Over the past few months I have had a few people ask me my opinion on what
is up with Manhunt 2, what console it will be appearing on, does it really exist
and so on and I don’t think a single day goes by without receiving a half
dozen or so emails asking me when it is going to be released. The basic facts
of the matter is I know little more than you, and anything that I would know
probably means nothing as regarding the games current standings. Until it on
store shelves nothing is for certain.
To break it down further we know the game was in development at Rockstar Vienna
before the studio was closed, the game was supervised by the original developer
(Rockstar North) as they worked on Grand Theft Auto IV, now that presumably
Grand Theft Auto IV is in a manageable state it has been suggested to me that
Manhunt 2 is back in their hands.
The game was in development for the PlayStation 2 and an X-Box one was allegedly
in the pipeline, Rockstar since cancelled Bully from appearing on the X-Box
platform to focus on X-Box 360 and other next generation console titles. A few
months back it was mentioned to me (and posted on here) that the game was now
being developed for the PlayStation Portable seeing as how the next generation
of gaming is in full swing (kind of), this has been brought up again more recently.
There have been numerous voice recordings done for Manhunt 2 (at what appear
to be two separate recording sessions) and there have been some developers that
have said in so many words that the game does exist. So either we are looking
at a few dozen delusion people or the game is in fact a work of reality.
So now that we know that the game exists, what platform does it exist on? and
when can we expect it is what we really want to know. Over the past few months
we have received well over 1500 emails from people stating their case about
the game, and it seems pretty much unanimous that people want it on the current
generation of consoles, after all it stands to reason, the PlayStation 2 probably
has at least another two years of life left, it has an established user base
over 100 million consoles worldwide, the console is readily available and it
is cheaper to buy for.
On Rockstars side the game is obviously complete, or very near to completion,
delaying the game to enhance it exclusively for the PlayStation 3 or X-Box 360
would probably mean suicide for the game, with development of PlayStation 3
titles rumoured to be around $20,000,000 per title, then the added cost of the
2+ year it is has been in development for the PlayStation 2, then there is the
limited amount of these consoles on the market, there is something like 8 million
X-Box 360 consoles sold to date and the PlayStation 3 has just under 4000,000
units sold, if it was to be released today then Manhunt 2 would have just over
8,500,000 potential buyers divided across both platforms, and then you have
to take into consideration just how many people would actually buy the game.
Releasing the game as a PlayStation Portable exclusive also doesn’t make
much sense; I couldn’t imagine playing Manhunt on a hand held system,
with a smaller screen, limited controls and with standard sound. Manhunt had
a huge innovation in the sound department and it really made the game that much
more immersive, listening to the game on those tiny speakers doesn’t sound
too immersive to me.
Amongst all this I have missed out one major console, the Nintendo Wii, it
has just been released over here today and I have to say playing the console
makes you wonder just how much better a Rockstar title would be on the Wii.
Sure it lacks the shine of the 360 and PS3 graphically, but it more than makes
up for it with its innovation and an attractive price tag to match. Nintendo
have said ‘playing is believing’ and I have to agree with them,
if you get a chance then give this thing a go, just make so not to go into it
with an already formed opinion.
I can’t help but think just how much better some of Rockstars other titles
would be on the console, Table Tennis is probably the most obvious, but if you
look at games like Red Dead Revolver, imagine being involved in a duel with
a makeshift revolver. EA has released a title in its Need for Speed franchise
on the console but anyone who has played any of the street racer titles knows
that Midnight Club owns Need for Speed, with the enhancement of the controller
the game could be that much more fluid and of course the Grand Theft Auto franchise
can benefit in dozens of ways with the new control system.
But I think of them all Manhunt would probably be the most immersive and compelling
addition, anyone who played Manhunt with the headset knows just how much more
in the game you are. Now imagine if your arms were Cash’s arms, the controller
has a built in microphone as well so there is the added bones of sound from
an additional source. I know Nintendo have reached out to Take-Two and that
2K games are currently developing Wii specific titles, I really hope Rockstar
also decided to show some love to the Wii.
From reading all the emails that we receive and what all the message board
users are saying, it is pretty obvious that people want Manhunt 2 on current
generation consoles. That isn’t too say we don’t want a next generation
release of Manhunt, but at least make it available to the readily available,
loyal, fan base that has been established and not have them have to buy some
other console just to play one game. Releasing the game on the PlayStation Portable
as a counterpart to the Playstation 2 could possibly be a good idea but releasing
it as an exclusive would extrorse those that have been waiting ever so (un)patiently
for the game to be released. Some of the message board users have used some
terms as feeling ‘betrayed’ or being dealt a ‘kick in the
teeth’ if Rockstar was to release it as a PlayStation Portable exclusive.
So on behalf of the Manhunt Internet community we are asking you Rockstar,
please release the game on current generation home consoles and not limit the
game to just next generation handheld and home platforms. Many of us bought
the first game the day it was released and ever since finishing the game have
been waiting on a follow up, along the way supporting your other franchises,
looking over them with a fine toothed comb looking for references or clues about
when we could possibly expect the next game to be released.
For those of you who may be thinking of buying one of the newly released consoles,
if the outcome of Manhunt 2 in any way effects your decision then I suggest
you hold off just awhile longer to see where Rockstar decide to go with this.
The Manhunt 2 Petition
is still open, please feel free to add your opinion in the comment box below
or posting on the forums.
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