Manhunt: Old Controversy is New Again

Someone is about to get pwned

When you have close friends who are also gamers, they tend to feed your addiction in a variety of ways. They may introduce you to games you might never have considered, join you in rousing deathmatch or co-op or, as in my case, recognize you inner sicko and buy you Manhunt for Xbox.

Thanks, man: you are the best friend a neurotic, shut-in gamer could ever ask for.

I spent a day pondering whether to even mention this game on the blog. It's old, it's "last-gen" and the controversial nature of the content is a moot point, as I like steer clear of mixing politics and morality with games. But last Saturday, after a marathon co-op session of Marvel: Ultimate Alliance, I popped in the Manhunt disc expecting nothing more than a one-trick pony. Gore, violence and Rockstar-style stealth gameplay... whatever. Been there and done that. Being that as it may, this "been there, done that" experience had me glued to the screen these past few nights.

My ever insightful, long-winded analysis after the jump...

So yes, this is that "other stealth game" I hinted at in my last post. Before I pitch in my obligatory opinions regarding the violence in Manhunt, I just wanted to talk about the game itself. It's a great stealth game. The stealth label is probably a little too narrow since it incorporates elements of movie thrillers and survival horror games, too. Far from being a standard gaming experience, it's probably one of the most unique titles released in the last few years, on any platform.

The pacing is excellent and the difficulty, while high, ramps up gradually and in tune with my own skills. The interface is a wonder of simplicity and ease of use. And the atmosphere... oh the atmosphere. This game is intense, thanks to top-shelf audio production and the dark, barren art direction.

Ok, ok... we still have this elephant in the room that I've refused to address up until now. I'm going to skip the explanation of what this game is about; I assume everyone reading this has an inkling. You play a murderous convict. You are placed in a deadly realty TV-styled snuff film against your will. There are other murderous individuals standing in your way. Go murder them. The game is Violent and Bloody and Brutal, none of which is dampened by the grainy, last-gen graphics. In fact, the grainy videotape effect only enhances the snuff film verité of the proceedings. There simply is no side-stepping the mature nature of Manhunt: it is unflinching in its portrayal of murder and violence. Go look up "Manhunt video game" on YouTube if you have any doubts about this claim.

And that, my friends, is really all that needs to be said. The game is rated M by the ESRB, which prevents its sale to anyone under 17 years of age. The graphic nature of the game is no more reprehensible than what I'd find in a typical R-rated slasher flick, which underage children are supposed to be barred from experiencing as well. (Interesting side note: the creepy "Director" character in the game is voiced, superbly, by veteran actor Brian Cox. Cox played Dr. Hannibal Lektor in a 1986 prequel of sorts to The Silence of the Lambs called, Manhunter. Coinky-dink?)

I stumbled upon a well-written, albeit misguided, review of the game while searching Google. As eloquent as he is, the author has fallen into the sensationalist trap as so many other folks in the media. He doesn't even imply that he thinks Manhunt is a murder simulator, he just flat out states it. His most egregious overstatement, however, is claiming that the game is easy.

Um, I don't know how he plays, but I find Manhunt very challenging. I also find that it scares the shit out of me, in a good way. It's impossible to play this game in a reclined, laid back position. I'm always pitched forward in my seat, eyes wide and muscles tensed. When it's on, it's on. I am in the game. And that's a lot more than can be said for flashier stealth titles like Double Agent (you know I had to stick in that final jab there).