Manhunt

Plot synopsis:
The game is set in dilapidated rust-belt Carcer City in November 2003. Death-row prisoner James Earl Cash has been sentence to execution by lethal injection, after three years of being on death row. As he is taken over to the bed to be injected, he struggles to get free but is overwhelmed. Cash is later woken up by a mysterious voice over a speaker. The first words he hears are: "Hey tough guy, wake up. You're not dead. Well, not yet, anyway. You're getting a second chance, another throw of the dice. As far as the world is concerned, you died back in the chamber. Justice was served; James Earl Cash is rotting in hell." Clearly still dazed Cash tries to escape from the room. The voice instructs him to insert the ear piece; still not sure of his surrounding Cash spots a surveillance camera and attempts to take it out. It is at this point that he is "You've had an unexpected reprieve...do exactly as I say, and I promise, this will be over, before the night is out." As Cash inserts the ear peace, the door opens and Cash is freed upon Carcer City.Little does Cash know but this is just the beginning of the longest night of his life. The voice in his ear is that of Lionel Starkweather, a once big shot in Hollywood that now deals in snuff movies. Starkweather is working in conjunction with Darkwoods Penitentiary to cast his leading man. It is at this point that Cash is instructed as to what Starkweather is asking of him, hundreds of cameras have been set up throughout the city filming every movement that Cash makes. What Cash must do is eliminate anyone that comes in his path, the bloodier and more brutal the execution the better, all for the sake of Starkweathers sick videos.A spanner is thrown into the works when the local news reporter catches on to Starkweathers game. She discovers that something is up and is out to reveal the true identity behind Valiant Video Enterprises and take them down. In order to do so she has to track down and talk to Cash.In the opening scene, Starkweather decides to test Cash, instructing him to kill the first gang member. He has set the hunter up to see if Cash has what it takes to be his leading man, Starkweather proceeds to direct Cash through the basics of surviving the streets of Carcer, upon learning the basics Cash jumps down a shoot, landing to an alleyway.The alleyway leads to another abandoned section of Carcer City that is cordoned off in order for Starkweather to create his illicit movies. Cash is forced to take to the shadows, taking anyone out that comes in his way via the means of stealth. Cash finds himself stood in front of a set of locked gates. Forced to look for away past the gate Cash comes up against a hood packing a crowbar; Cash quickly takes the crowbar wielding hood out and proceeds beyond the gate to the Abandoned Library.Continuing on his way to the abandoned library, Cash finds himself passing through building to building, taking out hoods as they appear, along his way passing through a cellar. Once back on the streets Cash must use a crowbar to open the locked gate, the Cerberus are waiting on Cashs arrival from the alleyway, Starkweather says to them Get ready boys hes coming After pointing a gun in Cashs face one of them hits the back of his legs, knocking him down, they then beat Cash until he can't move, they waste little time taking him to the next scene.The Cerberus drop Cash off at the local junkyard that is being patrolled by the Skinz, whom are brought in by Ramirez, when one of the Skinz gets in Ramirez face he breaks their neck, demonstrating his dominance, he proceeds to instruct them to take Cash out.Cash makes his way through the junkyard avoiding death only to find himself blocked in by another gate, however this time it is blocked off by members of the Skinz wielding nail-guns. Cash quickly takes them out and proceeds to the next area of the junkyard, the security is heavy, the Skinz are everywhere. Cash must cut the power in order to proceed past the Skinz member that is watching porn. Up ahead there is away out, however this is not without problem as it has been blocked of by fridges, there is a huge crane near by but it is out of gasoline. Cash finds himself forced to fill the crane up with gasoline, forcing a way through, along the way taking out tens of Skinz. As Cash sneakily makes his way out of the junkyard, he is ambushed by the Cerberus, one of which sneaks up from behind and puts him in a chokehold.Some other Cerberus are shown feeding some crazed man wearing a pigs face on his head that is chained up in the attic. The Cerberus proceed to drop Cash off at Carcer City Zoo, the zoo is being patrolled by the deadly Wardogs, headed by Ramirez, who once again instructs his men as to what to do. Cash must make his way from one end of the zoo to the other, leaving a bloody path of death along the way. Cash finds himself passing through the gates only for a bombshell to be dropped on him, his family has been tied up and in order to move onto the next scene Cash must