Gamasutra's Critical Reception: Rockstar Games' Manhunt 2

This week's edition of the regular Critical Reception column examines online reaction to Manhunt 2, Rockstar's controversial stealth-action sequel that critics say is "every bit as grim and brutal as the first," though some may find it "not nearly as memorable or enjoyable."

Manhunt 2 finally saw U.S. release earlier this week, having previously being delayed due to its violent content. This violence was determined to be explicit enough to warrant an AO rating by the ESRB, making the title unreleasable on all major platforms and unsellable at several retailers. After seeing a number of required changes in order to reduce its ESRB rating to an M, the Nintendo Wii version of Manhunt 2 arrives on store shelves to a Metacritic-averaged score of 70 out of 100...

With such a large divide between review scores, it's debatable as to whether Manhunt 2 will appeal even to fans of the original title. Critics note that its inconsistent gameplay and censored content might be an immediate turnoff for many interested players. However, other reviewers feel that the experience is decent enough to warrant a playthrough, and if its shortcomings can be forgiven, Manhunt 2 could be a worthwhile purchase.