Manhunt 2 Preview

The first Manhunt was not for the faint of heart. It was not to be played if you were pregnant, on sleeping medication or were about to operate heavy machinery. Taking hallucinogens and playing Manhunt? A definite no-no. The mix of absurdly gruesome violence, creepy story telling and extreme, near-constant tension, was simply too much for some people to handle. Those people are pussies.

"Manhunt 2 is shaping up to be a definite treat for fans of the original, as well as for those that love a good stealth game and don't mind a little morally-objectionable gore here and there."

The Basics of Manhunt 2

Manhunt 2 may have the same name, and pretty similar gameplay, but folks that missed the first game won't feel left out at all. The title features a brand new storyline and characters, making no reference to Cash and the Director from Manhunt 1. This time around you'll play as the mild-mannered Daniel Lamb. Once a scientist, Lamb volunteered to work on a mysterious assignment known as The Pickman Project (no relation to Nintendo's happy-go-lucky plant creatures). The Project's precise details were shrouded in secrecy, but the basic concept involved using a wide variety of drugs to mess with the brain in unnatural ways.

But, after some shady dealings starting coming to light, private benefactors decided to pull the plug on the Project, forcing its creator and Lamb to continue research underground. It even got to a point where, lacking funding and test subjects, Lamb was forced to subject his own body to testing. Of course, things went horribly wrong and he was sent to Dixmor Asylum, where he was left among other rejects of the Pickman Project for several years. Until one faithful night, that is...

Manhunt 2 opens with a harrowing escape from the asylum during a freak lightning storm. Working with a fellow inmate named Leo, Lamb must make his way past guards and serious nut jobs if he wants to see the light of day again. The game uses this level as a tutorial, teaching you the ins and outs of the gameplay.

The Gameplay of Manhunt 2

Just like the first Manhunt, Manhunt 2 is a stealth game, through and through. You simply can't run and gun your way to success, as going up against more than one foe is a direct route to a game over screen. Quickly you learn that the shadows are your friend, and thanks to a handy light meter and radar, getting the jump on so-called Hunters is all a matter of patience and planning.

As you start the game, though, you're not exactly prepared to take someone's life. Picking up your first weapon, a syringe, you sneak up behind an asylum orderly that's desperately trying to get a door open. Locking on him and hitting the attack button unleashes a hasty, ugly kill, as you jump on his back and stab him repeatedly in the chest, holding on for dear life, piggy back style. It's not pretty, but it gets the job done. Within a few hours, though, killing won't mean too much to you, considering you're getting revenge on the members of the Pickman Project that basically stole your life.

Also like the first game, there are three levels of executions. Locking on to someone and tapping the attack button quickly unleashes the aforementioned hasty kill. But, if you stand behind them and hold Attack down for a few seconds, you'll see the reticule go from white to yellow to red. Red is the money kill, made only for pure psychos. In one of these extreme kills, we were equipped with a pair of pliers. Reaching under and ripping off the guy's doodads, we preceded to jam the pliers into the guy's back and yank out a chunk of his spine. Seriously, don't try this at home.
The New Kills in Manhunt 2

Apart from the kills you're familiar with, Manhunt 2 introduces two new means of assassination. The first is a series of gun executions, allowing you to blow away guys with ease, so long as they don't know you're right behind them. The second, environmental kills, is a bit more intriguing. In one scene we made our way into a brothel called The Honey Pot. A guard by the door was distracted by a ringing phone, allowing us to sneak in unnoticed. Once inside, we managed to grab hold of the phone, slam the guy over the head with it, and then took the opportunity to finish him off by strangling him with the chord. Again, not pretty, but environmental kills really force you examine your surroundings. If something looks like a possible deathtrap, it probably is!

Manhunt 2 is shaping up to be a definite treat for fans of the original, as well as for those that love a good stealth game and don't mind a little morally-objectionable gore here and there. Currently we've only gotten a chance to see the PS2 version in action, but we should be going hands-on with the Wii version in the near future, so we'll be sure to update you on all the motion-sensing shenanigans. Until then, watch your back!

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