Manhunt
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Reggie talks about third-party support
Newsweek's N'Gai Croal chatted with Reggie Fils-Aime at GDC, and since that show was so rich with creamy, flavorful news, this interview has only now found its way onto the site. The interview is largely on the subject of third-party support for the Wii and DS, and for the most part, Reggie takes personal responsibility for what he sees as positive developments.For example, Reggie seems to credit his own meetings with former Take Two CEO Paul Eibeler for the advent of Wii Manhunt 2. He also claims that his conversations with Laurent Dutoc of Ubisoft led to ... pretty much half the stuff on the Wii. We aren't business experts, so we don't know, but could it really be as simple as that? Is Reggie charismatic enough to personally influence publishers' plans? Or is he using personal terms as a shorthand for more complicated business dealings?
Take-Two counters lawyer's 'nuisance' threat
Take-Two Interactive has filed a preemptive suit against attorney Jack Thompson. This past Saturday, Thompson hatched plans to meddle in the sales of future Take-Two and Rockstar titles Manhunt 2 and Grand Theft Auto IV. Take-Two claims that if Thompson were to succeed in having the games declared public nuisances (under Florida law), the action would violate the publisher's First Amendment rights. Take-Two hopes its petition to the US District Court for the Southern District of Florida will crush Thompson's proposed suit before it grows wings. Plan B? Drop a DDT-bomb on his dome.Last fall, Florida courts rejected a similar suit filed by Thompson that sought to restrict sales of Take-Two's "Sim Columbine" Bully.Update: Read the lawsuit.
Ball ripping action in Manhunt 2?
The first Manhunt received some mixed reactions and with good reason, it was vile and disgusting and showcased the worst about humanity, making the gamer feel dirty just playing it. That's precisely why I enjoyed Manhunt since that was the aim and I can't say I've ever felt the way Manhunt made me feel before or since. Lucky for me Manhunt 2 is coming to PSP. Some may wonder if Rockstar is going to tone the violence down in the sequel since they've gotten so much negative attention and legal issues lately. I think the fact that the main character can rip off a victim's testicles with pliers should answer that question. In addition to that, players can also stab someone in the eye with a syringe, push someones face into a live fuse or if you're time restrained, shoot them. There are also finally some story details. Manhunt 2 has a new main character, Dr. Daniel Lamb who is a scientist locked in an asylum called The Project. They use the asylum to test a top secret drug that Lamb was working on and was to be used as a weapon. Lamb breaks out of the asylum and goes on the run with a psychotic inmate named Leo Kasper. Mr. Kasper teaches Lamb how to use violence to his advantage. Other than the name Lamb sounding brutally cliche, Manhunt 2 sounds promising to fans of the first game. [Via Games Radar]
Wii Warm Up: Jacky-boy
O', Jack Thompson, thou art gold for gaming journalists such as ourselves. Your wacky hijinks and unceasing, irrational behavior fill our lives with joy. But amidst his juvenile catcalling, logical fallacies, and overall rejection of sanity, we look at the upcoming Manhunt 2 and begin to wonder. This game might be, with the inclusion of the Wii controller, the most realistically violent game in the history of mankind. Though we still firmly believe that a game will never be the true cause of mental imbalances and disorders, we still have absolutely no system in place to prevent the sales of these games to minors; whatever you may think about Jack Thompson, this goal is an admirable one.The industry is going to take heavy fire for this game regardless, but we feel as though his arguments hold a bit of water in this particular case. Do you feel strongly about the issue, and do you think we should have measures in place to prevent the acquisition of these games by kids who aren't equipped to properly process the violence in a nondestructive manner?
Jack Thompson at it again, wants Manhunt 2 pulled from UK
According to online reports, Jack Thomspon allegedly made a post on a Manhunt forum (we're unsure as to which forum) where he once again called Rockstar Games into question and implicated the original Manhunt as being responsible for the murder of one Stefan Pakeerah, who was murdered in the UK in 2004 by supposed friend Warren LeBlanc. The police, however, could not find sufficient evidence linking the game to the murder.We've included this entire post, which Thompson allegedly made in the forum, after the post break.[Thanks, Andrew; via WiiPals]
Poll results: how did the Manhunt 2 news strike you?
It's been a week since we asked you what you thought about all this Manhunt 2 bussiness and you all have responded. Turns out, many of you never even gave the first game a try, with the rest of the majority remaining skeptical until more is revealed. We're with you, as our enthusiasm for the title depends solely on how it controls. Thanks for voting!See also: Manhunt 2 site goes live, offers small glimpse
Mail from Rockstar terrifies blogger
I received a mysterious letter in the mail today. As the lead blogger of PSP Fanboy, it's not unusual for game companies to try to contact me through the post. But, I was puzzled ... no, scared about what could be from the "Dixmor Hospital for the Criminally Insane." Questions started buzzing in my head: How did they get my address? Did I accidentally leak it on the Internet? I was terrified that some creepy Internet-stalker-fan had somehow illegally referred me to a mental institute. And trust me, I keep on telling the voices that I don't need to go to one!
Manhunt 2 on Wii: A true murder simulator?
