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When I played the first Manhunt (way back when), I thoroughly enjoyed it. That game, much like its successor, received lots of negative exposure because of its "subject matter content" and overall violence. I, like most others who waited patiently for the sequel, plowed through yet more negative publicity; watched RockStar cancel its original release date for the game, and waded through all sorts of internet gossip about what had been done to the content of the game.
Manhunt (the original) is a far better game than Manhunt 2--and not becaue its gore factor was untouched. It was a better game, guys, because it had "soul." The characters were way more interesting, the writing was better and more creative, and the last stages were absolutely some of the creepiest I've ever encountered! My personal favorites were the Smileys (a tongue-in-cheek answer to Insane Clown Posse). I got killed so many times because I was laughing my butt off at some of the lines, e.g. "passing out before the main course...REALLY;" "well, I look divine? Why, thank you so much; it was just something I threw together;" and "My God; they're dropping like flies!"
In Manhunt 2, you get NO interesting characters. Instead, you get caricatures. It seems two people are involved in some sort of mind-altering experiment; the inmates riot, people escape, others are killed, and you try to retrace your footsteps to see what it all means. Along the way, you are urinated on, have feces thrown on you, you puke a lot, and you kill a lot. And that's about it. The big difference in Manhunt 2, is that even though the killings are much more grotesque than in the first game, you can't see any of them because of what RockStar had to do in order to get the game released. A "filter" has been installed and all you really get in the ability to HEAR what is happening to your victims. The controls are used differently, which I also didn't care for.
I do not blame RockStar for what it did; it simply did what it had to do in order to sell its product. I would suggest, however, that if there is a Manhunt 3, you see if you can't create characters that are more memorable; a storyline that is more than just killing; and have a main character your playing audience can feel something for.
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I loved the original manhunt, I have to admit it, I loved it. I though it was a sick and delightfully twisted game...no...art! It was spooky, gruesome, smart, intense, and totally enjoyable for someone like me. This one, like most sequels....sucks. It looks like the first, it plays like the first, it's in the same vein as the first, but it's the details where it falls apart, and I mean bad!In the original, the levels were layed out where you were mostly stealth killing or getting into cover-based shootouts and sometimes a blend of the two, and the levels and AI were set up for that type of experience. This game has no clue what it wants to be! I tried to do mostly stealth kills, but sorry to say, you wind up just shooting most of em'. Speaking of AI though, the AI in this one is really bad!!! In the first one a hunter would inspect a brick, hitting a wall, or finding his dead buddy, but in Manhunt 2, they usually don't care, spoiling any opportunity to lure a hunter away from his friends to disfigure and break him. Thus, you will find it wayyy easier and much less frustrating to just snipe a guy from the shadows, turning a once great stealth platform into...a really lame shooter.
Another real problem, is the story. In place of a meager, bare bones type of plot, (Kill for sick director's pleasure and survival, then revenge) with a simple plot that has been made far too rushed and scattered. Gone is the simple and enjoyable kill from point A to point B plot, now, it's all twisted with "gotta find this guy, gotta find this chick, gotta figure this out....who am I, what happened" This doesn't directly affect the action, but somehow it makes for a very rushed and detached experience, hardly any of it worth remembering. Essentially they made a mountain out of a mole-hill, and it really just annoys more than anything. I had a hard time of following why I was at a place and found it much simpler in the original to just know I was on my way through to fight another type of gang for the director's joy, but now it's all finding out about a character I care nothing for in a story I care nothing for. Coupled with useless flashbacks and twists in the plot, I don't care enough to remember any of this game.
Even when the director in Manhunt bacame impatient, you were scolded by the talented Brian Cox, now an annoying nobody screeches at you which really disrupts the type of flow the first had. No velvety voice of a known and great actor, now your just getting bitched by some guy that kinda sounds like a cross between a bitchy girlfriend and Ray Liotta, but not nearly as cool as Ray Liotta, and almost as irritating as your ex-girlfriend.
Thinking about it, I doubt even if the stealth kill weren't blurred, this still wouldn't be anything nearly as fun as the first. When a you execute a hunter, at the point where you strike or shoot or stab or slash a guy, a fast and artsy blur jolts everything and the shade of everything goes negative for a bit. About 60% of the kill is plainly visible, but 40% is blurred. These kills are actually pretty good, and I especially like the firearm executions, but coupled with the filters and obstructions they had to program in, it really doesn't matter. Some of the environment kills are entertaining, but hardly worth the addition if they were at the cost of everything else I disliked.
In short people, everything in this game reminded me of Manhunt, it reminded me of how it's NOT...manhunt and certainly of how it's not as good as Manhunt. I will now sell this game, and fire up the original for the experience that this game failed miserably to acheive, and no doubt I will crack a sinister smile and bathe in the joy of hearing Brian Cox direct me to massacre a bunch of scumbags.
Best Deals for Manhunt 2 - PlayStation 2
So, Rockstar finally got to release the sequel the controversial cult classic "Manhunt", now part of the Sony`s "Greastest Hits" roster. In this game, there is no continuity involving the first title, this is a brand new story. You play the role of Daniel Lamb, science guy turned mental patient at the Dixmoore Asylum for the Criminaly insane.Right away, I noticed a few glaring problems. One would be the unmappable controls. This is stupid, since these controls are acutally completely different from the ones used in the orginal Manhunt. Why change the controls when the gameplay is still the same? (I read somewhere that the PSP and PS2 versions share the same setup. Lazy) So what should have been familiar territory is now forcing me to relearn how to play the game all over again. Strike 1.