save at least one of them. Along the way we discover Cash and his family arent really close, he even calls one of them an idiot.After Starkweather is pleased the Cerberus once again shows up and captures Cash, one aggravated Cerberus member can be heard uttering the words 'you just wont fucking die will you' towards the ever charismatic Cash.Ramirez is shown rounding up the troops, he splits the Innocentz up into packs, sending some of them to the mall and the others to the graveyard. Cash is given a series of orders, first get a video camera and then the tape, he is then told that the video camera is broken and that he should use the TV in the bar within the mall to view the tape. The tape has footage of his family being killed, Cash is not pleased and lashes out, smashing the TV. Starkweather proceeds to tell you that he couldn't let them escape and that he is the only family you need now. You are soon informed that Starkweather has a partner for you, however he has been locked up by the Innocentz, Cash must free the bum and take him to through a serious of gates which Starkweather has locked and is viewing from a camera. The only way for Cash to get through is to get the bum out alive. Once arriving at the graveyard, Cash must take out the remaining Innocentz and enter the tomb.Cash finds himself in a not so abandoned factory, the factory is polluted with Cerberus but fortunately Cash is now wielding a shotgun and is more than a match for them. As Cash is about to leave the factory he is ambushed by the Cerberus, they sedate Cash and take him off to Darkwoods Penitentiary that is the local nut house to me and you.We are told that there are over 1000 inmates, and unfortunately for Cash they have broken free and are packing heat. Cash makes his way through the penitentiary and hits a road block, Starkweather wants the head of the dress wearing lunatic, upon providing Starkweather with his head he gives Cash the gift of a shotgun and allows him to proceed. Not long after giving Cash the gift he asks that Cash give it back as he must drop all weapons and jump down through the hole in the floor to the abandoned lock up below.Cash then has to play a game of simon-says as Starkweather gives out commands as to the various gruesome ways he wants Cash to take out the crazies that roam the corridors. Starkweather has the place on lockdown so the only way to advance is to do as he says, once he has had his fill he allows Cash to proceed. Cash no sooner thinks he is regaining control of his sanity than it is taken away from him. There is a crazed killer stood up ahead in a white rabbit suit, that wants to play chase. The White Rabbit holds the prison key and Cash wants it, the rabbit leads Cash through the prison where Cash takes out dozens of Smilies, with no where to go the rabbit runs for the control tower outside. As Cash leaves the cells it becomes apparent that Starkweather didnt have too much faith in the Smilies as he has the Cerberus monitoring the whole operation. Forced to take on the Cerberus, Cash heroically takes them all down, not before stripping the rabbit of both the key and his head. Ramirez is shown getting informed that Cash has slipped his leash and that he has to be brought to heal, under Starkweathers command.Just as Cash believes he finally might be out of this mess, the Wardogs intervene. Ramirez takes Cash by surprise and throws him a beating, once again stripping him of his weapons. The Wardogs then allow Cash to regain his balance and run for his life. Ramirez has strength in numbers and is out for a game of hide and seek, weaponless Cash takes to the shadows slowly but surely eliminating every last member of the Wardogs, sensing death Ramirez takes refuge in an abandoned apartment complex where he is able to call for backup. Cash attempts to take Ramirez out the same way he did all his dominions, stealthily and quietly but Ramirez is to strong and throws Cash over his shoulder. Ramirez runs out from the building and hides in the roughage outside. With the place heaving with more Wardogs Cash resorts to taking Ramirez out with a sniper shot to the head.As Cash runs away from the gunfire from the Wardogs a car pulls up with a journalist insisting get in you idiot, get in confused by the whole situation Cash instructs her to pull over so she can fill him in. It is here that Cash finds out Starkweathers name, the reporter informs Cash that she was at his execution and has been following Starkweather for months, building a report on him. Cash insists they make their way to her apartment so that she can get the report, file it and take Starkweather down. Starkweather communicates with Gary Schaffer, the chief of the Carcer City Police Department, over the phone instructing him that it is there job to take care of the citys mess, obviously referring to Cash being on the loose. The corrupt CCPD have surrounded the reporter's apartment and secure the surrounding streets by order of Starkweather. Anticipating the ambush Cash instructs the reporter