This is the abridged version of my take on this game
Manhunt 2 is responsible for two things: one, ensuring that its developer, Rockstar Games, focused on less risque projects, thus putting an end to the brand image they'd cultivated for themselves over the course of nearly a decade; and two, proving that controversy does not always sell. Modern Warfare 2 let you skip its infamous No Russian set piece, and everything since has been done mostly by independent developers. By these terms, you can call Manhunt 2 one of the most influential video games ever created—whether or not its developer and parent company want to remember it exists at all.
Even if it's a little too obvious to be as good of a sequel as it could have been, I respect it. It's just kind of sad to me that the talent of the programmers, artists, sound designers, etc., was practically wasted on all but one version of the game they worked on. I'm glad the industry at large no longer tries to toe the line like this because I cannot imagine how demoralizing that must be for someone who bent their ass off trying to get a game to market.
Manhunt 2 is responsible for two things: one, ensuring that its developer, Rockstar Games, focused on less risque projects, thus putting an end to the brand image they'd cultivated for themselves over the course of nearly a decade; and two, proving that controversy does not always sell. Modern Warfare 2 let you skip its infamous No Russian set piece, and everything since has been done mostly by independent developers. By these terms, you can call Manhunt 2 one of the most influential video games ever created—whether or not its developer and parent company want to remember it exists at all.
Even if it's a little too obvious to be as good of a sequel as it could have been, I respect it. It's just kind of sad to me that the talent of the programmers, artists, sound designers, etc., was practically wasted on all but one version of the game they worked on. I'm glad the industry at large no longer tries to toe the line like this because I cannot imagine how demoralizing that must be for someone who bent their ass off trying to get a game to market.