VG Chartz now lists the videogames sales for the week ending November 17th 2007 in North America. According to them the game has dropped out of the overall top 50 game sales.

It is currently listed as the 8th best selling PlayStation 2 title with 17,149 units sold this week. Still sailing strong in the Wii charts it is sitting in the 23rd position with 14,003 sales. The PSP version of the game is the 34th position selling 2,137 copies.

This brings the total sales of Manhunt 2 in North America after 3 weeks at retail to 201,241 units.

Add Comment

GamesIndustry.biz is reporting that Future Publishing has submitted two magazine cover disks to the BBFC that contain footage of the North America retail version of Manhunt 2. The magazines in question are PSM3 issue 96 and PlayStation World issue 103. The issue being that the BBFC refused Manhunt 2 classification, which would thus imply that the content from the cover disks would also be refused clearance. Further complicating things GI.biz says that Rockstar has not cleared the footage for inclusion, I can't imagine why they wouldn't though, unless Future has modified the game to remove the filters or it isn't from the retail version at all.

Add Comment

GamesIndustry.biz has now posted the BBFCs defence to the VAC. Representing the BBFC was Andrew Caldecott. Mr. Caldecott agrees with Rockstar in that there is no proven link between violent videogames and antisocial behaviour but says that he believes more research is required before any final word can be issued on the subject.

The board's position is that there is insufficient evidence to prove, as a fact, there is a causal connection between violent games and behavioural harm… It's a perfectly fair point, and one which we accept, but it's not by any means a complete answer to the question the [Video Appeals Committee] has to decide.

The research certainly achieves the objective of establishing that research does not demonstrate that there is a causal link. But what it certainly does not establish is that there isn't.

For a young person, this is a disturbing game, it is a shocking game, and there issues about innocence and matters of that sort in relation to young people.

In a Utopian society, you would have effective measures where the over-18s could play what was suitable for them without being cluttered by the fact minors will see them. But you can't make classification decisions without regard to the social prevalence [of games].

In response to how videogames are rated differently to movies Caldecott said the following:

Film is a different medium; it is simply is a different experience. There are ways in which it is perhaps more involving, because you are dealing with absolute reality, with real people, in film.

On the other hand, many people watch horror films to some extent from the point of view of the victim, or the point of view of what's going to happen - not with this very distinctive point of view of being the person who's wielding the weapon, and is rewarded for killing in the bloodiest way possible.

Caldecott uses gaming technology as another reason for (attempting) to disassociate the rating of a movie and videogames.

Games and technology develop incrementally… If you take the comparable argument to its extreme, you get a gradual creeping towards ever more graphic violence, but you never draw a line at any particular point.

If you're not careful you get into a peculiar game of Grandmother's Footsteps, where everybody's shuffling forward but Grandma's never allowed to turn round and say, 'Stop'… Is there never a point at which you can say, 'This is unacceptable'?

If there is a point, the question then becomes much more difficult: where do you draw it?

He then suggests that violent videogames are more likely to be viewed by children than horror films:

A videogame is inherently less likely to be strictly supervised, and that is supported by research. You don't come home from work, have your tea and watch Saw 3. Games are played at all times of the day when children are about in the house.

His attention then turned to the nature of the violence in Manhunt 2:

In this particular game, the victims are people. They are not aliens or griffins or Daleks… You see lots of human beings quite mercilessly kicking and punching other human beings as you move through the game.

It's a frequent theme of level one, which is the only one I've actually played right through. Even when you're not killing someone yourself, you're passing someone who's getting a good beating or having an unpleasant time.

…and the killing materials used in the game:

They're not magic wands or Excalibur; many of them are everyday objects.

Mr. Caldecott then offered the appeals panel a walkthrough of the game so that they could better assess the game to which the chairman of the panel declined. Responding with:

[We are] quite content we really have got a grip on what this is all about.

We have taken on-board the point that playing and watching a videogame are two different things. This is a very important case and there is an awful lot we must consider. We will work hard at it and get you a decision as soon as possible.

Apparently the Video Appeals Committee has yet to set a date for the results of the hearing. Hopefully it will be soon.

What does everyone think of the response then? It seems pretty weak to me and inconsistent with that the BBFC have said in the past.

Let’s look at the points made in the defence of the BBFC and what they mean. From what I can make out there defence breaks down to three key points and they are:

- Insufficient evidence to eliminate the threat of violent games causing anti-social behaviour.

Sounds like checkmate to me then, no one is willing to budge and according to Mr. Caldecott there is no evidence to say that there is such an effect from playing violent games. It is a what-if situation, this being the case then it would mean it is neither a null nor valid point on by both sides of the argument and should be disregarded for the time being.

- Games are rated differently than movies due to their nature and accessibility.

This severely clashes with what the BBFC have been preaching for the past several months. They say that they do not regard the rating of games and movies as being two separate classes. I hope that members of the appeals panel looks at what the BBFC have been saying in their responses to the criticism they have received. If they do then they will see a huge gaping hole in the consistency and misleading comments on behalf of the BBFC to both the public and Rockstar.

Also, wouldn’t the chances of you sticking a DVD on be more likely than playing a game if you had children around? Being that it requires less attention and we are assuming, it being through the day and all that you are either looking after the kid(s) and or doing something else that may distract you.

To say that someone is more likely to play a violent game through the day than watch a horror movie is absolutely ridiculous. I remember being a child and my dad having to record movies at night since he worked early in the morning, by the time I got home from school he would be watching said movie.

- You kill humans and use everyday items as weapons.

I think this could have been a valid point for the BBFC, had it only been worded correctly. I am not saying I agree with them, but I see it as the only point they could have had in their favour going into the appeal. The points that Mr. Caldecott brings up in relation to what and how you do it are absolutely correct, but this is also true of many other games, thousands even and even more commonly used in the film medium. I think the existence of even the original Manhunt puts this argument down, the original game had more ‘everyday use’ items and I believe it was more severe in tone than Manhunt 2.

I think that games like Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare are far more serious in their effect over the viewer/player. In particular in scenes where night vision is used, the reality of such scenes touches home in a very serious and eerie way and that game carries a 16 certificate in the UK and its predecessor carries a 15, the same rating the BBFC hit Canis Canem Edit (Bully) with due to outside pressure.