to pull over two blocks from her apartment that way they can have the element of surprise. Cash instructs the reporter to hide as he battles his way up to her apartment, once in the apartment Cash decides that he will go and thank the Director personally for his second chance, leaving the reporter behind. Cash then takes to the streets heading in the direction of the subway station.Cash exits via the subway after a battle with the Carcer SWAT, in the process killing most of them off. Piggsy is shown escaping captivity from an unknown area. Cash then exits the subway at the other side to find himself at the train tracks where he again is forced to battle with yet more Swat and CCPD.At the end of the scene it looks as though it is all over for Cash as he is surrounded by SWAT team members, then from no where the Cerberus come from behind the SWAT and kill them all, taking Cash with them.They pull up inside a garage near by Starkweathers mansion, to discover that Piggsy has broken free and is on a killing spree. The Cerberus contemplates finishing Cash off just as they become aware of the disturbance and are forced to leave to investigate. They leave Cash outside the van, within the garage; from here Cash escapes from the garage and makes his way through Starkweathers mansion, he enters the cellar door and navigates his way through the mansion, slaying Cerberus as if they where nothing.Cerberus guards hear of Cash's arrival and lock down the elevator, the lead Cerberus member demands that he be given the key from another and instructs him to go down and turn the elevators motor off. Cash kills them and turns the power back on then escapes to the attic using the elevator.Cash quickly finds himself under attack as Piggsy is attempting to rip him apart with his chainsaw. Cash is forced to escape through the roof of the elevator, in the process dropping his weapons. He now finds himself in an attack with a madman with murder on his mind, Cash is forced to take to the shadows once again and use whatever weapons he can find to take Piggsy out. After a few select attacks Piggsy runs off with his tail between his legs, Cash gives chase but soon finds himself once again under attack by the madman. Cash discovers a way to take Piggsy out via a loose vent on an upper level of the attic, Cash runs over the vent with Piggsy not far behind, as he steps on the vent he falls through the floor dropping his chainsaw, as Piggsy holds on for his life Cash quickly grabs the chainsaw and finishes Piggsy off once and for all.Cash attempts to get to Starkweather behind the locked door, Starkweather immediately sends the Cerberus out after Cash, forcing Cash back down into the attic. Cash uses the chainsaw to take the Cerberus out once and for all before heading back up for Starkweather. As Cash opens the door Starkweather opens fire, Cash takes cover before taking Starkweather out via cutting him up with the chainsaw, not before Starkweather pleads for his life.Afterwards, the reporter is shown doing a news report on TV, revealing to the public exactly what has went on in Carcer City, revealing Starkweathers psychotic ways. She also informs that Carcer City's police chief Gary Schaffer was linked to the snuff film ring and will be trialed before the court. His lawyer states that he will plead "not guilty".Two weeks later The journalist is locked up in a psychiatric ward, undergoing therapy. The state is trying to cover the whole situation as she is a thorn in their side. Cash is still out there, his whereabouts unknown.

Tags: violence, murder

Review:
Taking on the role of convicted killer James Earl Cash you are thrust into the middle of a snuff movie with only the directors voice in your earpeice for company.
anyway, it aint a game for the logical gamer, and it aint a game for those interested in shoot em ups but if u like insane violence and endless profanity mixed in with a touch of black humour courtesy of the director (voiced brilliantly by fellow scotsman Brian Cox) then there may be just enough here to keep you going until the predictable conclusion.
Players are placed into the world of James Earl Cash who has been given a second shot at life only to be used a pawn in a brutal bloodsport with the 'director' pulling his strings.
Done in a cctv camera style, this is an original, addictive and challenging stealth game that in fact requires a lot of time and thought.
The only drawback with it is the later levels where stealth kills are no longer the way to succeed; it's an array of fun but repetitive gunfights.
The first few levels are short and they just get you established on how to off each gang member with a different weapon in a stylish violent way.The controls feel very sluggish at times and could use more polishing.
Most of the time is just mindless violence with a large amount of blood and crude language.The vast amount of lines each gang member has is amazing and its what Rockstar is becoming famous for.
Amazing Violent Stealth Game From The Creators Of Grand Theft Auto!.
