Back in 2014, Ubisoft entered the world of video game racing with the release ofThe Crew, an open-world multiplayer racer that critics praised for its gameplay and recreation of the United States while criticizing its always-online component. Four years later, the team took what it had learned andupped the ante withThe Crew 2,allowing players to traverse the United States by land, air, and sea with a whole new range of vehicles including cars, motorcycles, boats, and airplanes.
Tripwire Interactive hasn’t officially announced a sequel toManeater, only that the original game will get aDLC expansion later this month, but if it were to get a sequel it would be fascinating to see the game go in the same direction asThe Crew 2. A sequel could take the same general premise of the original game, fit the aesthetic and tone ofManeaterby going “bigger and better,” and expand the roster to include a new cast of animals with unique playstyles or even their own campaigns like inGrand Theft Auto 5.
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The Shark Campaign
First and foremost, the shark needs to return as a playable character, however, it probably shouldn’t be the same bull shark from the originalManeaterfor continuity’s sake. This isn’tDestiny2where the Guardians losing their power can be explained away by the Traveler being locked up, it’s based on evolution. Bringing in a whole new breed of sharks such as a Great White Shark, a Hammerhead Shark, a Thresher Shark, or a Requiem Shark would be a great starting point for a new story by introducing brand-new abilities, and to play around with the idea of adaptation for new and existing evolutions in other animals and regions.
The Crocodile Campaign
For anyone that playedManeater,Crocodiles were prominently featuredthroughout various locations in the game and were often incredibly difficult to take down - especially at lower levels. A Crocodile was also featured as one of the main Apex Predator bosses in the game, equipped with a powerful tail whip, lunge, and thrash abilities. If Tripwire was looking to expand the playable roster inManeater 2, the Crocodile (or even an Alligator depending on where the sequel’s region is set) is the natural next step to choose after a Shark - look no further than horror movies likeCrawl,Rogue, orLake Placid.
The Squid Campaign
Maneater 2can’t copyThe Crew 2beat-for-beat and go for land, air, and sea because it doesn’t make sense with the gameplay or the story of the game. With that being said, Tripwire Interaction needs to differentiate playable characters through gameplay and abilities, and one particular animal that would drasticallydiffer from both the Shark and Crocodile is a Squid. Squids could offer a number of unique gameplay options from the other two such as multi-pronged attacks using their eight arms, the ability to release a cloud of inc to distract or trap enemies, and even the ability to camouflage themselves with the environment.
The Orca Campaign
Another option for another playable animal class to go alongside the Shark, Crocodile, and Squid would be an Orca.Nicknamed the ‘Killer Whale,‘Orca are already apex predators in the wild and have no natural predators of their own, feeding on everything from small fish to seals, dolphins, and other whales. Orcas are also generally very social creatures, travel in pods, live in highly diverse locations across the globe, and use sophisticated hunting techniques and vocal behaviours to communicate (as they’re part of the Dolphin family). At first glance, Orcas might seem like their gameplay would be too similar to the Shark, but there’s a lot of interesting aspects to this creature that Tripwire Interactive could play around with to make them fun and unique.
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What’s Next for Maneater?
While a potential sequel could still be a couple of years away,Maneaterwill be getting a DLC expansioncalled Truth Quest at the end of the month. The new expansion takes place in a new region called Plover Island and follows the quest to grow and evolve after a new and powerful “Uber Apex Predator” moves into the player’s hometown. Players can also expect to see all new objectives, an increased level cap, an evolution set for the shark, brand-new wildlife, and the return of Chris Parnell’s journalist Trip Westhaven as he investigates a government conspiracy about what’s really behind the “unprecedented displays of evolution.”
Maneateris available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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