There’s one glaring issue with Condemned 2 that needs to be addressed but because of the rather personal/moral nature of it, I decided it was best to do a separate article. I want to make it clear that this in no way affected how I scored the game. So here it goes.
I love alcohol and I think it’s a great thing in moderation, but I acknowledge the problems and dangers of alcoholism. It’s a serious issue and something that should not be taken lightly. Thousands of families have to suffer through the effects of alcoholism and it leaves deep scars on anyone it touches.
This makes alcoholism a great character flaw, but it’s something that has to be handled carefully. As part of Ethan’s character it had potential, but the way it was handled is completely disrespectful to anyone who’s experienced it and is beyond shameful.
Instead of showcasing how alcoholism actually affects a person and forcing Ethan to come to terms with his problems, Monolith merely uses it as a minor and insignificant game play mechanic. When Ethan has a gun, his aim is slightly inaccurate but his aim can be improved by drinking. That’s right; they treat booze as a power-up.
Occasionally we see an alcohol demon that haunts Ethan, but it can really be attributed more to Ethan’s occult past, then as a personification of his internal struggle.
Using booze as a power-up is just disgusting and conveys the wrong message. I get the concept behind it, a little booze will calm the shakes caused by alcohol withdrawal, but can Ethan consumes whole bottles at a rate that would kill a normal man and there are no penalties for it, only rewards.
If you want a little booze to calm the nerves then there should be penalties for over doing it, like losing health because you’ve just OD’d or crossing a certain threshold and losing ability to fight. Something like that would be great.
There’s no real confrontation with the issue and none of the characters, aside from one who just likes to call you a drunk, really seem to notice or pay attention to your drinking problem.
I honestly don’t know why Monolith even bothered making Ethan a drunk. It serves little purpose to the game and provides no real substance. If they treated it seriously I think it could’ve made the game even better, but instead, in the grand Hollywood tradition of not doing anything the least bit controversial, they just ignore it, and for that they should be ashamed.
Article comments
1 - Mark Kalriess
That's pretty stupid. I liked what BioShock did with alcohol consumption, it added to your magic and hurt your health, and then too much made it hard to see.