If we are talking about body count then the number of people you kill in Modern Warfare also dwarves Manhunt 2, most people are probably going to finish Call of Duty 4 in barely 5 or 6 hours, Manhunt 2 is easily twice as long with a far lower body count. Therefore would that not mean the relentlessness of Modern Warfare is more severe than Manhunt 2?

On a point-per-point basis I would say Rockstar have this won hands down. But then again if the comments and events of recent months is anything to go by then common sense isn’t necessarily something that everyone has.

Add Comment

Rockstar’s appeal against the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) over their refusal to rate Manhunt 2 has finally begun. Representing Rockstar was Geoffrey Robertson, who started the appeal to the Video Appeals Committee (VAC) by suggesting that the BBFC should be referred to as the British Board of Videogame Censors.

There's no evidence that playing interactive videogames leads to a propensity to act them out in real life. We wonder why Manhunt 2 has been singled out for special treatment.

Robertson went on to question the judgment of the BBFC:

Their reputation is not at stake; if it were we could show how, over the last century, they've been derided for some of the most stupid decisions in censorship history. But we're not going to go down that road.

Robertson also added some statistics to the case, saying that there are 26.5 million gamers in the UK with the average age of 28, 45% of which being female.

Speaking of the allegations made by the BBFC in relation to Manhunt 2, Mr. Robertson said the following:

…offensive and outrageous allegation the board makes against adults in this country that they're somehow going to go and shoot or kill as a result of playing Manhunt 2. Millions of gamers play videogames and no crime has ever been directly attributed to them, with one exception.

We say [Manhunt 2] has been banned not because of any likelihood it will harm gamers, but because of the likelihood it will harm the reputation of the BBFC.

Also speaking in defence of Rockstar was Tiga CEO and founder Fred Hasson and chartered psychologist Dr. Guy Cumberbatch.

After playing four (unspecified) levels from the game Hasson said the following of the games content:

[I am] surprised at how tame it is compared to some very graphical scenes I've seen in other games which have received certification. I expected it to be a lot worse… I can't believe that this has been singled out as something that is worth banning.

A BBFC's representative accused Hasson of saying that the board has made its decision (concerning Manhunt 2) based around articles in publications such as (British newspaper) the Daily Mail, the representative then asked if Hasson still believed this to be true. To which Mr. Hasson said the following:

I can only come to the conclusion that is the case. Having seen the content of the game, I can't see any other reason why they've done that.

Following on from the Tiga CEO was psychologist Guy Cumberbatch, who had the following to say:

By and large, the plot and narrative is relatively unimportant for most videogamers. Their emotional involvement in the games is relatively weak. There's a scatterbrain logic which is applied to videogames - if [people] play, they must be violent. By and large, people who are attracted to media violence tend to be less sensitive and more thick-skinned… Most of these people are nerd characters, they tend to be anoraks.

Dr. Cumberbatch then went on to reference a survey he had conducted with 86 parties, saying that all of which involved had experienced at least 2 18-rated movies and two 18 certificated videogames. He had all involved respondents play 15 minutes of Manhunt 2 and watch a compilation video put together by Take-Two of various levels throughout the game. He then went on to ask all those involved in the survey if they thought Manhunt 2 was more, less or equally as violent as other films and videogames that have (presumably) been cleared for rating by the BBFC.

The results showed that 80% of those involved thought there was equally as much violence in films and 68% thought there was equally as much violence in other videogames as well as noting that a number of those involved said that ‘people are going to be disappointed’ by the level of violence in the game, if the game were to be released.

Dr. Cumberbatch concluded with:

Certainly no one's going to suggest Manhunt 2 is one of the least violent games around. In my own limited experience of playing Manhunt 2, it's fairly sanitised as a work compared with what you might expect in a film.

Rockstars side of the case is said to have taken place this morning with the BBFC responding in the afternoon, however nowhere seems to have commented on the latter.

It seems like a pretty strong case from Rockstar to me, I think the saddest thing of it all is that it is all apparent common sense; maybe it just needed said out loud with the facts presented. Either way I think it is a pretty strong case they have and I agree with pretty much every point made in Rockstars case.

Here’s hoping we will soon get a release date for the UK. I will also be interested in what happens for the rest of Europe in regard to the games release.

You can read all the original articles in their entirety by heading over to GamesIndustry.biz: Rockstar fights back against BBFC - Tiga boss, psychologist defend Rockstar's position

Add Comment

G4's X-Play have reviewed Manhunt 2, they played the Nintendo Wii version of the game and awarded it 2 out of 5. The review focuses on making a mockery of the game, with the reviewer calling the game names like Manbunt and Mannequin hunt 2. Criticised in the review is the games story, level design, Wii controls and the executions themselves. The only thing the reviewer considered good was the stealth gameplay, you can watch the video review over at our youtube page.

Add Comment

ABC News' correspondent Jake Tapper has posted the letter sent to the ESRB (on Monday) by the four U.S. senators on his blog - Political Punch.

November 19, 2007

Patricia Vance
President Entertainment Software Rating Board
Entertainment Software Rating Board
317 Madison Avenue, 22nd Floor
New York, NY 10017

Dear Ms. Vance, We are writing to suggest that it may be desirable to revise or enhance the current ESRB rating system. We continue to believe that the ESRB takes seriously its responsibility with respect to the ratings and their enforcement. However, we believe that a number of issues have been raised regarding the release of Manhunt 2.

As you know, in June 2007 the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) refused to rate Rockstar's Manhunt 2 video game, effectively banning its sale in British stores, stating that it contains "unremitting bleakness and callousness of tone... which constantly encourages visceral killing with exceptionally little alleviation or distancing." The BBFC Director concluded that any other action "would involve a range of unjustifiable harm risks, to both adults and minors.” Consistent with your British counterpart, this version received an “Adults Only” (AO) rating from your Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB).

In October 2007 the BBFC again refused to rate a revised Manhunt 2 stating that "[t]he impact of the revisions on the bleakness and callousness of tone, or the essential nature of the gameplay, is clearly insufficient. There has been a reduction in the visual detail in some of the 'execution kills', but in others they retain their original visceral and casually sadistic nature." Other countries agreed and have also banned the game.

