that annoying SKX, then move on to
the next level.
***********
*FIREARMS:*
***********
Although Condemned features assorted civilian or street-grade
firearms, they are relatively rare, as the game's primary focus is on
melee combat. Additionally, firearms cannot be reloaded, so any
individual firearm is limited to whatever bullets are inside the current
clip.
Firearms have 4 stats: DAMAGE, ACCURACY, and RANGE are all
straightforward enough. RATE indicates how fast the weapon can fire.
Firearms can also be used as melee weapons, either after they run
out of bullets or if you flip the weapon in your hand from ranged to
melee mode. Most firearms make terrible melee weapons, however,
being small and relatively slow. Additionally, firearms will be
damaged after a couple of hits, rendering them inoperable for
shooting. Several additional hits, and the firearm will shatter
completely.
Unfortunately, your enemies CAN reload their firearms (although
they don't always carry extra ammo). When dealing with an enemy
armed with a firearm, your best bet is to either stun them with your
taser then disarm them, or to take cover behind an object while they
empty their current clip, then attack them while they reload.
NOTE: Funnily enough, enemies can sometimes even reload dropped empty
firearms. So be careful where you drop that empty shotgun, because a
passing enemy might pick it up, reload it, and shoot you with it. If
you want to try reloading an empty firearm, try dropping it,
luring an enemy over to it, then tasering and disarming the enemy.
Empty-handed, they're likely to pick up the firearm, and may put
ammo in it.
.45 Cal
Damage: Average
Accuracy: Average
Range: Average
Rate: Above Average
Clip Size: 9
This M1911 Colt .45 semi-automatic pistol is the first weapon you
start with. It's also the most common firearm in the game, and can be
found at least a few times in most levels. Finally, the .45 pistol is also
the most average firearm in the game. It has good accuracy at
medium range, an average rate of fire, and decent stopping power.
It takes about 3 to 4 shots to the chest or 1 or 2 headshots to kill
most of the game's enemies (6 shots to kill stronger enemies such as
Sandhogs or Burned Ones). Headshots are a little tough to score in
this game, due to the slightly erratic movement of enemies, so you're
often better off aiming for the torso.
Due to the .45 pistol's relatively high clip size, you can kill 3 or 4
enemies with it (more if you're a headshot expert) before running out
of bullets. Afterwards, you should discard it immedietely, as the pistol
is completely useless as a melee weapon.
Revolver
Damage: Above Average
Accuracy: Below Average
Range: Above Average
Rate: Average
Clip Size: 6
A standard police-issue revolver, this weapon is less common than
the Colt .45 or pump shotgun, but you'll still find one or two on many
of the game's levels. The revolver is slightly less accurate than the
Colt .45, but also does more damage. 2 shots to the chest will kill
most enemies in the game, allowing you to kill about 3 enemies with
it before running out of ammo.
Because of the high power of the revolver bullets, and the relatively
low clip size, you're better off going for easy torso shots rather than
trying for headshots and risk that you'll waste the bullet by missing.
Like the Colt .45, the revolver is useless in melee combat, so discard
it for a melee weapon as soon as possible once you run out of
ammo.
Pump Shotgun
Damage: High
Accuracy: High
Range: Below Average
Rate: Low
Clip Size: 5
This is your standard First Person Shooter pump-action shotgun.
Does high damage at close range, but reduced damage at longer
range due to the spread of the shotgun pellets. The shotgun's power
is great, but not extreme; it often takes 2 shots to the chest to kill
most enemies, even at close range.
The shotgun is relatively common (along with the Colt .45, it's the
most common firearm in the game), and you'll find a few in almost all
of the game's levels, often wielded by your enemies against you.
The shotgun also actually makes a decent melee weapon, but since
it breaks after several swings, you'll want to replace it with a real
melee weapon as soon as possible after using all your shots.
Sawed Off
Damage: High
Accuracy: Above Average
Range: Low
Rate: Above Average
Clip Size: 2
A double-barreled shotgun with a sawed-off, shortened barrel to
make it more compact. Unlike most FPS double-barreled shotguns,
the barrels are stacked on top of each other instead of side by side
(using the more modern over/under configuration instead of the old-
school, wild west side-by-side configuration). The sawed off shotgun
has awesome power; one shot at close range will kill most enemies
in the game. Unfortunately, you only have 2 shots before running out
of ammo.
