Unlike many, many games on the PSP, Manhunt 2 is quite unique in its sense of scare and horror. The game mechanics work very well, but some might not agree. The kills are brutal and satisfying, even though the graphics are not at the tip top of the scale. The story is long and easy to comprehend. I haven’t played Silent Hill, but if I had to pick a horror action game, this is definitely a game I’d pick up.
WARNING: Like this game, I’m going to review it with some graphic details and give you a great sense of how it is!
Presentation: 8
From the boot of the game until the credits, you will always have a sense that there is someone right there either standing right next to you or manically cackling at you because of your crazed mind thanks to a science experiment that you chose to volunteer in so you can keep supporting your family financially. You play over the shoulder the whole time and it works well to give you a sense of who you are, where you are and who you’re going to suffocate with a plastic bag and beat their face in.
I know of two versions of the game, the first being the official one, where when you execute your enemy in a brutal massacre, it is kind of censored by random sharp changing colors which is meant to show your mental instability, hallucination and your hesitation to take human life.
Secondly, a hacked version where they removed the trippy hallucination filters. I played both and liked the second one better. But in both versions, when you’re not side swiping guys in the stomach with a fire axe, and just walking around, your over the shoulder camera has a view from a crappy camera with some static. It gives such a good sense of ambiance and horror and the main character’s state of mind; confused, unsure and afraid. It also lets them cut back on the graphics a little bit.
Graphics: 7
Obviously, it’s not the greatest looking game, but it doesn’t have to be, and especially since it’s a Rockstar title, it isn’t expected to be. The length and depth of the story really needed that space that graphics didn’t take up. From the entire time I played, the game never seemed to have any technical glitches or awful clipping errors or anything of the sort. The brutal massacres you endow on your enemies and the glorious headshots from your weapons are still good looking and satisfying in every form and way. The cut scenes in the game are great; they always keep the feel of the game but improve just a little on the graphics, so the transition of gameplay to graphics is subtle and smooth. The graphics are easily overlooked in this game, no doubt.
Sound: 7
It’s OK. There isn’t really anything special about the sound… Except… The executions.
The game comes with the standard “tap, tap, tap” walking sound, the “HEY MUTHAF***A” yelling enemies and the splatter of brains.
The sound actually plays a role in the gameplay mechanic. Just like Splinter Cell, sound plays a role in the detection of your enemies, the enemy’s detection of you and you hearing in a distance through a few doors a guy getting strapped to a table and dissected via a ban saw. Dissected alive, of course.
Now, the execution sounds, they’re very vile… Even if you close your eyes and let go of the execute button on a “red level” to kill your enemy, you would still know what’s going on, example:
“Huh, what?!”
*Punch sound*
*Punch sound*
*Thud*
“Ahh! Aghh!”
*Squish sound*
“Fainting sounds of suffering”
*Splatters of blood*
Let your imagination run wild. (I was giving an example of your main character knocking down an opponent and injecting a syringe in some dude’s eye).
Gameplay: 8
This may be the problem in the game, but yet, it’s the best part. Well, the camera may piss you off massively when inside confined spaces, but that’s not too often. You can carry 4 items, a 1 time execute item (such as a pen), a thrown item for distractions (such as a brick or a cut-off enemy head), a light and heavy item (such as a monkey wrench or a pistol and an axe or a shotgun, respectively). With those 4 item slots, the game ends up consisting of about 4 things:
1) Walking around quietly.
2) Executing enemies with 3 different gruesome levels. =D
3) Shooting people in the head and watching the brain matter slide down the wall.
4) And hand to hand combat.
Well, I’ve described the sneaking part a little bit in the sound section of the review and that’s basically all you need to know. I’ve also given you a glimpse of executions, which is also all you need to know, well, I guess I could add on the fact that there are a lot of weapons to choose from and find, and some of them have extra uses other than choking enemies and then getting a home run with the memory section of your enemies’ brain, like cutting open a grated fence with wire cutters. There are also environmental kills which you have to get the positioning right with the enemy, such as, someone standing in front of a sewer cap and then throwing them in. And the shooting, well, there’s easy, easy auto aiming and a bunch of guns to choose from, not too many, but the variety is there. Finally, the hand to hand combat; if you have a gun, it’s not going to last long. Otherwise, there is a lock-on feature and it works well; fighting of course consists of blocking occasionally and tapping the attack and heavy attack button as much as possible. The game encourages you not to do this so you can see your character slice open someone diagonally with a handheld electric saw. BUT, the executions may get annoying if you always do a level three execution, which you will be able to most of the time. But unlike the 1st Manhunt, there aren’t any ranking between chapters, so trying out different levels of executions are not discouraged.
Lasting Appeal: 6
I’ve actually beat the game a little while ago, so I don’t remember how long the playtime was. But I assure you it is about 10 plus hours. There is only 1 bonus item in the game, other than the different difficulties. The bonus item is an extra level that ends up being an alternate ending. I really can’t go into detail because it will ruin the entire, carefully put together story.
Final Word: 36/50 Good!
Because this game is long, but has not-bonus features, it at least deserves a rent. Aside from its occasional repetition and minor flaws, this is game runs really well on its story, feel and brutal massacres.
Dethklok would approve.
Posted by Genemech 92 days ago
Manhunt 2 review
Released: October 29th, 2007
Unlike many, many games on the PSP, Manhunt 2 is quite unique in its sense of scare and horror. The game mechanics work very well, but some might not agree. The kills are brutal and satisfying, even though the graphics are not at the tip top of the scale. The story is long and easy to comprehend. I haven’t played Silent Hill, but if I had to pick a horror action game, this is definitely a game I’d pick up.
