Executions

Executions are a core gameplay element in the Manhunt series. Executions consist of the player character brutally murdering enemies from behind with various weapons, often maiming them, shown from different angles, which renders the target completely helpless as opposed to face-to-face combat, where the enemies are able to defend themselves against the protagonist. Executing Hunters is required most of the time to pass to the next level safely and is the primary method of disposal, as heavily suggested by both games. While in Manhunt, James Earl Cash could only execute Hunters with melee weapons, but Manhunt 2 allows Daniel Lamb or Leo Kasper to execute not only with the use of melee weapons, but also with firearms, by jumping onto a Hunter with a selected melee weapon, or by using the environment to perform a kill.

Manhunt_2_All_Original_Uncut_PS2_Executions — Manhunt 2 All Original Uncut PS2 Executions

Three Level Executions[]

There are three levels of execution:

Hasty - Represented by three white reticles around the Hunter's head. Hasty executions can be achieved by simply tapping the execute button. Hasty executions result in the protagonist performing shorter, less violent kills.
Violent - Represented by three yellow reticles around the Hunter's head. Violent executions are achieved by keeping the execute button down for two seconds before releasing. Violent executions result in more violent kills than Hasty but still less severe than Gruesome.
Gruesome - Represented by three red reticles around the Hunter's head. Gruesome executions are the most severe of all three execution levels and can be achieved by holding the execution button down for three seconds before releasing. These executions result in the protagonist killing their target in the most extreme way possible. In Manhunt, this type of execution is recommended for achieving the maximum score (specifically in Hardcore difficulty).

The severity of the execution is dependent on how long the player holds the execute button down as they target a Hunter from behind. In Manhunt, the more violent the execution, the higher it ranks on your points at the end of a scene.

Note that in the home retail releases of Manhunt 2, all execution cutscenes are somewhat censored with blurring effects and the heaviest violence edited out due to Rockstar Games were forced to tone down the game's ESRB rating to Mature (M) due to controversy, as it was originally Adults Only (AO), which would have effectively resulted the game being banned entirely, because all console manufacturers do not allow such a high rating to be published nor retail markets allow them for sale. In the Wii version of the game, it is even more censored to fit regulations by Nintendo. Despite this, the PC release has all executions completely uncut, as it is the only version to keep the original ESRB rating.

However, in Manhunt, this system does not involve several certain antagonists; For example, you cannot execute Ramirez (he punches Cash and attacks him when player tries to execute him), and there is a special execution move on Piggsy. When Cash tries to execute either Ramirez or Piggsy, the reticles are always red (as the Gruesome execution level) and does not require for the player to wait. There is no actual execution for Lionel Starkweather, but the ending cutscene of Cash brutally killing him with the Chainsaw still will play once he receives fatal damage. Also, you cannot execute or in any way harm the Tramp or Journalist, as they are Cash's allies.

Environmental Executions[]

A new feature to Manhunt 2 is the ability to perform Environmental Executions. Potential execution points are marked around the map by a small white skull. All of these executions are always Gruesome.

Jumping Executions[]

Another new feature in Manhunt 2 is the ability to perform a kill by jumping onto a Hunter from a higher level (ex. truck, balcony). Jumping executions can only be performed while holding a melee weapon. All of these executions are always Gruesome.

Firearm Executions[]

In Manhunt 2, the player can perform executions while aiming a firearm onto the Hunter's back, similar to melee weapons. However, there's a significant difference between the PC/Wii version and the PS2/PSP versions. The PC/Wii versions offer only two kinds of executions, one for Blue Class firearms and the other one for Red Class firearms. The PS2/PSP versions have their own unique executions for these weapons. Like environmental and jumping executions, these are always Gruesome. However, in the beta version of the game, the player was originally able to perform Hasty and Violent executions with firearms, most notably the Shotgun, Sub-Machine Gun and the Flare Gun. While not available under normal circumstances, most of this content can be restored using trainer mods.

Originally in an early beta (possibly) of Manhunt, there was a fourth level of executions called ''Black Executions'', which were said to be the strongest possible executions in Manhunt, even more so than Gruesome. Other beta curiosities of the Manhunt executions is that Cash could execute from a roof and also use firearms. Although this was cut, Manhunt 2 would carry the planned feature over. In both games, there was even the possibility of a Hunter executing the player which is scrapped during development.

Trivia[]