Due to the sawed off's low ammo capacity, there's not much point in
carrying it around, although it can be useful to quickly pick it up, blow
away an enemy or two, then discard it. Like the pump shotgun, the
sawed-off makes a decent melee weapon, but breaks after several
hits.
Submachine Gun
Damage: Average
Accuracy: Low
Range: Average
Rate: High
Clip Size: 20
A low-quality, TEC-9-style street-grade submachine gun. The
submachine gun actually doesn't show up until the game's later
levels. You'll probably first acquire one in Level 7, the Library. The
submachine gun actually does as much damage as the Colt .45, and
can kill most enemies with 3 or 4 bullets to the torso. It also has a
high rate of fire, but has relatively low accuracy, so you'll want to fire
at close range and aim for the center mass for best results. Since it
actually only takes a few bullets to kill most foes, you're better off
firing in short bursts rather than going full-auto.
The submachine gun has a rather high clip size of 20 bullets,
allowing you to kill several enemies with it before running out of
ammo. This makes it the longest lasting firearm in the game,
although you still will run out of bullets relatively quickly. Like the
pistols, the SMG is useless in melee combat, so don't try swinging it
around.
Rifle
Damage: Very High
Accuracy: Very High
Range: High
Rate: Below Average
Clip Size: 10
A high-powered, semi-automatic hunting rifle; this is the rarest
firearm in the game, as well as the most powerful. The rifle has
excellent accurate and awesome stopping power; 2 shots to the
chest will kill almost any enemy in the game (even the Dark
Watchers), and 3 shots will bring down a Burned One. Burned Ones
can also be killed with 2 rifle headshots. The rifle's high clip size of
10 rounds also allows you to kill several foes before running out of
ammo.
Unfortunately, the rifle is also extremely rare. There's one semi-
hidden in Level 8, the School, in a recessed are inside the outdoor
playground. You'll also find about 3 rifles in the game's last level,
Level 10. It's an awesome weapon, so use it on the rare occasions
when you find it.
****************
*OTHER ATTACKS:*
****************
Kick:
Besides swinging your melee weapon, you can also perform a quick
kick at any time by pressing the kick button. The kick can be used to
quickly dispatch weakened foes (i.e. those dropped to their knees
from damage or knocked out by the super taser), especially if you're
carrying a slow melee weapon or a firearm. The kick can also be
used in combination with you melee weapon, as it is slightly faster to
swing your weapon and then kick than to swing your weapon twice.
However, you really shouldn't rely too much on the kick in direct
combat. It's rather weak; it takes about 6 to 8 consecutive kicks to kill
most foes. The kick's speed is quite fast (you can kick instantly, with
no "wind up" time), but the repeat time is rather slow (your ability
to launch multiple kicks is slower than your ability to make
multiple swings of your melee weapon). You also cannot block while
kicking or immedietely after a kick attack.
Taser:
Like the kick, the taser is another weapon that is always available to
you. Press the taser button to fire a high-voltage electrical probe into
your enemies. The taser has excellent range, and can hit enemies
from a couple dozen feet away. The taser also has a slight auto-aim
feature, so you can nail enemies with it even when the crosshair isn't
entirely over them.
Being hit by the taser does slight damage, as well as causing an
enemy to freeze in place twitching for a few seconds. During this
time, you can disarm them by grabbing their weapon, or smack them
with your own melee weapon. Note that enemies will recover and
resume attacking you as soon as you hit them, so the taser isn't
some kind of one-shot-kill crutch. At best, all it does is give you one
free hit before you enemy starts counterattacking.
I recommend against disarming enemies, as they have a tendency to
leap on you with their berserker attack when unarmed. You should
use the taser to disarm firearm wielding enemies, though, since they
can shoot you even when you pummel them with a melee weapon.
The taser is also helpful when two or three enemies are attacking
you; stunning one of them will buy you time to deal with the others.
