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The issue with Manhunt 2 is that it’s far inferior than the first and it’s a shame. The idea of using MK Ultra in a story should have been absolutely terrifying, because in reality it doesn’t get any scarier than that, but it was implemented too loosely and poorly it just fell flat on its face. Manhunt 1 told its story mostly through gameplay and very minimal cutscenes. It needed very little explanation and it was simple, disturbing, solid and it got under your skin the right way.
For example, Starkweather needs no explanation, then when you finally get into his mansion that’s all you need to see to know what he’s about. In 2 they’re trying to tell a more complex story through cutscenes as opposed to gameplay, which doesn’t work, both because of its short length and its lack of awareness for what’s going on. The writing feels like they loosely had an idea and went with it without stopping.
The first game didn’t need this, you were Cash, you knew as much as him and that’s what made the lore so much more mysterious and unsettling. The lack of answers made the story and world much more sinister and interesting. Manhunt 2’s story literally centres on requiring answers, and it gives you almost none except for what the experiment was. We weren’t given an idea of who Leo Kasper was really, or where he came from, beyond those recorded audio tapes on the Rockstar Website.
But even at that it wasn’t enough. It never explained why Judy was in the underground torture chamber, it never explained how these lunatics were involved with the project full stop. Why were Michael and Danny on the boat at that sugar factory? None of the flashbacks are even explained properly. We had to find out in the booklet that the Sugar Factory was Leo first coming to fruition and killing Michael as part of the experiment, with the Project Militia ready to detain him after, but that should have been explained IN the game itself.
There was no crucial moment where Danny realised what the flashbacks were all about in context. It actuallyneeded exposition, which isn't good when the first game told 85% of its story through visuals and gameplay alone which is tremendous. The part in 2 that was advertised most in the trailers was the asylum escape and even that was a let down.
Any extra information about why the levels were what they were, was either in the booklet or on the website, which is terrible storytelling. Bear in mind, the booklet of Manhunt 1 literally complemented the game, the game was main feature, whereas the booklet and website just enhanced its build up, it's the same with any Rockstar game, the booklet is never a simple instruction manual, it enhances the game's build up then the game itself is the main event. 2 had a reliance on both its booklet and media to tell its story which is awful.
As I said, it’s very disappointing, because the idea of being trapped in a snuff film is terrifying, and it’s done to perfection. But an MK Ultra inspired story should have been scarier, the fact that it’s the people trying to protect us carrying out terrifying experiments on folks. So much more could have been added to make the game worth playing, they did it with the Red Dead series, took the inspiration for ‘Revolver’ and turned it on its head to make a Wild West epic. Don’t see why they didn’t do the same with Manhunt 2. It’s also fairly obvious Rockstar turned their attention to GTA 4 and EFLC at the time of Manhunt 2’s development which you can see at the very start as it was passed around to different studios. It’s highly likely that the game is also unfinished and they didn’t expect it to sell as much regardless, but it’s still insanely disappointing.
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I replayed manhunt 1 after 2 and noticed how despite manhunt 2 had mechanics which let Hunters spot you in the shadows, manhunt 1 still feels harder to play and scarier. Also, there arent any boss battles. In manhunt 1 we had ramirez and piggsy, here they just half assed it by making us kill Leo 10 times. Also, i never really got why Leo killed Danny wife? Did he want to do it himself or did the project made him do it and thats why they were filming?
did you not understand the ritual cleansing ? he killed his wife so he can make sure he can't return to his old life further pushing him down the rabbit hole until there's no choice but to want the same thing as Leo and that's destroying the Project
He killed his wife to get rid of his past bro not what u said,so that he will be a killing machine
manhunt 2 fails to capture the grime that the first one did , although i did appreciate the pervs , even they feel a bit too … “clean.” When i play manhunt 1 i feel like i need to go take a walk or somethin , when i play manhunt 2 i just want to play manhunt 1 . Shoutout to craig connor tho
Manhunt 2 isnt a bad game in my opinion. It just sucks in comparison to the first. I feel like they put a lot of thought into the story executions and levels but slacked off on a lot of other things. I feel liked the game was rushed but I personally think its still a great and fun experience.
I like Manhunt 2 but found it far inferior, most of the improvements were in gameplay but at the same time it was missing a lot. Manhunt had this feeling of being in a hellish nighttime underworld of a city in plain sight and just being a nightmare that never ends and sometimes Manhunt 2 feels like it’s losing itself in an Eli Roth kind of edginess, and some of the shooter levels (particularly with Leo) just feel like a complete departure from the psychological horror aspect so much that it feels like Max Payne with weird controls. There’s a lot to say, and one thing I always give the first game over the second is the perfectly captured atmosphere.
One thing that made Manhunt 1 unique is that, more often than not, there is very little context as to what’s happening. You know you’re in a snuff film and that’s about it. Meanwhile in Manhunt 2, you’re right it’s a more complex story, but it sort of spoon feeds you some details of what’s happening which takes away a little of the magic that Manhunt 1 had. Manhunt 2 is definitely more violent, but that’s about it. The game isnt THAT bad, but it falls into the trap of being the inferior sequel.
