The developer of Grand Theft Auto delivers its darkest, most violent game yet in Manhunt, a thirdperson perspective stealth action game that puts you in the role of a death row inmate forced to run a deadly gauntlet at the whim of a sadistic cinematographer. Released a few months ago for the PlayStation 2, Manhunt is now available for the Xbox and PC, and while these new versions feature exactly the same content as the PS2 original, they deliver relatively superior graphical qualityand in the case of the PC version, improved controls. The game itself unflinchingly depicts intense graphic violence, the likes of which you might expect from a slasher movie but not so much from games.

However, these grisly scenes are done up in style, as Manhunt has a real cinematic flair to itnot to mention a suffocating atmosphere that perfectly fits the theme. It also does a better job of incorporating stealth mechanics than most other such games, though the latter portion of Manhunt devolves into a nearly continuous, mindnumbing series of shootouts. Nonetheless, those wondering whether Scotlandbased Rockstar North is capable of putting together something remarkable that doesnt have Grand Theft Auto in the title, need wonder no more. Manhunt is seriously intense, and anyone with a stomach for the games concept ought to find it fiendishly entertaining.