'Manhunt'

Manhunt is a unique concept trying to tap into what one might describe as 'the snuff' genre. Rockstar, who are no stranger to controversial video games, put you in the role of a serial killer. 'Cash,' who has been detoured from death row, is now to partaking in the recording of a snuff movie. This is against his will, of course, but he must take part in order to survive. Cash's captor has placed gangs of enemies in remote locations to hunt him down. These locations range from empty backstreets, derelict buildings, to abandoned zoos and shopping malls.

Plastic bag, anyone?

Although the graphics are good, the environments are dark and grimy. This is probably what Rockstar were going for, but it's not pretty on the eye.

The basis of the game is on stealth. The environment is dark and the player must sneak up on enemies, killing them from behind. The player is able to make use of shadows and throw objects to distract his enemies. Rockstar employ a brutality system. The longer the player holds the kill button, the more brutal the attack. Cash must be armed to perform a kill and when weapons range from a shard of glass, a wire cord, and a plastic bag; you can expect a pretty nasty result. The player can be creative, in that he may tear an enemy's head off then throw it as a distraction tool.

The first cut is the deepest!

Cash can also utilise pistols and tranquilliser guns in his arsenal, although they don't seem to be as effective as the stealth weapons. The guns use the same soft lock system as the melee weapons but you can adjust this for head shots. The player can duck in and out of cover yet the buttons can be fiddly at times.

A key skill the player will need to use here is luring enemies. This can be done by bashing on walls and throwing bricks.

The stealth mechanics of the game are good. Cash walks in true Grindhouse fashion. If he is spotted, the player has to sprint to escape. Cash has a stamina bar which depletes while doing this. When the game enters this mode, the player must break the enemy's line of sight and enter the shadows to hide. Stealth must be used by separating the enemies. It is no good killing an enemy silently only for his buddy to see you and give chase.

Why can't we be friends?

You can use weapons in a none stealth way, approaching your enemies and just basically hacking them to bits with a shard of glass. Yet this can leave your character open to counters and the game can be unforgiving at times.

There's a brawling system, making use of blocking and attacking which is fun. You can only utilise this technique effectively if there is one enemy. Don't expect to brawl with two to three enemies and live to tell the tale, it just won't happen. When you manage to get the better of an enemy, he will go down and beg for his life, which is a nice effect, but ultimately, you will have to kill him.

The church group was unavailable...

The game is difficult at times and I found myself feeling uncomfortable sneaking round, feeling more like Charles Manson than Solid Snake. Watching Cash choke someone with a plastic bag is novel in its way, yet this game has an eerie sense of violence about it and is not for the squeamish. Cash eventually upgrades his melee weapons to baseball bats and machetes, allowing for quicker and more brutal kills. The game feels like a psychopath's dream, a huge selection of killing methods available, but I can see why grind house fans may like it. It is not really a crime simulation like the Grand Theft Auto games, and don't expect shooting on par with Max Payne. It's clear Rockstar wanted to try a different path with this one. The game is in a genre of its own.

Why use a gun when you have a plastic bag?

From time to time, the game will throw a 'compromising situation' your way, as Cash's captors have his family. The game then kills them one by one if you get spotted; another dark moment in this game. The game is lacking in narrative, which is disappointing. The gangs being used as expendable cattle for Cash to feed upon rather than engaging characters for the viewer. The game uses stereotype red-necks, survivalists, and simpletons as enemies. I think this is Rockstar acknowledging horror fans. They are usually armed with melee weapons, but as the game progresses, they will upgrade to guns as well.

I wasn't too impressed with the voice acting. The two main characters are Cash and his captor.

Graphically it's excellent and the X Box version could be mistaken for a 360 copy as it stands up by today's standards. The Playstation 2 version is just as good and if you can get this game cheap, then it's a bargain. I paid £3 for my X Box version and a £1 for my PS2 version, if you're a fan of Rockstar games then you will probably enjoy this.

3 out 5

Enjoyable as a 'Grind House' game but will test some people's stomach.