Well 2 spoon feeds you alright, but not enough and that kind of story HAS to have answers. And if you play it again, you’ll find it’s so vague it becomes a bit ridiculous. Like some aspects are explained on the website and in the booklet. But as with most Rockstar Games, the booklets were never used to expand on the story, just to tease the game, what’s in it, locations, gangs etc. the first game’s booklet was very cool, a little black market catalogue for Valiant Video. That’s what made it a cut above your typical violent video game. It was purposely designed to look cheap and sleazy but it really wasn’t in the slightest because it created the intrigue. But in 2, having to rely on the booklet to tell you only MAYBE why Leo is the way he is, was terrible storytelling. It’s one of the most missed opportunities ever and that’s why I always got the feeling the game was only half finished. 1 felt like a full monster of a game but 2 felt like it started off with the entire crew eager, then they slowly started to realize the mammoth of GTA4 plus EFLC, and the beginning development of Red Dead and obviously these games were more lucrative than Manhunt. Because Manhunt 2 is insanely short as well.
Manhunt 1 didn’t need any spoon feeding because the beauty of that game was it’s so good at appearing to be minimalistic. It’s one of the few that tells its story almost completely through visuals. Starkweather, you only had to hear him to know what he was about, the Cerberus, Ramirez and even Piggsy are the same. You didn’t even need to know what Cash did to wind up on Death Row because the manner in which he kills people pretty much answers that question already. All you do know is whatever he did was obviously violent. The cutscenes don’t even tell you anything beyond where you’re going and there’s almost no real dialogue in them, which I also love.
I don’t think people really really appreciate the level of genius the game was. As far as I’m concerned, these steam versions aren’t worth a piss. The only way I’ll play Manhunt, or the GTA 3D series (3 all the way to VCS) is on an old Philips TV with the static on the screen.
If Rockstar Vienna would have not been closed and their ideas dropped this game could have been better than it is today. I really like the original story of Manhunt 2 and the cut scenes like history museum and sorority house. Unfortunately the close of Rockstar Vienna and the censoring and controversy watered this title down.
Even though, I still enjoyed the gameplay and context of the pickman project being a reference to the project mk ultra. I like to think in my mind the game is and was like the original creators intended it to be.
I think it’s half finished. Because it doesn’t feel like a Rockstar Game. Rockstar always take a stab at some kind of American entity as we see in all of GTA’s incessant satires; and Manhunt 1 with the murder for entertainment angle. 2 would have been another opportunity to take a major stab at the government and while that whole thing is evident, it has no depth. The first game was a horror masterpiece and at times it was utterly hilarious. When you really narrow it down, no other game has even come close to replicating it, not even its sequel. But that’s the same with all Rockstar Games. How could you replicate Bully even? You could take Red Dead and set it anywhere, Australia, The Orient, California anywhere at all. Same with GTA. Manhunt, Bully and the Warriors are those once off games that are special.
I also think I might be the only one who loves the gunplay in the first Manhunt. It’s not your typical shooter in the slightest. I always felt the messiness adds to the intensity. Manhunt 1 was perfect because of the lack of cutscenes as well as the atmosphere. YOU were essentially Cash because you knew as much as he did. The gangs didn’t require explaining, nothing did nor did the villain. That’s the genius of it all. Cash doesn’t even speak for 99% of the game.
Then the second game takes on a more complex story but that’s where it fails. It needed more exposition because they never even fully explained why Leo hated the project. The idea of MK Ultra is the scariest thing there could be imho, but here it’s just half-assed. They give you answers but they also don’t at the same time. Like why were Danny and Michael on that boat in the first place? The cutscene gives us no clue as to what they’re doing? The torture chamber bit was fantastic but why was Judy there? There were some great ideas but it was so poorly done and the other issue was none of the environments beyond Danny’s house were believable. They were far too well lit. In the first game, if you played in Hardcore and turned the brightness all the way down, it makes the game far more intense. Not only can they not see you but you can also have a hard time seeing them but you can hear them.
I like the shooting in the first game, too - it's better to me than any of the GTAs of its time, genuinely tactile despite some elements of jankiness. My favourite levels are the ones where guns blazing or execution maniac are both viable options (mostly the levels after Divided They Fall, though DTF isn't difficult to do executions only apart from Ramirez who you'd need to brick to death).
My favorite level is “Strapped for Cash” because is the perfect mix between the tactile gunplay and cool Stealth, the use of the Tranquilizer Rifle was so cool to do executions and the Wardogs really feel like a One-to-one threat
If Manhunt 3 has a story like Manhunt 1 but the gore and mechanics of 2 it will the best game in the series
I have love/hate feelings for the game. I feel there are the bones of a great story, but as you mention it’s very poorly realized.
Still better than Battlefield 2042
Agree 100% I never liked manhunt 2 always thought it was bad. Manhunt 1 is a masterpiece
yeah man the game sucks dick I think must of us agree on that
**Hear me out
Gun sections are literally worse than having glass for breakfast games at its best when it's focused on melee executions which last for all of 3 missions. SMG is literally impossible to escape from deletes you on half a second.