Another flaw that became apparent was the complete lack of charisma involving your enemies, or "gangs". The only gang that comes close would be the Bloodhounds, who seem like an offshoot of the Wardogs from Manhunt 1, what with their thick Southern accents and spouting the usual stereotypes you would expect from a group of Deep South hardcore hunting enthusiasts ("I been huntin` since I was wee high! Animals, humans, don`t mean nuthin!). The Watchdogs and the Project Militia, two of your most common foes in the game, just so happen to be the least interesting, never approaching the intimidation factor of Manhunt 1`s Smileys, Skinz, or even the Carcer City police. There`s a street gang known as the Kings, as well as the police,but who cares? They have nothing to do Daniel`s quest, are just there to be butchered for no reason other than the fact that they are in the way. Strike 2
Another thing I hated about this game. TOO MANY GUN BATTLES. in the first Manhunt, they were wisely introduced at point when the developers felt the player would have grown weary of a the ol` "hide and kill" routine, and gave you a chance to take the fight to your aggressors head-on. In Manhunt 2, they are numerous, and they are repetitive, and they are tiresome. Without the stealth elements, this game turns into a sub-standard 3rd person shooter, whuch is not the reason I bought this game. This is mostly during those awful flashback routines involving Daniels partner in crime, Leo Kasper. In fact, even the gunplay is not as tight as it was in the first Manhunt. In the original, lock-on was instantaneous, whilst here, in the sequel there`s a slight, but noticeable delay in having to wait for the target recticle to line up with your victim. Just long enough to catch a slug in your chest.
Take cover. Wait for the bad guys to to break cover and take a shot at you. Fire. Duck. Like a violent game of whack-a-mole. Strike 3
And finally, my biggest gripe with the game, the complete lack of any meaningful bonus content or alternate gameplay modes! They took the scoring system, claiming it didnt "fit in" with the game. Again, lazy! There`s no incentive to beat the game again, no reason to even abide by the rules of stealth, since there`s no kind of penalty for being spotted, nor is there any reward being beating a level quickly or getting a lot of gruesome kills. No concept art, no behind the scenes, no merchandise, NOTHING. Even the strategy guide features zero in-depth information on the game itself, nor the gangs. Strike 4
I guess you can`t talk about Manhunt without bringing up the executions, but I`m pleased to announce this is the ONE thing the game did right. Ignore all the poorly written reviews from 15-year old rebels who honestly think they`re making a statement about freedom of speech by playing a slapped together, violent cheap cash-in. For the PS2/PSP, the "censoring" is NOWHERE near as bad as anyone makes it out to be. Unless you have crappy eyesight or a crappy tv, you can still make out whether Daniel is beating someone in the back of the head with a sledgehammer or applying a scythe to someone`s family jewels. The screen takes on a red hue with random chromatic distortions along with a brief flash of inverted black and white during the physical blows. (NOTE: The Wii version is even more heavily censored, probably to compensate for having perform physical motions with the controller to perform executions). if anything, this makes it MORE violent, since the distortion leads to a bigger focus on the sound effects, what with all the bones popping, skulls crushed, power tools sawing through flesh, blood-curdled gasps of agony, need I go on?
The concept behind executions remain the same. Sneak up on the would-be assailant, hold down a button to generate to go from white (quick kill), yellow (violent kill) to red (gruesome kill). But, since there is no score system, there`s really no incentive to go for the higher level kills outside of personal amusement. Rockstar also ups the ante by allowing gun exectutions, something which not possible in the first Manhunt. Gun executions only have one animation per weapon as opposed to three, but rest assured, they`re just as vicious as the melee weapons. There are also enviromental executions, where Daniel can use special points on the map to lure his enemies into, and the don`t require a weapon. Most of them are a one-time-only deal, but yield some of the best executions (personal favs being the manhole and the liquid nitrogen).
So there you have. For all fuss about children not being exposed to game is ironic since they are the ones who will get the most mileage out of what is strictly a rental. This is the "Hostel" of video games: Torture porn a violent titillation with no actual substance to back any of it up. Buy the original Manhunt instead, and if there is a third in the series, lets hope Rockstar actually manages some content and new gameplay elements, instead of re-wrapping the same thing in a slightly shinier package.
Honest reviews on Manhunt 2 - PlayStation 2
Maybe I'm sick, but I was really looking forward to this sequel; The first game, however violent and twisted it was(and it WAS!), it was also one of the most intense, heart-in-your-throat, challenging games I had played; There was dread around every corner; There was a feeling that your very own life was on the line; Plus, you actually cared about the story and fairly straight-forward premise: Escape w/your life and get the guy that did this to you. And you wanted to get him, too!!Even though I had heard part 2 was unrelated character-wise, I put my faith in Rockstar; They rarely put out a bad title in my experience. The storyline sounded interesting and the settings/level ideas had some potential promise. I was excited to play, hoping for a game that was thrilling and tough. Instead it seems like a half-baked retread that is missing more than the violence it had to take out.
The lack of violence wasn't the troubling factor here; It was gruesome enough, although it's hard to believe anything could surpass the 1st one, which is still out there uncensored(as it should be...). It was more the horrible control scheme and poor camera angles that appeared during the most critical of times, like fights or flight. I died due more to not being able to tell where I was or which direction the punches were coming from than by lack of skill(not the best player, but not the worst either...). The story had some nice moments, some great cut scenes, and the interactive deaths were a nice touch. But too short and uninspired to me. I really didn't care about my character, what my goals were, the twist you see coming from a mile away, and the fact that I never really felt like I had to be fighting for my life. And w/so many great games out there to play, nowadays I have little patience for games that control poorly, esp. one from Rockstar. That just makes me sad.
They should have delayed this longer and made it right. I just expect more from them.
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