<s>
Manhunt	B-Application
is	O
a	O
2003	O
stealth	O
game	O
developed	O
by	O
Rockstar	O
North	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
Rockstar	O
Games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
first	O
entry	O
in	O
the	O
Manhunt	B-Application
series	O
,	O
it	O
was	O
released	O
for	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
in	O
November	O
2003	O
,	O
followed	O
by	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Windows	I-Application
and	O
Xbox	B-Application
releases	O
in	O
April	O
2004	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Set	O
within	O
the	O
fictional	O
Carcer	B-Application
City	I-Application
,	O
the	O
story	O
follows	O
James	B-Application
Earl	I-Application
Cash	I-Application
,	O
a	O
death	O
row	O
prisoner	O
who	O
is	O
forced	O
to	O
participate	O
in	O
a	O
series	O
of	O
snuff	O
films	O
,	O
earning	O
his	O
freedom	O
by	O
murdering	O
criminal	O
gang	O
members	O
sent	O
to	O
hunt	O
him	O
on	O
camera	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Manhunt	B-Application
was	O
subject	O
to	O
a	O
significant	O
video	O
game	O
controversy	O
due	O
to	O
the	O
level	O
of	O
graphic	O
violence	O
depicted	O
,	O
banned	O
in	O
several	O
countries	O
,	O
and	O
implicated	O
in	O
a	O
murder	O
by	O
the	O
UK	O
media	O
,	O
although	O
this	O
accusation	O
was	O
later	O
rejected	O
by	O
the	O
police	O
and	O
courts	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
While	O
not	O
a	O
commercial	O
hit	O
,	O
Manhunt	B-Application
developed	O
a	O
substantial	O
cult	O
following	O
and	O
was	O
followed	O
by	O
a	O
stand-alone	O
sequel	O
,	O
Manhunt	B-Application
2	I-Application
,	O
in	O
2007	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Manhunt	B-Application
is	O
a	O
stealth	O
game	O
played	O
from	O
a	O
third-person	O
perspective	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Manhunt	B-Application
makes	O
use	O
of	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
's	O
optional	O
USB	B-Protocol
Microphone	O
and	O
the	O
Xbox	B-Application
Live	I-Application
microphone	O
feature	O
on	O
the	O
Xbox	B-Application
in	O
their	O
respective	O
versions	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Manhunt	B-Application
is	O
set	O
in	O
the	O
fictional	O
Carcer	B-Application
City	I-Application
,	O
a	O
dilapidated	O
rust	O
belt	O
city	O
rife	O
with	O
corruption	O
and	O
crime	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
is	O
set	O
in	O
a	O
shared	O
universe	O
with	O
the	O
Grand	B-Application
Theft	I-Application
Auto	I-Application
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2003	O
in	O
Carcer	B-Application
City	I-Application
,	O
a	O
journalist	O
(	O
Kate	O
Miller	O
)	O
reports	O
about	O
James	B-Application
Earl	I-Application
Cash	I-Application
(	O
Stephen	O
Wilfong	O
)	O
,	O
a	O
death	O
row	O
inmate	O
who	O
has	O
been	O
recently	O
executed	O
by	O
lethal	O
injection	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Director	O
promises	O
Cash	O
his	O
freedom	O
,	O
but	O
only	O
if	O
he	O
murders	O
"	O
Hunters	O
"	O
–	O
gang	O
members	O
sent	O
to	O
hunt	O
him	O
–	O
in	O
special	O
areas	O
around	O
Carcer	B-Application
City	I-Application
filmed	O
by	O
CCTV	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
After	O
eliminating	O
them	O
,	O
he	O
is	O
abducted	O
by	O
the	O
Cerberus	O
,	O
the	O
Director	O
's	O
personal	O
security	O
unit	O
,	O
who	O
take	O
him	O
to	O
another	O
part	O
of	O
Carcer	B-Application
City	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
While	O
the	O
Director	O
monitors	O
his	O
actions	O
,	O
