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Cash's family | Manhunt

As playing James Earl Cash encourages you to become a cold blooded murderer (er, in the game we mean) there's precious little 'caring' going on in Manhunt unless it's the odd wince as you drive a crowbar into a man's spine. But one mission turns horribly personal for Manhunt's snuff movie star.

A team of Hunters called the Wardogs kidnap Cash's family, and Starkweather - the games' sadistic ringleader - informs you that every time you're spotted, the Wardogs will execute one of them. Make a wrong move, then, and it's curtains for your nearest and dearest, putting a unique strain on the action.

But Cash's redemption at the hands of Starkweather - who brought him 'back from the dead' to kill for the camera - results in damnation for his family, who doubtless have no clue as to why they've been snatched from their homes and introduced to the business end of a bloody machete.

Most troubling of all, though, is that no matter how cautiously you complete the mission, desperately avoiding detection, your efforts are for nothing. Some time later, you're treated to a "Oh, and I forgot to tell you" from Starkweather, goading you with the fact that he decided to murder your family anyway. And it's all your fault. It's all your fault. It's all your fault...

Take a little time to consider Cash's family. His relationship with them couldn't be described as 'cosy' anyway, and when Cash was sentenced to the death penalty they probably got used to not having a filthy criminal on their Christmas card list.

But Cash's redemption at the hands of Starkweather - who brought him 'back from the dead' to kill for the camera - results in damnation for his family, who doubtless have no clue as to why they've been snatched from their homes and introduced to the business end of a bloody machete.

Most troubling of all, though, is that no matter how cautiously you complete the mission, desperately avoiding detection, your efforts are for nothing. Some time later, you're treated to a "Oh, and I forgot to tell you" from Starkweather, goading you with the fact that he decided to murder your family anyway. And it's all your fault. It's all your fault. It's all your fault...

Ben_Richardson

Ben Richardson is a former Staff Writer for Official PlayStation 2 magazine and a former Content Editor of GamesRadar+. In the years since Ben left GR, he has worked as a columnist, communications officer, charity coach, and podcast host – but we still look back to his news stories from time to time, they are a window into a different era of video games.