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With all the furore over Manhunt and the subsequent UK ban of Manhunt 2, I got very interested in having a crack at the original Manhunt on PS2 (also available on XBox and PC). When I signed up for a trial with LoveFilm.com it seemed like an obvious candidate to rent.

Unfortunately I was very disappointed. The “gruesome” graphics aren’t that realistic looking (certainly compared to the standards of graphics in some other games) and the game gets very repetitive very quickly as you roam from one fenced in location to another, sneaking up behind bad guys and smashing them with a baseball bat or whatever one of the limited weapons you have.

Not only that, but it the lead character isn’t one I found it easy to identify with; there didn’t seem to be enough plot. Basically you’re spared from execution by a bit of cloak and dagger, but the guy who sneaked you out lets you loose in a yard populated by violent gangs, whom you’re directed to kill in order to escape. The point being that he intends to film the violence and release a snuff film. Unfortunately the series of yards seems endless and repetitive - and I only played about half a dozen levels!

Unfortunately the average graphics, poor game play and absence of much plot makes this a rather boring play. I only kept it for about a week and sent it back, so I’ve switched to Metal Gear Solid 2 instead.

I’ve decided to introduce a new permanent page to nerd. - the “I’m Playing” page which will give brief information on whatever video game I’m currently playing. The first one: Final Fantasy XII.

At the moment I’m mostly playing Final Fantasy XII on PS2. I played through Final Fantasy X but felt frustrated at the random fights that have been a trademark of the Final Fantasy series for as long as I can remember (that would be Final Fantasy VII then).

Final Fantasy XII finally does away with this annoyance; because of the way the field areas work you can see the enemies before actually engaging them in battle, which means you can avoid them and even run away. The battle system is also much improved with real time fights and the ability to swap in other characters for ones that die during battle (if you don’t want to revive them). Other major improvements I’ve noticed include superior graphics and a more interesting storyline.

All this and it’s available for less than a tenner brand new, so what are you waiting for?