played. The premise is that to satiate the blood lust of modern day
viewers, a director has created a slum filled with the most depraved
scum of the earth, and set you -a prisoner sentenced to death- loose in
that 'arena'.
The world thinks your dead.
Your goal?
To get out and win your freedom.
This sets the stage for what has so far been the most violent filled
game I've experienced.
Now, this isn't to say the graphics are visually on par with Far Cry, or
even as good as some of the Doom III shots we've seen.
They're good, but not that good .
No. What makes the general 'Action-Vioence' we're accustomed to worse is
that you're actively encouraged to murder and maim in the most terrible
ways possible.
The graphics do have some sort of 'Filter' over them, however, so that
it resembles almost exactly video shot with a home movie camera.
All the 'noise' on the image is there.
For example, the game's controls allow you to sneak up behind an
opponent. Once there the longer you hold the action button, the more
brutal your 'finishing move' will be when you release it. The
environments are dark and gritty, filled with scurrying rats and old
decaying buildings. Gameplay emphasizes sneaking in the shadows almost
exclusively, and fighting toe to toe with more than one opponent will
most likely result in a trip back to the loading screen. At the start
your weapons are plastic bags, which you must sneak up behind your
opponent to use (yes to strangle them, and perhaps throw a kidney punch
or two for good measure), baseball bats large and small, a crowbar, and
glass shards. I understand later you get guns and more conventional
weapons.
The sound is top notch. With the cries from your enemies sounding almost
too human," Please..please don't kill me man think about what you're
doing. Please.I was forced into this..please.." Of course. If you let
him go, he catches his breath and then comes back to try to finish you.
So you must ignore the cries.and smash the guy on the ground with the
crowbar. I find myself wondering what they used to produce such eerily
real, wet thuds of metal on flesh.
The production values of the game are top notch, and the voice of the
director is chilling, and done by a professional Hollywood actor (I
forget whom).
Should a game like this be censored? I say no.
Not anymore than any other form of art should be censored.
No humans were hurt in the creation of this game.
And without a doubt if you view it objectively, this more than many of
the games I've played..is art.
It has it's own unique feel, it's own breath of _expression_ that a lot of
current games out there lack.
It has the spark of originality.
More than anything I would defend Manhunt as art.
Whether you think it's a good game and enjoy playing it is up to you.
But I would recommend taking a look just to see it in action.
-Gel
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