Manhunt (series) - Recognition

Recognition

The Manhunt series has garnered positive reviews for the most part, especially the first game. At the 7th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards, Manhunt was nominated for "Console Action Adventure Game of the Year". In 2010, it was included in 1001 Video Games You Must Play Before You Die, and listed at #85 in IGN's "Top 100 PlayStation 2 Games".

Manhunt 2 was listed at #82 in Complex's "The 100 Best Video Games Of The Complex Decade". It was nominated for GameSpy's 2007 "Game of the Year" Award for the PS2, and Rockstar London was nominated for the "Best New UK/European Studio" Award. Giant Bomb listed it at #13 in their "Best Storyline In Gaming" list, and at #5 in their "Shocking Moments in Video Games" list. When GameSpot asked Jeronimo Barrera if the trouble that Rockstar had experienced in attempting to bring Manhunt 2 to release in North America had put the publisher off the franchise, Barrera shot down any doubt by confirming that if the fans wanted it, they were willing to continue the brand. Rockstar Games admitted that they were proud of the series and the fact people still want to pick on the games is "a strange and unfortunate reality." Mark Washbrook gave an interview with the Official UK PlayStation Magazine in April 2007, in which he said that much of the reasoning behind the development of Manhunt 2 was its fan base.

Because of its presentation of grim graphical violence and the amount of controversy it has garnered, Manhunt has been noted by many as one of the most violent video games in history. It was listed at #1 in Gameranx' list of the "Top 25 Goriest Games of all Time", at #8 in IGN's "Top 10 Gaming Controversies" and was also listed in UGO's "The Most Controversial Video Games". Machinima ranked it #1 in their "Top 10 Bloodiest Games Ever". The Chicago Tribune called it "The Clockwork Orange of video games," saying that it marked a significant moment in video gaming history by introducing mature content into the medium. Switched.com named it a "modern classic."

During the release of the first game a former Rockstar employee admitted that the game almost caused a mutiny in the company, saying that "It may sound surprising, but there was almost a mutiny at the company over that game. It was Rockstar North's pet project - most of us at Rockstar Games wanted no part of it. We'd already weathered plenty of controversy over GTA III and Vice City - we were no strangers to it - but Manhunt felt different. With GTA, we always had the excuse that the gameplay was untethered - you never had to hurt anybody that wasn't a "bad guy" in one of the missions. You could play completely ethically if you wanted, and the game was parody anyway, so lighten up."