I am not one to play a lot of puzzle games or games centered around investigative elements. But Cyber Manhunt 2: New World is the first one I have actually really gotten into. As its setting allows for some of the darker elements of its storytelling to be felt one sided due to the fact you are an AI and only bear witness to some of the crueler minutia. In the prologue we previously covered, the game had an uncomfortable way of gathering information for your investigation. Even when the story in the prologue was not. That changed in Chapter 1, when things started off with a person wandering into a building wearing a bomb and setting it off.
Chapter 1 Impressions for Cyber Manhunt 2: New World
Cyber Manhunt 2: New World centers itself around a man named Thomas who breaks after being the target of inner office politics. A simple plot, but one that is very layered after you start looking into things. This is a man that tried his hardest to keep his sister sane and was stabbed in the back repeatedly. But everyone involved from Rajeev, his boss, to Jessie, the woman he loved, were all tangled up honestly horrible schemes I wish I could go into without spoilers. Chapter 1 dives into a lot of narrative themes about how power can go to people’s heads, and what they can do if left unchecked. I was constantly left in shock when I figured out how to access certain chat rooms and emails. It gets very graphic and despite the art style, gets the point across in every image.
The one thing I’m enjoying in Cyber Manhunt 2: New World is the fact that the only constant between the stories is Ashley, the person you help as the Detective AI. Each case is different and has many different layers and themes that I feel would start conflicting after a while. It allows each chapter to fully flesh out every character from beginning to end. Then move onto the next with a whole set of new characters to uncover. There are also new some new mechanics that get introduced.
AI Voice Chat and Hacking
After unlocking certain bits of information, you have to actually go in and hack for more to continue on. The mechanic involves gaining access to multiple nodes on web pages by using simple to understand prompts. It is very hard to explain in text, and only slightly understandable in image form.
It was an honestly fun part of this chapter that left an impression on me. This was one of the first times in the game that broke up the monotony of constant clicking. The constant sleuthing is still very interesting, but this mini game, coupled with the Voice AI chat really excited me in this chapter.
You are able to capture voice imprints and line them up in a sequence to talk to someone. But it is just figuring out what goes where and watching a cutscene. You only get three tries to select correct dialogue options to trick the person.
This chapter was also very lengthy and lasted nearly three hours for me due to getting stumped on where to find certain bits of information. The music used in the chapter also relays a sense of urgency that I enjoyed.
Closing Remarks
Cyber Manhunt 2: New World is a game that, as it progresses, becomes easier to understand, and despite my lack of expertise in the genre, I am very much warming up to it. The mechanics of sleuthing is becoming more varied and interesting. With the story of this chapter hitting a little bit more than I thought it would. With the next chapter already starting off with a way more mysterious premise I cannot wait to see more of.
Cyber Manhunt 2: New World is available now on Steam for $9.99.
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