Unlike the British Board, the ESRB reduced the revised version's rating to "Mature" (M) effectively opening the door to its widespread distribution and its licensing approval by game system manufacturers Sony and Nintendo. And, while significant progress has been made, the FTC reports that 42 percent of unaccompanied children 13 to 16 years of age can still successfully purchase M-rated games meaning that the practical difference between an AO and M rating affects more than simply 17-year-olds.

Manhunt 2 was sanctioned by Nintendo for its Wii system. That system permits children to act out each of the many graphic torture scenes and murders in Manhunt 2 rather than simply manipulating a game pad. This led one clinical psychologist to state that the realistic motions used with the Wii mean that "you're basically teaching a child the behavioral sequencing of killing." While this was not cited as the reason for the BBFC decision, we do believe that the ESRB should take the Wii remote controller, and future advances in game controllers, which create more realistic gaming environments, into consideration.

Another disturbing aspect of this saga is that the AO version ended up being leaked on the Internet thereby circumventing the rating restrictions. News reports state that the leak came from a Sony employee, who was reportedly fired, rather than the game manufacturer. Nevertheless, the possible use of the internet to circumvent the ESRB and permit broad access to kids is another concern.

There are many questions that are raised because of the above cited issues regarding the process, robustness and repeatability of the ratings provided by the ESRB system. First, there appears to be a lack of information, to the public and developers, regarding why a particular rating is given or changed. What information is provided back to developers after receiving a rating? Why is information regarding rating changes or reasons for decisions unavailable, except for content descriptors, to the public? We understand to some extent the concerns regarding the confidentiality of pre-released materials however that argument is no longer compelling after the product is released.

Some speculate that the ESRB could be used to provide attention to increase sales of future games. Under this scenario, a game like Manhunt 2 would first be produced to ensure receipt of an AO rating and thereafter tweaked to get the reduced M rating. A more transparent process might protect the ESRB from being used in this manner.

Further, do the same reviewers view the original and the revised version of a game after an AO rating is received? How frequently do you use more than your minimum of three reviewers when evaluating a game? Are three reviewers adequate for the more violent games? How often do your reviewers disagree in their initial ratings and how frequently is the final rating a majority opinion rather than a consensus?

In sum, we ask your consideration of whether it is time to review the robustness, reliability and repeatability of your ratings process, particularly for this genre of "ultra-violent" video games and the advances in game controllers. We have consistently urged parents to pay attention to the ESRB rating system. We must ensure that parents can rely on the consistency and accuracy of those ratings.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

Joseph I. Lieberman
Sam Brownback
Evan Bayh
Hillary Rodham Clinton

I find it interesting that even these senators regard an AO rating as a ban. It looks like it is an obvious fact to everyone except the ESRB themselves. I do agree that a revision of the ratings board(s) would probably be a good idea, not to further raise restrictions but to allow a way for publishers to release games as they were originally intended without having to deal with all the politics involved. Even the MPAA (they rate movies in America, for those that don’t know) are attempting to overcome the stigma surrounding NC-17 rated (supposed UK equivalent of an 18 certificate) movies by trying to instate a (more commercial) hard-R rating.

Add Comment

The first batch of reviews from U.S print publications are starting to hit shelves with EGM, Nintendo Power and Game Informer all reviewing the game.
EGM’s review is a mixed bag with ‘Sharkey’ rating the Nintendo Wii version a 4.0 – bad rating, picking fault with the games controls and unskipable cut scenes.

‘Shoe’ gave the PlayStation 2 build of the game a 5.0 – average rating, having issues with the games controls and hunter A.I. but they did seem to enjoy the games atmosphere, saying it is the 8MM and Hostel of videogames.

Matt on the other hand awarded the Nintendo Wii build a 7.0 – good, saying that others are being to hung up on the scenario and that the story of the game is good. It appears as though he is more in favour of the Wii version as the restrictions make more sense on that console (talking about the inability to control the camera etc).

Nintendo Power gave Manhunt 2 a 7.5, I wish I could elaborate further but we have been unable to track the magazine down.

Game Informer awarded Manhunt 2 a 7.75, Matt Helgeson seems to have enjoyed the game very much, with his biggest criticism being that it isn’t quite the original Manhunt.

Matt Bertz offered a second opinion and not quite as favourable as Matt H, giving the game a 6.75. but with that said he does appear to have enjoyed the game also, saying that he wishes Rockstar had taken the opportunity to polish the game further with the ‘effort it deserved’.

If anyone manages to get a hold of any magazine with Manhunt 2 coverage please get in touch with us letting us know. We have known about these scores for about a week now but were simply unable to obtain the information within due to the magazines not being on sale where we live.

Add Comment

Thunderbolt Games have given the Nintendo Wii version of the game an 4 out of 10.

Despite its infamy, Manhunt 2 has little going for it. Yes, the game is utterly violent. You’ll get to see people dying in ways you’d never think possible in a game. However, the blurred executions and motion-based prompts take away much of the thrill. While Danny’s hands are continually covered with fresh coats of blood, he and rest of the cast look like a bunch of Timesplitters rejects. The levels are gruesomely themed, but their simplicity, brevity, and linearity are disappointing. The sheer amount of glitches, questionable controls, laughable AI, and easy stealth mechanics make the game seem like a poor rendition of Splinter Cell. The story has a lot of potential as a psychological drama, but the bland characters and poor writing kill any of its entertainment value.

Gamer 2.0 rated the Nintendo Wii version a 6.8 out of 10.

There are so many questions to be asked about Manhunt 2, but the most important is not why the game had an A-0 rating, it’s why Rockstar didn’t spend more time refining the features. The story is great and there are plenty of moments when you will be surprised at what is happening, but the combat just takes one step back to make it worth a mention. The stupidity of the enemies and the inability to see what exactly you are doing when the time for an execution commences takes all the fun out of fighting. The game gives off a chilling vibe, but it’s for all the wrong reasons.

Defunct Games played the Sony PSP build and gave it a 75% rating.

The truth is that you probably don't need a two-thousand word review to tell you whether or not Manhunt 2 is your thing, you should already know if the game is your cup of tea. If you enjoyed the original game and don't mind the non-stop gruesome killings, then this game is right up your alley. If you don't care for the "torture porn" genre of movie making and get a bit squeamish at the idea of sneaking up behind enemies and sticking a pen in their neck, then chances are you should avoid this game at all costs.

