The Manhunter games...

Gonzosports · 05-07-2009, 04:20 PM

...does anyone remember these? When I was a tyke in HS, i bought one of them, and I don't remember getting too far or finishing it, but I remember I liked the plot and the setting, and I was pretty creeped out by it.

No one tends to mention them on Best Of, or Sierra Classic lists...was I the only one who played them?

rottford · 05-07-2009, 08:30 PM

I played the second one, and I remember enjoying it.

I think the reason they're so not talked about is because they arrived on the threshold between Sierra's AGI and SCI periods. Had they been released in SCI format, I think they might've gotten more attention.

I've considered playing the first one for the first time and replaying the second one for a second time.

I think they were ahead of their time. They were dark and gritty, but very experimental and beyond what adventure gamers were looking for at the time. If they'd been released six or seven years later, they might've seen a better following.

But I'd recommend trying them. AGI isn't a very good format for first person adventures, imho, but they're worth playing if you enjoy a very dark, sci-fi-meets-film-noir atmosphere and storyline.

SamandMax · 05-07-2009, 11:42 PM

I think the main reason they're never mentioned on Sierra best of lists is because they're really not that great. They're decent, and for the time they were telling some really strange and dark stories, but they haven't aged too well and the awkward interface and the truly abysmal arcade sequences are frustrating to deal with. They're 2 interesting anomalies in Sierra's history but I think that's about it.

Fien · 05-08-2009, 01:22 AM

I remember the first one best. At the time I found it scary. I had to brace myself to zoom in on the body on the pavement. Seems strange now. The action bits were hard but I loved the tracking device, or whatever it was called.

AndreaDraco83 · 05-08-2009, 02:24 AM

I played them years ago, and someday I'm gonna replay them now that I think I'm more prepared for them.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rottford

I think they were ahead of their time. They were dark and gritty, but very experimental and beyond what adventure gamers were looking for at the time.

They were really very experimental, and the setting is really interesting. The exploration, though, can be painfully slow, and as SamandMax says...

Quote:

Originally Posted by SamandMax

[...]they haven't aged too well and the awkward interface and the truly abysmal arcade sequences are frustrating to deal with.

Unfortunately, this is true. AGI wasn't clearly the best engine for this peculiar interface to run.

Gonzosports · 05-08-2009, 10:43 AM

If someone wanted to play them, where could they be found?

AndreaDraco83 · 05-08-2009, 11:02 AM

Manhunter 1

Manhunter 2

Otherwise, you could check out these offers on eBay.

Gonzosports · 05-08-2009, 11:05 AM

3.5 disks. Was hoping it was dl-able somewhere, or someone put in on CD as part of a collection.

AndreaDraco83 · 05-08-2009, 11:27 AM

As far as I know, unfortunately, the Manhunter games aren't included in any collection and for sure they are not freeware, so I guess that the diskette option is pretty much the only one.

05-07-2009, 04:20 PM	#1
Gonzosports never stops believin' Join Date: May 2006 Location: San Francisco Posts: 199	The Manhunter games... ...does anyone remember these? When I was a tyke in HS, i bought one of them, and I don't remember getting too far or finishing it, but I remember I liked the plot and the setting, and I was pretty creeped out by it. No one tends to mention them on Best Of, or Sierra Classic lists...was I the only one who played them? Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ there's more to me than you'll ever know, i got more hits than sadaharu oh -- beastie boys

05-07-2009, 08:30 PM	#2
rottford Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Chicago Posts: 140	I played the second one, and I remember enjoying it. I think the reason they're so not talked about is because they arrived on the threshold between Sierra's AGI and SCI periods. Had they been released in SCI format, I think they might've gotten more attention. I've considered playing the first one for the first time and replaying the second one for a second time. I think they were ahead of their time. They were dark and gritty, but very experimental and beyond what adventure gamers were looking for at the time. If they'd been released six or seven years later, they might've seen a better following. But I'd recommend trying them. AGI isn't a very good format for first person adventures, imho, but they're worth playing if you enjoy a very dark, sci-fi-meets-film-noir atmosphere and storyline. Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ "Reading/writing people, we are finished; we are ghosts witnessing the end of the literary era." -E.I. Lonoff

05-07-2009, 11:42 PM	#3
SamandMax A Slice of Fried Gold Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Canada Posts: 1,024	I think the main reason they're never mentioned on Sierra best of lists is because they're really not that great. They're decent, and for the time they were telling some really strange and dark stories, but they haven't aged too well and the awkward interface and the truly abysmal arcade sequences are frustrating to deal with. They're 2 interesting anomalies in Sierra's history but I think that's about it. Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ SamandMax's Recommended Songs Bruce Springsteen - Wrecking Ball They Might Be Giants - Dog Walker The Kinks - Money Talks Gorillaz - DoYaThing

05-08-2009, 01:22 AM	#4
Fien Senior female member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Holland Posts: 3,706	I remember the first one best. At the time I found it scary. I had to brace myself to zoom in on the body on the pavement. Seems strange now. The action bits were hard but I loved the tracking device, or whatever it was called. Share Share this post on Twitter

05-08-2009, 10:43 AM	#6
Gonzosports never stops believin' Join Date: May 2006 Location: San Francisco Posts: 199	If someone wanted to play them, where could they be found? Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ there's more to me than you'll ever know, i got more hits than sadaharu oh -- beastie boys

05-08-2009, 11:02 AM	#7
AndreaDraco83 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Italy Posts: 2,684	Manhunter 1 Manhunter 2 Otherwise, you could check out these offers on eBay. Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ Top Ten Adventures: Gabriel Knight Series, King's Quest VI, Conquests of the Longbow, Quest for Glory II, Police Quest III, Gold Rush!, Leisure Suit Larry III, Under a Killing Moon, Conquests of Camelot, Freddy Pharkas Frontier Pharmacist. Now Playing: Neverwinter Nights, Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box

05-08-2009, 11:05 AM	#8
Gonzosports never stops believin' Join Date: May 2006 Location: San Francisco Posts: 199	3.5 disks. Was hoping it was dl-able somewhere, or someone put in on CD as part of a collection. Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ there's more to me than you'll ever know, i got more hits than sadaharu oh -- beastie boys

05-08-2009, 11:27 AM	#9
AndreaDraco83 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Italy Posts: 2,684	As far as I know, unfortunately, the Manhunter games aren't included in any collection and for sure they are not freeware, so I guess that the diskette option is pretty much the only one. Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ Top Ten Adventures: Gabriel Knight Series, King's Quest VI, Conquests of the Longbow, Quest for Glory II, Police Quest III, Gold Rush!, Leisure Suit Larry III, Under a Killing Moon, Conquests of Camelot, Freddy Pharkas Frontier Pharmacist. Now Playing: Neverwinter Nights, Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box

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