Manhunt

"Where's the AO rating ESRB???"

Graphic, brutal, disturbing, horrific and unruly are but a few words that come to mind while playing Rockstar’s extraordinarily controversial Manhunt. Contrary to protest hungry parents around the globe, Manhunt isn’t an excuse for violence. The game actually carries many hidden themes that deal with the media, and society itself. How Manhunt was released and got passed the ESRB without receiving an adults only rating, is beyond my comprehension. I do know though, that Manhunt is an exceptionally well crafted game, it’s just not for anyone who has a weak stomach.

We’re not meant to like the game’s main character, James Earl Cash. He’s on death row and there’s a very good reason why. Our hate for Cash quickly diminishes as we realize that Cash’s past is irrelevant, as the only thing that matters is staying alive.
Instead of being executed, Cash is knocked out during his execution and awakens in Carcer City, with only an ear piece at his disposal. This is where Cash meets Lionel Starkweather, a director of “snuff” films. Starkweather has decided to make Cash his own personal guinea pig and use him as the main protagonist in his upcoming film. Cash is forced to use his wit and brutal strength to overcome the gangs in Carcer City, and ultimately, survive. Starkweather promises Cash will be released once the film is done, but is Starkweather really all that trustworthy?
The story of Manhunt isn’t meant to be discovered through cutscenes or pages of text, it is meant to unfold through the player’s imagination. None of the themes or story elements are really thrown at the player, they have to be experienced, and nothing is revealed until well into the game. The idea is to survive, and survive is what Cash must do. The story takes a backseat to the gameplay and overall darkness of the game, which gives the player a sense of claustrophobia and turmoil as the player is focused on getting from point A to point B without being hacked to death by the local gangs. I was pleased to see that the story takes a strong turn about midway through the game though. You’ll know what I mean when you come to it.

The game revolves around being stealthy and killing your foes without being killed in the process. Cash can hide in the shadows and use objects to his advantage by diverting gang members. To the lower left of the screen is Cash’s noise meter, which blips like a submarine’s radar when Cash makes noise. In order to counter the noise issue, Cash can walk slowly to avoid any and all detection. Noise plays such a significant role in the gameplay, that you’ll find yourself moving at a turtle’s pace to get through the levels. The objects Cash has at his disposal range from empty beer bottles to decapitated heads, and can be thrown to gain the attention of a gang member ala Splinter Cell. In fact, the game shares many similarities with Ubi Soft’s Splinter Cell. The most obvious being the stealth, and the amount of times Cash will die before completing a level. That’s right, this game is hard, and has a steep learning curve. It takes well over an hour to get a true feel for the game. However once you are adjusted to the game’s mechanics, everything falls into place and provides a much more enjoyable experience.
You literally have to memorize every guard’s movements before even thinking about going in for the kill. Speaking of kills, Manhunt has the most grizzly death animations every to grace a console game. A small cursor appears over the top of the ill-fated gang member, while Cash walks slowly behind him, waiting for the right moment to strike. The cursor changes from white to yellow to red, which represents the brutality of the kill. When the animation is about to occur, the camera switches to a video-like appearance, while Cash slices, dices and rips apart his foe. The word gruesome is quite the understatement. After getting passed the violence, it is easy to spot some of the game’s evident problems. For one, the game can be a bit repetitive since Cash will spend most of time in Carcer City, repeating the same stealth manoeuvres and kills over and over again. There are never any objectives that change the overall experience, but thankfully Rockstar added a few twists and turns throughout the course of the game. At one point, Cash has to tread through an area without being detected by the any of the gang members. If he is detected, two people close to Cash will instantly be murdered. It’s a welcomed change from the repetitive nature of the game.
The A.I., in Manhunt is a mixed bag. Enemies may be overly intelligent on one level, and completely oblivious to Cash under a well lit street on another. Early in the game, enemies will investigate noises, and willingly leave their posts, but later in the game we are treated to a few gangs who will actually shoot blindly into the shadows to flush Cash out. Naturally, enemies can’t see Cash if he’s in the shadows, even if they are standing right in front of him. A little meter gives the player an idea of how well hidden he is from the enemy. The A.I., is generally impressive, and almost too smart at some points.
Players expecting to run-and-gun are in for a surprise as Cash isn’t given a weapon until at least half-way through the game. After that, players are given an assortment of weapons, including the all-to-familiar shotgun, and the stealth elements are thrown aside for a few levels, an excellent change of pace to keep the gameplay fresh.

Grand Theft Auto enthusiasts will certainly notice a distinct similarity in presentation to that of Manhunt. The graphics share similar textures, but Manhunt is far more detailed and darker than any Grand Theft Auto game. Garbage litters the streets of Carcer City, and the buildings which provide Cash with his cover, are frightening mood setters. The dark torn down buildings almost appear as characters themselves as they are just as detailed as the well designed as the character models. Cash himself is a perfect example of great design, and the various gangs are each distinctively different from one another. I was surprised at how well the animation is too. The way Cash moves while holding a tank full of gasoline gives you a strong sense of weight.

The controls are pretty solid, but one thing’s for certain, Cash moves like a stiff neck. It’s far too hard to turn Cash to the left or the right when you really need him to. This became the cause for many deaths during my romp through Carcer City. Other than that minor gripe, the controls are fair and don’t take away from the experience.

Although there technically isn’t any music in the game, we are treated to strong sound effects and a few faint melodies which set the mood for the game. The character’s voices are actually the strongest aspect of the sound in Manhunt. Each gang member and even Starkweather, are well acted. The voices are crisp, clear and even frightening sometimes, as the gang members frequently taunt Cash during his adventure.
The sound picks up a bit when Cash is spotted, and the faint melody in the background becomes a loud thumping sound that palpitates at the same rate as your heart. The sound is so strong and intense at times, that it really begins to eat away at your nerves. In a game that relies so much on sound, it’s a relief to see that it’s done properly for once.

The hour count on this game may not make its way passed the double digits, but it most definitely leaves an impression. It’s not as short as say Zone of the Enders , but the chances of you going back to play it over and over again are close to nil. Although the experience is great while it lasts, once it’s over, the only thing that remains is a harder difficulty level and some unlockable content in the form of sketches and videos.

Final Comments

After completing Manhunt, I was left to reflect on the experience. I felt strange, almost dirty. I praised the game’s creativity, but was left feeling empty. It is hard to explain the feeling you get while playing Manhunt, but it is certainly not easy to forget it. Play Manhunt by all means, but be warned, even for someone as desensitized as me, it’s hard to play a game that takes such extreme violence to a whole new level. This game is not for children, parents be warned.

Story: 7.6
Gameplay: 8.2
Controls: 7.5
Sound: 8.3
Graphics: 8.5
Replayability: 7.2
Overall: 8.5

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 01/22/04