Manhunt is Rockstar games' upcoming action title for the PlayStation 2. The game is being developed by a team within Rockstar North, the studio whose recent claims to fame--Grand Theft Auto III and Grand Theft Auto III: Vice City--have done pretty well for the company. However, while it would be a no-brainer to crank out a game that doesn't stray too far from the formula that has catapulted Rockstar North into the limelight, Manhunt is anything but GTA 1.5. Manhunt serves up a disturbing blend of third-person stealth action that's equal parts Splinter Cell, Tenchu, and, because Rockstar loves its disturbing influences, snuff film. We took a look at some of the game and are intrigued by what we've seen.

No, Manhunt is not rated E.

Manhunt's story is a grim one, and it does a fine job of preparing you for what to expect from the game. You play as a death row inmate named James Earl Cash who, when you first get a glimpse of him in the game's opening cutscene, doesn't appear to have lot of time left in this world. You're brought up to speed on the events unfolding before you by a female journalist whose narration provides the context for the impending execution. Now, as you'd expect--since you're playing as Cash--Manhunt is neither the world's shortest game nor is it set in the afterlife. Despite the fact that Cash does, in fact, appear to die from lethal injection, he is spared from death by a shadowy figure who addresses him as he regains consciousness in a dark room while lying on a gurney. Disoriented and out of sorts from his recent experiences, Cash is a little fuzzy on what the hell is going on--much like you. His mysterious savior is a little vague on the specifics but does offer some information that makes Cash's survival a bit of a mixed blessing. It seems the mysterious one didn't actually save Cash for any humanitarian reasons; his motivations were entirely selfish. It seems he is in the market for some entertainment and has chosen Cash to fill that void. The mysterious man has set up a disturbing sandbox for Cash to play in: a city customized to his specifications and chock-full of individuals who are at least as troubled as our boy Cash. What does this mean for our recently saved inmate? A world of trouble and pain, of course. However, it also spells out sadistic fun for players.

You get to meet--and brutally kill--some very interesting people.

Your basic goal in Manhunt, once you've finally taken control of Cash, is to survive. Unfortunately, your survival is complicated due to the omnipresent stranger who dropped you into this twisted situation. The macabre city he's created is wired to the hilt with video cameras and other high-tech gadgets that let him track your every move. He'll also taunt you, via an earpiece you'll be wearing, when you start your troubling adventure. Apparently, the voyeuristic weirdo has a "thing" for disturbing video and is hell-bent on ensuring that you provide him with what he wants--hence his request to be addressed as "Director." To that end, he will offer you some direction on how to survive, not that you'll need many pointers (it's not like Cash was on death row for a speeding ticket). However, his twisted pointers are helpful in their own way, as he's basically directing you in his own personal snuff film.