CNN have also reviewed the game (why do they even bother?), their thoughts seem to be a generalisation of the three platforms, but they do put a little extra emphasis on the Nintendo Wii version. They don't give the game an actual rating and their main points are that the game is violent, shock horror, right?

"Manhunt 2" also suffers from some technical glitches, such as getting half of Lamb's body stuck in a dumpster (and having to load a saved game to continue playing) or trying to fight a guard but Lamb keeps picking up a body on the floor and tossing it over his shoulder because the game thinks I'm trying to hide a victim.

"Manhunt 2" will likely sell like hotcakes because of its media attention, but in the end it only pushes the violence envelope rather than a game-play one.

You can read all about the violence in Manhunt 2 over at CNN.

Add Comment

Reuters and Video Business are both reporting that four U.S. senators have sent a joint letter to the president of the videogame ratings board requesting a 'thorough review' of the ESRB ratings system post-mortem the downgrading of Manhunt 2 from an AO to an M rated title.

The senators in question are Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.), Evan Bayh (D-Ind.), Sam Brownback (R-Kan.), and of course Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.).

As you know, in June 2007, the British Board of Film Classification refused to rate Rockstar’s Manhunt 2 videogame … stating that it contains ‘unremitting bleakness and callousness of tone. In October 2007, the BBFC again refused to rate a revised Manhunt 2 stating that ‘the impact of the revisions on the bleakness and callousness of tone … is clearly insufficient.

In sum, we ask your consideration of whether it is time to review the robustness, reliability and repeatability of your ratings process, particularly for this genre of ‘ultra-violent’ videogames and advances in game controllers.

I wonder who will be next to fall under investigation. Maybe it will be you, for playing the game.

Add Comment

If you held off importing your copy of Manhunt 2 you will be please to hear Rockstar Games and the Video Appeals Committee have (apparently) set the appeal date for the games effective ban in the UK. The appeal will take place in London next Monday, which is the 26th, almost a month after it was released in North America.

It looks like the story has been removed from MCV's website, who posted the details, in case it goes back up here is the original link.

Add Comment

The Wiire have posted an interview with the executive director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Mike Fitzpatrick. A great deal of the interview revolves around Manhunt 2.

NAMI has asked Rockstar Games to recall or further modify Manhunt 2. Why?

The degree of controversy, I think, around Manhunt 2, provides a really exceptional opportunity - really, a teaching moment, to help us raise awareness around stigma.

Did he just admit to attempting to use Rockstar in order further the word of his organisation? So that means that he is all but admitted that there really is no issue with Manhunt 2.

Add Comment

Eurogamer have posted a Q&A with the co-president of (developer) Naughty Dog, Evan Wells. The Q&A was open to Eurogamer readers with one reader (SeesThroughAll) asking for Wells thoughts on the banning of Manhunt 2.

What did you think of the Manhunt 2 ban? Do you think that the violent nature of this game in particular justified the degree of censorship (even gameplay mechanics were altered)?

I don't think that video games should be treated differently than other forms of media or entertainment. I think there is a place in this world for titles that should only be played by those over 18. Our problem is right now is that we [in America] don't have any retailers who are willing to sell those games, therefore you end up "banning" the game by giving it such a rating. However, I really don't see the appeal of the game and I really do think they are just using the shock factor to try to sell a mediocre (at best) game. I would much prefer to see somebody make something with a little more substance that still pushed the artistic boundaries of our industry.

Head over to Eurogamer to read the rest of the transcript. Keep in mind that there is no other mention of Manhunt though.

Add Comment

VG Chartz is now listing the game sales of the week ending November 10th 2007. As expected the sales of Manhunt 2 have about halved, the PS2 version is listed as the 27th best selling game of the week with the Nintendo Wii build coming in at number 29, the PSP version didn't break the top 50 all format charts.

On the single format charts the PSP version comes in as the 20th highest selling title on the platform, on the Wii it is sitting in 8th place and on the PS2 it is in at second place, losing out only to Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock. As with the week prior the PSP and Wii bundled titles come in before Manhunt 2, knocking Manhunt 2 down a notch or two.

So you are probably wondering how many units it actually sold on each platform, it breaks down as follows, PS2: 24,142, Wii: 23,168 and PSP: 3,536. This brings the cumulative sales for Manhunt 2 on all three formats over the past two weeks to 167,952 units.

Add Comment

The Washington Times is reporting that Ted Baehr (chairman of The Christian Film and Television Commission) is the latest to join the Manhunt 2 hate bandwagon, saying that the game needs bumped back up to an Adults Only rated title.

Manhunt 2 is a so-called "first-person shooter" but with an important difference, unlike other first-person shooters where you are protecting yourself, in Manhunt 2, you are seeking innocent victims. It teaches susceptible children to commit sadistic violence.

Yeah! And another thing, those so called 'driving simulators' like Super Mario Galaxy need done away with as well, they falsely lead children into believing jumping on people is ok, well it isn't folks, it isn't!

Add Comment

Nintendo World Report have reviewed Manhunt 2 on the Nintendo Wii and given it 6 out of 10. They like the games atmosphere, environments and executions but have problems with the hunters AI and graphical issues.

In order to like Manhunt 2, you have to not only enjoy the absurdly violent tone that never fades away in the game, but also put up with quite a large number of control and gameplay-related issues. Suffice it to say, it was the latter requirement that I had trouble with.

I have to say that it is a mess of a review, the scores don’t match up with the writing and the writer contradicts themselves from paragraph to paragraph. Also, 7 hours competition time seems a few hours short to me, the writer then says it is a decent length, I wouldn’t say 7 hour is a decent length for a game.

Head over to Nintendo World Report for the entire review.

PSP Fanboy have rated Manhunt 2 on the PSP a 6.5 out of 10.

In the end, your enjoyment of Manhunt 2 comes down to your love of stealth games or your love of movies like Hostel 1 & 2 which throw violence and torture at you and expect that alone to entertain you. It is not a horrible game by any means, and has solid enough core gameplay but there are way better games out there right now that you could (and should) be playing instead of this.

PS3 Blog has posted a very favourable review of the game, they don't say which version they played but we can assume it was the PlayStation 2 build. While they give no score for the game the reviewer does show a lot of admiration for it:

If you like this style of fiction, black humor, and fantasy, I give this game a 9.5. I definitely got that level of enjoyment out of this, and I’m sure others will too. If you are like most people and this just isn’t your thing, then this is a terrible game and I give it a 1 out of 10.

