Manhunt 2 (Wii) - Review by Andrew

Introduction

There's always been a certain amount of controversy around a number of games. The highest profile for these is the Grand Theft Auto series but the Manhunt games (also produced by Rockstar) is surely a close second. In the UK the second outing for this 'action' title hit the headlines last year when it was refused an age rating and therefore could not be released. After a fair few appeals it eventually hit the stores on Halloween and here is our grizzly review.

Gameplay

Before you indulge in any gameplay you are given some indication of the type of life inmate Daniel Lamb has to endure at Dixmor Asylum, an appallingly abusive facility where patients are punished for the most minor offence and treatment is rarely prescribed. A sudden power outage gives you the opportunity to escape and so begins your journey of murder and revenge. Lamb himself is a broken and twisted individual with no respect for the sanctity of life. Setting things straight is the only thing on his mind. It's here you begin your quest but given that you are both out-manned and out-gunned a stealthy approach is recommended, as simply jumping into a situation is likely to end badly - usually for you. Success is all about waiting for the right moment; throwing an object into a corner in order to distract a potential victim; waiting until someone is alone; just generally stacking the odds in your favor before making your move. You are not completely invisible to your opponent though even in the shadows and when you are discovered the action flips to a mini-game were you must keep the Wii remote completely still until they lose interest and look elsewhere.

The actual killing itself is ranked in degrees and the severity of the attack is dependent on just how long you keep the 'B' button pressed down on your remote, with a level 3 kill being the most disturbing. This is actually far more satisfying than it really should be and you'll find yourself becoming more involved as the game progresses. It's not just about pressing the button down of course and as you take your victim down you'll be given visual on-screen clues putting you right in the centre of the action.

Controls

Obviously, the controls here differ from other versions of Manhunt 2 but fortunately the tutorial in The Asylum gets you comfortable with the various controls and gameplay mechanics. As you'd expect this is all very intuitive on the Wii, you wave your remote around to attack and shoot by aiming and firing with the 'B' button. This works very well most of the time although the 'A' button is overused making some moves and actions very frustrating. For example should you wish to attack someone whilst also standing by a dead body, you'll pick up the body instead, leaving you completely open to attacks. There's even more frustration with the cut scenes which can't be skipped regardless of what you do, meaning you'll be forced to watch the same thing over and over again.

Graphics

Manhunt 2 has maintained the same visual impact which made the original such a talking point, with the attention to detail helping to push the unhinged theme of the game. The asylum is suitably disturbing with long drab corridors and multiple light sources providing huge areas of shadow for hiding in. The Sex Club is seedy and uninviting, encouraging you to complete your tasks and then head for the exit at the earliest convenience. Disappointingly the same can't be said of the various kills, which have been significantly toned down for this sequel. This means that you'll never clearly see anything that could be judged disturbing because the screen is bleached out whenever you attack.

Sound

The audio is really quite spectacular and the various sound effects and distant voices make for a truly gripping atmosphere. Elsewhere the voiceover work is excellent with each line delivered almost perfectly although there's still a lot of swearing and coarse language to get through. There's also a subtle, haunting soundtrack backing it though that suits the tone of the game perfectly.

Final comments

While this second outing may not have the impact the original did there's still plenty to celebrate about Manhunt 2. The gameplay is well balanced with a great deal to offer your average stealth fan. The sound effects are excellent and the environments realistic with a suitable arresting quality to them. Unfortunately there is a downside, most notably the frustrating control system and temperamental camera angles. In addition, it is not nearly as scary as it could or should be. Even with all this considered though, if you did enjoy the first Manhunt then there's more than enough to keep you satisfied here.

Pro: Great Stealth Action Requiring Real Skill
Con: Not Very Scary, Poor Storyline, No Ability to Skip Cut Scenes.
Final score: 7

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