Manhunt 2 on Wii: A true murder simulator?
by Alexander Sliwinski 
{ Feb 10th 2007 at 12:30PM }
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
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
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Kel @ Feb 10th 2007 12:36PM
I hope this game gets banned. I thought it died and fell into obscurity with Manhunt 1.
Jesse Edgar @ Feb 10th 2007 12:45PM
Llewelyn could not have said it any better. This game will be an awesome game for the wii. An awesome game for the 17+!
Myke @ Feb 10th 2007 12:45PM
Ehem...posts like this just fuel Mr. Thompson's silent rage, why even give him ammo by posting titles like "Murder Simulator"? I mean seriously, do you LIKE to hear about all the proposed bills and shite? Albeit they never go through, but I'm sick of hearing about it, and crap like this doesnt help. Let them release the game, let the game bomb like I'm sure it will (I own a Wii and I have 0 interest in this game) just like the first one, and lets get one with our lives.
Tom Cribbins @ Feb 10th 2007 12:59PM
Well I'd certainly buy it and can see it doing well especially if muppets like Thompson give it enough publicity. I find this fuss amusing tbh.
COMPUTER GAMES, BOOKS, FILMS ETC DO NOT KILL PEOPLE - NUTTERS KILL PEOPLE.
Nobody in their right mind will play a video game, read a book or watch a film and go out on a killing spree...give yourselves and the majority of the world population a bit of credit please lol.
tmmoore_nc @ Feb 10th 2007 1:09PM
I'm going to say there's a possibility of this game getting AO'd for the Wii. But considering the ESRB doesn't like to rate the same game twice, it'll get an M.
HotShotX @ Feb 10th 2007 2:35PM
"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."
That's Nintendo telling Jack Thompson to fuck off. :)
~HotShotX
FSK405K @ Feb 10th 2007 1:11PM
You know it will suck. Sure, you can go Wayne's World with your silverware on somebody, but does anyone expect a plot of GTA or even Saint's Row caliber? I'm thinking Superman Returns without x-ray vision.
OtakuCODE @ Feb 10th 2007 1:15PM
If Manhunt 2 is a murder simulator will be easy to test. If the players, after playing it and taking down a single enemy, fall into deep depression and have serious post traumatic stress disorder symptoms, then and ONLY THEN is the brain processing the game as anything REMOTELY connected to harming an actual human being.
Pal @ Feb 10th 2007 1:30PM
I stated this to my friends before the Wii came out. Sure, the 360 and PS3 will have the graphics to visually simulate brutal murders...but the Wii will make you feel like you're actually committing one.
Arno @ Feb 10th 2007 1:37PM
One thing is certain... it will look worse than the original. :p
AssemblyLineHuman @ Feb 10th 2007 1:55PM
No doubt Rockstar will try their hardest to utilize the Wii to stir up as much controversy as possible. That's their business model.
Gross Greg @ Feb 10th 2007 1:46PM
I think that there is going to be a media circus at the release of Manhunt 2 for the Wii. The original Manhunt (in case you haven't played it) is extremely adult-oriented - basically a playable snuff film. I am glad that Rockstar and Nintendo have the guts to release this game, but I think that there are going to be loads of ticked-off parents taking to the streets when their kids show up with copies (you know they'll get their hands on it if they want no matter what the rating is).
Gross Greg @ Feb 10th 2007 2:02PM
If this is anything like the original, there will be lots of AO language too - does anybody know: Would this be the first game for a Nintendo console that includes the "F-bomb?"
h2c @ Feb 10th 2007 2:07PM
The picture you made for this article is perfect.
This game could incorporate the Wii controller and make it really, really immersive, or the controls are going to feel tacked on in the way I felt the passing controls in Madden were tacked on.
In Madden, the way you made a pass was to first select the receiver by pressing a direction on the directional pad, and then you made your throwing motion to complete the pass. In my opinion, this is actually less immersive than the traditional method of selecting the receiver AND passing to him with the same press of one button.
I think we'll be seeing this more and more on the Wii. Tacking on motion controls will needlessly complicate actions that could traditionally be done by a simple button press. This results in less immersion, not more.
Wii's Manhunt may be guilty of this as well. If Manhunt allows us to stab someone in the face by moving the controller in a stabbing motion, then that would be really immersive. But, if there are other buttons that need to be pressed as a precursor to the stabbing motion in order to stab someone in the face, then this actually detracts from immersion the same way it does on Madden.
And immersion is the whole selling point of the Wii, which it needs to make up for its lackluster graphics. Every time a game comes out where jamming on one button gets the result on screen faster and easier than tacked on motion controls that fail to be immersive while at the same time needlessly complicating things, it will be another black mark against the Wii's gamble this generation.
Hmm. I think I woke up on the wrong side of the bed today.
