Movies have used shock value for decades to draw in audiences and make a quick buck. The game industry is hardly a stranger to controversy, though at the very least when Hollywood releases something like Saw, it's original and gripping. Manhunt 2 is a mess, lacking focus and delivering nothing more than a few gruesome kills to appease an audience looking for more blood.
Players control Daniel Lamb, wakened inside an insane asylum with little information as to why he's there or how to get out. Early moments in which Lamb struggles with the consequences of his action are intriguing, but the game around this is not.
Muddy graphics greet the player, making the human characters cartoonish. It's hard to take this situation seriously given the presentation. Weapons and power-ups float and glow as they spin in the air, a flashback to 16-bit games of old. It's a cheesy side to a product that's meant to be taken seriously.
Combat is clunky and sluggish. The lock on targeting doesn't feel necessary for hand-to-hand fighting. It's more a crutch to make up for the lackluster response.
Manhunt has never been about beating your way through foes. It's about sneaking around in shadowed areas to stealth kill adversaries. Environmental kills are new in this sequel, allowing for the use of objects found in the game world to slaughter those in your way. Guns are also added, though their impact isn't as great.
As with the first game, three levels of stealth kills are available. The longer you hold the button, the more graphic the kill. Each weapon has a specific death routine; meaning inquisitive players who take the time to find weapons will rarely see the same sequence twice.
Stalking in Manhunt 2 uses an incredibly archaic mechanic. Dark areas mean you simply can't be detected. AI adversaries can walk next to you and not figure out you're there. The industry has progressed, yet Manhunt hasn't.
Article comments
1 - Oliver
I must agree with most of what Matt has written. The original Manhunt from 2003 was something very different, and it was intense. Unfortunitly Manhunt 2 falls very short of living up to any expectations. Without seeing the executions in all their gruesome glory or even getting a score at the end of a level the game seems pointless. Although this time around I am playing the game on the PSP so I was pretty impressed about the graphics, though if it looked the same on the ps2 I'd be well dissapointed!
2 - Ken Edwards
I got the chance to play the PS2 version. IS it just me or does Daniel Lamb look like CJ Johnson, and I mean with the same poly count too. No, the player model does not look that bad, but its close!
The game is very stiff. Sneaking should not be this clunky. And why on Earth can I not rotate the camera with the right analog stick!
3 - ima :)
i think the game is great. too bad you cant buy it in england cos its not that bad. you dont see people banning or AOing resident evil and thats a pretty grusome game as well :( i think its stupid to rate it adults only cos its got a bit a blood in it you might as well say you got to ban dogs life (3yrs and over dodgy cartoon game) cos it tell young kids its funny to chase, skin and throw black cats off of roofs. dont ask how i know that.oh well :|
4 - [/][Deicide]]
man i own both manhunt 1 and 2 man hunt ones much better couse it dont got that stupid cencorey screen but manhunt 2's story line is much more reasonable then num#1 although i got into both overall for somreason i like num 2 better but they both have decent graphics for ps2 i want these to games for my pc now that'd be somthin special clunkin people in the head with hammers on my nvidea g-force card :P