History VideoGame / Manhunt

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[[caption-width-right:350:No need to ask twice, buddy.]]

* EverythingsBetterWithMonkeys: One of the bonus missions in the first game, unlocked after you earn 3 stars each in scenes 11-15, has you revisiting the Carcer City Zoo to deal with a gang of psychos dressed up as monkeys.

* AssholeVictim: Deconstructed, the game deconstructs the glorification of violence by making it as realistic as possible and forcing the player to watch. ''Nobody'' in the game is a saint as it's kill or be killed, the gang members have chosen to participate in the hunt and they will kill Cash on sight. However, the game's main question is "Do they ''really'' deserve to die so horribly?" as it takes the player out of their usual power fantasy and forces them to hear the pained sounds of the gang members as they are gruesomely killed with a variety of weapons. Sure, they are horrible people, and they definitely had it coming, but is a shot to the head more merciful than stabbing their eyes out with a knife or disembowelling them with a sickle? The game also likes to point out that these gang members have families that won't see them again once they are face to face with James Earl Cash, but the player can just as easily rationalize this as the members lying to save themselves until they hear it as idle dialogue.

* AssholeVictim: Deconstructed, the game deconstructs the glorification of violence by making it as realistic as possible and forcing the player to watch. ''Nobody'' in the game is a saint as it's kill or be killed, the gang members have chosen to participate in the hunt and they will kill Cash on sight. However, the game's main question is "Do they ''really'' deserve to die so horribly?" as it takes the player out of their usual power fantasy and forces them to hear the pained sounds of the gang members as they are gruesomely killed with a variety of weapons. Sure, they are horrible people and they definitely had it coming but a shot to the head more merciful than stabbing their eyes out with a knife or disembowelling them with a sickle. The game also likes to point out that these gang members have families that won't see them again once they are face to face with James Earl Cash, but the player can just as easily rationalize this as the members lying to save themselves until they hear it as idle dialogue.

In between ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAuto'' outings, Rockstar Games published ''Manhunt'' and ''Manhunt 2'', two controversial [[StealthBasedGame stealth]]/[[PsychologicalHorror psychological]] SurvivalHorror games that share gameplay mechanics, similar settings, and [[NonLinearSequel little else]]. It is one of Rockstar Game's most infamous masterpieces, and the TropeCodifier for games going too [[RatedMForMoney controversial]] and too [[MurderSimulators bloody]] for the public to accept. The first was released in 2003 for PC, UsefulNotes/PlayStation2 and Xbox; the second in 2008, for the same platforms and also the PSP and Wii. Up until the release of ''VideoGame/{{Hatred}}'', the uncut version of ''2'' was notable for being the only game to be released to carry the AO (Adults Only) rating for violence alone[[note]]''VideoGame/ThrillKill'' also received the rating, but it was never published[[/note]].

%%* Intoxication Mechanic: Getting shot with a tranquillizer dart causes the screen to blur and temporarily prevents the player from aiming with a gun.

* IntoxicationMechanic: Getting shot with a tranquillizer dart causes the screen to blur and temporarily prevents the player from aiming with a gun.

* InterfaceScrew: Getting shot with a tranquillizer dart causes the screen to blur and temporarily prevents the player from aiming with a gun.

* EnemyChatter: Often as a setup for DeathByIrony and FamousLastWords.

* FeaturelessProtagonist: Cash might as well be this - he barely speaks, and all we learn about him is that he was sentenced to death for an unspecified crime, he was never particularly close with his family and he's of mixed-race heritage.

* AssholeVictim: Deconstructed, the game deconstructs the glorification of violence by making it as realistic as possible and forcing the player to watch. ''Nobody'' in the game is a saint as it's kill or be killed, the gang members have chosen to participate in the hunt and they will kill Cash on sight. However, the game's main question is "Do they ''really'' deserve to die so horribly?" as it takes the player out of their usual power fantasy and forces them to hear the pained sounds of the gang members as they are gruesomely killed with a variety of weapons. Sure, they are horrible people and they definitely had it coming but a shot to the head more merciful than stabbing their eyes out with a knife or disembowelling them with a sickle. The game also likes to point out that these gang members have families that won't see them again once they are face to face with James Earl Cash.

* AssholeVictim: Deconstructed, the game deconstructs the glorification of violence by making it as realistic as possible and forcing the player to watch. ''Nobody'' in the game is a saint as it's kill or be killed, the gang members have chosen to participate in the hunt and they will kill Cash on sight. However, the game's main question is "Do they ''really'' deserve to die so horribly?" as it takes the player out of their usual power fantasy and forces them to hear the pained sounds of the gang members as they are gruesomely killed with a variety of weapons. Sure, they are horrible people and they definitely had it coming but a shot to the head more merciful than stabbing their eyes out with a knife or disembowelling them with a sickle.