Mr Khan @ Feb 10th 2007 2:20PM
I think you guys give too much credit to a game that will most likely go by unnoticed... (except by us)
Corey @ Feb 12th 2007 6:53AM
Now it falls right to parents to take responsibility and lock their Wii down so it can't play the game. No more excuses. No more Jack Thompson's "parents can't control" b-s.
Anonymous @ Feb 10th 2007 3:47PM
The original Manhunt game was disgusting. It took it one level too far as far as I'm concerned. Instead of a GTA type game where murder was atleast optional, Manhunt forces you to commit violent and graphic up-close and personal murders. But then again, Saw and Saw II got into theatres, so this will surely get to consoles. Do I agree with it? No, noone should be playing either Manhunt or watching Saw, they are basically snuff films without anyone actually dying, but they should be illegal all the same. Anyone that gets a kick out of jamming a glass shard into a virtual neck and watching the blood and air escape from the victims windpipe, should be institutionalized
Seroth @ Feb 10th 2007 4:10PM
"Would this be the first game for a Nintendo console that includes the 'F-bomb?'"
No. I'd like to remind you of an awesome game known as Killer7.
I personally don't think Manhunt 2 on the Wii is gonna be a "true" murder simulator. I doubt that the gestures in the game are going to accurately simulate methods of murder, and even if they did, you'd be doing it on air. Maybe if the game came with a practice dummy and a knife attachment to the Wiimote or something, then we'd be in trouble.
Comrade.Catastrophe @ Feb 10th 2007 4:04PM
i think that this game should be banned, or atleast taken off the Wii. the God Father game was a stretch i think, where you could beat someone until their dead, but this has gone too far.
GUIGUI @ Feb 10th 2007 4:04PM
You haven't seen the half of it:
http://www.godmodeonline.com/d/20070207.html
Max @ Feb 10th 2007 4:44PM
You guys are being a bunch of pussies. Manhunt was awesome, and I'm sure this one will be even better. You can't play something like Mortal Kombat or GTA and then complain that this is going too far. It should all be cool or none of it should. And the people that protest it can suck it sideways, cuz their kids exposure to it is their own fault.
Gross Greg @ Feb 10th 2007 6:45PM
#19 - I am not familiar with Killer 7, but it looks like a pretty good game (judging from the online reviews). Thanks for the answer...I really didn't know.
Zero @ Feb 10th 2007 7:17PM
TEH WII SI A MURDAR SIMULATIR N WILL TELL CHILD MOLESTORS WHERE 2 FIND UR KIDS!!!! EVERYBODY PANIC!!!!!!!!! AHHHHHH!!!!!!!! TEH LINES BETWEEN REALITY N FANTISY R NO MORE!!!!
No, the game should not be banned or taken off the Wii. That's sheer stupidity. Somewhere between parental responsibility, EB managers getting fired, and the Wii's parental controls that will effectively not play the game without a password based on its M rating, I think the helpless kiddies might have a chance at survival. Seriously though, anyone who thinks this game needs to get banned really needs to drop their lawsuits on McDonald's for making them fat, stop watching garbage reality TV shows, and get in touch with friggin' reality.
Frankie @ Feb 10th 2007 9:29PM
I'm happy with Nintendo's response. I've been impressed with them actually. When people were complaining that they were getting sore and getting Wii-elbow, Nintendo frankly told them that maybe they need to exercise more. During the strap fiasco, they nonchalantly told everyone that the Wiimote is not meant to be thrown and maybe people should try to remember that. They were pointing out commonsense stuff without coming off as arrogant to boot.
Manhunt 2 is a great opportunity for Nintendo to let everyone know that the Wii has a pretty good parental control options, and my respect for them as a company went up even further. This isn't the Nintendo of the 80s to early 90s, kids.
samfish @ Feb 10th 2007 10:47PM
"My name is Dr. Henry Killinger and this, is my Magic Murder Simulator."
*holds up Wii*
Sly @ Feb 11th 2007 3:04AM
Releasing this game on the Wii would be so graphic. Not!
ZapDash @ Feb 11th 2007 5:49PM
Nintendo being not kiddy? Impossible! This game will probably have the main character going around shoving people and kicking them in the shins on the Wii version.
Seriously though, Nintendo's response was distancing and also logical, which is how they needed to respond. Good for Wii for getting the elusive "Mature on a Nintendo system" type games the Cube could have used more of.
Mr Khan @ Feb 12th 2007 4:20PM
@ Samfish
Dr. Henry Killinger!
I loved that guy, he looked evil but had a heart of gold (then flew away like Merry Poppins... XD)
jae @ Feb 19th 2007 2:46PM
Hell yes! It's about time that manhunt 2 graced our presence! All you sad, whiney people that want to ban this game need to just calm the hell down. Anything in this life is bad for you. Alcohol, chocolate, hell sex before marriage is suppose to be bad for you(some people may agree!not me though). Yes, even movies and video games. But its knowing that all these things are a little "naughty" is what lends to their charm, and lets face it, we all know of someone that on occasion has pi**ed us off enogh to think of stabbing them in the eye with a shard of glass or placing a plastic bag over their head and just whail on them until there unconcious. But were all adults, and this game is ment for those who "are mature" so lets not get carried away that we forget to have a little pleasure.
