Manhunter "20th Anniversary" playthrough

[notbobsmith]

Day 1 of Manhunter: New York was September 1, 2004. That means that Sunday will be the 20th Anniversary... of sorts. It's amazing. A game that took place in a future that is now 20 years ago. So starting Sunday, I will be doing another playthrough. The last time I did this was 10 years ago (viewtopic.php?t=4026). And before that on the days the game actually took place in 2004. I'm not streaming or anything. I'm just doing this for my own enjoyment.

[Tawmis]

Day 1 of Manhunter: New York was September 1, 2004. That means that Sunday will be the 20th Anniversary... of sorts. It's amazing. A game that took place in a future that is now 20 years ago. So starting Sunday, I will be doing another playthrough. The last time I did this was 10 years ago (viewtopic.php?t=4026). And before that on the days the game actually took place in 2004. I'm not streaming or anything. I'm just doing this for my own enjoyment.

You know that would actually be cool to stream, since the date is significant!

[notbobsmith]

Yeah, I've never done it before and I don't have a mic. I guess I could do it on my work laptop, but then I'd have to set up DOSBox for a Mac. Besides, the last time I did this I, did each day on the day it took place (So Day 1 was Sept.1, Day 2 was Sept. 2, etc). Each stream would then be ~20 minutes. Not very entertaining.

[notbobsmith]

Finished Day 1. One thing that I don't think that I've mentioned is the music. Manhunter has a pretty cool theme song. The other songs are pretty good too. I'm not even sure how to describe the theme. Space Quest has a triumphant march. King's Quest goes for medieval sounding. Heck, KQ1 is just "Greensleeves". PQ tends to go for something more rock. I'm not sure how to describe Manhunter's theme. It really works for the game.

I first played Manhunter at a friend's house, so a lot of the puzzles were spoiled for me. So I can't really say how difficult or frustrating the game was. Would I have figured out Day 1 on my own? How long would it have taken me? Who knows?

I never did figure out the target of Day 1 was trying to do. He goes to the hospital, blows a hole in the wall, goes to a table, and leaves. Afterwards, he goes to the church and hides one of the Modules. We later learn that the body of Reno Davis was on the table. Davis was a Manhunter who was "transferred to Chicago" which is likely a euphemism for the Orbs going to kill you. So why did the target visit the body? Did Davis' body have the Module? Where? Why did the Orbs kill him? Some walkthroughs I've seen say to enter Davis' name as the target, but I don't see how the target and Davis are the same person. Unless Davis was the target and put the toe tag on the body. But the body does look like Davis. I don't know. It's never really explained.

There is also a slight disconnect between what the player and your character knows. After the knife throwing scene, the guy makes a gesture. Your character shakes his head and runs away. So he understands something that you do not.

Anyway, that's all that I have for Day 1. I'll post Day 2 tomorrow.

[notbobsmith]

Completed Day 2:
A lot more going on. Three targets to track. An arcade sequence. And navigating Central Park. This is something I clearly remember having to use brute force to figure out the first time through. Try each and every direction one by one until I found the right one. I found out much, much later that watching the target move through the park gives clues about the path he took. E.g. he will move between an orange and green bush on the map, so try to find similar bushes. I'm still somewhat shocked at the gore that this game has. Just something I didn't expect when I first played.

[Tawmis]

I never did figure out the target of Day 1 was trying to do. He goes to the hospital, blows a hole in the wall, goes to a table, and leaves. Afterwards, he goes to the church and hides one of the Modules. We later learn that the body of Reno Davis was on the table. Davis was a Manhunter who was "transferred to Chicago" which is likely a euphemism for the Orbs going to kill you. So why did the target visit the body? Did Davis' body have the Module? Where? Why did the Orbs kill him? Some walkthroughs I've seen say to enter Davis' name as the target, but I don't see how the target and Davis are the same person. Unless Davis was the target and put the toe tag on the body. But the body does look like Davis. I don't know. It's never really explained.

So the dead body is definitely Reno Davis. Because when you look him up in on the MAD computer; it talks about how he was transferred to Chicago. But there he is - being eaten by baby Orbs on the hospital table. Because later (Day... 4? 5?) - you're told by one of the Orbs that after this mission, you will be transferred to Chicago. This is setting up that Manhunters, after they've done all the Orbs think can be done, "transfer them to Chicago" which just means - you, as a Manhunter, are no longer useful to them and will now be meat for their young. I always assumed the "Target" was not Davis, but someone else - and that the Target (who has the module) - basically goes to the hospital to get confirmation - that "being transferred to Chicago" is code for "you're no use to use, you will be meat for our young." But we aren't really given any ideas (that I've been able to find) the actual name of the Target.

