This happens during execution sequences as well as regular combat. It can be difficult to spot how exactly your movements correspond to the action on-screen – especially when they sometimes don’t register properly. These icons take you somewhat out of the experience and demand your attention to such a degree that you tend to miss out on what little actually does get revealed on the screen. During the sequences, big icons prompt you to carry out certain simple movements with the Nunchuk and Wii Remote. The use of motion controls in these sequences is also problematic. Some great sound effects help you imagine the scene, but a clearer visual presentation would have made these executions more satisfying to pull off. With all the static, blur effects, shaken camera movements, and crazy color schemes, it’s sometimes impossible to see what exactly is going on. This decision partially neuters the otherwise uncompromisingly brutal presentation of the game. First of all, it’s a shame that Rockstar felt compelled to visually filter the executions beyond recognition. While these sequences are fairly satisfying to pull off, since they often represent your reward for several minutes of sneaking, they could have been much better implemented. Each weapon has three levels of executions that vary in brutality and the amount of time they take to charge up, so if you feel particularly bold, you can hold on for a few seconds to unleash a devastating action sequence filled with extra amounts of gore. When he turns his back, you sneak up on him quietly and execute him with a weapon in hand. You wait patiently, as you note a guard’s movement pattern and perhaps opt to draw his attention to a specific point by throwing a brick. Despite these AI issues, the stealth mechanics in Manhunt 2 actually work rather well. Even if they’ve just chased you around, they might completely stop their search within seconds after you run into a dark area. Like in the Splinter Cell series, the enemies have a distinct and rather unrealistic inability to locate you here. You’ll spend most of your time in the shadows. It is a nerve-wracking moment, because the game cleverly detects even the slightest movement of your Wii Remote. If the enemy – unsure of your exact whereabouts – then seeks out the area you’re in, you might have to literally sit completely still to remain unnoticed. Especially if two or more are approaching, you better run away to seek the shadows. As a player, you feel genuinely scared when spotted, as every enemy is potentially lethal. They don’t just want you dead either – some want to see you suffer horribly first. Almost every character you meet has extremely vicious thoughts in mind. Rather than the story, it is the constant sense of tension, the sense of doom looming behind every corner, the sense of absurd, exaggerated, and omnipresent violence that make Manhunt 2 interesting. The story isn’t particularly deep, but it’s well-written enough for you to remain curious throughout. They reveal details about The Project, a disturbing mental program, whose development Danny himself was involved in. Snippets of this truth are gradually presented throughout the game, primarily through Danny’s sudden flashbacks. You take the role of one of these patients, Danny Lamb, in his quest to escape the hospital and uncover the truth about his past. Patients, who have escaped their cells, run amuck, murdering not only the staff but also fellow inmates. You start out in a mental hospital gone mad – more so than usual. The sense of being in control of what’s happening on screen might suddenly change into a realisation that the game is controlling you. At other times, the game degrades you to a simple slave of its frustratingly constraining controls and gameplay mechanics. At times, it makes you feel overwhelmingly powerful, as you stab your foes with syringes, light them on fire, behead them with axes, knock them down with baseball bats, hang them with ropes, and mash them into a chamber of spikes. In a way, Manhunt 2 is quite a sadomasochist’s game.
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