You have an infinite amount of taser shots, but it takes 10 seconds
for the taser's battery to recharge between shots.
Super Taser:
An upgraded taser you acquire near the beginning of Level 7, the
Library. The super taser delivers a much stronger jolt that does
heavy damage and also will actually cause an enemy to collapse to
the ground for several seconds. While they're on the ground, a single
hit from any weapon will kill them. Even if you don't bash them, the
shock from 2 consecutive jolts from the super taser will also kill most
enemies. The super taser is an awesome weapon, and its ability to
quickly dispatch enemies will make the last few levels of the game
much easier (although to compensate, you'll be facing more enemies
at once after you get it).
Berserk Attack:
This attack can only be used by your enemies. When an enemy is
without a weapon and you get too close to them, they will sometimes
attempt to leap on you and headbutt you to death. Once they latch
onto you, the only way to stop them from bashing you to death is to
shake them off by quickly shaking the controls (either the mouse or
the d-pad, depending on whether you're playing PC or console) left
and right. The worst part of the berserk attack is that enemies can
leap back onto you a second after you shake them off, and you'll
often be so disoriented from shaking your view around that you won't
be able to dodge or avoid them. If you do manage to shake off a
berserking foe, it's best to back away from them as quickly as
possible before they can leap on you again.
Ironically, the berserk attack actually makes unarmed enemies more
dangerous than enemies carrying weapons. To avoid it, it's best to
keep far away from unarmed enemies, and wait for them to pick up a
weapon before approaching.
**********
*ENEMIES:*
*******************************************************************************
- Enemy AI in Condemned isn't limited to charging at you and bashing you
in the head with a melee weapon. Enemies can also run off to ambush
you later; either by hiding around corners and jumping out when you
get close, or by taking an alternate route to circle around behind
you for a surprise attack.
- Enemies have relatively sophisticated melee combat behavior, and can
block attacks or counter-attack after being hit. They can also feign
feign an attack to get you to block at the wrong time, leaving you
open to a follow-up hit.
- Enemies with firearms can take cover behind objects and even fire
from behind cover (although in practice, they seldom do so).
- Enemies can use any weapon in the game that you can; they can also
grab weapons from the environment (such as ripping pipes out of the
wall), or pick up weapons that you've dropped.
=================
=NORMAL ENEMIES:=
===============================================================================
Most of your enemies in Condemned are normal humans who, due
to some unexplained phenomena, have been driven into insane,
bloodthirsty psychos. They have a disheveled appearance, crazy
eyes, and often make insane screams and groans, but otherwise
appear completely human. They fight with normal attacks, and their
behavior and tactics are more or less standard.
Addicts, Vagrants, and Trespassers will sometimes work together in
fighting you, although they also sometimes fight each other. They are
also usually hostile towards the more freakish/mutated enemies,
such as Rejects or Mannequins.
Addicts:
Appearance: Scarred fellow wearing dark leather jacket and pants.
Health: Below Average
Preferred Weapon: Varies
Addicts are the first enemies you face in the game; they're also one
of the most common enemies you'll be fighting, and you'll find
several of them in most of the game's levels. Addicts have slightly
less health than the other normal enemies (Vagrants and
Trespassers), but otherwise behave more or less the same. They
know all the basic enemy moves and tricks, and will use them all
against you.
Variants: In the sub-basement area near the end of in Level 2, a
female addict comes at you with a fire axe.
Vagrants:
Appearance: Unclean fellow wearing white shirt, blue denim jacket,
and jeans.
Health: Average
Preferred Weapon: Varies
Like Addicts, Vagrants are very common, and you'll face them often
in most of the game's levels. They first appear in the game's second
level. Vagrants are probably the most "basic" enemy type; they have
no particular strengths or weaknesses, and are average in all areas.
Like Addicts and Trespassers, they're pretty standard foes, but are
still dangerous since they know all the tricks.
Variants: Instead of wearing street clothes, several Vagrants wear
bulky green coats and have crazy beards. There's also one female
Vagrant in the game, at the end of Level 3, fighting with a couple of
Addicts using a subway sign.