Cash	O
is	O
forced	O
to	O
kill	O
more	O
criminals	O
across	O
various	O
abandoned	O
locations	O
,	O
encountering	O
a	O
[	O
Nazi	O
skinhead	O
gang	O
called	O
the	O
Skinz	O
,	O
a	O
sadistic	O
paramilitary	O
called	O
the	O
Wardogs	O
(	O
who	O
have	O
kidnapped	O
Cash	O
's	O
family	O
to	O
use	O
as	O
bait	O
)	O
,	O
an	O
outlaw	O
gang	O
called	O
the	B-Application
Innocentz	I-Application
(	O
consisting	O
of	O
the	O
Hispanic	O
occultist	O
Skullyz	O
and	O
the	O
psychopathic	O
Babyfaces	O
)	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
group	O
of	O
former	O
asylum	O
inmates	O
called	O
the	O
Smileys	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Cash	O
prevails	O
and	O
kills	O
Ramirez	O
and	O
his	O
men	O
,	O
before	O
being	O
rescued	O
by	O
the	O
journalist	O
reporting	O
on	O
him	O
,	O
who	O
reveals	O
that	O
the	O
Director	O
is	O
Lionel	B-Application
Starkweather	I-Application
,	O
a	O
former	O
film	O
producer	O
from	O
Los	O
Santos	O
who	O
produces	O
for	O
a	O
snuff	O
film	O
ring	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Pursued	O
by	O
the	O
police	O
and	O
SWAT	B-Application
throughout	O
the	O
subway	O
and	O
the	O
streets	O
,	O
Cash	O
is	O
eventually	O
cornered	O
in	O
a	O
train	O
yard	O
and	O
almost	O
summarily	O
executed	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
is	O
saved	O
by	O
the	O
Cerberus	O
,	O
who	O
kill	O
the	O
SWAT	B-Application
and	O
take	O
Cash	O
to	O
Starkweather	O
's	O
mansion	O
so	O
that	O
they	O
could	O
execute	O
him	O
themselves	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Cerberus	O
are	O
distracted	O
when	O
Piggsy	B-Application
(	O
Hunter	O
Platin	O
)	O
,	O
a	O
chainsaw-wielding	O
maniac	O
who	O
wears	O
a	O
pig	O
's	O
head	O
,	O
breaks	O
free	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Cash	O
escapes	O
and	O
confronts	O
Piggsy	B-Application
in	O
the	O
mansion	O
's	O
upper	O
levels	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Unable	O
to	O
fight	O
him	O
directly	O
,	O
Cash	O
uses	O
stealth	O
attacks	O
on	O
Piggsy	B-Application
before	O
tricking	O
him	O
into	O
standing	O
on	O
a	O
grate	O
,	O
which	O
collapses	O
under	O
his	O
weight	O
,	O
allowing	O
Cash	O
to	O
take	O
his	O
chainsaw	O
and	O
finish	O
him	O
off	O
with	O
it	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Rockstar	O
North	O
began	O
development	O
of	O
Manhunt	B-Application
in	O
the	O
mid-early	O
nineties	O
,	O
building	O
the	O
game	O
with	O
the	O
RenderWare	O
engine	O
that	O
had	O
been	O
used	O
for	O
the	O
Grand	B-Application
Theft	I-Application
Auto	I-Application
titles	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
September	O
2003	O
,	O
GamesMaster	O
published	O
a	O
preview	O
of	O
Manhunt	B-Application
,	O
commenting	O
"	O
[	O
Rockstar	O
North	O
has ]	O
scraped	O
its	O
imagination	O
to	O
further	O
twist	O
the	O
way	O
games	O
are	O
made	O
in	O
the	O
future	O
and	O
delivers	O
a	O
chiseled	O
,	O
no-apologies	O
assault	O
on	O
gaming	O
standards	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
creates	O
a	O
barren	O
,	O
harsh	O
,	O
violent	O
experience	O
and	O
then	O
punctures	O
it	O
with	O
something	O
trippy	O
and	O
darkly	O
comic	O
...	O
"	O
In	O
a	O
retrospective	O
piece	O
,	O
a	O
former	O
Rockstar	O
employee	O
admitted	O
that	O
the	O
game	O
almost	O
caused	O
a	O
mutiny	O
in	O
the	O
company	O
,	O
saying	O
that	O
the	O
team	O
had	O
"	O
already	O
weathered	O
plenty	O
of	O
controversy	O
over	O
GTA	B-Application
III	I-Application
and	O
Vice	B-Application
City	I-Application
—	O
we	O
were	O
no	O
strangers	O
to	O
it	O
—	O
but	O
