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Fancy a bit of ultra-violence?

The Rockstar Games development house and controversial games go together like Jason and his axe, Freddy and his nightmares, and Michael and the pumpkin season. In Manhunt, it has released another title that is certain to get tongues wagging.
By Iwan Pienaar, Group editor, Intelligence Publishing
Johannesburg, 25 Jun 2004

Released on the PlayStation 2 last year by Rockstar Games, this third-person survival/horror has finally been ported to the PC. Sporting enhanced graphics and an improved control system, Manhunt is set to outrage parents the world over for a second time.

A sad tale

The player takes on the role of hardened criminal James Earl Cash as he is about to be executed by lethal injection. The execution turns into a ruse with corrupt penitentiary officials substituting the poison with a strong sedative.

Cash wakes up to find himself trapped in a locked room with the voice of infamous snuff movie director Lionel Starkweather ordering him to put on a wireless earpiece. Starkweather promises Cash that he will be set free if he follows some basic instructions. In true Rockstar fashion, these instructions form the foundation of this divisive game.

Cash finds himself trapped in the run down, godforsaken town of Carcer City. Featuring cameras and microphones in every possible location, the town has been transformed into Starkweather`s personal movie set. Cash`s instructions are clear. He must kill those hunting him or be killed.

Of course, it is a case of the more violent the murder, the better the rewards for Cash. Each melee weapon Cash stumbles on has three methods of killing. To quote Starkweather: "The hasty versions [murders] are nice enough, the violent ones quite tasty, but the gruesome are the ones viewers pay top dollar for."

Tools of the trade

While Manhunt contains numerous firearms, the satisfaction of the title lies in the melee weapons. These weapons have been designed for maximum gore. From a relatively harmless plastic bag to a grotesquely fascinating sickle, close combat will never be seen in the same light again.

By sneaking up on an enemy, the player can select the gruesomeness of the murder by holding the attack key in. The longer the button is held, the more violent the scene. These cinematic scenes form the core of Manhunt.

The grainy oppressiveness of the snuff movies comes across perfectly in the game. Combined with the depressing and unsettling Carcer City, Rockstar has created a title that is as depressing as it is devoid of life.

Kill or be killed

<B>Spec sheet</B>

[SidebarPicture]Developer: Rockstar Games
Publisher: Take-Two Interactive Software
Type: Survival horror
MATURE AUDIENCES ONLY
Platforms: PC, PS2, XB
Processor: 1GHz Pentium or AMD Athlon
Memory: 192MB
Hard drive space: 2.3GB
Audio system: DirectX 8.1 compatible
Video system: 32MB graphics card
CD-ROM/DVD-ROM: 16x
Supplied by: Megarom; (011) 234 2680
RRP: R299

The nature of Manhunt sees the player alternatively stalking or being stalked by some of the vilest enemies ever created in a gaming environment. These are the people you have nightmares about. The language is fittingly crude and ties in with the nature of the title.

In part due to being hopelessly outnumbered and in part due to having to play out snuff scenes, stealth is a crucial element of the game. Cash can hide in shadows and break up enemy groups by creating diversions.

Unfortunately, being able to hide in shadows does become farcical at times with enemies looking Cash straight in the face and not able to see him. However, this is a necessary evil as there would probably not have been an adequate alternative measure Rockstar could have implemented.

Not for the queasy

Yes, Manhunt is violent. Yes, it is shockingly brutal in what it offers gamers. And yes, it will in all likelihood be repetitive due to its linear nature. However, the title is clearly being marketed as a mature release. This is not a game that those with sensitive moralities should play.

Instead, Manhunt should be viewed for what it is: a controversial offering that stays close to its subject matter in as realistic a way as possible.

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