Trespassers:
Appearance: Angry fellow wearing bulky brown coat and backpack,
either with crazy beard or a mask of bandages.
Health: Average to Above Average
Preferred Weapon: Varies
Like Addicts and Vagrants, Trespassers are a "basic" enemy type
that uses standard tactics and moves. They first appear in the
game's fourth level, and you'll face them fairly regularly in several of
the game's levels. Notably, Trespassers are very common in some of
the game's later levels, particularly the Library and the School.
Trespassers appear to be slightly tougher than Vagrants;
occasionally, you'll find that it takes one more melee hit or bullet to
kill them. Still, the difference is really not noticable. Trespassers also
appear to be more "militant" than Addicts or Vagrants; they seem
more likely to carry firearms (especially in the later levels), and are
also the only enemies seen using some of the more high-end
firearms such as the submachine gun or the sawed-off shotgun.
They also seem to work together in groups more than the other
psycho types.
Scavengers:
Appearance: Taller than average, chubby guy wearing a suit made of
garbage bags and used jars.
Health: Above Average
Preferred Weapon: Varies
These enemies wear suits made of garbage, and can be found in the
game's later levels. You'll fight several in Level 8, the School, as well
as Level 9, the Farm House. They carry a variety of weapons, but
have a tendency to be equipped with heavier weapons like shovels
or crowbars, especially on Level 9.
Scavengers are slightly larger and tougher than other normal
enemies, but the difference is not significant. It generally just takes
a couple more melee hits or one more bullet to kill them. Other than
their slightly higher than average health, Scavengers behave just like
any other normal enemy.
In Level 8, you'll often find them fighting against the Trespassers, but
in Level 9 they seem to work together with the other enemies
attacking you.
Farm Hands:
Appearance: Angry man wearing green farming overalls.
Health: Average
Preferred Weapon: Varies
Farm Hands are the last "normal" enemy type you'll encounter. They
show up in the game's last couple of levels, Level 9 and Level 10,
inside the Apple Orchard farm.
In Level 9, Farm Hands will assault the farm house along with
Addicts and Scavengers after you've revealed Serial Killer X's secret
lair. They fight with the same moves and attacks as all other normal
enemies, and appear to be of average durability.
Towards the end of Level 10, you'll encounter a pair of Farm Hands
equipped with rifles. These guys can be deadly, especially since you
no longer have a taser to disable them at long range. Fortunately,
there's a rifle inside a horse trailer nearby, which you can grab to
snipe them with.
================
=FREAK ENEMIES:=
===============================================================================
Some of the enemies you encounter in Condemned, although once
human, are clearly transforming into... something else. Hideous and
deformed in a variety of ways, these enemies often have unique
behaviors that distinguish them from the "normal" enemies you
encounter in the game. They are often hostile towards the more
human psychos whom they share territory with.
Freaks are often unique to a single level, and will only be encountered
on one level of the entire game.
Rejects:
Appearance: Anorexic, green-skinned fellow with white eyes,
wearing torn white shirt. Looks a lot like an Evil Dead Deadite.
Health: Low
Preferred Weapon: Small Pipe
Rejects are the first "abnormal" enemy type that you'll encounter.
They first appear in Level 4, the Subway Tunnels, and they can also
be found in the flooded basement area of Level 5, the Department
Store. These slimy and ghoulish enemies are usually equipped with
small pipes or 2x4s, although like any other enemy they can grab
any weapon laying around. Rejects are never equipped with
firearms, although they can acquire firearms from the environment.
Rejects are unnaturally thin, and also have greenish skin and pupil-
less eyes. They also often crawl around on all fours, instead of
walking upright. They can still harm you while crawling around,
however, as they will strike at your legs with their melee weapon.
Rejects can also get up on two legs and fight you normally. They
make zombie-like moaning sounds and attack with jerky, floppy
movements, but otherwise use the standard attacks and moves used
by all the game's other enemies.
Rejects are somewhat faster than "normal" enemies such as
Vagrants or Addicts, but they also have less health. Often, simply
being zapped with the taser or kicked in the face is enough to kill a
Reject outright, especially if they're crawling around on the ground.
