Many years ago, then actor Arnold Schwarzenegger starred in a movie that practically predicted the birth of reality television . . . it also brought up a point about a society that was obsessed with violence at its most real and brutal.  There are those that can’t help but be fascinated by real death that they pay good money for snuff films.  Imagine that you are the star of a twisted Running Man game while a demented man watches with sick fascination as you kill your way to freedom.  Well this is the plight of Cash as he attempts to escape the madness that is Carcer City in Manhunt.  Rockstar has once again put us in a brutal world . . . and you’ll love every minute of it.

I should note that this is a Mature rated title and thus should not be played by younger gamers.  With this warning out of the way, we’ll get into the review.  Gamers step into the shoes of James Earl Cash, a convicted felon sentenced to death in Carcer City.  Yet instead of receiving death by lethal injection, Cash was drugged and he suddenly wakes up to find that he is still alive and strategically placed in the most violent part of the ruined city.  Via a communicator, Cash discovers that a mysterious man named Starkweather is watching and filming his every move.  He is tasked with playing this sick and twisted game against bloodthirsty gang members that are hunting him down.  Starkweather makes it clear that this is a game of survival, kill or be killed, to earn a most valuable prize: freedom.

Cash’s introduction to the dilapidated Carcer City puts him in harms way almost immediately.  After a few instructions by Starkweather that serve as a tutorial, gamers will come to find that the controls feel like familiar territory.  Moving Cash around feels a lot like moving Grand Theft Auto III and Vice City’s main characters with the exception that Cash presses himself up against a wall Solid Snake and Sam Fisher-style.  You can even conceal yourself in a dark corner just like Splinter Cell’s Fisher.  This is, by no means, an all-out fighting game so stealth is an important factor in your survival. 

Another key to your survival is brutality and you are encouraged to savagely eliminate gang members using anything you come across in the game.  Like Tenchu: Return from Darkness, stealth leads to shocking stealth kills using anything from a plastic bag to suffocate your victims or a sharp glass shard to stab them in the neck repeatedly.  The game also has an ample amount of weapons that range from baseball bats to firearms such as pistols or shotguns.  You can run out into plain view shooting everything in sight but that’s not a highly recommended route to take in this game.  Manhunt allows you to use your wits when dispatching enemies and you can just as easily make some noise to bring an enemy closer to you then surprise him with a machete to the head in order not to attract more attention.  You can even pick up a body and clear them out of the way.

The game’s levels play over a single night so Cash makes his way through connecting sections of Carcer City.  Depending on what part of the city he finds himself, Cash will quickly find that as the territory changes so does the gang members.  He’ll go up against gangs sporting Mohawks or white supremacist skinhead gangs.  Aside from the gangs, Cash must also deal with bounty hunters as well as SWAT task forces and masked counter terrorist officers.  Because you’re basically simply trying to survive, the game’s story is sacrificed so don’t expect major pay off in the end of it all.  The good news, though, is that there are four bonus missions.  They’re actually very good missions and it would be a great disservice if I revealed what exactly goes on in them.

Visually, Manhunt’s graphics have been cleaned up from the PS2 version . . . but not by very much.  The grainy video appearance might not seem very appealing but it gives the game its own personality.  While the game takes place at night, one entire night to be exact, much of the environments around Cash look even scarier.  The true visual highlight of the game, though, has to be the various gang members that are dressed up in their own unique way.  The Smileys gang, for example, looks insane with their disturbing face paint.  Cash himself is also rendered excellently and watching him stalk his prey looks realistic enough.  The game is also quite bloody so expect to see plenty of blood splatter and skull bashing.  Stealth kills are seen through the Director’s camera as we watch Cash eliminate an enemy using his selected arsenal of weapons.  This is certainly not a game for everyone.

The sound, I have to say, is a fine example of perfect directional point of reference.  By that I mean if a gang member is upstairs in a building you’ll know his voice came from above you rather than around the corner.  The game is filled with great ambience sound and you yourself can even give away your position by accidentally kicking a soda can or brushing up against something like a shopping cart.  Here’s an interesting extra: you can also use your Xbox Live Communicator headset.  Using it allows Starkweather (excellently voiced by actor Brian Cox of X2: X-Men United) to talk directly to you, goading you on and telling you when to perform your stealth kill.  You can also shout aloud, startling nearby enemies and calling them to you.  Not only is this an inventive use for your communicator but it also does a marvelous job of really immersing players into the game.

Manhunt is a solid action-stealth game for the Xbox that’s overly violent but highly entertaining at the same time.  While the game lacks a real story with a worthwhile payoff and the action can become a bit repetitive, it feels great to be really challenged by the game’s action.  The bonus missions make up for the late release of this game and the use of the Xbox Live Communicator headset just make this a real treat to play.  Buy this one if you’re old enough and appreciate a healthy dose of action and stealth. 

Gameplay: 8.5
While stealth plays a big role in this game, Manhunt’s controls keep the stealthy action less of a daunting task and more of an optional but certainly necessary survival tactic.  The controls feel close to the recent Grand Theft Auto’s non-automotive control scheme so controlling Cash is much like moving Tommy Vercetti . . . and that’s a very good thing.  The levels do occasionally become a bit repetitive but its challenging levels keep this one on your toes.

Graphics: 7.5
Manhunt sports a grainy, 8mm footage feel to its overall appearance and that might be quite a turn off to those gamers expecting sharp visuals.  The game does look a lot better than the PS2 version much in the same way the Grand Theft Auto games on the Xbox appear. The character models are wonderful, especially when it comes to the various offbeat gangs out on the street.  And while it’s incredibly brutal and bloody the Starkweather camera point-of-view of stealth kills look great.  This is certainly not a game for the squeamish. 

Sound: 8.5
The game’s ambient sound is truly amazing and gamers will certainly love the fact that noise plays a nice roll throughout the game.  Enemies will know you’re around if you accidentally brush against a trash can or run a little too fast.  You’ll also be able to tell exactly where your enemies are since the sounds they make point exactly in their direction.  The voice acting is well done and hearing the chilling, blood hungry voice of actor Brian Cox in your ear via the Xbox Communicator headset is excellent.

Difficulty: Hard
You won’t find any Easy mode in this game.  In fact, the game’s “normal” setting, Fetish mode, is challenging enough that you won’t be aggravated by its difficulty but will certainly feel very challenged to the point that you’ll happily retry failed attempts.  There are many times in the game that require a Splinter Cell-type stealthy approach while other times you’ll just have to take a shotgun to your enemy Grand Theft Auto-style.

Concept: 8.0
Leave it to Rockstar to create a violent and twisted world filled with vicious killers and crazed psychotics.  The overly violent, snuff film story is not the highlight of the game, rather it's the action and stealth moments implemented in such a satisfying manner that make this such a fun and unique experience.  The brilliant use of the headset communicator to listen to Starkweather or call out to your enemy works wonderfully.  The bonus missions are also a huge plus and certainly makes up for the fact that the Xbox crowd had to wait for this game when the PS2 gamers have already gotten to play it in advance.

Overall: 8.3
Manhunt is the ultimate survival game that’s extremely ultra-violent but genuinely satisfying to play again and again.  If you’ve played the PS2 version, nothing you’ll find here will make you see this game in a new light but this is truly the version to own if you own both systems for the bonus missions and crisper visuals.  Keep in mind that this is a Mature title but if gruesome death scenes and bloody violence are not your cup of tea, I suggest you look elsewhere.  Otherwise this is a highly recommended title.