Cheat Code Central gave the game a 3 out of 5 which translates to 'fare'.

In the end, it all comes down to the basic fact that a work of art, created specifically for a mature audience, should not have been forced to compromise the way that this game has been. Gamers who have been waiting a long time for this game to come out, or even just gamers in general, should definitely stay far away from Manhunt 2. While it is definitely not the worst game I have ever played, it is definitely one of the biggest letdowns. With as good as the original Manhunt was, and with as much hype as was behind this title, it ultimately succeeds only in being a major disappointment. Even though it has many faults, I can't help but think the game would have at least been entertaining if it had rightfully been released in its original, unedited form. Unfortunately, we will most likely never know. As it stands, perhaps it would be best to not play Manhunt 2 until the unedited version gets released. If the unedited version never gets released, you are better off just playing the original Manhunt again and thinking about what could have been.

A.V. Club awarded the Nintendo Wii version of the game a B-.

Rockstar's usual cutting cultural commentary is absent, making Manhunt 2 feel like a more modest game than its reputation indicates.

The Boston Herald gave the game a B+ across all three platforms.

As in almost every violent game ever made, you are a good guy or an antihero. Here, the killing can feel a bit like a one-trick pony: hide in a shadow, sneak, kill, repeat. But in Rockstar Games fashion, it’s entertaining for those of us not offended by what others call crass.

GameZone have rated the Wii build 7.6 out of 10.

In the end, Manhunt 2 has a lot to offer a stealth fan. The gameplay is fairly well balanced, the sound effects are borderline perfect and the executions are gratuitously satisfying. If you enjoyed the first Manhunt, the sequel will satisfy your blood-thirst and offer some new challenges that will keep you entertained from start to finish.

Advanced Media Network have rated the game 7 out of 10 on the Nintendo Wii.

This is a game that's definitely for the hardcore stealth gamer, not the casual crowd. The violence is too edited for you to see anything clearly, so concerned parents need not obsessively worry. There are far more violent things in God of War than Manhunt 2. Still, Manhunt 2 should be rented before bought.

Gay Gamer have also stuck up a review for the game on the Nintendo Wii and have awarded the game a 3.5 out of 5.

If you liked the first one, Manhunt 2 is definitely up your alley. It still caters to its target audience, so if you like that sorta thing - go for it. The game would be a lot more entertaining for me if the censor filter was not there and the play controls were a little more standard.

You can read the review in its entirety at Gay Gamer.

Add Comment

VG Chartz is listing Manhunt 2 on the PS2 as being the 10th best selling game in America as of the week ending November 03rd with the Nintendo Wii version being the 11th, the PSP version of the game isn't listed within the top 50 overall sales.

On the PlayStation 2 the game sold 57,894 copies and was the second highest selling game on the PS2, losing out only to Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock.

The Nintendo Wii version of the game is the 4th best selling game of the week on the system selling 51,371 units, falling behind Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock, Wii Sports and Wii Play. Keep in mind the sales of Wii Sport counts for the amount of Wii consoles sold as it is a bundled game and a lot of the Wii Play sales come from people buying an extra Wii Remote. So technically it is the second best selling game on the Wii.

While the PSP version lands in the 6th place on the system trailing Star Wars Battlefront: Renegade Squadron, Castlevania Dracula X Chronicles, Daxter, Final Fantasy Tactics: The Lion War and Madden NFL 08 with 7,841 units sold. The PSP is available as bundles with Daxter and Star Wars Battlefront: Renegade Squadron so that will have had an effect on the sales of those two games also, so I’d reckon that means Manhunt 2 was the 4th best selling game on the PSP.

By my math that would mean as of November 03rd Manhunt 2 had sold 117, 106 units across all three platforms.

Admittedly all of this doesn’t mean a whole lot to me as I don’t regularly monitor sales charts but it would appear to me as though the game has had a good first week with sales toppling big hitters such as The Simpsons Game and Battalion Wars 2.

The line-up of games being released within this quarter is known to be one of the strongest in years so the fact that Manhunt 2 was able to make any sort of dent strikes me as being a success, and considering the negativity following the game I would have to say it all looks good.

What really surprises me though are those Nintendo Wii sales numbers, just ever so slightly trailing the PS2 sales. If industry know-it-alls are to be believed then it is impossible for a ‘hardcore’ game to sell on the system, it looks as though Manhunt 2 just might join the ranks along side Resident Evil 4 proving the naysayers wrong.

I imagine the numbers will drop by half for its second week of sales and as the big games keep on coming it will likely continue down that path, fingers crossed that the sales stay at a healthy number. With no European release (as of yet) the game is going to need to sell quite a bit for Manhunt 3 to get the go ahead.

Add Comment

San Mateo Daily News has spoken on Manhunt 2, they are agreeing with Leland Yee's comments about the game. You may remember that Yee was the one that wanted the Adults Only rating reinstated and for the ESRB to be investigated by the FTC. This what they had to say:

Even if you disagree with them, critics of the brutal video game "Manhunt 2" deserve credit for raising the difficult issue of where to draw the line with faux violence, a debate that many of us leave to producers and censors.

The company eventually trimmed enough to win the less-severe "mature" rating for people 17 and up, clearing it for wider sales through big box retailers like Wal-Mart.

The editing job failed to convince the United Kingdom, which banned both versions of "Manhunt 2," and Target also has pulled it from distribution. So either the British and Target have become too squeamish, or we have become too tolerant.

Yee argues the games teach young people violence as a problem-solver… if a first-person, interactive game about a vicious rampage doesn’t trigger an “adults only” rating, you have to wonder what would? If Yee gets his investigation [of the ESRB], perhaps it would shed more light on the rating board’s thinking…

Yee and other critics of violent video games deserve credit for forcing us all to confront this vexing problem.

You can view the article in full over at the San Mateo Daily News website.

Add Comment

IGN have posted their Manhunt 2 Game Guide. The good news is that it appears to be available for everyone and not just IGN Insiders, the bad news is that the guide isn’t complete as of yet, but I am sure it will be in the coming days. Insiders of course (will eventually) have access to downloading the guide as a PDF file and game play videos to accompany the guide.