Some Rejects can survive a few hits before dying, but are still
noticeably less durable than a Vagrant or Trespasser.
Variants: Several female Rejects are encountered in the game.
These attack normally instead of crawling around, although they still
appear slightly faster than normal. They also require multiple strikes
to kill, although they still have somewhat less health than average.
Sandhogs:
Appearance: 6.5-foot tall, muscular guy wearing fireman coat and
respirator.
Health: High
Preferred Weapon: Sledgehammer
Larger and tougher than normal enemies, Sandhogs appear
exclusively in Level 4, the Subway Tunnels. These large, muscular,
and psychotic firemen have twice as much health as normal
enemies, and can take quite a beating before going down. They also
tend to carry heavy weapons; most carry sledgehammers, and
others are equipped with items such as shovels or large planks.
Although they are never equipped with firearms, they can sometimes
steal a pistol or shotgun from a fallen enemy.
They seem to be slightly slower than other enemies, but not
significantly so. However, their tendency to use heavy weapons does
mean that their swings are slow and fairly easy to see coming. It's
pretty simple to wait for them to swing, dash in and hit them, then
dash out again before they can counterattack. The ones equipped
with sledgehammers tend to swing twice before pausing, so keep
that in mind. Their slow attacks are also fairly easy to block if you
have a weapon with decent speed. Just be cautious, since their
attacks do lots of damage.
Sandhogs are incredibly hostile towards all other enemy types, and
you occasionally find them battling Rejects or Vagrants/Trespassers
as well.
There are 7 Sandhogs in the game, 4 of them armed with
sledgehammers.
Mannequins:
Appearance: Living mannequins with plastic-like skin, wearing blue
suits.
Health: Average
Preferred Weapon: Varies
Mannequins are found exclusively in Level 5, the Department Store.
They have plastic-like skin and wear the same white shirts and blue
suits as the store's real mannequins, allowing them to blend in amongst
the dummies. Their plastic skin falls off as you hit them, revealing the
mutilated, skin-less visages underneath.
Mannequin behavior is quite unique. Instead of hiding in shadows or
behind corners, Mannequins often attempt to blend in among the
many department store dummies found throughout the level,
standing completely motionless as you pass by them, then attacking
you when you don't expect it. On the plus side, if you strike them
while they're mimicking the real mannequins, they die instantly.
Unlike every other enemy in the game, Mannequins cannot run
(except in 1 or 2 pre-scripted sequences involving Mannequins with
shotguns). Thus, they are limited to a brisk walk, even when
attacking you. This works out to you advantage, as their relatively
slow speed allows you to see them coming, as well as to
outmanuever them in melee combat.
Although their movement and hiding behavior is unique, Mannequins
use the same normal melee combat moves as most other enemies.
Variants: You'll fight 2 or 3 female Mannequins. These characters
behave more like normal enemies; they run around at normal speed,
and attack and hide normally instead of trying to impersonate the
store's real mannequins.
Crawlers:
Appearance: 5.5-foot tall, emaciated man-like creature wearing black
pants and barbed wire.
Health: Low
Preferred Weapon: Small Pipe or 2x4 Bolts
Although Crawlers don't show up until the later levels of the game,
they're actually one of the most common enemies in the game's last
few levels. Crawlers are short and emaciatedly thin; their
disfigurement looks like an early form of the Dark Watchers, with
whom they appear to be associated with. Crawlers commonly carry
small pipes or 2x4s. They never seem to use firearms, except for
one Crawler in Level 8 who attempts to grab a shotgun when he
spots you.
Like Rejects, Crawlers will frequently crawl around on all fours
instead of attacking you normally. Also like Rejects, Crawlers are
fast, but also weak. Most will die after a single shot from the super
taser or one good whack from a decent melee weapon such as a small pipe.
Although Crawlers are individually weak, they often attack you in
large groups of several at a time, which can result in intense fighting.
Because each individual Crawler is relatively weak, you're better off
fighting them with weapons that balance speed and power (such as
pipes or the stick), rather than using a slow, high-damage weapon
against them (such as the fire axe).
