Online only: Gory fun, story dumb

Nothing makes me happier than seeing Jack Thompson fail. The self-righteous litigator who makes his living by making it difficult for game developers to release their M-rated titles intact has rarely crusaded so hard against a game as with "Manhunt 2." Yet despite it still being unavailable in Europe, it's finally on shelves across this country.\nSo what's the big deal? Being the sequel to one of the most violent and controversial games ever made, a pack of watchdogs was bound to pounce on Rockstar's follow-up. The kills this time around are, for the most part, far more prolonged and brutal than in the first game. There's even the addition of gun kills, which push the limits further than what I figured the developers would. Still, it's cathartic stuff after hiding in the shadows and being stealthy for long periods of time. This time out, Rockstar has avoided the dreaded "Adults Only" rating by washing out the color during the kills, but it's still pretty evident what's going on when you're wielding a power saw and tracing it up some poor shmuck's spinal column.\nThe same cannot be said for the Wii version, however, which has its kills blurred to an even further degree. My advice to fans of the first game is to avoid the Wii version (even though the use of the WiiMote during kills is unique) and play the PS2 version, which stays truer to Rockstar's original artistic vision.\nThe only thing worth complaining about here, for those not offended by the gore level or minor control glitches in tight spots, is the game's muddy story line. The first game put its players in the shoes of a prisoner forced to star in a series of snuff films and whose primary motivation was to kill the director of said films. "Manhunt 2" puts you in the shoes of Daniel Lamb, an escaped mental patient who seems to be just as confused as we are about his motivations for murder. The plot really takes a backseat to the game play, and while some will balk at the haplessness of some of the game's A.I., there's no denying the adrenaline rush it gives.\nSo Moral Majority beware: "Manhunt 2" is finally on shelves and your savior Mr. Thompson has once again failed to deliver you from evil.