Manhunt	B-Application
felt	O
different	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
With	O
GTA	B-Application
,	O
we	O
always	O
had	O
the	O
excuse	O
that	O
the	O
gameplay	O
was	O
untethered	O
—	O
you	O
never	O
had	O
to	O
hurt	O
anybody	O
that	O
was	O
n't	O
a	O
"	O
bad	O
guy	O
"	O
in	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
missions	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Manhunt	B-Application
was	O
announced	O
at	O
E3	O
in	O
May	O
2003	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
originally	O
slated	O
for	O
an	O
October	O
release	O
date	O
,	O
but	O
it	O
was	O
instead	O
released	O
for	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
on	O
November	O
19	O
,	O
2003	O
,	O
in	O
North	O
America	O
,	O
and	O
two	O
days	O
later	O
in	O
European	O
countries	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
During	O
its	O
first	O
month	O
on	O
sale	O
,	O
the	O
game	O
sold	O
75,000	O
copies	O
in	O
the	O
United	O
States	O
,	O
"	O
a	O
fraction	O
"	O
of	O
the	O
copies	O
sold	O
by	O
Grand	B-Application
Theft	I-Application
Auto	I-Application
III	I-Application
and	O
Grand	B-Application
Theft	I-Application
Auto	I-Application
:	I-Application
Vice	I-Application
City	I-Application
,	O
games	O
also	O
distributed	O
by	O
Rockstar	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
spite	O
of	O
these	O
comparatively	O
poor	O
sales	O
,	O
the	O
game	O
received	O
a	O
port	O
for	O
the	O
Xbox	B-Application
and	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Windows	I-Application
,	O
released	O
in	O
North	O
America	O
on	O
April	O
20	O
,	O
2004	O
,	O
and	O
Europe	O
on	O
April	O
23	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Rockstar	O
released	O
exclusive	O
merchandise	O
,	O
limited	O
editions	O
and	O
pre-order	O
bonuses	O
such	O
as	O
official	O
soundtracks	O
,	O
a	O
Piggsy	B-Application
figure	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
handheld	O
voice	O
changer	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
added	O
to	O
Steam	B-Application
in	O
January	O
2008	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
included	O
for	O
free	O
for	O
players	O
who	O
pre-ordered	O
the	O
PC	O
version	O
of	O
Manhunt	B-Application
2	I-Application
in	O
November	O
2009	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
May	O
14	O
,	O
2013	O
,	O
Manhunt	B-Application
was	O
made	O
available	O
for	O
purchase	O
on	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
3	I-Operating_System
under	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
Network	I-Device
's	O
PS2	B-Device
Classics	I-Device
category	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
released	O
again	O
for	O
the	B-Operating_System
PlayStation	I-Operating_System
4	I-Operating_System
on	O
March	O
22	O
,	O
2016	O
,	O
upscaled	O
to	O
1080p	O
and	O
with	O
support	O
for	O
trophies	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
and	O
PC	O
versions	O
of	O
Manhunt	B-Application
received	O
"	O
generally	O
favorable	O
reviews	O
"	O
,	O
while	O
the	O
Xbox	B-Application
version	O
received	O
"	O
mixed	O
or	O
average	O
"	O
reviews	O
,	O
according	O
to	O
the	O
review	B-Application
aggregation	I-Application
website	O
Metacritic	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
of	O
March	O
26	O
,	O
2008	O
,	O
the	O
Manhunt	B-Application
series	O
has	O
sold	O
1.7	O
million	O
copies	O
worldwide	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Manhunt	B-Application
received	O
a	O
"	O
Gold	O
"	O
sales	O
award	O
from	O
the	O
Entertainment	O
and	O
Leisure	O
Software	O
Publishers	O