Burned Ones:
Appearance: Bulky, 7-foot tall guy with red, burnt, melting skin.
Health: High
Preferred Weapon: 2x4 Fire
Burned Ones only appear in the game's last level, Level 10, the
Apple Orchard. They are, however, the most common enemy you'll
face on that level, with a total of 17 of them appearing
throughout the level to fight you. They almost always carrying 2x4
fire as a melee weapon.
Burned Ones are huge and powerful. Like Sandhogs, they can
survive twice as much damage as a normal enemy (it takes 8 to 12
strikes from a 2x4 fire or fighting stick to kill one). Their use of
2x4 fire as a melee weapon also gives them strong, fast attacks. Overall,
they're some of the toughest enemies in the entire game; you'll need
all the melee combat experience you've learned throughout the
game to fight them. Burned Ones also tend to attack you in groups of
2 or 3 at a time, forcing you to deal with multiple opponents at once.
To top it off, you no longer have a taser or flashlight in the game's
last level, taking away your ability to stun enemies.
The 2x4 fire is probably the best weapon to use against them; not
only is it fast and powerful, but it's also the only source of light you'll
have in the last level. You should also try to take advantage of the
fact that Burned Ones attack you in groups by getting them to cluster
together and hit each other with their melee swings. This way you
can get them to fight each other instead of you, although they'll often
stop fighting amongst themselves and return to attacking you after
several seconds.
Dark Watchers:
Appearance: Tall, man-like creature wearing torn black robes, with
metal devices attached to their jaws, chest, and spine.
Health: High
Preferred Weapon: Dual Sticks
DESCRIPTION:
The Dark Watchers are the creatures responsible for all the chaos
that is happening throughout the game, including the conversion of
the city's transient population into bloodthirsty psychos, as well as
the madness of Serial Killer X. They stalk you in psychic visions and
cutscenes throughout the game, although you actually won't fight
them until the game's last couple of levels. You'll fight a total of 3
Dark Watchers in the game; 1 in the farm house's attic in Level 9,
and 2 in the Apple Orchard in Level 10. They're fast and agile, and
use martial arts-like moves. They also cannot be stunned with your
taser, or disarmed of their weapons. Dark Watchers also fight to the
death, and will never flee when injured.
ATTRIBUTES AND BEHAVIOR:
Dark Watchers are quite tough; they are somewhat resistant to melee
damage, and can survive more hits than any other normal enemy in the
game. It takes about 9 to 12 strikes from 2x4 fire or a fighting stick
to kill one. They are however vulnerable to firearms, and can be
killed with a surprisingly small number of bullets (2 rifle shots or 4
Submachine gun rounds should bring one down).
They are also quicker than normal enemies, and can easily chase you
down if you try to retreat from them. Unlike every other enemy in the
game, Dark Watchers fight with a unique fighting style. They wield a
short metal fighting stick in each hand, and attack with fancy martial
arts kata attacks based on Fillipino Escrima stick-fighting. Their kata
attacks involve quite a lot of spinning and flips; they can be quite
unpredictable due to how completely different these attacks are from the
standard moves used by the game's other enemies.
Their kata attacks allow them to chain several strikes together in a
single smooth movement, which makes them very dangerous at close range.
Their attacks are also quite powerful, and can kill you in 6 or 7 hits.
Because they make multiple strikes in one kata attack, they can
bring you down from full health to almost dead in a single combo chain.
KILL STRATEGY:
Dark Watchers have a couple weaknesses. The fighting sticks
they're equipped with are relatively short, giving them a limited attack
range.
When fighting Dark Watchers, it's a good idea to keep your distance.
At a distance, you can anticipate their kata movements and dodge or
block their strikes. At close range, however, they can strike you
with multiple hits in a single combo chain, often killing you in
just a few seconds.
Although their fighting style is different, basic combat strategy works
fairly well against them. Dash in, strike them, then dash back out
again before they can retaliate. Use block while retreating from each
attack to defend against any sudden strikes. If you can, try dashing in
and blocking one of their strikes to break their combo chain and briefly
stun them, allowing you to step up and strike them.
