‘Manhunt’ for the Playstation 2 is not for the faint of heart

First, “Grand Theft Auto 3” pushed the boundaries of excessive violence and gore. The lines were then pushed farther back when “GTA 3’s” sequel “Grand Theft Auto: Vice City” was released. But since Rockstar, the producers of the GTA series, released “Manhunt” for the Playstation 2, “GTA 3” and “GTA: Vice City” look tame. “Manhunt” is without a doubt the most violent and obscene game I have played in my entire life. While this game may be too excessive for some, underneath all the blood and guts there is a game that is worth playing.

“Manhunt” is a game which takes place in fictional Carcer City and is centered around James Earl Cash, a convicted felon who is on death row awaiting his execution. Cash is sentenced to lethal injection but wakes up a few hours later to find out he is in fact not dead at all but now caught in a deadly game of cat and mouse. The supposed lethal injection was nothing more than a strong sedative administered by the corrupt Darkwoods Penitentiary staff. Cash now must kill or be killed in the corrupt and forgotten Carcer City where his only guide the same man who imprisoned him in this cruel fate, a man known only as Starkweather. Cash is now forced to defend himself from numerous different gangs all out for one thing, Cash’s blood. Cash must use whatever he can to dispatch these “hunters”, as the game refers to them, but above all else Cash’s most important weapon is stealth. If Cash can outwit his enemies, he may live through the nightmare that is now his life.

“Manhunt” is a stealth action/adventure game on the Playstation 2 game console. This game is not like most stealth games in that you don’t get a radar in the traditional sense of the word. The radar in this game is based the sound you and your enemies make. If you are walking on certain noisy surfaces such as gravel, your enemies will hear this and investigate the noises they hear. Sprinting will also cause nearby enemies to become cautious and check where the noise came from. Your radar will also only register your enemy’s presence if they are making noise as well, or if they are actively searching for you. The enemy intelligence in this game is also very high. The first few gangs you encounter are not very bright but as the game progresses, the gangs become smarter. Killing and escaping these hunters also becomes more difficult as the game carries on. As the gangs become more intelligent, killing them also becomes more difficult. The way you are awarded points in this game is based on how violently you kill the hunters. There are three different levels of kills in this game; quick, violent and gruesome. The more violent the kill, the longer it takes for Cash to set it up. Consequently, the more violent the kill, the more points Cash is awarded for them.

The control set up in this game is easy to get understand and simple for anyone to pick up and learn. Many of the controls are explained to you in the first level of the game, much like a tutorial. I found this to be very helpful when I first started playing the game. The graphics are also good for the setting of the game. They are dark and dismal, but they can be a little grainy at times.

As I stated before, this game is very, very violent and disturbing at some points. This game is definitely not for everyone. “Manhunt” is rated M for intense violence, strong language, and blood and gore. If you’re a fan of stealth action games and are not easily bothered by blood, gore and disturbing scenes of violence then you will definitely want to give “Manhunt” a try. But if you are squeamish, do not like excessive violence or do not like stealth games, “Manhunt” is not the game for you. This game can be rented at Blockbuster or purchased at any local electronics store.