* AssholeVictim: ''Everyone''! ...Well, ok, outside of a few {{Morality Pet}}s for the heroes, but damn near everybody else is fair game, ''including'' [[AntiHero the "heroes"]].

* RewardedAsATraitorDeserves: According to the instruction manual: Darkwoods Penitentiary, which is occupied by The Smileys, is the same location that hosted Cash's "execution". Starkweather let The Smileys takeover the prison and kill all the prison staff and inmates so he can use it as a filming location. Meanwhile, the sole survivor is left in an electricshock chair to be tortured by the gang members for their own amusement.

* RewardedAsATraitorDeserves: According to the manual, Darkwoods Penitentiary, which is occupied by The Smileys is the same location that hosted Cash's "execution". Starkweather let The Smileys takeover the prison and kill all the prison staff and inmates so he can use it as a filming location. Meanwhile, the sole surviving staff member is left in an electric chair to be tortured by the gang members.

* DifficultySpike: In the first game, the increased emphasis on gunplay from about the tenth mission onwards makes the game substantially harder since it removes the player's key advantage of stealth and forces them to rely on Cash's rather bad aim with guns.

In between ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAuto'' outings, Rockstar Games published ''Manhunt'' and ''Manhunt 2'', two controversial [[StealthBasedGame stealth]]/[[PsychologicalHorror psychological]] SurvivalHorror games that share gameplay mechanics, similar settings, and [[NonLinearSequel little else]]. It is one of Rockstar Game's most infamous masterpieces, and the TropeCodifier for games going too [[RatedMForMoney controversial]] and too [[MurderSimulators bloody]] for the public to accept. The first was released in 2003 for PC, PlayStation 2 and Xbox; the second in 2008, for the same platforms and also the PSP and Wii. Up until the release of ''VideoGame/{{Hatred}}'', the uncut version of ''2'' was notable for being the only game to be released to carry the AO (Adults Only) rating for violence alone[[note]]''VideoGame/ThrillKill'' also received the rating, but it was never published[[/note]].

* HyperspaceArsenal: ''Almost'' completely averted - the player characters can only carry three types of weapons and [[GoLookAtTheDistraction one lure]], and every item he's carrying is always visible on his person. However, no explanation is given for the spare ammunition he carries.

** The first game also deconstructs the controversy of games glorifying violence and murder, like in Rockstar's ''Grand Theft Auto'' Series. In ''GTA'', the game gives you the choice to kill innocents, but in terms of the overall story, they're just collateral damage from player decisions. Whereas in ''Manhunt'', you are ''forced'' to kill your enemies in the most gruesome ways in order to progress and survive. ''Manhunt'' hides under no pretences of glory and esteem, as it shows its executions in a long, gory, and brutal fashion and doesn't allow you to skip them. It's as if Rockstar is distinguishing the difference between real-life violence and video game violence, and how real-life violence is ''far'' more ugly, inexcusable, and less glorious compared to what happens in a video game.

** [[{{Squick}} To elaborate]], the first game allows you to yank off a Mook's testicles with a {{Si|nisterScythe}}ckle. The second game keeps that, and features one PlayedForLaughs ([[AmusingInjuries kicking the victim in the groin]] [[MoodWhiplash before stabbing their neck with a syringe]]), and three [[RuleOfScary Played For Scares]] big time! [[spoiler: If you ''really'' want to know, one shoves a shovel between the legs, at an angle the spade will cut off the victim's junk, another yanks off the groin with a pair of pliers, and the third saws through the groin with a length of barbed wire]].

* ScoreMultiplier: Via the different kinds of execution.

* AntiHero: Cash is clearly not a good guy, but he's up against people who are way worse than him, such as murderous {{p|aedoHunt}}edophiles and [[ANaziByAnyOtherName neo-Nazis]]. He's also shown [[EvenEvilHasLovedOnes to try and save his family]] ([[spoiler: and declares ItsPersonal when Starkweather [[KickTheMoralityPet kills them out of spite]]]]) and guides an innocent journalist to safety even after she witnessed him slaughter a bunch of police officers ([[spoiler: albeit [[CorruptCop ones on Starkweather's payroll]]]]). In fact, the only indication we have that Cash is evil at all is the fact that he was a DeathRow inmate, [[NoodleIncident for unknown reasons]]... although, given [[ImprobableWeaponUser his familiarity with guns and improvised weapons]], he probably isn't the victim of a FrameUp...