This is all dependent on the fun factor and responsiveness of the controls, but Manhunt 2 for the Wii could be a fantastic murder simulator for the M rated set. Following the announcement of Manhunt 2 by Rockstar on various consoles, GamePolitics took the obvious next step and asked Nintendo how they felt about having the ultra-violent game on their motion control system?Speaking for Nintendo, Beth Llewelyn, senior director of corporate communications, said, "Manhunt 2 is not developed or published by Nintendo. It is one of many titles released by third party publishers for our system that appeal to people of all ages and interests ... retailers and purchasers are strongly encouraged to follow the age-specific ESRB ratings when considering what software to sell or buy. If parents are concerned about kids having access to inappropriate Wii games, we encourage them to utilize the PIN-operated Parental Control features built into Wii."The original Manhunt was about getting jollies from up-close and personal impaling. That mechanic will certainly be more satisfying and personal on the Wii. For the most part, we're just waiting for the mainstream media to get their hands on this story. It'll have all the clichés we've come to expect: Surface treatment of facts by the nightly news, kids under 17 saying they love to stab people in the game and parents talking about how they have absolutely no control to stop their children.See also: Manhunt 2 Wii box art more interesting than teaser
Manhunt 2 Wii box art more interesting than teaser
After yesterday's announcement stabbed us in the face with a shard of glass, we've had some time to get used to the idea that Rockstar's Manhunt series is making its new-gen debut on Nintendo's heretofore soft and cuddly Wii console (alongside current-gen PSP and PS2 releases). The mind is a scary place to get stuck, as we did last night while trying (unsuccessfully we might add) to fall asleep. You see, we were preoccupied with all the horribly grotesque ways we imagined killing people (virtually, of course!) with the Wiimote. Hallucinations set in around 3am and we saw (did we?) rows of bespectacled Canadian programmers sitting in a crowded conference room, surrounded by empty pizza boxes and whiteboards covered with poorly spelled ideas. Ideas like: stabbing, bludgeoning, cleaving, slitting, choking (with optional nunchuk assist), and nunchuck ... ing. There were other ideas scribbled out: purple nurpling, hugging, arm wrestling ...If those visions of horror didn't whet your appetite, try Rockstar's Manhunt 2 teaser, embedded after the break. Yeah, our favorite part is when the announcer says "This product is not yet rated" too. Something tells us this one's not getting a T.%Gallery-1512%
Poll: how did the Manhunt 2 news strike you?
Whether you're a fan of the company or its games, you have to admit that Rockstar Games jumping onboard the Wii is a pretty big announcement. With the website launching and gamers getting to see a glimpse of the game, there's a little more to comment on. So we figured we'd poll the people, you fine readers, and see how the news was being received. Go ahead and vote, the poll doesn't bite, we promise (polls are a vegetarian species). How did the Manhunt 2 news strike you? I enjoyed the first game and am looking forward to this I need to see more on the controls before I'm sold Meh, I could care less, the first game sucked and this probably will too I never played the first game Free polls from Pollhost.com
Manhunt 2 site goes live, offers small glimpse
Hot on the heels of revealing a sequel to Manhunt, Rockstar Games have launched the website for the game. Now, the website isn't really filled with anything all too revealing about possible controls or Wii-specific features, except that the game will release this year, however it does offer a small glimpse into the game's story. Head on over here and check it out, but be advised that you must be 18 or older to view the content.
Manhunt 2 trailer online! [Update 1]
It's only been a few hours since Manhunt 2 was announced for PSP, but there is already a trailer online. It seems like the game has a different main character and the story is quite unclear from the trailer, but then again, what Rockstar Games teaser trailer ever really gives away too much? Either way, I can't help but be psyched by what is shown. Check out the official Manhunt 2 site to see the trailer now. [Update 1: Changed link to official site]
Rockstar reveals Manhunt 2 for the Wii
It looks like Reggie was somewhat successful as Rockstar Games announced today that a sequel to Manhunt, which could be summed up (by Jack Thompson) as a murder simulator, is going to grace the Wii (and some other Sony systems, we don't know, we weren't paying attention to that). The game is being developed by Rockstar Toronto, who recently did The Warriors. In the first game, you could kill your opponents in three differing ways, each progressively more sinister and violent, with any given weapon. Weapons ranged from plastic bags to shards of glass and, considering the Wii's control scheme, could we expect to have to mimic slicing someone's throat with a broken bottle or some such other object using the Wiimote? See also: Will Wii see L.A. Noire?
Rockstar reveals Manhunt 2 for the PS2, PSP, and ... Wii
Get ready to wave goodbye one last time to all those specious misconceptions that the Wii -- thanks to its unique name, diminutive size, and first-party mascot -- is a children's system. Rockstar Games, who've always had a penchant for controversy, just added a gasoline-soaked two by four (with nails in it) to the "do video games teach kids to kill" bonfire, announcing that Manhunt 2, the sequel to last generation's ultraviolent snuff film-slash-video game, will be released on the PlayStation 2, the PSP and the Wii -- with nary an Xbox 360 or PS3 announcement in sight.The PS2 and PSP versions are being developed by Rockstar London, their newest studio, in conjunction with Manhunt series creator Rockstar North (Grand Theft Auto) while the Wii version is being handled independently by Rockstar Toronto (The Warriors). We're going to be hearing a lot more about this one.
The Manhunt (2) is on
Rockstar is sending some more love to the PSP is this year. Manhunt 2, the sequel to the ultra-violent Manhunt, will be appearing on the PS2, PSP and Wii (O RLY?). The original sparked a great deal of controversy, and I expect the sequel to do the same."With Manhunt 2 we have tried to create a game that stays close to the original concept of chilling suspense and stealth, whilst pushing the game design and storytelling forward," said Sam Houser, founder and executive producer of Rockstar Games. "We are also excited to have our newest development team, Rockstar London, working on the title alongside our two established UK studios, Rockstar North and Leeds."[Via IGN]
