When Rockstar Games’ “Grand Theft Auto” series reemerged in October of 2001 on the PS2, parents everywhere were up in arms. Being haled as one of the bloodiest and most gruesome games ever created next to the sole “Adults Only” title Thrill Kill, (the only “AO” rated title ever to be produced by a major game company, though it was never published) GTA III was banned for a time in various parts of the world, including Australia. When compared to Rockstar’s newest creation, Manhunt, the criticized predecessor seems like something you would give to your six-year-old sibling. How terribly grisly (read: AWESOME!) can this game be? That question can best be answered by examining what is Manhunt.

Manhunt stars convicted felon and death row inmate James Earl Cash. The game opens, strangely enough, with the scheduled execution of the aforementioned anti-hero – or so it seems. You awake in a deserted room with a strange voice cackling over the intercom, soon learning that it belongs to the man responsible for placing you in this situation, Lionel Starkweather, aka “The Director,” a sick madman obsessed with producing snuff films. Continuing to dispense information, the Director explains that the rest of the world thinks you to be dead, which leaves you stranded at the twisted sadist’s whim. To survive, you must star in various “scenes,” captured in full blood-soaked glory by various cameras placed throughout your new home of Carcer City, a deserted Midwestern “Metropolis,” filled with employed gangs, whose sole purpose is it kill you. To gain freedom you must eliminate the members of these various groups, ranging from deranged clowns to Neo-Nazi Skinhead types before they kill you, using nothing except various objects found around the city. Your tools include plastic bags, nail guns, and shards of glass. Time to set off on your “Manhunt.”

Before beginning to discuss the gameplay factors of Rockstar’s latest child, I would like to comment on the manual. Even if you find anything, which the developer has ever created morally reprehensible, you will undoubtedly agree that the packaging and supplementary material are amongst the most amazing ever distributed with an action game. Rockstar’s previous manuals, supplied with Grand Theft Auto 3 as well as Vice City, have acted as brochures to the various in-game “attractions,” such as strip clubs, discos, and employment opportunities.

Manhunt’s manual, however, tops everything previously brought to the table, taking the form as a “Snuff Film Order Catalogue,” where multiple videos can be purchased starring – SURPRISE! – You. “Advertised” in this “catalogue” is a website run by “Mr. Nasty,” the disturbed psychopath found on the front cover of the game box. Upon visiting the site, which can be found at <www.valiant-ent.tv>, you are proverbially raped in the face, as the website, complete with it’s own message board where members such as “Rod Wood” and “S1cK B@st4rD” post regularly, creates the most disturbing and sick atmosphere, with an online shopping cart where you can purchase items found in the game, as well as “live feeds” from security cameras, showing violent acts being committed on various victims. The forums even come complete with spelling mistakes, making it seem as if white-trash masochists were actually responsible for writing the posts.

So that reality could be retained with previous “Rockstar Faux-Sites,” a small copyright line could be found at the bottom of the page reading “Copyright Rockstar Games, Inc.” Is this the case with Manhunt? NOPE! The site is actually copyrighted by “Valiant Video Enterprises,” the make-believe snuff film company featured in the game. You can even e-mail Mr. Nasty at mrnasty@valiant-ent.tv, and apparently receive a response. I wish I could report on what happens when you receive a response, but I have been too scared to attempt to do this. Nevertheless, the atmosphere created by this supplementary material perfectly sets up the atmosphere for the game, and after viewing this, the gameplay world, which conceptually seemed unrealistic, becomes a disturbing reality.

GRAPHICS:
Despite the fact that the graphics are mere updates from the overused Grand Theft Auto 3 engine, the dark textures and camera effects which occur during a slow motion murder fit the game perfectly. The character skins are superb as well, realistically dripping blood as they are beaten into a bloody pulp with a metal baseball bat. Lights, both natural (the moon) and artificial (emitted by television screens, fire barrels, and free-dangling light bulbs,) reflect nicely off of various surfaces as well, including brick, wood, and gravel, and distance fog is non-existent. Walking animations have been improved over previous games, which came from the same mold, and bullet holes now make lasting indentations when they strike an object. Finally, jagged edges on characters have all but been removed making the GTA engine finally appear realistic. However, it is still old technology, paling next to Rockstar’s other newborn Max Payne 2. Still, with the terrifying atmosphere, it is likely that you will not notice.
SCORE: 7.5/10

SOUND:
This is the real star of the game. Manhunt manages to improve over the technology developed by other stealth-action games like Metal Gear Solid, making noise not only a mere novelty, but one of the core aspects of gameplay. In the aforementioned MGS series, walls could be knocked and objects could be thrown to attract the attention of the guards, however, it was not necessary, since a fully stocked gun was always present to help you take out any opposition. The lack of long-ranged weaponry in Manhunt until approximately two hours into the game, as well as the limited ammunition available when such weapons are attained, make luring guards into the shadows a prerequisite for survival.

