Atmospheric dread candy. Not quite the Edgelord driven mindless horror you're thinking (not this one at least) but it finds a pulse on a reverse-slasher cold-blooded thrills. Ingeniously harsh on difficulty to a slight degree of realism, tailors you to engage on stealth takedowns than face-to-face combats since you won't go far against crowds of goons, with a highly janky and inconvenient combat for you to absolutely praise thy heavens at the sight of firearms.
Gunplay is clunky but ensures a challenging hardship given how receiving gunfire drops your health significantly, facing off mobs of goons to increasingly more powerful firing squads face an equal amount of difficulty as you'd drop dead as easily as your enemies. Bombastic action doesn't mesh too well with this antiquated cover shooter shtick but it grooves to grindhouse horror messiness by the fantastically bonkers finale where you navel-gaze towards squads of tactical forces.
The takedown system is a neat way to face the player's fascination towards violence- It's not truly necessary to perform them as vicious as they're sold, and yet, these avoid monotony to the player's gameplay (at least until you realize there's just one animation for each gravity of execution). I kept finding amusement at the simplicity of a plastic bag.
It's an imperfect and janky action-adventure of sorts but i truly admire the asphyxiating tension and nihilistic premise as a framework for a morbidly Noir quasi-survivor horror exploitation film playing you as the hero. Carcer City stands as some of the most inhospitable worldbuildings ever imaginable by Rockstar Games right next to hospital spawnpoints on GTA.

Cinematic only as peak Rockstar could do. Much as Max Payne is inspired by John Woo and GTA Vice City was by Scarface, Manhunt is clearly inspired by the gritty horror movies like Texas Chainsaw and the New French Extremity movement (which at the time was starting to find it's footing), and wears it like a glove throughout. Some of the best stealth gameplay you can find for this era, also gets brutally hard in the final stretch. Takes a bit for the story to get going, but once it does, it's a smart relentless reverse-slasher, a self-statement on violence in media and a gritty horror-crime thriller with a brilliant musical score, although more story on it's bones would have been recommended. Heard 2 has more story, so can't wait to get around to that soon

Manhunt was a great, outstanding game. It stood out with its dark, psychological theme and was packed with violence and gore, creating an experience that was both intense and unforgettable. From the moment you start playing, the game's atmosphere is relentlessly grim, drawing you into its world of horror and madness.

One of the most striking aspects of Manhunt is its brutal and varied execution mechanics. Killing enemies with a plastic bag or any available weapon, from a simple brick to a roaring chainsaw, always feels intensely visceral. It just never gets old.
The developers included three types of executions for every weapon, each more gruesome than the last, ensuring that the game pushed the boundaries of violence in video games. This approach didn't come without consequences, as Manhunt was banned in several countries due to its extreme content.
Nowadays I don't think it would be the same case, there's even more violent games out there.
Stealth is a core element of the gameplay, adding a constant layer of tension. Moving through the game’s environments, the shadows became your best friend, offering the only respite from the ever-present danger. The need for careful planning and precise execution made each encounter nerve-wracking, enhancing the overall suspenseful experience.

The soundtrack of Manhunt significantly contributed to its unnerving and unsettling atmosphere. It was meticulously crafted to be haunting and disturbing, amplifying the tension to the point where it felt almost tangible. The music, combined with the game's stealth mechanics, created an ambiance so thick with suspense that you could almost cut it with a knife.
The themes "Deliverance" and "Fuelled By Hate" are the ones that stand out the most in this game.
The Credits theme is also quite touching because you spend the whole game facing off against some of the worst people that the human race has to offer and at the very end you get hit with this song that reminds you there is also good in the world. It helps you take your mind off all the gore and carnage you went through.
The game also featured some great boss fights that were both challenging and memorable. These encounters often required strategic thinking and skill, making them a standout aspect of the gameplay.
The Piggsy character is still one of my favorite villains in gaming.

Despite its dark themes and intense gameplay, what makes Manhunt truly special is its grounding in reality. There are no supernatural elements to fall back on; it's just pure horror and madness driven by human actions. This focus on realistic, human-driven horror makes the game even more chilling and impactful.
I’ve finished Manhunt about five times, and I still feel the urge to play through it again. Its unique blend of stealth, violence, and psychological horror creates an experience that is hard to find in other games.

To wrap it up, I can say that Manhunt is a remarkable game that excels in delivering a dark, intense, and unnerving experience. The combination of stealth mechanics, brutal violence, and psychological horror makes it a standout title in the world of video games. Despite the controversy surrounding its content, or perhaps because of it, Manhunt continues to draw players back, offering an experience that is both deeply disturbing and profoundly engaging.