Banned in various places, the original Manhunt is a game which was well known for its violence. The original game was thought to have contributed to a number of murders that were committed after its release. So the development of Manhunt 2 had a task on their hands to ensure that the game was suitable for its target audience. So is the Wii version of the game really any tamer than its predecessor? With the Manhunt 2 release date just around corner we reveal more in our preview of Manhunt 2.



Title: Manhunt 2 for the Nintendo Wii

UK Release Date: 01 Feb 2008

Publisher: Rockstar Games

Rating: TBA

Why Manhunt 2 Has Calmed Down

It is true that Manhunt 2 has been calmed down by its developers. In order to get the game accepted, they needed to ensure that it could not be classed as too violent and over the top. So to do this, the killing scenes have been toned down.

Now you will no longer see every detail of what is happening to your enemies. This will no doubt prove to be frustrating for many people who love nothing more than to see the gore and suffering that their enemies go through. However, if it was to be passed for release then it was essential for the developers to make Manhunt 2 for the Nintendo Wii a little less gory. This means that in the Nintendo Wii version especially, you cannot see the blood as much as you could in the original version of the game.

However, whilst it has been toned down a little, that does not mean to say that the game is a walk in the park.! In America, some stores have still banned the game even though according to the ratings it is perfectly acceptable to be sold. So the fact that it has still been banned in some places shows that it is still quite graphic and grisly to play.

The story behind the game is that an asylum inmate escapes with a companion and he starts to have flashbacks regarding how he got where he is. He remembers an experiment that he was a part of and the game follows Danny as he aims to discover the truth and lets nothing get in his way.

The game is packed full of gore, sex and bad language. The graphics are also stunningly realistic with each new place that you discover looking more and more grisly as you go along. The game certainly has an extremely dark feel to it and comes with an "M" warning.

The only real problem you will notice with the game is that it does tend to have slight pauses throughout when the Wii needs to access the disc. This isn't overly noticeable however and the game is still extremely playable despite it. You will also notice that at some points you will be on the edge of your seat with anxiety as you try to stop yourself from being killed. You never know where your enemies are and that adds to the tension of the game.

Overall Manhunt 2 for the Wii is slightly more toned down than the first version, particularly on the Wii console. Extremely violent scenes are blurred out which makes it next to impossible to figure out what is going on. However, despite that it is still grisly and dark and Manhunt fans are sure to love it regardless.