Manhunt 2 Hands-On Preview

Manhunt 2 is Rockstar Games' bloody follow-up to the 2003 snuff classic that has found itself in the middle of a firestorm even greater than the one conjured by its predecessor. While the stealthy gameplay of the original may have been nothing new, the style and subject matter of Manhunt made it one of the most mature games ever to hit the gaming world. While controversy always surrounded the game, it definitely didn't do any harm to its sales, so it was perhaps inevitable that Rockstar would produce a sequel. However, in its attempt to top the first game, Rockstar has opened up a big can of worms that has led to this week's recent drama. Back before everything hit the fan, we had the chance to get a proper hands-on with work-in-progress versions of the PlayStation 2 and Wii incarnations of the game. What we played then appeared to be an engaging sequel that was indeed poised to outdo the original.

For the PlayStation 2 demo, Rockstar showed off a new level called sexual deviants, which saw the main character Danny infiltrating a fetish club. If you've played the previous Manhunt you should be aware of the incredibly dark themes that the original game touched on, and the fact that it was more or less an interactive snuff film was really only the beginning. So the fact that the sequel features a level where a human torture center is masquerading as an extreme sex club is pretty much par for the course. The setup for the level revolves around main character Danny following a hunch after finding a set of matches with the sex club's address and going over for a look. Note that the excursion is just part of Danny's journey to piece together his fractured past, not to get his cheap thrill on.

The level starts around the side of the club, and as you explore, it soon becomes obvious that you need to break a window to gain entry. Debris can be used to break most of the glass in the game, though in creating a noise you can often alert nearby enemies to your presence. As with the previous Manhunt, noise will draw interest from the surrounding enemies, but this can be of benefit if you want to create a distraction. Hiding in the shadows is usually a safe way of staying out of view, but Manhunt 2 now introduces quicktime events if someone starts to become suspicious. If an enemy peers into the shadows, you sometimes have to hit a few buttons to "hold your breath," as it were, and if you make the right combos you'll remain hidden.

On the PS2, the controls remain largely unchanged since the previous Manhunt. Push the left analog stick to its extremity and Danny will walk, but push it gently and he will creep. When you stand still, the right analog controls the camera, and the designers have chosen to largely restrict the camera in order to keep the game more suspenseful. If you're pushed up against a wall and go to the edge, the right stick can also be used to discreetly poke your head out and peer around the corner. The L1 button can be used to sprint, but it creates noise and will alert any enemies in the vicinity.

Once inside the club, the first kill that we were able to pull off was one of the new environmental executions. These occur when enemies are standing next to something that can be used to kill them, such as a rope, a fuse box, or, in this case, a toilet. Our first victim was an unfortunate man in a gimp mask, who had his face introduced to a toilet in a number of painful ways. As well as environmental kills, there are puzzles that require you to dispatch people in certain ways. For example, to gain entry into the torture chamber, you have to show the guard a recognizable face. Predictably, this involves removing someone's head with an axe and then holding it up to the window.

Of course, standard kills remain the most frequent type of kills in Manhunt 2, and there's a variety of weapons to choose from as you progress through the game. Fragile items such as glass shards and syringes can be used only a single time, while buzz saws and hammers can be used multiple times. The method of killing in Manhunt 2 is pretty much identical to that in the original. Danny must approach his victims from behind in order to stay unnoticed and perform a clean kill, and when he is within range he will raise his arm. Pressing the square button will perform an immediate kill, but holding it down will produce an even gorier finishing move. The longer you hold down the button, an onscreen reticle will turn from yellow to red, with the latter color indicating the most gruesome kill available. Manhunt 2 also brings guns into the mix, although none were on offer in this particular level. It's also possible to jump off ledges and perform flying kills, although finding the combination of a raised platform and an unsuspecting bad guy was quite rare on the sexual deviants level.

The sexual deviants level is split more or less into two parts, the first in which you're making your way through the club and the second in which you discover the strange experiments happening behind the scenes. The first part is made easier thanks to the loud club music, so you can run around the main area without being heard. The assembled freaks mutter the occasional darkly funny line like, "He is so ungrateful for my love, sometimes I just want to strangle him," and the dance music fits in perfectly with the setting. However, downstairs things become even more extreme, with the human experimentation and torture looking like something out of the movie Hostel. However, there are environmental kills aplenty, with wire cutters and electricity offering some particularly gruesome opportunities to take out the torturers.

The Wii demo of the game showed off the same levels plus the intriguing best friends level, where Danny has a flashback to his past life, a narrative device that works well. This particular flashback differs a bit in that it offers a red flag on Danny's sanity. Yes, we're aware he's not the poster boy for mental health, but, without spoiling too much, we'll say that Danny Boy may not have been that sane to begin with. The big feature in the Wii demo was the game's control scheme, which made smart use of the system's controller. The basic system was laid out on the controller pretty much how you'd expect. Melee combat is performed by waving the remote left and right. The big hook to the action is the way the controller is used during the various kills. You'll now have to actively follow onscreen motions that approximate your actions. Throwing a chair? Hold the Wii Remote and analog stick as if you've got the chair in your hands and move it accordingly. Stabbing someone? Jab that Wii Remote. The kills we saw typically involved three steps that varied according to the level of the kill. In addition, the minigame for hiding in the shadows requires you to follow onscreen prompts in order to stay unseen. The system is a cool use of the controller and gives the game a good, unsettling feel that works well with its story.

The visuals in both games were good for their respective platforms. The PlayStation 2 game obviously looked a bit blocky, but it had a good assortment of special effects and filters to dress it up. The models and environments were well done by PlayStation 2 standards, along the lines of Bully, but they don't challenge the best seen on the system, like God of War 2. The Wii game obviously had the edge in visuals, with a sharper overall look and solid frame rate. The game's widescreen support also helps give the cinematics that tell its story a nice kick.

The audio in both games was still coming along but seemed to be headed in a polished direction. The areas we saw had their moody atmosphere set by strong, ambient audio with a smattering of music peppered throughout. The voice was well done and really sold a lot of the more gruesome moments.

Based on what we played, Manhunt 2 is shaping up to be a solid, intriguing follow-up to the original. The game's violence and gore, which have become the mother of all lightning rods for the title, are in full effect. But, while they've been ramped up from the original game, they're not exactly going to wreck Western civilization any more than, say, the Saw and Hostel movies--or just about any other of the slasher flicks that come in and out of vogue. What we saw was graphic for sure, and given a slightly unsettling twist by the interactivity offered by the Wii game, but ultimately it's nothing we haven't seen before in other games, movies, or even some television. We're curious to see the form Manhunt 2 ends up taking should Rockstar make changes to get a more retail-friendly rating. The game's violence is part of the dark story it's telling, not an element tossed in for shock value. If films such as Seven or Reservoir Dogs had been toned down, they arguably wouldn't have told the same stories. Hopefully Rockstar can figure something out and keep the game's dark vision intact. We'll keep you posted as Manhunt 2 is prepared for release.