[Tawmis]

Completed Day 2:
A lot more going on. Three targets to track. An arcade sequence. And navigating Central Park. This is something I clearly remember having to use brute force to figure out the first time through. Try each and every direction one by one until I found the right one. I found out much, much later that watching the target move through the park gives clues about the path he took. E.g. he will move between an orange and green bush on the map, so try to find similar bushes. I'm still somewhat shocked at the gore that this game has. Just something I didn't expect when I first played.

The Central Park thing is things of nightmare for me... because even knowing to watch the sequence... I was still like, "I mean, it could be here - BOOM." Or... it could not be that way. All the other "sequences" were pretty obvious as to how they applied later, but Central Park just never properly clicked for me.

And yes, definitely a lot of gore. Which I appreciate, because it helps set the mood for how life is during the Manhunters.

[notbobsmith]

I never did figure out the target of Day 1 was trying to do. He goes to the hospital, blows a hole in the wall, goes to a table, and leaves. Afterwards, he goes to the church and hides one of the Modules. We later learn that the body of Reno Davis was on the table. Davis was a Manhunter who was "transferred to Chicago" which is likely a euphemism for the Orbs going to kill you. So why did the target visit the body? Did Davis' body have the Module? Where? Why did the Orbs kill him? Some walkthroughs I've seen say to enter Davis' name as the target, but I don't see how the target and Davis are the same person. Unless Davis was the target and put the toe tag on the body. But the body does look like Davis. I don't know. It's never really explained.

So the dead body is definitely Reno Davis. Because when you look him up in on the MAD computer; it talks about how he was transferred to Chicago. But there he is - being eaten by baby Orbs on the hospital table. Because later (Day... 4? 5?) - you're told by one of the Orbs that after this mission, you will be transferred to Chicago. This is setting up that Manhunters, after they've done all the Orbs think can be done, "transfer them to Chicago" which just means - you, as a Manhunter, are no longer useful to them and will now be meat for their young. I always assumed the "Target" was not Davis, but someone else - and that the Target (who has the module) - basically goes to the hospital to get confirmation - that "being transferred to Chicago" is code for "you're no use to use, you will be meat for our young." But we aren't really given any ideas (that I've been able to find) the actual name of the Target.

Agreed about the body. I'm guessing maybe Davis betrayed the Orbs by somehow acquiring the Module, got found out, got "transferred to Chicago", and another member of the resistance is sent to retrieve the Module.

Completed Day 2:
A lot more going on. Three targets to track. An arcade sequence. And navigating Central Park. This is something I clearly remember having to use brute force to figure out the first time through. Try each and every direction one by one until I found the right one. I found out much, much later that watching the target move through the park gives clues about the path he took. E.g. he will move between an orange and green bush on the map, so try to find similar bushes. I'm still somewhat shocked at the gore that this game has. Just something I didn't expect when I first played.

The Central Park thing is things of nightmare for me... because even knowing to watch the sequence... I was still like, "I mean, it could be here - BOOM." Or... it could not be that way. All the other "sequences" were pretty obvious as to how they applied later, but Central Park just never properly clicked for me.

And yes, definitely a lot of gore. Which I appreciate, because it helps set the mood for how life is during the Manhunters.

I did this playthrough without looking at a guide for Central Park and was surprised how easy it was once you follow the MADs clues. But figuring this out was not easy and something I only learned years later through a walkthrough. The only real clue is that the target periodically stops and waits for you to press a key. After each stop is the new direction you are supposed to take.

Anyway, on to Day 3:
Not much to say here. I do remember one thing that frustrated me the first time I played. After going through the tunnels from the pawn shop, you end up at the Empire State. Only I couldn't go inside or do anything there. When I leave, there's no marker on the map. What's going on? I ended up needing help from my friend who had a guide. I didn't enter Phil's name in the MAD the day before to get his address, which is, of course, the Empire State. No name, no marker, no way to get in.

[notbobsmith]

And finished with Day 4 and Manhunter: New York:

A lot of mazes to navigate. The one in Bellevue. What is even going on there? What are those red things that hit you? Fireballs? They just knock you down but don't kill you. And the underground maze piloting the hard to maneuver ship. And the ever so fun bombing run in the hard to maneuver ship.

I do like the fact that you end up tracking yourself as a suspect. It's a great "uh oh" moment and a great climax to the game.

The Manhunter lives at 7314 Fifth Avenue which, as far as I can tell, is not a real address. Google maps takes me to a location that's near where the Manhunter lives, but the numbers are in the 900s. But the Manhunter gets a 5th Ave apartment. The Orbs must treat him pretty well. But I'm not sure I'd like the health plan.

