Monolith Productions' Condemned 2: Bloodshot is certainly a very gritty game, but did you know that it took a definitive process of transformation to actually make the similarly gritty heads-up display that we take for granted? Find out more about it after the jump!

Fans of the first Condemned title Condemned: Criminal Origins should be thrilled to know that Monolith Productions has a lot in store for them in the new Condemned 2: Bloodshot for the Xbox 360 and the PS3. Judging by the game details revealed in an interview with Monolith Production's Senior Producer Dave Hasle, Condemned 2: Bloodshot now offers several ways of roughing up strangers as well as weapons choices.

It's not hard to imagine a billiard cue stick being used as a weapon, but a cue ball? According to Hasle, he's been using the cue ball a lot to stun opponents. Smacking cue balls against another's head does sound pretty painful, but also a lot of fun.

There's also a lot of other new fighting mechanics added to the second Condemned title. These include fist fights, a combo system, an attack chain system and a wider range of selectable weapons that can be picked up and used at a moment's notice.

What can we say? Condemned 2 now looks as if it's really coasting the same waters as Manhunt 2. We just hope that it won't encounter the same level of controversy as Manhunt 2 did.

Check out the entire interview in the Read link!

Monolith Productions has hit the press waves announcing that the sequel to Condemned: Criminal Origins, Condemned 2: Bloodshot, has just completed Content Alpha status. In short, the game's primary and secondary systems have been completed, and with a set of primary content to test the systems on, Monolith Productions may now set out to develop the levels and core gameplay (which it promised to be improved) for the Condemned 2: Bloodshot (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3).

Dubbed Game Design Alpha, this stage will now let each level designer create game levels that they were assigned to do. Once kinks and issues with the systems' bugs have been sorted out, the game would soon enter the Beta phase. Senior producer Dave Hasle of Monolith Productions has yet to pin down the actual deadline for the Condemned 2: Bloodshot to enter the "final Beta" stage, but he has assured that more details on their accomplishments during the Alpha stage will be unraveled in the future.

Little hints of goodies have run through Hasle's developer diary entry, including two conceptualized thrown weapons: a skull thrown from a skull pile, and a metal trash ball for a solid lethal missile. Whether these will make it into the final release of Monolith Games' Condemned 2: Bloodshot needs to be assessed with the developer's budget in mind and the capabilities of the Content Alpha teams. Condemned 2: Bloodshot will be published by Sega and is scheduled for release in early 2008.

In an effort to ensure that Condemned 2: Bloodshot will turn out to be an exceptional game that will leaves players "with a satisfied grin on their faces", Monolith Productions sought feedback from the people who mattered most: the gamers.

After getting valuable input from forums and message boards, Monolith was able to come up with new, and improved features for Condemned 2: Bloodshot.

Monolith Productions Senior Producer Dave Hasle said that one of the things that the gamers wanted to be improved is the storyline. Since many a gamer was confused by Condemned: Criminal Origin's ending, Monolith made it a point that the sequel's story will be cohesive and wrap it up with a good conclusion.

They also gave a convincing motivation for the game's protagonist Ethan Thomas to make the story more convincing. The story in Condemned 2: Bloodshot will start a year after the events of the prequel.

Ethan is down on his luck, struggling with his inner demons and seeking revenge on anybody responsible for messing with his life - once he figures out what's happening around him. Some characters will be making a comeback from the previous game, helping Ethan in his quest with their improved AI.

As for game system improvements, one of the gameplay elements Monolith tweaked and revised is the forensics system, which only served to advance the story in the first game. In Condemned 2, players will have a chance to delve deeper and be more involved in doing autopsies.

Various tools will be available, and a zoom in function will be included to let players search for clues. Skipping the forensics mode is also an option, if players are too queasy to check out a corpse. Gamers can expect a better melee combat system.

Hasle said that Monolith's goal is to "Evolve and Expand Your Combat", but as to how exactly they'll be able to do that, you'll have to wait until the next Condemned 2: Bloodshot Developer Diary. Until then, stay tuned for more updates!