=========
=Bosses:=
===============================================================================
The Butcher:
Appearance: 7-foot tall, huge, fat, insane cleaver-wielding lunch lady.
Health: Extremely High
Weapon: Meat Cleaver
DESCRIPTION:
This huge, cleaver-wielding psycho appears early on in Level 8, the
School, to taunt you and send Crawlers to attack you. You finally
confront her about halfway through the level, inside the school's
large walk-in freezer.
The Butcher is the largest, as well as the most durable enemy in the
game. She can survive about four times as much damage as a
regular enemy; it takes about 17-19 hits from an average melee
weapon (i.e. a gas pipe or conduit), 7-8 pistol headshots, 5 shotgun
blasts, or almost a full clip of SMG fire (about 14 bullets) to bring her
down. The Butcher is also unaffected by your taser; she'll flinch when
zapped, but won't be stunned or slowed down. She also can never be
disarmed of her weapon.
The Butcher's cleaver is also very powerful, and can kill you in just 3
to 4 hits. On the plus side, her cleaver has a very short range, so
she'll have to be fairly close to you to hit you.
The Butcher fights with standard combat moves; however, her huge bulk
prevents her from using leaping attacks, limiting her to basic swings
with her cleaver.
KILL STRATEGY:
Despite being incredibly tough, the Butcher is actually relatively easy
to kill once you figure out her attack pattern. She often swings her
cleaver wildly even when you approach her, even when you're out of her
attack range, and she'll pause for a split second after each attack.
So, all you have to do is strike her between attacks. Take a few steps
towards her, dodge back when she starts swinging, dash in and strike her
when she's done swinging, then dash out of her reach again. The Butcher
often does a double-swing (first left, then right) so to be safe you
should wait for her to swing twice before dashing in.
The Butcher can take a lot of hits, but she'll go down eventually. To
take her down more quickly, bash her in the head to do double
damage. In the room where you fight the Butcher, there's a gas pipe
as well as a conduit on the walls that you can grab as a weapon.
Either of these pipes make a good weapon for fighting the Butcher
with.
Serial Killer X:
Appearance: Mullet-haired evil criminal mastermind wearing either orange
overalls or denim jeans.
Health: High
Weapon: Rebar Bent (Chapter 2), Small Pipe (Chapter 9)
DESCRIPTION:
The main villain of the game, you'll spend the entire game chasing
after this guy. You'll finally confront him at the very end of Level 9,
the game's second-to-last level. Serial Killer X fights like a normal
enemy, but he's the most skilled normal enemy you'll ever encounter,
using all his available moves to optimum effect.
DESCRIPTION (Prologue Fight):
You'll actually fight SKX briefly in a short nightmare sequence near
the end of Level 2. The screen will turn black and white, and SKX's
shadow will attack you with a piece of bent rebar. He can't be
stunned with the taser, but otherwise the fight is fairly normal. SKX
has about twice as much health as a normal enemy, but shouldn't
be particularly difficult to defeat. Strike him several times,
and the sequence will end with yet another bizarre vision.
DESCRIPTION (Main Fight):
The main fight with SKX takes place at the end of Level 9. When the
fight begins, you'll automatically be equipped with the poker, while
SKX will fight with a small pipe. Instead of confronting you directly,
SKX will run off, and you'll have to chase him throughout the house.
During the chase, SKX will often attempt to circle around and sneak
up behind you.
SKX is much faster than you are, so you have no hope of catching
him. Instead, it's best to wait in one spot and wait for him to come to
you. The best place to do this is the area near the staircase, the area
is large enough to give you some space for when you're fighting
SKX.
SKX fights with standard moves, so you should be able to take him
out using whatever tactics you've adapted for fighting the other
enemies in the game. He is, however, the most skilled enemy you've
faced; he'll attack quickly and repeatedly, blocks frequently, and will
often immediately counter-attack after every one of your strikes. He's
also very tough; he has more than twice as much health as a regular
enemy, and it takes about 10 to 14 strikes with the Poker to finally
put him down.
