number two, indeed

[chronovore]

Manhunt 2 is as irrelevant and boring to an inverse degree that the rest of the world was upset about it. Talk about a flubbed sequel; nothing is advanced from the original; it feels less harrowing and suspenseful, and the story is like a comic book, compared to the cult-film/exploitation style of the original.

I think I'm about to finish it, so I may update this with a changed opinion dependent on the ending. But right now it's a struggle to work up the energy to play it through; it's turned into a stupid run-and-gun with very little difficulty. GAH. Lame.

Comments

[sdemory.livejournal.com]

ZOMG, that would have been MADE OF AWESOME in a completely wretched, terrifying, maybe-games-are-actually-art way, and possibly make it worth the repetitive gameplay and worn-thin soundbites the Hunters mouth.

And this is why I should write storylines for video games.

I sort of figured that would be the answer because of the ease of the game. Where Manhunt 1 was a bitch and a half to finish, M2 seemed like it wanted you to push forward fast. The half-assed ending was a bit of a disappointment.

[chronovore.livejournal.com]

And this is why I should write storylines for video games.

I agree, and feel the game industry would be a better place for your presence and contribution. Even so, I feel a need to add that it's unlikely your storyline twist would have been accepted by any publisher I've worked at. Some fucking weasel in marketing or sales would talk about how hard it would be to move a game where it turns out you've killed "civilians" and the possible lawsuits it would entail, let alone the "negative publicity" (is there such a thing?) -- and a mandate would come down to change it. At that point, you can stand and fight, quit the team, blah-blah-blah, but in the end it would result in the changes the boss/client/publisher wants.

On the other hand, Rockstar, controversial pains-in-the-ass that they are to the rest of the reasonably-well-behaved development world, might have actually used that twist you proposed, because they don't really seem to believe in negative publicity, and might just add the lawsuit to the stack. And after all, you were talking about a Rockstar game.