Rated M for Strong Brutal Graphic Violence,Language and Disturbing Content.I have heard a lot about the game Manhunt.So when I got my Playstation 2.That was one of the games I wanted to play.So I eventually got it.I did not like the game at first.I thought it was very overrated.I found it a bit boring and the combat really sucked.But then I started playing it a bit more and I grew to love it!
This is a great game that you may not like a first but it will grow on you.My only problem with this game is the combat.The combat is not very good.It is almost impossible to kill enemies with Melee Weapons.If you do kill them, most likely your health will be very low.You should not use melee combat.This is a stealth game.It is more fun to just hide in shadows, waiting for the enemy to come to you, wait until the enemy turns away, target them until the target turns white,yellow or red and voilà!, watch the very gruesome and violent cutscene of your character killing the enemy.This is what the game calls a "Stealth Kill".This game is very violent.One of the most violent games I have ever played.It is not very violent when you are just fighting but when you do a "stealth kill", it can get really gruesome.In the beginning of the game, you just have melee weapons like Baseball Bats,Glass Shards,Plastic Bags,Wire etc.However in the middle of the game, you and the enemies have guns and you can choose to "Stealth Kill" the enemies or just blow them away!
This is the plot of the game.You are "James Earl Cash".A prisoner who was sentenced to death.However an underground "snuff film" director bribed the police and saved you in exchange for you to star in a series of the directors "Snuff Films".There are plenty of gangs trying to kill you in the movies and you must kill them all.The game is fairly violent and disturbing and not recommended for young children.However, I recommend this game if you can handle the violence and love stealth games..
STAR RATING:*****Unmissable****Very Good***Okay**You Could Go Out For A Meal Instead*Avoid At All CostsJames Earl Cash (Stephen Wilfong) is a convicted killer who has just been sent to the execution chamber.However,he awakens to find himself in a cold,deserted room where a mysterious man over an intercom (Brian Cox-thought that voice sounded familiar!) gives him instructions to go out in the streets and kill gangs of marauding hoodlums terrorizing them.And,deciding to put his second chance to good use,he obeys...The premise to the game is very similar (if not a direct rip-off!) of Luc Besson's Nikita,when you come right down to it (only without such a sexy lead!!!)It's got a fair bit of bad publicity lately for it's attribution to the murder of a teenager by his best friend.Something I at first mistook for perverse curiosity but later found to be more genuine inquisitiveness (if not education!) tempted me to rent it.I've got to be honest,I can see how it might sway certain weak-minded individuals,as it has a storyline that is moreorless obsessed with bloody,violent death (even the rats explode into puddles of blood when you race over them!)You get points for the amounts of executions you make and Cox's goading,cackling voice-overs have a fairly ghastly,ghoulish quality to them,in the light of things.As though that weren't bad enough,you see hoodlums begging for mercy as they cower on the floor after you've beaten them,and you can only progress further after you've slashed,walloped or,most sickeningly and disturbingly of all,punched and kicked them to death (even though you could have had mercy on them!)That said,of all the games I've rented out and played recently,it's certainly the most easy to play.Over the first two days I had it,I had trouble getting past the two hoodlums directly outside the shopping mall,but when I eventually managed to defeat them,I really felt myself progressing.Unfortunately,I had to take it back that day (today!) and,well,maybe I'll get to play it again sometime...I think it would be wrong to ban every single person from playing it and other games like it on the basis of a few bad apples,but if you are able to just see it for what it is,actually,I suppose it's enjoyable enough.**.
I seen it in the shop and thought "Wow, that looks like a game aimed a cult movie fans, with a feel of films like 'Man Hunter' or 'The Warriors'" and to be fair I don't think I was TO stupid for thinking this, mainly down to the fact Man Hunter star Brian Cox was providing the voice of a sadistic director.I didn't buy the game from day one for some reason, but I did intend to play it at some point.
So it was a case of *Fake Smile* and "Thanks For This Wonderful Present, Its What I Always Wanted".To me it feels like Rockstar realized that the game play was sluggish and rather than scrap the whole thing decided to do was singers do when they have a terrible song, make it so it gets band (Well Almost).I could just see them in the offices now..."Sir its about the game Manhunt" "Whats wrong with it" "Well, theenemies AI..." "Is that all" "No there's also the sluggish combat, poor graphics, repetitive game play, its boring and when you get into a fight you just end up taking turns hitting one another till someone drops, should we scrap it?" "No, I've got a better idea..."Then after adding about 100 swear words and tons of gore we got Rockstars Manhunt.To be honest I thought that the story was ace, the idea that you are being hunted by an entire city was awesome, it felt like I was going to play a video game based on 'The Running Man' but the game play just plain sucks.