When you encounter the Orb in the hallway in Bellevue, he makes the siren noise from PQ1. I just found that a little funny.

[Tawmis]

A lot of mazes to navigate. The one in Bellevue. What is even going on there? What are those red things that hit you? Fireballs? They just knock you down but don't kill you. And the underground maze piloting the hard to maneuver ship. And the ever so fun bombing run in the hard to maneuver ship.

The fireball thing reminded me of Burger Time (old arcade game) or even Donkey Kong (without the actual dying)... which is odd that the game didn't punish you with death.

[notbobsmith]

On to Day 1 of Manhunter 2: San Fransisco:

A lot more arcade sequences than New York. I think New York had maybe one per day. I counted three just one Day 1. They are generally not too difficult. Thank goodness for the "easy" setting though

I know I've mentioned this a bunch of times, but I'm really curious as to the reasoning for introducing the "face" Orbs. Nothing would have changed if they kept them the same, and they would have been able to recycle the artwork from the previous game.

I've also mentioned this a bunch of times, but the "you have to die in two locations before the day ends" thing still bugs me.

And the intro scene has the sun rising in the west.

[Tawmis]

I know I've mentioned this a bunch of times, but I'm really curious as to the reasoning for introducing the "face" Orbs. Nothing would have changed if they kept them the same, and they would have been able to recycle the artwork from the previous game.

I never understood this. And they - despite giving them an "angry face/eyes" - are far, far, far, far less creepy.
They look more funny than anything else, to me, anyway.

I've also mentioned this a bunch of times, but the "you have to die in two locations before the day ends" thing still bugs me.

Oh? I am not remembering that part?

And the intro scene has the sun rising in the west.

In the intro? Where it's Earth and the sun behind it? On the left?

That's not really showing the sun rise... that could just be an angel in which the Earth is being shown (and the sun is in the distance), no?

Since that shot is from space?

[notbobsmith]

I've also mentioned this a bunch of times, but the "you have to die in two locations before the day ends" thing still bugs me.

Oh? I am not remembering that part?

In order to complete Day 1 you must die at the pier and at Tad Timov's apartment. This can lead to problems. If you are stuck, you meander around the map trying things to see what you missed. Sometimes you don't make any progress, so you quit without saving. So one of the deaths goes unrecorded. The first time I completed Day 1, I wasn't sure what I did but didn't think much of it. But for years after that, I could never make it past Day 1 again. Why would I intentionally die in those places. It was only after I found a walkthrough on the Internet that I learned about this.

And the intro scene has the sun rising in the west.

In the intro? Where it's Earth and the sun behind it? On the left?

That's not really showing the sun rise... that could just be an angel in which the Earth is being shown (and the sun is in the distance), no?

Since that shot is from space?

mh2_004-640x400.png (7.65 KiB) Viewed 807 times

It may be from space, but that just means it is farther away. The sun is in the west, and yet the Manhunter's letter said that he is "descending into a new day".

On to Day 2:
Lots of stuff going on: 4 targets to track, 10 new locations (8 from tracking and 2 addresses obtained). Yet you can only actually do something at maybe half of them. This is one thing I think Manhunter New York did better. All of the smaller puzzles lead up to solving the big one at the end of the day. Coney Island in Day 1. The museum in Day 2. Here, you just seem to wander about. You solve a few puzzles and if you get them all the day just... ends.

Other notes:
The target just vanishes in The Temple and when you go there later, ninja (I think) just materialize out of thin air from the same place. Is teleportation a thing? Also, the giant statue can levitate. Antigravity? When you visit the old man and smoke the pipe, you see a vision of his daughter. Magic too?

[notbobsmith]

And done. A decent game overall, but I think I prefer Manhunter New York. Still a little disappointed that there is no conclusion to the series. I wish GOG would make this available. It is an oddity when it comes to games from the AGI era with its sort-of-point-and-click interface.

Some notes:
I'm not really a fan of the three-card-Monty sequence. The game itself is fine, but figuring out what you need as a prize can be tricky. You can play three times and choose between two prizes for a total of six. But the one you need is after the second game. One might assume that the prize you need is from the final game. It's just a little confusing.

The trip to Alcatraz takes a little too long. We don't need to see the robot carry your box all the way up to the prison.

I did enjoy the mutant rampage montage. Although when the bomb goes off, the "FLASH" graphic is the same as when you use the camera.

After the mutants are cured, everyone is naked including, noticeably, the women. Except for the old guy's daughter. She manages to grow her clothes back somehow.