You play the role of James Earl Cash, a criminal who is sentenced to death in the game Manhunt. You are being escorted down a corridor where you will shortly receive an injection that will prove to be fatal. A hole is made with the needle. You fall back asleep for a few more hours. You hear a mysterious voice instructing you to place your ear to the nearby earphone, and it reveals that the so-called “fatal” injection was actually simply a strong sedative. It was eventually discovered that the man, who was given the name Starkweather, was a director of “snuff movies,” which are films in which the actors are actually murdered. He adds that in order to obtain your freedom, you must follow his instructions, be successful in killing others, and remain alive. This is where James Earl Cash’s journey gets underway.
During the course of the game, you will be required to eliminate members of several gangs as you go through a variety of environments, such as a city and a shopping mall. You’ll go up against a wide variety of gangs, ranging from easier ones like The Hoods and The Skins to more difficult ones like The Innocent. Gang members are known to carry a wide variety of weaponry, ranging from handguns and shotguns to knives and shards of glass.
The primary focus of Manhunt is on stealth gameplay. In order to avoid being discovered, you will need to walk slowly while crouching, hiding behind items, and flattening yourself against walls, crouching, and hiding behind walls. You can also hurl glass bottles to create a distraction, or you can hit objects and yell in order to attract gangs to you. Both of these tactics will work.
You have access to a wide range of weaponry, including some more conventional options like a shotgun and an uzi, as well as some less appealing alternatives like a sickle and a trash bag. Depending on how long you hold the button down, each weapon can be used in one of three distinct ways to deal damage. A quick attack will get the job done, a medium attack will be bloody, but a high attack, which requires the longest amount of time, will earn you the most points and allow you to see your kill in a cinematic style, with blood splattering on the camera and gurgling noises. However, a quick attack will get the job done.
You can also utilize a USB headset with Manhunt, such as the one that was provided with SOCOM: U.S. Navy Seals when you purchased that game. If you have the headset, Starkweather will speak directly into your ears rather than through your computer’s speakers. Additionally, you will be able to attract gangs by shouting into the microphone rather than hitting a button if you have the headset.