For one each level is just the same in that you kill everyone in an area and then move on to another, like all video games the enemies start of weak and then end up being Hard Ass's.
This gets very boring when you realize there its a trick to killing everyone which is, hide in the shade, tap the wall and make the enemy come to you and then wait for him to turn away so you can make your move.
Another thing that ticks me off about the game is how little verity there is, its feel like it is one plate of peas trying to feed 100 people.
At least in Super Mario the enemy knew to walk back and forward, they even frightened me more.I did like that the game have great voice acting from Brian Cox, who was not only menacing but also side-splitting funny in parts.
Like when a member of Cash's (the guy you play as) family gets shot in the head, you hear"Ow no, thats just to bad"OK when read it might seem lame, but its not so much what he says its how he says it.In conclusion I can't think why any cult fan would what to buy this when the awesome Warriors video game is out there, maybe for about £5 its worth it to hear the genius of Mr. Cox, the saving grace in this pair of socks..
As a game, it isn't fantastic, it can get a little repetitive and really frigging difficult, but the tension that is there at all times takes any attention away from the gameplay and puts it onto how scared you can actually be of a video game.
And to Rockstar's credit, they do it fantastically, by using all the dirty tactics you can think of:SOUND: Heartbeat - BGM only when you're spotted - Brian Cox as the maniacal Director, always urging you to killGAMEPLAY: Poor visibility - A radar that still ensures you can turn a corner and be surprised by a friggin scary hunter - Having everyone else in the entire game's sole purpose being to kill you - The fact that if you are spotted, and they find you, and you get into a fight with more than one of them, you WILL dieOverall, a scary game?
I don't mind violent video games, but Manhunt is too much for me.Manhunt is a game where you can play a convicted villain James Earl Cash, who is the main character in the bizarre and sick game, directer by crazy movie producer Starkweather.
Basically, the whole point of the game is moving from one place to another in the fictional Carcer City and killing a lot of enemies.
There is just too much violence in the game and from time to time I wondered, what the hell am I killing so many people.
I don't like games, where the enemies are much more stronger and resistant that the main character.The graphics are good and the story is quite interesting from the beginning, but when you pass this, there is nothing to do in Manhunt.
With their signature line of 'Grand Theft Auto' titles, Rockstar Games has brought a cinematic flair to gaming with character work provided by Hollywood favorites like Ray Liotta, Gary Busey, Lee Majors, and others.
In Manhunt, Brian Cox voices the Director's taunts with a sadistic voracity that brings the world of the game to life.
The Director is the star of the game, in this humble gamer's opinion.I played through each and every level out of the hope to meet him at the end - whether or not this happens is for you to discover, or not.
While the story for this game is minimal by design, it is expertly driven by Cox and his prodding of the main character to get out there and perform for the cameras.At one point, I left Cash hiding in the shadows while I left him to grab a glass of water.
The PREMISE of this game is enough to give you the shivers: you're woken up from an alleged execution and dropped into a live snuff film/game/play, with you on one side and several gangs - each with different call-signs, mannerisms and personalities - on the other side, hell-bent on bringing you down.
As the voice of The Director commands, your sole aim is to kill the people trying to find you.
And not just kill, I mean **KILL**- there are 3 levels of kills you can make (quick, violent and gruesome), depending on how much time you have to execute them.
All you have to help you besides the various weapons, painkillers and (on occasion) ammo are the shadows and a radar- but you can only tell where the goons are when they make noise themselves.Unlike Rockstar North's hallmark series Grand Theft Auto, Manhunt has a linear storyline and play structure, but you can re-take any mission at any time.
It's graded by what situation you're in, and seamlessly changes when you're close to the enemy.The plot isn't labyrinthine (thankfully)- through most of the game The Director is there to help you through and make wisecracks when you screw up- helpful when you've got a trio of armed goons beating you into hell (!)Sometimes being sneaky is not an option, so you will have to mix it with the enemy more regularly than you'd like.