There are four main sections to the guide:

- Intro
- Basics
- Walkthrough
- Tools of the Trade

The guide doesn’t offer anything to anyone who has finished the game, or knows what they are doing, but if you don’t have the game or are stuck I imagine it would be mighty useful. You can view the guide by heading over to IGN Game Guides.

Speaking of guides, the official Manhunt 2 strategy guide ended up being (roughly) 160 pages, back when I first posted about it the guide was touted at as being 240 pages, at the time I thought that was rather hefty, so what of the omitted 80 pages? The back of the guide thanks Rockstar London for carefully reviewing the guide, I imagine in this process a lot was removed, including the ‘in-depth listing of enemies’. Oh and my guess of it being £11.99 in Britain was dead on - as the back of the guide indicates. But that is supposing the guide is ever available outside of North America.

You can actually download a sample from the official Manhunt 2 strategy guide from the Brady Games website.

Add Comment

Since Target announced in a press release that it would be pulling Manhunt 2 from store shelves, local TV station WCCO based in Minneapolis have made a report on the subject. In the news report they talked to Best Buy who said the reason they are keeping the game on the shelves was because they stock several movies that are more violent than Manhunt 2. They also featured a sit down interview with Matt Helgeson who is the senior editor of Game Informer, he said that Target currently stock several movies that are every bit as gory as Manhunt 2 and that he could probably purchase 10 or more.

You can view the video on our YouTube channel.

Add Comment

Game Trailers have finally got around to sticking up their video review for Manhunt 2. For the purpose of the review they played the Nintendo Wii version of the game and gave it 6.9 out of 10. Their biggest gripe about the game seems to be about the modified camera filter (didn’t see that one coming, did you?) but from watching their review I think they played through about 80% of the game in fist fights anyway.

You can also view the video on our YouTube channel.

And before I forget again, a lot of you are wondering about the Manhunt 2 TV spots, well apparently there are none. I have asked Rockstar and as of yesterday at least there have been none released. Maybe they figure the game doesn’t need them, or maybe it is to avoid the possibility of further backlash against the title. I hope they eventually put some out; the TV spots for the original game were great, even better than the trailer in my opinion.

Add Comment

Back in May it was announced by Rockstar through the official Manhunt 2 website that FEARnet (available to Comcast cable TV subscribers) would run a bunch of Manhunt 2 footage throughout July and August. With the game getting a set back it meant that the footage didn’t air. Rockstar confirmed to me earlier this week that the footage will air on the channel this week. If anyone manages to catch the footage please drop us an email and let us know what they are showing or better yet if you are able to record the footage send that in as well.

Add Comment

Earlier in the week Target stores in America were rumored to be removing Manhunt 2 from store shelves, this was confirmed yesterday in a statement given to ABC News.

All video games and computer software sold at Target currently carry ratings by the Entertainment Software Rating Board — from early childhood through mature audiences. While 'Manhunt 2' was given a 'Mature' rating by the ESRB, we received additional information that players can potentially view previously filtered content by altering the game code. As a result, we have decided not to carry the game.

You can read the article in it's entirety by heading over to ABC News.

Add Comment

Game Daily has posted their review of Manhunt 2. For the sake of the review they played the PSP version of the game. They awarded the game a 6 out of 10 and say that graphically it looks better on the PSP due to it having a smaller screen and have praise for the games audio.

Due to its underwhelming story and repetitive gameplay, Manhunt 2 is the very definition of average. It seems to dish out violence simply for the sake of violence, as well as showcase other offensive taboos that make this game appealing to only a minority of gamers. Thanks to the censoring it received, it's unlikely to please its intended audience, who would have likely purchased it with an AO rating had Sony allowed that.

You can read the review in entirety by heading over to Game Daily.

Add Comment

GamePolitics contacted Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter to get his views on how Manhunt 2 would likely do financially with all the hoo-ha that has been kicked up about it. Pachter reckons the bad media coverage the game has had will likely hurt it rather than favour it, he says the game not being released in Europe will probably prevent it from being a ‘big moneymaker’ and that outside of the Resident Evil franchise horror games have not being a huge success.

He also said the following about Target removing the game from store shelves:

I’m surprised at Target’s reaction. The game being removed from Target’s shelves is no more violent than any other M-rated game. The typical Target customer probably doesn’t have a UMD hacker kit, and the risk of any backlash to Target is remote.

It’s impossible to tell what other stores will do, but I remember that when GTA 3 was released (around the time of the Washington, D.C. sniper), some Wal-Marts in the mid-Atlantic refused to carry the game because there was a sniper rifle as one of the weapons. That lasted till the game became a best seller (probably three weeks), and the store chain suddenly lost its “conscience”.

I don’t think individual retail chains should play censor. The ESRB is charged with rating games, and the retailers should not superimpose their judgment based upon media reports. It’s hard for me to conceive of the possibility that the decisionmaker at Target actually played the game. They should have a policy about what to carry and stick with it–either carry M-rated games or don’t, but don’t make exceptions because of media coverage.

Click here to read the entire article.

Add Comment

IGN have posted an article titled ‘Manhunt 2: After the Storm’ with a sub heading of ‘Edited versus unedited, Wii versus PS2, us versus them’. Although I don't know why as there is very little in comparison made between the various releases of the game, what is mentioned is the differences between how you perform the executions on both platforms but other than that there is very little compared between the two.

The feature is basically just the opinion of IGN's David Clayman over the whole issue surrounding Manhunt 2 and the media induced frenzy. It is pretty much a poke at the media and those that apposed Manhunt 2 including the ESRB and very much in favour of the game.

We're left with is a conclusive post-mortem finding: Manhunt 2 was never worthy of the insanity that surrounded its release. It was the scapegoat of an uninformed media and an unworthy champion to those in favor overhauling the ratings system. But not to worry, if history is any indication this controversy will simply repeat itself next year.

The article would have been a whole lot more effective a few months ago when the opinion of the gaming media would actually have mattered, instead they decided to aid in the backlash towards Rockstar with their attention squarely focused on the smaller issues of the game and their real opinion is now forced to be posted after the game has been released and hidden off in a corner of the site.

For whatever reason the article is only available to IGN Insider members, if you are an Insider then click here to view the article. If you aren't then you can rest easy knowing that you aren't missing a whole lot. You can pick up on everything mentioned by reading the news posts made here over the past few days.

