Manhunt 2

 Manhunt 2 definitely felt a large blow of controversy during its development. One delay, after another it eventually was cancelled on the whole for its UK release simply due to how violent and blood-soaked the game's content ended up becoming.

Now a year after its original intended release, BBFC have finally accepted Take 2's request to release this edited, but still maniacal and crimson coated version of the action adventure. But it is still all what you come to expect from the house of GTA, Rockstar Games. You see, while Manhunt 2 is a disgusting Wii release it is also a shockingly immersive and addictive Wii release too.

The story centres on our protagonist Daniel Lamb and his fight to gain the freedom and memory he lost from the so called "Project". As a result of experiments on his mind and body, Daniel has developed the persona of a vehement homicidal maniac known as Leo. With the help of Leo, Daniel is able to escape from the confines of the hospital but it's now a case of kill or be killed. Daniel must piece together what happened to him as well as hiding or pursuing the death squads that are hunting him down around the city.

Manhunt 2 is essentially a game of cat and mouse; you can't jump right into the action expecting your own way. Instead, you need to blend in with your surroundings and strike at the correct time. This is somewhat unusual to attune yourself to within the first hour of play as the controls are somewhat wonky.

With no camera settings and odd button placements (Hold Z to run), you'd find the title a little alarming to play at first, getting caught dozens of times and pegging it as fast as you possibly can. But like any other stealth title, the death squads back down in their hunt to find you guaranteed you find yourself in a dark and secluded part of the level. At which point you can sneak up behind the unknowing hunter as he walks off, click and hold A then release to give him his just deserts. The hunter has just become the hunted and you've committed one of the many executions possible during play. In-fact, executions can vary depending on weapon and how long you hold onto the A button as you approach your unsuspecting foe.

Executions are interactive sequences in which you murder your enemy step by step. They best compare to the quick kills of Prince of Persia Two Thrones or assassinations of Tenchu. You use the wiimote and nunchuck as a prompt on the screen gives you a number of commands to perform. It can make you strike your appointment with a swing of the wiimote and nunchuck, shake them together as if to suffocate them or give 'em a blast from the good ole' berretta with a touch of B.

The executions are made stronger based on how long you keep hold of A and a lot of time make the combinations longer and more so interactive as a result. It's bloody violent. The camera shakes and screen filters fill the screen while you maliciously murder the bugger who was chasing you in the first place. The camera effects and screen filters are how Manhunt 2 stands out of a game artistically. While the visuals are not far different from those of PS2, it goes without saying that the CCTV style 3rd person camera is effective in presenting the atmosphere of Manhunt 2. It looks terrific and this goes well with the gameplay elements of hiding and sneaking on unwary hunters to get the better of each new environment of the game.

That isn't to say Manhunt 2 isn't a solid game visually either though, with solid textures, environments and characters but the best area is easily in the game's snippy cinematics which are assumingly in-game generated. The same can be said for the cut-scenes during the levels however they're not quite as high quality and annoyingly impossible to skip. Though levels is something Manhunt 2 has a lack of anyway with a good 14-15 chapters to playthrough and can be completed in less than a fortnight if an average gamer. But in comparison, Mahunt 2's pacing is far more splendrous with a decent growth in difficulty and variation in gameplay.

It is also worth mentioning, that despite promise of better immersion, the Wii version doesn't add a whole lot more to the already solid experience of Manhunt 2 and despite arguably more interactive executions, standard attacks feel more cumbersome with the wiimote and nunchuck's motion controls. The quality of the gunplay is also a question of debate as the sensitivity of the wiimote makes aiming a little tougher.

The voice acting is a regular hit and miss job for Rockstar. Manhunt 2 is able to capture the corny voice acting of gruesome horror movies of its type and captures the good cop/bad cop aspects of Daniel/Leo's character well. Though the hunters are a little uninspired and stereotypical (e.g. crazy rednecks). Being said, Leo provides advice for the majority of the game being the masochist he does – imploring you to murder each and every member of the project – this can eventually grow repetitive. There is little to no music in Manhunt 2 either, with a heavier emphasis on the brutal sound effects instead such as gore and blood splattering, etc.

All in all, Manhunt 2 is yet another solid Ps2-to-Wii port that doesn't necessarily benefit entirely from the added Wii controls, graphics or Wi-Fi the PS2 would otherwise do without. It isn't something to kill for by any means but Manhunt 2 certainly does well to serve some, otherwise lacking, bloody splendour on Nintendo Wii.