And look good doing it.There are some welcome plot twists at various points in the game, and though they don't appear to do that much to change the direction, it gives the player the proverbial light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel...
Great voice acting and a simple, yet compelling story, make Manhunt a great game.
Manhunt is a stealth game, and a great one at that.I will not mention the story, as you can simply look up into the Plot Summary to get your details.
Unlike most games, Manhunt's story is progressed IN THE LEVELS.
Especially the level where he takes some things VERY personal to Cash, if you play that level, and the subsequent cutscene, you'll really see when the story becomes more than graphic gratuity.Now on to the Gameplay.
The Director (Starkweather) has Cash hide in the shadows) and the only way he can get through the night is by killing several gang members in the corrupt, impoverished, ****hole Carcer City.
The thing is, Starkweather also wants Cash to kill these gang members in a special way.Executions with melee weapons are what he wants.
This is done by trailing behind the would-be Cash killers with your weapon, locked on to the back of their head, waiting to power up three different levels of gruesome death.
There are several weapons in the game, and Cash can carry one of each type at a time.
1 big weapon (like a baseball bat, Shotgun, etc.) 1 small weapon (machete, hammer, revolver, etc.) one single use item (like a plastic bag or wire) and one throwing item (like a bottle, a brick, or the decapitated head of a gang member.)The executions are wonderful, and are seen from a security camera, in other words, what Starkweather films.
They use the same graphics engine as Vice City and Grant Theft Auto 3, but it has been severely powered up for this game.
Any game that enjoys its sadistic and brutal nature to the fullest will have a hard time topping "Manhunt".
Publisher: Rockstar Games Developer: Rockstar North-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Graphics: 8.5/10 Gameplay: 9/10 Sound: 9/10 Challenge: 9/10 Overall: 8.8/10 -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= + A very interesting story that renders the game a playable snuff film to some extent + Great dark atmosphere designed to evoke claustrophobia and paranoia + Great use of lighting and the 'dark spots' blend in neatly with their surroundings + Looks great artistically as well as technically (at least for the PS2) + Cleverly crafted minimalist soundtrack that sets just the right mood of eeriness + Great darkly humorous dialogue from nearly all the non-playable characters in the game + Nicely implemented, stealthy trial-and-error gameplay that requires brains During certain levels, particularly shootouts, the difficulty feels unnecessarily tweaked HUD is quite minimal, and the "Hardcore" difficulty in the game features no HUD at all.I went unnoticed by the AI during some very obvious moments.Despite its sheer depth, the game is extremely linear and lacks repeat value -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Conclusion Manhunt is a great game, both technically and creatively.
An example of a Level 1 execution would be choking an enemy with a baseball bat (to death, of course).
Blood-thirsty gamers or those looking for some degenerate thrills and ground-blazing style will find Manhunt a worthy game to own..
Manhunt is a pretty cool game despite a plot dealing with sadistic voyeurism and its overall graphic and disturbing nature.
A superb way to get pent-up frustration and anger out of your system after a hard day's grind.The whole thing takes place in the desolate, run-down area of Carcer City, where a female news anchor is investigating into the case of the execution of James Earl Cash, a death row prisoner who is sentenced to execution via a lethal injection, which actually turns out to be a sedative, as James finds out when he regains consciousness and is instructed by a sinister voice coming from an earpiece which has been lodged into his ear to carry out a mission.
Made by Rockstar North, the same lot behind the 'Grand Theft Auto' games, 'Manhunt' is a little forgotten gem of a game.
Rockstar Games the platform behind gory-pleasured games like the Grand Theft Auto Series and State Of Emergency, brings this thriller onto the PS2 and X-Box, this game is really intense and you really will find yourself drawn into this game making you feel part of it.
He is woken up by a voice put through an intercom and into earpiece which Cash uses throughout the game.
He is sent out into Carcer City, a depraved city filled with dangerous gangs and dark locations.What makes this game different from other games like State Of Emergency where you where basically running around rioting is the variety of game-play you have to use.
Stealth kills in the game are very essential most of the time, where you use weapons like steel bats, glass shards, plastic bags, wiring and machete's to kill gang members.
This is a whole different level of violence and you might not be able to handle itThis game is a good choice and its pretty poor that parents are always willing to blame anything but the child for actions like this.