Manhunt 2 lives!

The gamewesaw was just as deliciously horrific as our deviant minds were anticipating/dreading. In a seedy S&M club, we flattened a goon'smug up against the bathroom tile, shoved his head in the ol' piss-pot for a little swirly action, then topped the whole thing off by clobbering him over the head with the lid of a toilet tank like he was James Gandolfini in True Romance. (Ask your parents.)

The newly unveiled fourth level, Red Light, saw Danny in the rainy outdoors, adjacent to house of ill repute (Whorez!). Using the cover of shadows to our full advantage, we snuck up behindan unwitting soul and brought him to his knees. Then, in a primal feat of brute strength, welifted up a manhole cover and introduced it to his face with all the grace of a ballerina. Once he crumpled to the ground, we struck a final blow to the back of his neck, shoved his lifeless body into the open sewer, and replaced the lid. Out of sight- out of mind.

It's important toremember: Manhunt 2 is, first and foremost, a game of stealth. Be it bricks, bottles or bats,youwon't beat a loss for silent weaponry. (If you're the impatient type, fear not: the guns come out later.) But you've alsogot to watch that you don't leave dead bodies in plain sight, as they'll attract attention just as fast as clumsily clattering about. Danny walks softly by default,since running haphazardly produces a sound audible to anybody within earshot.Don't hesitate to use noise to your own advantage, though, sincechucking a diversionary object or tapping a wall isgreat for bothskating deathand luring someone into a world of pain. In addtion to showing enemy movement, your radar will let you know exactlyhow big a ruckus you're causingby flashing with corresponding shades of crimson.

For the colorblind, this game ain't. Colors play a big part inhow Danny reacts. In the lower right-hand corner the mace we were carrying showed blue in the inventory most of the time. While we had our backs pressed against the wall, it turned red, as helpful way of letting us know it's ready to swing around corners, potentially catching anyone emerging from the doorway extremely unaware. Even your health meter takes on a shade a blue when you're sufficiently hidden in the shadows.