Association	O
(	O
ELSPA	O
)	O
,	O
indicating	O
sales	O
of	O
at	O
least	O
200,000	O
copies	O
in	O
the	O
United	O
Kingdom	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Game	O
Informer	O
praised	O
the	O
PS2	B-Device
version	O
's	O
audacity	O
and	O
competent	O
technical	O
capabilities	O
,	O
stating	O
"	O
it	O
's	O
a	O
frightening	O
premise	O
that	O
places	O
gamers	O
in	O
a	O
psychological	O
impasse	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Edge	O
gave	O
the	O
same	O
console	O
version	O
eight	O
out	O
of	O
ten	O
,	O
saying	O
,	O
"	O
Like	O
GTA	B-Application
there	O
's	O
more	O
to	O
this	O
than	O
shock	O
and	O
awe	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Within	O
its	O
linear	O
structure	O
there	O
is	O
a	O
lot	O
of	O
freedom	O
within	O
which	O
to	O
act	O
,	O
much	O
more	O
so	O
than	O
both	O
Splinter	B-Application
Cell	I-Application
and	O
Metal	B-Application
Gear	I-Application
Solid	I-Application
2	I-Application
,	O
the	O
titles	O
which	O
Manhunt	B-Application
most	O
closely	O
resembles.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
entertainment	O
and	O
cultural	O
artefact	O
,	O
Manhunt	B-Application
is	O
totally	O
disturbing	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
And	O
,	O
curiously	O
,	O
no	O
one	O
has	O
complained	O
about	O
or	O
tried	O
to	O
ban	O
SOCOM	B-Application
U.S.	I-Application
Navy	I-Application
SEALs	I-Application
,	O
in	O
which	O
stealth	O
and	O
killing	O
figure	O
even	O
more	O
heavily	O
than	O
in	O
Manhunt	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Manhunt	B-Application
is	O
easily	O
the	O
most	O
violent	O
game	O
ever	O
made	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
But	O
Manhunt	B-Application
also	O
is	O
the	O
Clockwork	O
Orange	O
of	O
video	O
games	O
,	O
holding	O
your	O
eyes	O
open	O
so	O
as	O
to	O
not	O
miss	O
a	O
single	O
splatter	O
–	O
asking	O
you	O
,	O
is	O
this	O
really	O
what	O
you	O
enjoy	O
watching	O
?	O
</s>
<s>
Had	O
Manhunt	B-Application
been	O
poorly	O
made	O
,	O
using	O
the	O
snuff	O
film	O
angle	O
as	O
a	O
cheap	O
gimmick	O
,	O
the	O
game	O
would	O
have	O
been	O
shameful	O
and	O
exploitative	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Manhunt	B-Application
is	O
solid	O
as	O
a	O
game	O
;	O
it	O
's	O
engaging	O
to	O
use	O
stealth	O
as	O
you	O
creep	O
through	O
the	O
streets	O
of	O
this	O
wicked	O
city	O
,	O
using	O
your	O
smarts	O
to	O
avoid	O
death	O
,	O
while	O
dishing	O
out	O
much	O
of	O
your	O
own	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
's	O
Ubisoft	O
's	O
Splinter	B-Application
Cell	I-Application
meets	O
the	O
cult	O
Faces	O
of	O
Death	O
videos	O
 [ ... ] 	O
If	O
Manhunt	B-Application
succeeds	O
at	O
retail	O
,	O
it	O
will	O
say	O
more	O
about	O
America	O
's	O
fascination	O
with	O
violence	O
than	O
any	O
political	O
discourse	O
or	O
social	O
debate	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
That	O
makes	O
Manhunt	B-Application
the	O
most	O
important	O
video	O
game	O
of	O
the	O
last	O
five	O
years	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
GameSpot	O
concurred	O
,	O
noting	O
that	O
the	O
"	O
AI	B-Application
is	O
much	O
worse	O
in	O
the	O
more	O
action-oriented	O
levels	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
1UP.com	O
said	O
that	O
one	O
quickly	O
became	O
"	O
tired	O
of	O
 [ the ] 	O
violence	O
...	O
AI	B-Application
quirks	O
 [ and ] 	O
repetitive	O
level	O
design.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Baca	O
said	O
of	O
Manhunt	B-Application
,	O
"	O
it	O
's	O
telling	O
kids	O
how	O
to	O
