Headhunter Redemption

• Title — Headhunter Redemption • Developer — Amuze • Publisher — Sega • Director — John Kroknes • Designer — Peter Johansson • Engine — RenderWare • Writer — Philip Lawrence • Composer — Richard Jacques • Platforms — PlayStation 2, Xbox • Genre — Action-adventure • Modes — Single-player

Set twenty years after the Bloody Mary Virus (released in the original Headhunter), Jack and his new partner Leeza X find out something is amiss when they try to stop Weapon Smugglers. The pair must face opposition from the Glass Skyscrapers filled and media controlled 'Above' and The Dregs & Criminal Infested colonies of 'Below'. Jack and Leeza must also face their fears as they try to redeem a world from chaos, especially Jack, whose son was taken away by forces from 'Below', but might still be alive.

Headhunter: Redemption is the second and final entry in the franchise Headhunter. According to creative director John Kroknes, the name of the game was chosen because it "sounds cool", and also in an attempt to reflect the studio's desire to "give real depth to [their] characters and storyline". Jack and his partner Leeza X "face personal demons and grow as characters during their adventure […]. They redeem themselves from past mistakes and give society a chance to start over." Gameplay-wise, Redemption retains "all the core elements of the Headhunter world" but focuses slightly less on stealth "in favour of more intense combat action": shooting "is the core, with a range of evasive manoeuvres" necessary to thrive against enemies. In spite of this, stealth often remains "a wise tactical approach - a way of evening the odds before plunging into a firefight." Bike riding sequences were removed in this sequel because many players found them "frustrating" in the first game. While developing Redemption, the team "felt that the biking sequences distracted from the flow of the story and the gameplay", and they didn't want to make it a "mini-game" or disappoint players by not offering "the kind of limitless roaming expect[ed] with vehicles today." That being said, Jack still rides his bike but, unlike in the previous game, it only appears in a few cutscenes, "pretty much for the nostalgia factor".