Add Comment

Jurie Horneman has again updated his blog but this time he is linking to another ex Rockstar Vienna employee’s blog, Gareth White, who was apparently a programmer at the studio.

Post excerpt:

I haven’t played the released version myself, but it sounds like it’s virtually identical to the PS2 & Xbox version we finished back in summer 2006, apart from the edits needed to comply with the ESRB, obviously.

At least Wikipedia and the Austrian National broadcaster ORF [German language] give us credit, despite the blatent lies that the Rockstar PR machine spews out.

Then again, it’s a crap game, as the developers knew all along, so perhaps it’s no great loss that I’m not officially connected with it.

Sheesh, that is pretty harsh, it doesn’t come across as being bitter at all.

Add Comment

The November 02nd issue of Penny Arcades web comic takes a stab at Manhunt 2 and the media hype that has attached itself to the game. You can view the web comic here: Painstaking Market Research

Tim Swift of The Baltimore Sun has reviewed Manhunt 2, apparently he isn't much of a fan:

For better or worse, the violence is an essential part of the concept of the game, but the rest of the hot-button content of Manhunt 2 feels tacked on for shock value alone. With one of the levels set in a bondage bar, the sexual content is laughable (which was probably the intent) and the rest is just as juvenile. The general theme of Manhunt 2 seems to be: offend first, entertain second.

Head over to the The Baltimore Sun for the entire review.

Opposable Thumbs reviewer Ben Kuchera’s review of the game is for the most part good. His main problem seems to be that the subject material isn’t for him, although he accepts that Manhunt 2 is a good enough game and is in favour of it.

What bothered me was that the single choking sensation of being hunted and killing those after you in increasingly violent and creative ways felt claustophobic after only an hour or so, and while the game makes you feel like someone who has escaped from a mental institution... is that something you want to feel? I don't ask in a "I don't think you can take it" way, I'm merely saying that you had better have a stomach for horror, a resistance to blood, and a very deep love of the darker things in life to gain any kind of enjoyment out of Manhunt 2.

To read the whole review click on over to Opposable Thumbs.

411mania's have rated Manhunt 2 a 4 out of 10, with the reviewer having issues with, well, everything about the game really.

Manhunt 2 simply isn’t all that fun. The original title in the series offered a dark ambience and some severe psychological commentary, and this sequel retreads some of those paths but by now the magic is long gone. There isn’t much to feel for any of the characters involved and at no time do we feel any attachment to them. The gameplay only serves to frustrate between cut scenes and doesn’t serve to enhance or heighten the tension in any way.

The review is full of inaccuracies and contradictory remarks on behalf of reviewer Damian Sarcuni, some of which beg the question of if he played the same game as the rest of us. He gave the games sound a 5.1 out of 10, maybe nothing else needs said about his review then. Chuckle away at the review over at 411media.

Softpedia on the other hand is far more positive giving the game 7.6 out of 10. Softpedia's games editor Filip Truta lists the games horror-like movie atmosphere, soundtrack and stealth components as being great while having issues with the games visuals (on the PS2) and some control issues.

Even though looks and controls do tend to be unsatisfactory to the point that you just ask yourself, "what on Earth have they been working on for so long?", Manhunt 2 does deliver what it promised to deliver: terrifying, bloody, dirty, gritty, mentally-unstable action, with a touch of drama, provided by a very inspired soundtrack, all held together by an upsetting, yet realistic plot. We'd like to say that Manhunt 2 isn't for those weak of heart, but the reality is that Rockstar's game isn't for anyone with a heart.

The Star has also reviewed Manhunt 2. Marc Saltzman had the following to say:

If the talented developers who created Manhunt 2 put half as much effort into making the game as fun as they did shocking, it might be worth picking up. Instead, this disturbingly violent game is simply an average adventure that delivers more kills than thrills – not to mention some annoying technical glitches that also mar the experience.

He gave the game an overall score of 2 and a half out of a peculiarly chosen 4. You can read the rest of the review over at The Star.

Add Comment

Target stores are rumoured to be removing Manhunt 2 from shelves and apparently asking mangers to refuse deliveries of the game. A member over at Evil Avatar forums was informed of an internal memo, they said that Take-Two have agreed to take back all unopened stock of the game.

The listing for Manhunt 2 on the Target website currently says "This item is available online, but is not available in stores." under the listing for the psp version. The website would apparently confirm this but after seeing the Manhunt 2 Signature Series Guide is currently listed at the site as not being released yet it is hard to say that the website can actually confirm the rumour.

This could be a result of all the negative TV and press coverage that Manhunt 2 have been receiving recently, if you want to see more on that head over to our Youtube page for some the news reports featuring Manhunt 2.

Add Comment

Destructoid have reviewed Manhunt 2 on the Nintendo Wii giving the game a 2.5 but saying to forget it as the review verdict. The reviewer is less than happy with the game citing some of the issues with the game as lazy level design, the graphics, the modified execution camera and the gameplay. It does have some good points though the motion controls on the Wii get a postive review as does getting guns earlier in the game. Overall the reviewer didn't like the game which is fair enough.

You can read the full review over at Destructoid.

Add Comment

Dennis McCauley of GamePolitics fame posts a weekly column titled The Political Game over at Joystiq. This week his column focuses on Manhunt 2 and the media frenzy that the game has stirred up.

The ESRB probably thought it was done with Manhunt 2, but that's about to change. The watchdogs were demanding to know how the game escaped the dreaded AO even before the PSP hacks were revealed. Now? Batten down the hatches and get ready for a rough ride. What could have been – should have been – a big win for the rating board seems likely instead become the subject of political attack and fodder for congressional committees for a long time to come.

Check out the column in its entirety here: The Political Game: Manhunt 2, the gift that keeps on giving

San Jose Mercury-News’s Dean Takahashi has made yet another post about Manhunt 2 on his blog. Although this time it revolves around the Manhunt 2 modification investigation results released by the ESRB yesterday.

Evidently Mr. Takahashi is having problems understanding why Manhunt 2 gets a pass by the ESRB:

Here’s what doesn’t make sense to me. Vance said it was easy to modify the PC version of GTA: San Andreas to depict Hot Coffee. Here she notes that the player has to modify both the hardware and the software to view the hacked code. What’s the difference? Isn’t it easy in either case to download hacked code that removes the filters or unlocks content? There is a technical difference here, but I’m not understanding it. It seems to me that it would be just as easy to mod the Manhunt 2 game as it was to install Hot Coffee.

