Maneater is a game unlike any other. It's an RPG that puts the player in control of a man-eating shark. Maneater harkens back to the days when Rampage-style games were aplenty, and although the campaign is relatively short compared to many modern RPGs, it's extremely satisfying.
Maneater was recently added to the Xbox Game Pass, and a whole new player base is diving into one of the most unique RPGs in recent memory. Maneater doesn't tell new players everything, though, especially when it comes to special tactics and hidden secrets to find.
10 Go Onto Dry Land For A Snack, Or To Evade
Sharks in real life, of course, can't spend any time on land – Jaws might have been a much scarier movie if that were possible. In Maneater, though, the player's shark can stay on land for far, far longer than one might think, and it has several benefits too.
A quick jump onto land can be the exact escape route needed from an unbeatable foe. While there, it's a good idea to snap up any humans before returning to the water.
9 Throwing Things Slows Down Time
When throwing things in Maneater, whether they be humans or fish, time will slow down a little bit to let the player aim. This is great for getting a more precise shot, but it can also be used to plan a tactical maneuver.
Slowing down time gives the player an opportunity to consider their situation and react accordingly. Even if there's nothing to hit, it's still a good idea to use the couple extra seconds granted in the throwing animation to get a bearing on enemy locations.
8 Apex Predators Are Completely Vulnerable When Launched
A little while into the game, the player unlocks the ability to Tail Whip. This can launch enemies out of the water and give the player a few seconds to strike at will. This ability can also be used to flip switches throughout the game.
Conveniently enough, if a player is able to Tail Whip an Apex Predator boss out of the water, they stay vulnerable for longer than expected. Rush in after launching an Apex Predator to get a lot of free good hits in before it has time to recover.
7 Use A Grotto To Deal Free Damage
When in a grotto, a safe resting area for the player's shark in Maneater, other creatures can't deal any damage; however, the player can. Luring foes into the grotto to then annihilate them without any consequences is the easiest way to deal with hard enemies bar none.
It feels a little bit like an exploit, and it probably is, but being a single-player game makes this XP farming method a victimless crime.
6 Earn A "Jaws" Themed Achievement
Maneater is chock full of references hidden for the player to find, some of which are tied to achievements. In the Prosperity Sands area, there is an instantly recognizable Apex Predator to take down that rewards a Jaws-themed achievement: the Great White Shark.
The achievement, called "This Is My Movie", requires the player to simply defeat the Great White. It's a very high-level Apex Predator, though, so be prepared for an arduous fight.
5 Use Sonar To Permanently Locate Collectibles
The sonar ability in Maneater is one of the most useful in the game, and one that goes untouched by many a player. When using sonar, just about everything in a large radius is highlighted, including collectibles and enemies.
Even if the player doesn't want to go around picking everything up, it's still a good idea to use sonar often because the surroundings will be highlighted on your map permanently, which the player can then come back later and pick up.
4 Spongebob's Pineapple House Is On The Sea Floor...
Of all things, Maneater chooses to reference Spongebob in The Gulf area. Spongebob's pineapple home under the sea can be found towards the sandier area of The Gulf, and in-game it's called the "Sea Sponge Home."
While it's unlikely that the entire setting of Bikini Bottom would ever make its way into Maneater, one can only hope an Alaskan Bull Worm Apex Predator is added eventually.
3 ...And So Is The Arrested Development Banana Stand
In Sapphire Bay, a particularly colorful area in Maneater, one can find a building in the shape of a banana laying on the seafloor next to a crate. This banana is a reference to none other than the Banana Stand from the hit sitcom Arrested Development.
The Banana Stand in Maneater was owned not by the Bluths but by somebody called "Biff", according to the sign. When found, the location tag will read "There's Always Money Here".
2 Fight A Sperm Whale
One of the last bosses of Maneater is the ultimate Apex Predator, the Sperm Whale. While Sperm Whales are not necessarily violent in nature, the Apex Predator's size and might make it one of the toughest bosses in Maneater. Luckily, it's not fought until the end of the game.
There are a number of unique boss fights based on real-life aquatic predators. Players who quit the game early, though, will never get to take down this enormous beast.
1 Golden Shores Golf Course References Happy Gilmore
In the Golden Shores area of Maneater, there is a reference to Happy Gilmore that's hidden on the land portion of the map. If the player finds their way to the Golden Shores golf course, they will find a green with hockey sticks surrounding a hole.
Happy Gilmore, Adam Sandler's character in the eponymous movie, sometimes used hockey sticks instead of gold clubs. It's a bit out of the way, and risky to stay out of the water for too long, but it's a reference nobody expected in a game about a rampaging shark.