Manhunter: New York - Sierra On-Line RRP œ29.99

This was the first of the 1989 offerings from the Sierra stable 
to arrive in England. As the title implies, you are cast in the 
role of a Hunter - selected by the Orb Alliance to track down 
and report on all remaining humanoid activity within the bounds 
of post-holocaust New York.
 
It is two years after the alien invasion and, as the adventure 
progresses, you will have to make decisions as to your true 
alliegance to either good or evil. You are initially equipped 
with an extremely versatile personal computer known as M.A.D. 
(Manhunter Assignment Device) and this has three important 
functions during the course of your operations:
 
(1) TRACKER: This function allows you to keep a watch on the 
movements of all tagged targets.
 
(2) INFORMATION: This provides all relevant information , if 
known, on all humanoids, including unique Identification Number 

and Address or last known whereabouts. (You must encounter a 
name during play, BEFORE you can seek further information 
concerning it!).
 
(3) NOTES: Provides for the storage and recall of important 
notes as you progress.
 
The game opens up with you laying in your bed and subsequently 
receiving a visit from one of the Orb Messengers, informing you 
of an explosion at Bellevue Hospital. You automatically get out 
of bed, dress, switch on the light and dig out your M.A.D. - 
and very effective it is too, with the screen before you 
resembling a scene from a well-animated cartoon!
 
Watching your M.A.D. for a while you can track the movements of 
your tagged target around different areas of the City. A unique 
feature of this game is the zoom in/zoom out effect as you 
arrive at and leave specific premises. The little yellow 
flashing icon stops every now and then and the screen then 

changes to present you with an accurate plan-view of that 
particular location. You are advised to carefully watch all the 
interior movements during this tracking sequence as it will be 
necessary, and also very useful, for you to visit all 
previously tracked buildings to investigate further.
 
When the tagged target disappears, that is an indication to you 
that it has now gone below ground - a practice strictly 
forbidden by the Orb Alliance! You will notice that your first 
target disappears down a toilet (!!) and, as it transpires, so 
do you eventually!
 
At some locations you will be given the opportunity to 
participate in a series of arcade-style activities and believe 
me, they are all relevant! Take note of ALL that you see on 
screen as it will invariably prove useful later. For example, 
watch the arm signals given to you by the Bartender after you 
have succeeded in throwing four knives and landing them 
accurately between his outstretched fingers. When you 

subsequently visit and use the loo in Prospect Park, try a 
quick flush and remember how many times the Bartender did it!!
 
At the Coney Island Fairground you are invited to throw darts, 
footballs and rings at some stalls and win yourself a 
delightful stuffed orb at each event. If you fail on some of 
the arcade games then you are treated to your own slow and gory 
disposal, such as the squeezing of your nose and eyes until 
your brain pops upwards!! Fortunately, the second time you fail 
and thereafter, you can press 'S' to skip and try again.
 
A nice little touch to this game is the fact that you cannot be 
killed off. Oh, you die alright but you are always given the 
chance to redeem yourself from the position just prior to your 
death. Even nicer are the hooded figures who dispense this 
favour to you.......you'll no doubt recognise the three of them 
if you look in your accompanying game docomentation and the 
packaging (Dave, Barry and Dee Dee Murray, who programmed and 
designed this game for you!!!).
 
Movement and function-selection throughout the game is smooth 
and efficient although disk-access time can be somewhat 
frustrating. This is not a criticism, however, as the game is 
vast, presented to you by no less than FIVE DISKS!! Save and 
restore features are accessed instantly and execution of these 
is up to the high standard that we have come to expect from 
Sierra.
 
The game packaging includes a useful coloured map of New York 
City. Take special note of the diagram on the reverse depicting 
a new video game. At first glance you may be forgiven for 
recognising it as just an advertisement for the video game that 
you find in Flatbush Bar, but it is much more than that! As I 
found out later, and after much concentrated mapping, it is 
indeed a complete and accurate map of the Sewer system 
(remember that toilet?!), together with the locations of all 12 
Keycards that you have to collect!!
 

Also included is a comprehensive Manhunter Field Guide which, 
incidentally, you are directed towards on each initial loading 
of the game for a specific word before the remainder of the 
program is loaded. A detailed partial walk-through is provided 
in the guide which not only covers the first few stages of the 
game but also introduces you to the different game facilities 
at your disposal, such as using your M.A.D., tracking, 
travelling, exploring, examining certain objects and 
encountering your first NAME to be entered on M.A.D. for 
further information.
 
If I have any little criticism of the game then it can only be 
a couple of minor spelling goofs, which will probably turn out 
to be an American substitute for the English you expect. These 
will be obvious when you come across them. However, let's not 
detract from the exciting game scenario played!!
 
And those other forthcoming attractions from Sierra? Well, sit 
back and look forward to "King's Quest IV:The Perils of 
Rosella"; "Space Quest III:The Pirates Of Pestulon"; "Police 
Quest II:The Vengeance!"; "Leisure Suit Larry Is Looking For 
Love (In All The Wrong Places)" and "Gold Rush" - the latter 
being a new concept for Sierra based on the American Wild West 
in the 1850's. I can hardly wait!!!
 
                                John