Manhunt Series
"Manhunt is a duology of psychological thriller/slasher-themed survivor-horror stealth videogames published by Rockstar Games and developed by its internal subsidiaries. The series debuted in 2003 on the PlayStation 2 console, before further re-releases on other consoles including Xbox, PC, PlayStation Portable, Wii, PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4. The series began with 2003's Manhunt and continued with a sequel, Manhunt 2, in 2007. The first game was primarily developed by Rockstar North, while the sequel was handled by different studios to a variety of platforms after development was moved from the defunct original developer Rockstar Vienna. The title of the series comes from the police term "manhunt", referring to intensive pursue of a fugitive. Gameplay in both games is presented from a third-person perspective and contains elements of stealth and survival-horror, as the protagonist has to avoid hostile NPCs and execute them in violent ways with a variety of different weapons. While narratives greatly differ between the titles, the general plot revolves around violence and psychological horror. The series is notable for its tie-ins with Rockstar Games' flagship series, Grand Theft Auto, especially with games within the 3D Universe continuity. The series is notorious for its brutal, nightmarish, bloody, gory and ultraviolent nature, and has gained controversy among moral guardians for its elaborate executions and cruelty. The series generally received mixed-to-positive reviews from critics, with particular praise directed towards its atmosphere and dark tone. As of 2008, both games sold over 1.7 million copies combined." -- (Manhunt Wiki)
Manhunt 1
"Manhunt (also known as Manhunt: The Final Cut) is a stealth-based survival horror video game developed by Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games, originally released for the PlayStation 2 in November 2003, and for Microsoft Windows and Xbox in April 2004. Manhunt was released through the PlayStation Network for the PlayStation 3 in 2013, PlayStation 4 in 2016 and PlayStation 5 in 2020. It is the first installment in the Manhunt series and the first game in the 3D Universe of the series, and was followed by 2007's Manhunt 2. Set in the fictional American settlement of Carcer City, Manhunt chronicles the story of James Earl Cash, a death row prisoner forced to participate in a series of snuff films for disgraced film producer Lionel Starkweather, earning his freedom by murdering criminal gang members sent to hunt him on camera. A pet project of Rockstar North, Manhunt was developed by a different team than the one focused on its previous GTA titles. Development lasted for three years, with employees concerned about the controversy the game would gain for its violent nature and more serious tone in comparison to previous games by Rockstar. Upon release, Manhunt received mostly positive reviews from gaming publication, and was signaled out for its originality. It was praised for its atmosphere, nihilistic tone and presentation, though it was also criticized for being repetitive. The game's gameplay and difficulty polarized critics, as did the overall violent nature and graphic content of the experience. Manhunt was subject to a significant controversy after its release; it was banned in several countries, accused for glorifying murder and vigilantism, and implicated in a murder by the UK media, although this implication was later rejected by the police and courts." -- (Manhunt Wiki)
Manhunt 2
" Manhunt 2 is a survival-horror stealth videogame developed by Rockstar Studios and published by Rockstar Games, originally released on the PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable and Wii in October 2007. It was later released on Windows in November 2009. It is the sequel to 2003's Manhunt and the second installment of the Manhunt series. Taking place in the southern American city of Cottonmouth, Manhunt 2 follows the story of Daniel Lamb, an amnesia-stricken mental patient who attempts to uncover his past. He is guided by a fellow patient called Leo Kasper, a sociopathic assassin. Retaining much of its predecessor's gameplay and mechanics, Manhunt 2 has players primarily control Lamb as he is hunted by bounty hunters, using stealth to sneak up and perform brutal executions on his targets. Other sections of the game also allow players to take control of Leo. Development on Manhunt 2 began following the release of Manhunt in 2003 and was primarily developed by Rockstar London, Rockstar Toronto and Rockstar Leeds; Rockstar Vienna was originally brought in as the primary developer due to previous commitments of original developer Rockstar North. Due to Vienna's closure in 2006, development was handed to Rockstar London, with support from Rockstar Toronto and Rockstar Leeds who helped porting the title from its original PlayStation 2 version. The game was officially announced in February 2007. Prior to its release, Manhunt 2 was widely anticipated and became highly controversial before its launch due to its extreme violence and accusations in influencing a murder case; several countries originally refused to rate and sell the game in their territories. Upon release, Manhunt 2 received generally mixed reviews; it was praised for maintaining the grimdark, edgy and nightmarish tone, art direction and gameplay of its predecessor, while criticism was directed at the game's visuals, combat system, enemy A.I. and overall quality. Its story and characters received polarized reactions, while several critics believed it did not live up to the first game. " -- (Manhunt Wiki)