Manhunt 2

Manhunt 2
Developer(s)	Rockstar London Rockstar North Rockstar Toronto (Wii) Rockstar Leeds (PSP) Rockstar Vienna (Former developer)
Publisher(s)	Rockstar Games
Platform(s)	PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, Wii
Release	July 10 2007 July 13 2007 Banned
Genre(s)	Action, Survival horror, Psych. Horror
Mode(s)	Single player

Manhunt 2 is a video game by Rockstar Games and is a sequel to Manhunt. Game development began in 2004 at Rockstar Games' Vienna branch. The game is to be released for the Wii, PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable on July 10, 2007. It has currently been refused certification in the United Kingdom and Ireland, preventing it from being sold there.

Development

Five voice actors have confirmed to have recorded dialogue for the game. Even though two of them chose to remain anonymous, the third voice actor James Urbaniak publicly announced it on his blog on March 16, 2006, only to remove it days later. Of the other two voice actors said to have recorded dialogue for the game, one of them also recorded dialogue for the original Manhunt, like Urbaniak.

Plot

The GameStop product information page shed a little light on the story, and gives a brief synopsis of the plot. The third Manhunt 2 trailer was released on the official site on May 29th, Daniel Lamb's birthday.

"An experiment at a secret research facility has gone catastrophically wrong. Daniel is sent to the Dixmor Asylum, where six years later a freakish storm of lightning hits the power, leaving it dark and haunting. Daniel Lamb and Leo Kasper are the only surviving subjects. The Pickman Project will stop at nothing to hunt them down and stop the truth from getting out.

Demented screams echo around the dank asylum that has caged you for the last six years. You open your eyes. A white-coated body slumps to the floor through your shaking hands. A bloody syringe slips from your arm. Waves of confusion and paranoia crash over you. You have no idea who you are or how you got here.

The door to your cell is open. One choice. One chance. They took your life. Time to take it back."

Characters

File:Daniel Lamb.jpg

Daniel Lamb

• Daniel Lamb - The playable protagonist. He was a former scientist with "The Pickman Project" but ended up locked away in the Dixmor Institute for the Criminally Insane for six years. Apparently he has no recollection of who he was before the Project started. Danny was born on May 29, 1963.

• Leo Kasper - The second playable character. Psychotic inmate who was also put in the asylum by the Project. According to Rockstar's official Manhunt 2 website, he appears to be a former government agent. That might explain his expertise in combat, evasion, infiltration, and assassination techniques. He helps Lamb escape and teaches him his own well-honed tricks of the trade. Leo was born on June 19, 1972.

• Dr. Laura Whyte - Head of "The Pickman Project.".

• Dr. Pickman - High ranking medical practitioner within "The Pickman Project." The project seems to be named after him.

• Judy - Works at a brothel (Honey Pot) and holds information valuable to Daniel. An OPSM preview indicates that Judy used to work with Lamb.

Controversy

Jack Thompson

After Rockstar's announcement of a sequel to Manhunt, anti-violent video games activist Jack Thompson is suing Take Two to stop them from selling Manhunt 2 and Grand Theft Auto IV. Thompson plans to file the suit from March 19th and in his words he wants to "Prevent the sale of two hyperviolent video games set to be released this year and sold to anyone under 17 years of age."

In retaliation to Thompson's efforts, Take Two are now filing legal proceedings against Jack Thompson by petitioning to the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida in which they seek to stop the game being declared a 'public nuisance' under Florida law. The claim states:

"Thompson has a history of making multiple threats of legal action, whether substantiated or not, both against (Take Two) as well as the retailers who purchase the video games and offer them for sale to the public. Thompson has made such threats again in connection with Manhunt 2 and Grand Theft Auto 4…"

Jack Thompson wanted to stop a Wendy's Kids Meal toys promotion that offers toys based on Wii titles because Manhunt 2 will be released on the Wii. The promotion is based on both the Mario and Excite Truck titles and is devoid of any Manhunt 2 reference. Stating "Dave Thomas never would have tolerated the use of Wendy’s good name to promote Nintendo’s Wii, not with this game available on the Wii platform." Thompson labels the Wii console as a 'kid-friendly' platform, although Scarface: The World is Yours, Resident Evil 4: Wii Edition, The Godfather: Blackhand Edition and Mortal Kombat: Armageddon are also marketed for the console.

Stefan Pakeerah

In the United Kingdom, both parents of murder victim Stefan Pakeerah lashed out at Rockstar for confirming the release of a sequel. Stefan Pakeerah was murdered by Warren Leblanc, who was reportedly inspired by Manhunt (though it was later determined by police that robbery was the motive) and is now serving a life sentence for murder. Patrick and Giselle Pakeerah insist that Warren Leblanc was influenced by Manhunt before assaulting their son, Stefan – despite the judge in Leblanc’s court case dismissing the game of any blame. Leicester East MP Keith Vaz has backed both parents, and in his words was "astonished" that producer Rockstar had made a sequel. Mr. Vaz added: "It is contempt for those who are trying very hard to ensure something is done to control the violent nature of these games."

A spokesman for Rockstar told MCV: "The transcript of the Leblanc court case makes it quite clear that the Judge, defence, prosecution and Leicester police all emphasized that Manhunt played no part in the case." It has also become clear that Warren Leblanc was not in possession of the game and ironically, Stefan Pakeerah, aged 14, owned a copy, despite it being legally restricted to 18+ in the UK.

Ratings bodies

The BBFC has refused to certify the PlayStation 2 and Wii editions of Manhunt 2, meaning that it will not be legal to sell in the UK (however it will be legal to own), unless Rockstar makes the necessary changes and resubmits it, or succesfully wins an appeal.

The Irish Film Censor's Office announced that the game would also not be available for sale in Ireland.This is the first time a video game has been banned in Ireland.

The game has received the Adults Only rating from the ESRB, effectively removing it from retail, as most chains do not carry AO-rated games, and it has been Nintendo's policy not to accept AO games. Rockstar is expected to appeal this decision.

Reception

British Nintendo magazine NGamer gave the Wii version 92%.

External links

Official sites

• Official Site
• Rockstar Games

Supporting links

• Manhunt 2 Publicity Mailing

• Project Manhunt