Manhunt 2 Greets Halloween with a Less Violent Release

Rockstar's controversially violent game Manhunt 2 finally hits shelves on Halloween, with toned-down violence and some scenes removed.

Controversy surrounding Manhunt 2 has gone on for several months, with Rockstar Games having suspended its July release in attempt to ensure a rating that would allow the game to be sold by North American retailers.

In August, a slightly modified version of the game achieved a rating of "Mature," replacing its earlier "Adults Only" (AO). The latter rating might have been detrimental to sales, some believe, as many of the nation's biggest retail chains will not carry games with such a label, and Nintendo and Sony have further prohibitive policies regarding third-party AO games.

As a result, M2's more violent acts have been visually obscured, though the option to kill at random remains. Even with these moderations, English and Irish regulatory bodies still feel the game's content is inappropriate, and call for more tailoring before the game sees release in those countries.

A quick scan of the list of "Adults Only" games released since the inception of the ESRB ratings system reveals the obvious, if not single, factor that raises the attention of American review boards: sex. As soon as a game crosses that line, American groups voice their opposition.

Common Sense Media - a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization - has been outspoken regarding the release of Manhunt 2, stating: "By all available accounts, Manhunt 2 is the most brutally violent game ever produced for wide release, including intense, realistic scenes of mutilation and even castration. Unfortunately, given Rockstar's history of creating and selling irresponsibly violent and graphic content, you need look no further than Grand Theft Auto and the infamous Hot Coffee incident for evidence..."

An early release of Manhunt 2 indeed had a scene which mirrored the film Hostel 2, showing a man whose testicles are mutilated with a pair of pliers. The publisher's removal of this scene likely carried much more weight among review boards than its choice to obfuscate all the other violence, raising questions as to whether reviewers would have raised concern had pliers been used on the victim's face or toes instead. Common Sense Media has reportedly not yet tested the updated version.

Bearing the "M" rating and gathering a truckload of free publicity, Manhunt 2 will be released for the Wii, PlayStation 2, and PSP systems October 31.

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