Actor Brian Cox lends his voice to the game through an earpiece in the main characters ear. Often repulsive comments that are convincingly acted well. This adds to the level of polish of the game in that the voice acting is so convincing.
While there has been violent games before the release of Manhunt, none had gone so far as to match what is found in some of the more over the top Animes and movies. At the time this game was released it was banned in numerous countries due to the violent decapitations and adult themes, but at its core the game comments on how society enjoys these things (much like the movie Running Man). While simultaneously getting banned the game got free press which lead to many sales. A funny situation in that the game is stating how people enjoy over the top violence through the story, by creating a game with over the top violence that sold well.
The game is tough, and only gets tougher. This is a game for the hardcore and it shows, which may not appeal to everyone as it does take a commitment to move forward in this game.
Ignoring even the crazy premise of a televised manhunt, the gameplay itself is unrealistic in the sens that this is a stealth game where the second the player gets into the shadow, no one can see him, no matter how close. This may be immersion breaking for some.
The game takes place in a circular map, one that can be explored at any time. Missions can be taken when going to certain points on the map. This allows for a free type of play as the player can choose what to do and where to go. Making for a fun experience as the player chooses how to play for the most part.
Tasks are the key to the gameplay in that the player is tasked with completing mundane things such as cashing a check at the bank. It is up to the player if they choose to wait in line peacefully or be completely violent to force their way to the front. This makes for an odd disconnect as it is up to the player on how violent they actually behave int he game.
At its core this is a simple game, and it shows, the combat is not all that intriguing as mainly you just need to circle who you are fighting while shooting them as much as possible. This tends to get old quickly.
The game can be completed in around 10 hours, making for a short game. being that the game is older and offers little in the way of graphics, extending the gameplay through messing around in the city is not much of a choice due to how little there is to really interact with.
Unlike many games that give a reason as to why the main character is killing "bad guys" over and over, Hatred is themed that the main character is a serial killer, killing to cleanse the world of humanity. While this is not far off from games like Destroy All Humans!, where you are tasked with wiping out the human race, the tones are completely different in that Hatred is a very dark and disturbed game. It can be refreshing to some to see a game be honest about what it sets out to do with little apology while being seen as a critique on the current state of gaming.
The game is a punishing twin stick shooter and it is difficult to survive, it will take a lot of practice but can be rewarding for those that like a challenge. While the controls do work best on keyboard and mouse the core gameplay lends itself to using two sticks to control the character such as what are found on a controller. The game can be frustrating, but that is part of its charm.
Using a controller can be tough with the game as the accuracy is not great, so it is recommended to use a keyboard and mouse. Even then the movement of the main character feels as though they are moving on ice, sliding around a lot. This makes it very difficult to be accurate even though a mouse is helpful in precision targeting.
The A.I. for the cops in the game is not great and often get stuck on objects or will not go up stairs. This leads to exploits as well as frustration due to the A.I. not doing what one would expect it to.
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