kill	O
someone	O
,	O
and	O
it	O
uses	O
vicious	O
,	O
sadistic	O
and	O
cruel	O
methods	O
to	O
kill	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
For	O
example	O
,	O
The	O
Globe	O
and	O
Mail	O
wrote	O
"	O
Manhunt	B-Application
is	O
a	O
venal	O
disconnect	O
for	O
the	O
genre	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Perhaps	O
the	O
scariest	O
fact	O
of	O
all	O
:	O
Manhunt	B-Application
is	O
so	O
user-friendly	O
that	O
any	O
sharp	O
12-year-old	O
could	O
navigate	O
through	O
the	O
entire	O
game	O
in	O
one	O
sitting.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
There	O
was	O
renewed	O
controversy	O
after	O
the	O
announcement	O
of	O
Manhunt	B-Application
2	I-Application
in	O
February	O
2007	O
,	O
with	O
the	O
Pakeerahs	O
condemning	O
its	O
release	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Jack	O
Thompson	O
unsuccessfully	O
attempted	O
to	O
have	O
Manhunt	B-Application
2	I-Application
banned	O
,	O
claiming	O
that	O
Take-Two	O
had	O
lied	O
about	O
the	O
incident	O
and	O
that	O
police	O
were	O
incorrect	O
in	O
asserting	O
the	O
game	O
had	O
belonged	O
to	O
Pakeerah	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2023	O
the	O
Office	O
reconsidered	O
Manhunt	B-Application
and	O
classified	O
it	O
R18	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Before	O
its	O
recall	O
,	O
Manhunt	B-Application
had	O
already	O
sold	O
18,000	O
units	O
in	O
Australia	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
Canada	O
,	O
following	O
a	O
meeting	O
in	O
Toronto	O
on	O
December	O
22	O
,	O
2003	O
,	O
between	O
Hastings	O
and	O
officials	O
from	O
the	O
Ontario	O
Ministry	O
of	O
Consumer	O
and	O
Business	O
Services	O
,	O
Manhunt	B-Application
became	O
the	O
first	O
video	O
game	O
in	O
Ontario	O
to	O
be	O
classified	O
as	O
a	O
film	O
and	O
was	O
restricted	O
to	O
adults	O
on	O
February	O
3	O
,	O
2004	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Apart	O
from	O
Ontario	O
,	O
however	O
,	O
Manhunt	B-Application
had	O
little	O
or	O
no	O
classification	O
problems	O
elsewhere	O
in	O
North	O
America	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
Germany	O
,	O
the	O
Amtsgericht	O
in	O
Munich	O
confiscated	O
all	O
versions	O
of	O
Manhunt	B-Application
on	O
July	O
19	O
,	O
2004	O
,	O
for	O
violation	O
of	O
§	O
131	O
StGB	O
(	O
"	O
representation	O
of	O
violence	O
"	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Manhunt	B-Application
has	O
garnered	O
a	O
cult	O
following	O
among	O
fans	O
,	O
and	O
was	O
cited	O
by	O
a	O
Vice	O
article	O
in	O
March	O
2016	O
as	O
one	O
of	O
Rockstar	O
's	O
"	O
very	O
best	O
"	O
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
recognised	O
as	O
an	O
example	O
of	O
the	O
"	O
best	O
of	O
gaming	O
horror	O
"	O
by	O
VentureBeat	O
in	O
October	O
2011	O
,	O
included	O
in	O
the	O
1001	O
Video	O
Games	O
You	O
Must	O
Play	O
Before	O
You	O
Die	O
in	O
2010	O
,	O
and	O
listed	O
at	O
#85	O
in	O
IGNs	O
"	O
Top	O
100	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
Games	O
"	O
that	O
same	O
year	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
sequel	O
,	O
Manhunt	B-Application
2	I-Application
,	O
was	O
released	O
in	O
October	O
2007	O
in	O
the	O
United	O
States	O
and	O
October	O
2008	O
in	O
Europe	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Although	O
the	O
sequel	O
retains	O
many	O
of	O
the	O
stealth	O
elements	O
used	O
in	O
its	O
predecessor	O
,	O
Manhunt	B-Application
2s	I-Application
storyline	O
is	O
completely	O
unrelated	O
to	O
the	O
first	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