It is important to note that it is impossible to fully experience all that is Manhunt without a USB headset, such as those packaged with Socom: U.S. Navy Seals and Karaoke Revolution. Not only is it possible to scream into the microphone and give away your position and trash-talk to the guards to attract attention, (though they do not understand you,) but also the Director actually talks to you over the headset, adding to the surreal realism created by the game. This created atmosphere is stunning to the point of disbelief, making the player laugh and ponder why the ever feared a vocally non-interactive game like Resident Evil. The voice acting itself is amazing, from the screaming of the dying gang members to the perfectly acted Director, the audio track will make you believe that you are actually in the game. Also, like in the famous Hitchcock movies, there is no musical track - only brief orchestral flares when you make a noise, making rushes of adrenaline pump through your veines.

The game also features Dolby Pro Logic II support, letting anyone with the right sound setup experience the screams of dying victims in digital glory. Regardless of your setup, with a USB headset, you are sure to bask in the glory of the sound, despite the fact that the guards do not understand the unavoidable fear-inspired trash talking. Maybe they will learn to understand by the time Manhunt 2 rolls around.
SCORE: 9.5/10

GAMEPLAY & CONTROLS:
The other major “Gameplay” aspect, which has not yet been discussed, is the sound radar. Retaining the classic GTA 3 circle look, but without the topography, guards show up on this handy little tool only when making noise or being in your field of vision. This leaves you feeling blind, adding to the perfectly creepy world which surrounds you. The only hints you receive are from the Director himself at the beginning of each section, however, these could be mere ploys to trick you into confrontation. Also, unlike MGS’s “Soliton Radar,” you cannot see the enemy’s field of vision, leaving the only indication of whether or not you have been spotted by the screaming for backup by your discoverer. AI, though not extremely complex and inventive does run away from you, depending on the character’s – well – character. Other times, NPC’s will merely unload into a heap of tires, which shield you, until they run out of ammunition leaving them open for death.

Using the game’s improved GTA series controls, it is possible to sneak up behind a misled guard stealthily and effortlessly, allowing you to proudly display your murderous talents to the Director’s awkwardly placed security cameras. Fighting is a breeze as well, offering both a free-aim mode (executed by pressing R3), as well as a lock-on mode (L1), which is nearly required when executing a “stealth-kill.” When in close enough proximity, and if you have managed to remain unnoticed, the targeting reticle changes from green to gray, indicating that you are prepped and ready for slaughter. While on the subject of "slaughter," the "slow motion killing system" should be discussed as well. Depending on how long the controller buttons are held down will determine the type of "execution" James performs on his victims. These deaths come in three different styles "Hasty," "Violent," and "Extreme," the latter leading to literal eye-popping fun when using shards of glass, and far flung decapitations when using utensils like a baseball bat.

In case you are discovered by your hunters, two different melee attacks are available, light and heavy, “X” and “Square,” respectively, and cycling with the “Circle” button chooses weapons. Interestingly enough, you can carry only one weapon type at a given time, a la it's own Vice City and EA’s Freedom Fighters, requiring you to choose your utensils wisely. Short-ranged or “green” weapons, such as wire and plastic bags, can only be used once, whereas “reusable mediums” (“blue weapons”) can be reused, but make an increasingly large amount of noise when utilized. Finally there are the baseball bat and chainsaw, “red,” which create a loud “CRACK!” and "WRRRR!" when employed, oftentimes attracting nearby gang members in the process. Overall, the controls are perfect for the game they are to be operated with, making for a low-learning curve, but surprisingly useable configuration.
SCORE: 9.0/10

CONCLUSION:
Manhunt will scar and disturb you equally as much as dissecting a pig in your high school biology class did a long time ago - well, not really, unless upon completion of the dissection your friend decided to rip out the animal’s entrails and wear them on his head for the rest of the day. From the crackling of the USB headset to the bloody NPC gang members, apparently modeled after infamous movie characters like Jason and Derek Vinyard of American History X fame, the game delivers the “scary” goods better than any stealth action title has in the past. Buy it, turn of all the lights, disconnect the phone, and get ready to be terrified like you never have been before.
SCORE: 9.0/10