Some of the executions in both Manhunt games resemble real-world cases performed by capital punishment in numerous countries, specifically historical, more cruel methods; For example, in the case of the Axe and the Katana (in Japan), those weapons were commonly used during the Middle Ages for decapitating the condemned and this barbaric type of execution still exists today only in Saudi Arabia by a sword. Another execution of this kind, the Guillotine (which is cut in Manhunt 2) was also used in Europe, particularly France, throughout the French Revolution until 1977. Most of the games' executions, however, are likely based on actual (or attempted) murders committed by real serial killer criminals as well as highly dangerous gangs such as Mara Salvatrucha, which in particular has a reputation for brutally killing innocent people or members of rival gangs using machetes, which are abound in Manhunt.
- It is worth noting that Cash, Daniel, and Leo are each dangerous criminals themselves, though in the case of Lamb, it was due to Kasper controlling his mind as he fights/kills Hunters. Ironically, James Earl Cash himself, the main protagonist of Manhunt, is a death row inmate who "survived" his own execution via lethal injection thanks to Starkweather's bribes on the prison officials to make himself star in snuff film movies.
One execution from Manhunt, specifically the Plastic Bag's Hasty, is reused in Manhunt 2.
- Another equivalent execution from the Knife, is also reused in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas when Carl Johnson performs a stealth kill with said weapon.
Daniel Lamb/Leo Kasper's executions on Hunters are significantly different from James Earl Cash's. Despite they attack with surgical precision for the Hunters' bodies' weakpoints, their technical skill in slaying their enemies quickly seems to be somewhat lacking in comparison, as their killings are much more sadistic and clumsy, appearing amateurish. Cash, however, because he is a career criminal with superior experience, he himself kills Hunters rather more efficiently. This is evidenced by certain reused weapons' Violent/Gruesome executions in both games such as the Plastic Bag, Glass Shard, Baseball Bat, etc.
Although not technically an execution but is claimed as such by Starkweather, in the Strapped for Cash mission in Manhunt, whenever Cash fails to rescue a member of his family, a member of the Wardogs can be seen killing him/her with a Revolver with a single shot to the head in a brief cutscene similar to the actual ones, resulting their head exploding.
Manhunt 2, like the first game, was originally planned to have a scoring system based on how brutal the player has performed executions on Hunters. This was excluded from the home console releases when the game was forced to be censored. However, the uncut PC version retains this feature.
Certain executions by bladed weapons as well as the Wire will result the Hunter's head being severed, becoming a Yellow Class weapon.
There is an unused, unique execution in Manhunt 2's files where Leo Kasper would ultimately kill Daniel Lamb in Release Therapy with the Sub-Machine Gun. Although it was apparently cut from the beta version, this execution interestingly still exists in the final game within aforementioned level, but ironically in reverse, as it actually shows Daniel killing Leo, instead. It can be seen during the final confrontation when Leo stays still long enough and Daniel runs directly behind him, which triggers the execution cutscene.
The executions are the feature in the Manhunt series that have the greatest controversy; The realistic and repulsive nature of the in-game killings has resulted in its two titles being banned in some countries and Manhunt 2 was forced to censor them in its home console releases to make the game able to be sold in retail stores due to its original Adults Only (AO) ESRB rating being toned down to Mature (M). Despite both games garnered a cult following among fans, due to their troubled development and highly controversial releases by Rockstar North, Take-Two Interactive - the parent company of Rockstar Games, has currently denied any plans to continue the Manhunt series.
- Although Rockstar Games is no stranger to controversial or violent content, as famously seen in its flagship series Grand Theft Auto, as well as Max Payne, The Warriors, and this continues on to more modern titles such as Red Dead Redemption or L.A. Noire, the original Manhunt in particular is known as the company's most notorious game; Former employee Jeff Williams (who served as a member of the production team), in a 2007 retrospective review of Manhunt, confirmed that even the game's developers were not comfortable designing the executions, as he stated "There was almost a mutiny at the company over that game. It just made us all feel icky. It was all about the violence, and it was realistic violence. We all knew there was no way we could explain away that game. There was no way to rationalize it. We were crossing a line." He also explains that after previously making Grand Theft Auto III and Vice City, the GTA games had the excuse that their gameplay were untethered, saying the player does not have to hurt anyone that wasn't a "bad guy" and could play completely ethically if wanted, but Manhunt felt different.
As a rare consequence of the game's particularly violent executions, Manhunt 2 is one of the only four video games so far to receive the Adults Only (AO) rating solely for extreme violence. The other three are Thrill Kill (unreleased), The Punisher (which is also forced to be censored to meet the Mature rating), and Hatred. It is even considered the most violent game ever released to this day.

Mortal Kombat's Fatalites (shown here is Sub-Zero's infamous Spine Rip from MK 2011) are often compared to executions by fans due to the similar level of brutal violence despite having completely different methods of killing, but is a possible inspiration.
Some fans in the Manhunt community find its executions, especially Gruesome, similar to the Fatalities from the Mortal Kombat fighting game series, which itself also shared major controversy in the video game industry due to their equally strong violence. Although both gameplay mechanics render their victims totally helpless as opposed to combat and likewise depicted gruesome deaths seen in different angles, this is where the similarity ends; The horrific killing methods of the Fatalites in Mortal Kombat, however, are based on fantasy, appearing cartoonish, while the Manhunt games' executions on contrast focus on reality and are always performed on humans (MK characters include god-like beings, robots or monsters), therefore making the latter element look rather more disturbing in comparison. Coincidentally, Starkweather and Leo have speech lines saying "Finish him!" to Cash and Daniel, respectively, before performing an execution, just like how the Mortal Kombat series announces the winner of the match to maim or brutally kill the losing opponent for the finishing blow. It is possible Rockstar North's idea for the player able to viciously slaughter Hunters could be inspired by the fighting games' special finishing moves.
- Interestingly, the Circular Saw executions in Manhunt 2 bares a slight resemblance to the Fatality moves by the character Kung Lao, including one where he slices the opponent in half from the bottom with his razor-sharp hat spinning like a buzzsaw.