Available on the: PS2(reviewed), Xbox, and PC Players: Uno Rating: M (violence, gore, language)

Opening thoughts

I was utterly surprised to find no reviews of this game on this website. I thought for sure someone played this game and bashed it on this site for its offensive content, but I was wrong, so I shall fill the void and post my review of the controversial game from the folks at Rockstar games, this is Manhunt.

Story

Rockstar games truly knows how to make them vile and disturbing but at the same exact time, amazingly addictive. The story revolves around John Cash (an obvious reference to late great country singer Johnny Cash). Cash is a murder who gets the death penalty in the very opening scene. So instantly your saying, FLASHBACK, but that isn\'t true, no Cash somehow or another survives the lethal toxins and emerges in a dimly lit room. As Cash looks around, amazed he is still breathing, he hears a voice. This voice identifies himself as \'The Director\'. The Director is the man responsible for sparing Cash an instant death at the hands of Uncle Sam. The Director wants Cash to repay him, OKAY right now if your squeamish or faint of heart, stop reading! The Director wants Cash to star in his new snuff film. For those who do not know what a snuff film is, I shall explain it in an easy to understand way, it is a underground form of pornography in which a person (usually a women) gets murdered. So one plus one equals two and the rest of the game your axing away people on video to receive your freedom. Grotesque, you betcha.

Graphics

Manhunt\'s graphics are comparable to that of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (in fact, they both use renderware and look almost identical). So the graphics aren\'t stellar, but they are above average, especial good is the shadowing. The graphics will score a B-.

Audio

The audio, much like all the Rockstar games, is the best part of the game. The game scores major points in the ambiance, you will feel the wind blow past you and your character trends down an eerie street full of ruthless gang members. The spoken voice-overs offer loads of variety and even loads of comical relief (almost needed in a dark, gritty game like this). Also, because this is a stealth title, we are treated to many different sounds for simple tasks like walking and tapping walls. You get the basic thump and then the THUMP!!. Okay in all seriousness the sound is pitch perfect, A+ in the Audio department.

Controls and Game play

Many people wonder what type of game Manhunt is and quite simply put it is a stealth game. You wonder around a rather heft-sized level and slowly make your way to the exit. Easy enough to say, hard to do. Blocking your way to freedom is every two-bit hooded and masked gang in Carcer City. To dispatch these foes, Cash must slowly sneak up behind them (with a weapon) and dispatch them in a graphic and gruesome way. To dispatch the gang members, you simply walk up behind them and hold down the \'Square\' button. The longer you hold the button, the more time it requires, but also the execution of the gang member will be gorier and much more messier. The control are sound, as the should be, but the camera tends to run into many glitches and get caught on wall and such. The game play at first is pulse pounding, but in all honesty gets a tad repetitive. Want to hear the biggest flaw in the game play department, after spending four hours (half the game) mastering your stealth skills, your handed a gun and out goes all your stealth training for running and gunning.

Offensive Content

It\'s been a year since Manhunt\'s release date, so I\'m sure you have heard about this games content. Yes, it is really gory and messy but the violence isn\'t what I found most offensive. I found the comments by the Director to be most offensive. After killing someone in a graphic manner, the Director sings praises and even talks about how he is sexually aroused by the slayings. Their also is a great deal of language in the game, most of it the \'F-bomb\', but their is a fair share of other words and racial comments. The Offensive content gets a big fat F.