WARNING: Like this game, I’m going to review it with some graphic details and give you a great sense of how it is!
Presentation: 8
From the boot of the game until the credits, you will always have a sense that there is someone right there either standing right next to you or manically cackling at you because of your crazed mind thanks to a science experiment that you chose to volunteer in so you can keep supporting your family financially. You play over the shoulder the whole time and it works well to give you a sense of who you are, where you are and who you’re going to suffocate with a plastic bag and beat their face in.
I know of two versions of the game, the first being the official one, where when you execute your enemy in a brutal massacre, it is kind of censored by random sharp changing colors which is meant to show your mental instability, hallucination and your hesitation to take human life.
Secondly, a hacked version where they removed the trippy hallucination filters. I played both and liked the second one better. But in both versions, when you’re not side swiping guys in the stomach with a fire axe, and just walking around, your over the shoulder camera has a view from a crappy camera with some static. It gives such a good sense of ambiance and horror and the main character’s state of mind; confused, unsure and afraid. It also lets them cut back on the graphics a little bit.
Graphics: 7
Obviously, it’s not the greatest looking game, but it doesn’t have to be, and especially since it’s a Rockstar title, it isn’t expected to be. The length and depth of the story really needed that space that graphics didn’t take up. From the entire time I played, the game never seemed to have any technical glitches or awful clipping errors or anything of the sort. The brutal massacres you endow on your enemies and the glorious headshots from your weapons are still good looking and satisfying in every form and way. The cut scenes in the game are great; they always keep the feel of the game but improve just a little on the graphics, so the transition of gameplay to graphics is subtle and smooth. The graphics are easily overlooked in this game, no doubt.
Sound: 7
It’s OK. There isn’t really anything special about the sound… Except… The executions.
The game comes with the standard “tap, tap, tap” walking sound, the “HEY MUTHAF***A” yelling enemies and the splatter of brains.
The sound actually plays a role in the gameplay mechanic. Just like Splinter Cell, sound plays a role in the detection of your enemies, the enemy’s detection of you and you hearing in a distance through a few doors a guy getting strapped to a table and dissected via a ban saw. Dissected alive, of course.
Now, the execution sounds, they’re very vile… Even if you close your eyes and let go of the execute button on a “red level” to kill your enemy, you would still know what’s going on, example:
“Huh, what?!”
*Punch sound*
*Punch sound*
*Thud*
“Ahh! Aghh!”
*Squish sound*
“Fainting sounds of suffering”
*Splatters of blood*
Let your imagination run wild. (I was giving an example of your main character knocking down an opponent and injecting a syringe in some dude’s eye).
Gameplay: 8
This may be the problem in the game, but yet, it’s the best part. Well, the camera may piss you off massively when inside confined spaces, but that’s not too often. You can carry 4 items, a 1 time execute item (such as a pen), a thrown item for distractions (such as a brick or a cut-off enemy head), a light and heavy item (such as a monkey wrench or a pistol and an axe or a shotgun, respectively). With those 4 item slots, the game ends up consisting of about 4 things:
1) Walking around quietly.
2) Executing enemies with 3 different gruesome levels. =D
3) Shooting people in the head and watching the brain matter slide down the wall.
4) And hand to hand combat.
Well, I’ve described the sneaking part a little bit in the sound section of the review and that’s basically all you need to know. I’ve also given you a glimpse of executions, which is also all you need to know, well, I guess I could add on the fact that there are a lot of weapons to choose from and find, and some of them have extra uses other than choking enemies and then getting a home run with the memory section of your enemies’ brain, like cutting open a grated fence with wire cutters. There are also environmental kills which you have to get the positioning right with the enemy, such as, someone standing in front of a sewer cap and then throwing them in. And the shooting, well, there’s easy, easy auto aiming and a bunch of guns to choose from, not too many, but the variety is there. Finally, the hand to hand combat; if you have a gun, it’s not going to last long. Otherwise, there is a lock-on feature and it works well; fighting of course consists of blocking occasionally and tapping the attack and heavy attack button as much as possible. The game encourages you not to do this so you can see your character slice open someone diagonally with a handheld electric saw. BUT, the executions may get annoying if you always do a level three execution, which you will be able to most of the time. But unlike the 1st Manhunt, there aren’t any ranking between chapters, so trying out different levels of executions are not discouraged.
Lasting Appeal: 6
I’ve actually beat the game a little while ago, so I don’t remember how long the playtime was. But I assure you it is about 10 plus hours. There is only 1 bonus item in the game, other than the different difficulties. The bonus item is an extra level that ends up being an alternate ending. I really can’t go into detail because it will ruin the entire, carefully put together story.
Final Word: 36/50 Good!
Because this game is long, but has not-bonus features, it at least deserves a rent. Aside from its occasional repetition and minor flaws, this is game runs really well on its story, feel and brutal massacres.
1
Reason why your review is stuffed up with tags everywhere is because PSPCrazy doesn't allow html in posts .. because I think hackers can exploit that easily to hack here. Anywayz here's the review for people ... fixed by me. I'll try to like fix it so it was exactly as you had it with a few exceptions. I don't / can't remember half the html tags shown in your post .. so my apologies for anything that's not supposed to be like it's supposed to be.
Translation complete ^_^ Maybe if I have some more time I'll do one of your other review posts.