When the fight begins, SKX will drop a pump shotgun on the floor
near the doorway before running off. If you want, you can grab the
shotgun and blast SKX with it. However, SKX appears to be highly
resistant to gunfire. It takes 10 shotgun blasts or 33 SMG bullets to
bring him down. It's much more effective just to fight him with melee
attacks. You also lose your taser as soon as the fight with SKX
begins, so you won't be able to stun him either.
The Dark Primary:
Appearance: Tall, bald, man-like creature wearing torn black robes,
with metal devices attached to its jaws, chest, and spine, and
hundreds of nail-like metal piercings imbedded across its body.
Health: Very High
Weapon: 2-handed fighting stick
DESCRIPTION:
The final boss. WTF is this thing? Who cares, kill it!
The Dark Primary is similar to the Dark Watchers you fought earlier,
only taller and with significantly more metal piercings embedded into
his body. Like the Dark Watchers, the Dark Primary fights with a unique
fighting style. He carries a long metal fighting stick, which he swings
around like a samurai katana. The Dark Primary has somewhat more
health than a Burnt One or Dark Watcher; it takes about 10 to 13
strikes with the metal fighting stick to defeat him. Additionally, you
must defeat him 3 times in a row to win the game.
BEHAVIOR:
Like the Dark Watchers, the Dark Primary uses kata attacks and swings
his metal stick around with all sorts of fancy moves. His kata attacks
chain several strikes together in a single smooth movement, allowing him
to strike you several times in a second or two if you get in the way
of his combos. The Dark Primary's attack has good range, but does
surprisingly light damage; it takes about 11 hits from it to kill you.
KILL STRATEGY:
Be sure to keep your distance from the Dark Primary; at long range,
you can anticipate and avoid or block his kata attacks. At short range,
however, he can strike you several times with a single combo chain,
significantly lowering your health.
The Dark Primary can be beaten using the same general melee combat
tactics you've been learning throughout the game. Dash in, strike
him, then dash back to avoid his strikes. Use block to defend
yourself when you think he's about to take a swing at you. A good
strategy is to dash in and block one of his kata strikes to break
his combo and briefly stun him; you can then dash in and strike him
without him striking you or blocking your attack. The Dark Primary's
attacks aren't too damaging, so even if you take some hits he should
go down before you do.
The fire axe one of the Crawlers drops during the arena fight also
makes a good weapon against the Dark Primary. It takes about 4 to 6
hits from the fire axe to beat him. The axe's slow speed and
blocking time also aren't such a liability; since the axe is so
powerful, and his attacks relatively weak, so you can actually trade
blows with him and still come out the winner.
After you've struck the Dark Primary enough times, he'll stand still and
start swaying in a stunned manner. At this point, you need to perform
a finishing move on him to defeat him (press the headbutt key to rip
out one of his metal implants). Be sure not to hit the Dark Primary while
he's stunned, or else he'll recover and start attacking you again (if
this happens, just hit him again to stun him once more).
SERIES OF FIGHTS:
You have to defeat the Dark Primary 3 times in a row to win the game.
At the end of each fight, he'll flee after you rip off one of his metal
pieces. The first fight takes place in an arena-like area inside the
main barn, where the Dark Primary will jump down to fight you after you
kill several of his Burnt One and Crawler minions. There are several
health kits on the wall here, so heal any time you're injured. The
second fight takes place in the attic of the main barn; there's a health
kit on the floor here that you can use if you're injured in the fight. For
the third and final fight, the Dark Primary transports you to the weird
black-and-white dimension that you've been having flashbacks about
throughout the game; once again, there's a health kit here on the
floor if you need it.
NOTE: It takes about 17 kicks to beat the Dark Primary in each fight.
There's a bug in some versions of the Xbox 360 edition of
Condemned that prevents you from using melee weapons in the very
final fight, forcing you to kick the Dark Primary to death in order to beat
the game. If this happens to you, my advice is to forget about
strategy and just charge straight at him, pressing the kick button as
fast as possible once you get into range. There's a good chance
you'll be able to back him into a corner and keep him off balance with
repeated kicks. After about 17 kicks, back off, then move in and kick
him again once. That should stagger him, allowing you to grab him
and rip out the final metal piece needed to kill him.
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=Copyright 2007 Alan Chan =
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