Darren Homewood @ Mar 10th 2007 4:54PM
fair play some good comments but take age and content into account!
* is it not true that you have both mature youth and also immature adults,
games are fun and everyone who pays money and willingly buys the game has chose to do so nobody made you buy manhunt 1,
why is it that when some loon go's and butchers his parents eats his sister and interfears with next doors dog before donning a flak jacket and murdering everyone in his or hers village, they blame a game a song a vidio and some do godder steps in for this evil person and suggests banning what many people see as a fun game etc, why should your average level headed mature person who realises its only a game its not real and even without the PC briggades warnings before you can start level 1 have to suffer because a minority of idiots who should be extradited to a remote island and left at the mercy of nature cant control their tiny brains!
people who commit these crimes will commit them reggardless if theyv played a game or not, the only difference not playing the games could make is that instead of murdereing person x in similar fasion to a game death scene, they will do it in another fassion.
DO GOODERS AND IDIOTS LEAVE THE NORMAL PEOPLE ALONE AND STOP TRING TO RUIN OTHER PEOPLES FUN!!!!!
NOBODY IS FORCING YOU TO BUY THIS GAME!!!!! SOD OFF AND GO SAVE A SPECIES OF BIRD OR SOMETHING!
Simon @ Mar 22nd 2007 10:18AM
i myself am a bit psychotic and love the thought of manhunt 2 on the wii. you see every game has an audience and if the first manhunt was unpopular then they wouldnt release a second, i think people have no right to tell others you cant release something there is a reason why things are rated 18. all these films like the exorcist and childs play where allowed to be released on dvd what makes this any difeerent.
mike @ Mar 29th 2007 1:47PM
ok so every one is going nuts over manhunt 2 some hate it some cant wait i for one am getting the game. its not going to be as great as every one thinks tho. the thing is the wii is so f-ing over rated i have all 3 systems and they all suck in there own way but not as much as the wii sure the wii mote is a great idea and the wii was also a cool idea but it handles like a eice of crap and the sensor bar sucks ass. the controlls are simple aand not as complex as ide hope they would be. i mean they dont ever realy copy your motion. man hunt will not be a game where you can use the wii mote and pretend to stab some one to get the kill done, it is going to be simple like raising your hand like in the game waiting for the thingy to change collors then moving the mote down to get the kill its gonna be lame just like the controlls for all the other wii games in wich i have all of them. so stop being so happy about being able to kill people and also for those who dont like it dont be so pissed it wont be that great but the people who like it will play it no matter how much you bitch about it. and as for kids playing the game well the parents need to gain a little mre controll over what there kids play than they do. and if your kid happens to get a copy for somewhere well then f-ing break it!
WiiFAN-boy... @ Mar 30th 2007 3:03AM
if parents are really as smart as they should be they should just take in consideration of the parental controls on the wii.
really if you want to complain then you need to go suck it sideways.
a lot of wii games have been pretty fun to play just because of the game itself and the plot.
for example.
Madden 07:
you actually get to use you Wiimote to stiff arm and throw a damn ball. it's force sensitive too.
the softer you throw the more of the lob.
the harder you throw the more of a bullet.
Red Steel:
your Wiimmote turns into a damn sword pretty much.
and i like the idea of making the b button a trigger.
it gives more of a realistic feeling to the shooting.
Tiger Woods:
this game is super realistic.
i can really use the power settings and force sensitivity to help me out when i golf.
my favorite game so far.
i also like the idea of the golf club extension that you can buy.
all you have to do is slide your Wiimote in just like the steering wheel.
so no matter how unrealistic the movements are to manunt.
im still going to buy it.
it looks like a hell of a game to play in he first place.
and i love how parents complain about games when they know how they are going to be.
and they happen to be the ones who buy the games for their kids in the first place.
moronic idiots if you ask me.
T K @ May 3rd 2007 1:02AM
I would just like to say that i am looking forward to this game very much. I'm 18 have a wii and play all sorts of violent games, but i still consider myself a good kid. Does anyone even remember the first game, not only was it a great game it was MADE to shock you with its gore, not glamorize murder in any way. You were supposed to say "oh my god" rather than getting all jumpy saying "that was so awesome!
DXsuckitclub @ May 6th 2007 3:18PM
STOP! listen, Manhunt made an impact on our t.v and well....it worked, but what we have to say is "why don't we stop playing these games?" basicly what i am saying is stop chomping and accepted the game for the adult content. Ask for manhunt fans such as myself we like it and we will keep on playing it okay? and if you don't like the content well.....just dont buy it, how hard is that? one day a man says "hey, that game looks horrible and naturaly perverted but i'll buy it!" so bottm-line dont't like it don't buy it and leave it to people who do want it.