Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that this game is one of the most -- if not the most -- graphically violent and gory titles in video game history. It was rated "Adults Only" before some changes were made to garner the "Mature" rating for those over 17. (That said, even with the changes, the game remains banned for all audiences in the United Kingdom.) In it you must kill people in order to complete the adventure; you perform dramatic "execution" moves by following on-screen instructions; and on the Wii version, you mimic the murderous actions using the motion-sensing remote, while standing in front of the TV screen. This translates to YOU making the slashing motion with a knife or YOU whacking the guy with a sledgehammer. So, while playing on the Wii -- usually considered a family-friendly console -- this brings new dimension to the "M"-rating since you physically become the murderer. There are many instances of swearing: the first two words in the game are "Holy f--k!" Drugs, alcohol, and partial nudity are also part of this game.
Families can talk about ultra-violent gaming. What do your kids think is appealing? Why do they think people play games like this? If your kids say they know the difference between "real" and "fantasy" violence, you might point out the fact that studies show engaging in this kind of violent material increases aggression. You also might explore how this ultra-violent video game trend relates to the "torture porn" movie trend (think Saw, Turistas, and The Hills Have Eyes). What, if anything, do both trends say about our culture? Is this just a way to live out a horror movie or does this fulfill violent tendencies (or worse, give players a taste for them)?
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Marc Saltzman
This is game for adults and no child or teen should go near it. In fact, this is the toned-down version of Manhunt 2 as the game was facing an "Adults Only" rating by the Entertainment Software Rating Board earlier this summer (now it carries a "Mature"' rating). Some violent scenes were "blurred" out while others were removed altogether, one of which involved a pair of pliers and someone's genitals.If the developers who created MANHUNT 2 put half as much effort into making the game fun as they did into making it shocking, then maybe it would be worth picking up -- if you were a grown-up who was into truly violent entertainment. But this is not the case. Instead they have created a disturbingly violent game totally off-limits for kids and there's little substance to be found in this Manhunt sequel.
Available for the Nintendo Wii, Sony PlayStation 2, and Sony PlayStation Portable, Manhunt 2 begins as your character, Dr. Daniel Lamb, escapes the Dixmor Asylum for the Criminally Insane, after being injected with a mysterious drug that unleashes his homicidal tendencies. Without giving much of the plot away -- yes, there is actually a story here -- Lamb finds himself outside in the real world, beginning with a visit to the now-dilapidated home of his youth. But not without going on a killing spree first. Even though the killings appear to be out of Lamb's control, it's not unusual for him to vomit and utter remorseful words after committing these grotesque murders.
This disturbing psychological story is even more controversial on the Nintendo Wii -- not just because the Wii is often considered a family-friendly gaming system, but because with the Wii's wireless motion-sensing controllers all of your killing is performed by mimicking the movements with your hands in front of the TV. This includes stabbing by thrusting the controller forward, slashing up and down or whacking someone over the head with a sledgehammer by moving your arms accordingly.
Ultimately, Manhunt 2 doesn't really add much outside of its shock value. Many other video games, such as Konami's Metal Gear Solid and Ubisoft's Splinter Cell series offer similar gameplay -- which includes skulking in the shadows to remain undetected, stealthily snuffing out an enemy, and carrying the body away to avoid being seen -- but handle it in a smoother and more compelling way.
Manhunt 2 also suffers from some technical glitches, such as getting half of Lamb's body stuck in a dumpster (and having to load a saved game to continue playing) or trying to fight a guard but Lamb keeps picking up a body on the floor and tossing it over his shoulder because the game thinks he's trying to hide a victim.
Manhunt 2 will likely sell like hotcakes because of its media attention, but in the end it only pushes the violence envelope rather than a gameplay one. So what you're left with is a game that's an appalling choice for kid gamers who manage to get their hands on it and a mediocre yet disgusting experience for everyone else.
For a less violent gaming experience for teens, turn to Metroid Prime 3: Corruption.
Platform Notes
Nintendo Wii
Of the three platforms, this Wii version provides the most disturbing visceral experience because you do the killing with your hands as you mimic the motions with your Wii remote controller.
| Content | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CS | adults | kids | ||
Sexual ContentPlayers will see nearly nude women in strip clubs, including exposed buttocks and breasts. |
 |
 |
|
|
ViolenceOne of the most -- if not the most -- graphically violent and gory titles in video game history. Not only can you kill people with knives, maces, sledgehammers, and your bare hands, but in the Wii version you are mimicking the actions using the motion-sensing controllers in front of the TV. Execution moves are also possible by following on-screen prompts at the right time and players will be "rewarded" with dramatic kills that, while blurry (as if you are in a psychotic episode), are brutal, such as slashing a body while hearing tearing sounds and screaming, and in one instance, pushing a person's head in a toilet when murdered. |
|
|
|
|
LanguageMany instances of profanities including "f--k," "s--t," "blow job," "damn," "piss," "hell." |
|
|
|
|
Message |
|
|
|
|
Social BehaviorGamers play as a psychotic killer who must murder in order to stay alive. |
 |
 |
|
|
Commercialism |
 |
|
|
|
Drug/Alcohol/TobaccoPlayers inject themselves with needles. Alcohol can also be seen in the game. |
|
|
|
|
Educational ValueNothing socially redeeming about this video game. |
|
|
|
|