I think the difference is that the Hot Coffee mini game in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas was never revealed to the ESRB, whereas the executions in Manhunt 2 were. I don’t think the relevance of the modification has anything to do with it; what seems to be a bigger issue is if there is unapproved content within the game directories, be it used or not within the game as intended when burned to disk.

Head over to Dean Takahashi's blog to read the rest of his post.

Games Radar has finally got around to posting about the ESRB investigation. It is nothing that we haven’t read or known about before. If you are interested in reading everything you can about it though you can view the article here.

The IGN Nintendo team also discussed Manhunt 2 on their IGN Wii-k in Review Podcast they said that they still really recommend it and they think they gave it a good score. They say they wish the executions hadn’t been filtered but that they think there are worse things in the game than the executions such as the perverts, killing cops and faeces throwing. The reason they didn’t provide a separate Wii text review is because they agreed with the PS2/PSP reviews and decided to just do a video review for it. When they get to the readers question section of the podcast one reader asks what they would have rated Manhunt 2 had it not been edited. Matt says that Rockstar also asked them that question, Matt said he would have probably given it a straight 8 and Bozon said if he were to review the game he would have given it a 8.5.

And finally Eurogamer have posted an article titled ‘BBFC: Who are they rating for?’ The article takes a stab at trying to work out the method behind the thinking of the BBFC and the inconsistencies that it brings up.

The BBFC is reviewing its guidelines on classifications across the board over the next year. The UK government's report on mature content in games and children - The Byron Review - is due next March. As an independent body, the BBFC insists it was not swayed by political pressure or fear of a media backlash in twice refusing Manhunt 2 (the original game was linked, wrongly, to the murder of a 14 year-old in 2004). If so, and given its staunch defence of Cronenberg's latest grotesque work, exactly in whose interests was this decision taken?

Many would doubtless be utterly appalled by the knifed eyeballs of Eastern Promises and cheap slaughter of Manhunt 2. Fair enough; and these titles are easily avoided. But there's plenty that would relish such gruesome, harmless thrills - and in a free, democratic society, they should be allowed to enjoy both.

It is a pretty good article, you could (and have) read worse in the past few months. Head over to Eurogamer to read the entire article.

All of this is tiring stuff; I hope there is no news for a couple of days. That way I could actually have some free time to myself!

Add Comment

The ESRB have now released details of their Manhunt 2 investigation and it all looks positive for Take-Two and Rockstar.

Earlier this week we learned about a hack into the code of the PSP and PS2 versions of the game that removes special effects filters that were put in place to obscure certain violent depictions. We have investigated the matter and concluded that unauthorized versions of the game have been released on the Internet along with instructions on how to modify the code to remove the special effects.

Once numerous changes to the game’s code have been made and other unauthorized software programs have been downloaded to the hardware device which circumvent security controls that prevent unauthorized games from being played on that hardware, a player can view unobscured versions of certain violent acts in the game. Contrary to some reports, however, we do not believe these modifications fully restore the product to the version that originally received an AO rating, nor is this a matter of unlocking content.

Our investigation indicates that the game’s publisher disclosed to the ESRB all pertinent content in the authorized Mature-rated version of Manhunt 2 now available in stores, and complied with our guidelines on full disclosure of content.

What parents, and indeed all consumers, need to be aware of is that computer software and hardware devices are susceptible to unauthorized modification. Parents should be cognizant of whether or not their children are engaging in unauthorized modification of their games, consoles or handhelds, as those modifications can change game content in ways that may be inconsistent with the assigned ESRB rating. That being said, the vast majority of consumers have not made the unauthorized modifications to their hardware necessary to view the content at issue.

GamePolitics have posted a short text Q&A that was attached to the press release issued by the ESRB as well as an audio clip of the media Q&A from the conference.

Add Comment

Rockstar have updated the news section of the official Manhunt 2 website:

Manhunt 2 Now Available

Just in time for All Hallows Eve... the long-awaited horror experience is here. Manhunt 2 is now available for Wii™, PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system and PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system.
Click here to order online.

They have also added a bunch of screenshots to the images section of the site. They have all been around via magazines and other websites for a number of weeks now, but for those of you not keeping track it might be worth checking out. The downloads section of the site still says there are 'more to come' so it looks like there will be at least one more site update.

Add Comment

GamePolitics are reporting that the ESRB will be holding a conference call at 2:30 PM Eastern time regarding their Manhunt 2 investigation results.

The Entertainment Software Rating Board’s president, Patricia Vance, will announce the results of its investigation into recent concerns about Manhunt 2. A limited time will be available for questions following her statement.

It seems pretty pointless to me, what is there to investigate? The logistics of the situation are obvious, what a waste of peoples time and energy. I didn’t think the ESRB would give in to the demands watchdog groups so quickly.

Add Comment

Parents Television Council or the PTC have also commented on Manhunt 2 also asking for the ESRB to reinstate the Adults Only rating, at least until the ESRB can investigate the press release Take-Two made yesterday. They want not just Manhunt 2 to be put on hold but everything from Rockstar and Take-Two to be put on hold a step too far. They have also throw in a threat of government involvement if the ESRB don't do as they have asked. Can you believe these people? Here is some of the statement released:

When Rockstar published Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas with ‘hidden adult content, the ESRB rightfully instituted an ‘Adults Only’ rating when that adult content was disclosed. The ESRB also said that ‘If a publisher wishes to ‘edit out’ pertinent content from a final product, it must remove the content from the disc altogether

Immediately reinstate the ‘Adults Only’ rating for this game. This action is consistent with ESRB precedent as demonstrated in the Grand Theft Auto controversy surrounding the ‘hot coffee’ content.

Immediately suspend all ESRB review or consideration of any other software published by Rockstar or Take-Two Interactive. Given the clear pattern of contempt by Rockstar and Take-Two, these firms have breached the trust of the entire video game rating system. In fact, to quote your words from the Grand Theft Auto matter, Rockstar has ‘seriously undermined…the credibility and utility’ of the ratings system.

Immediately disclose the content that was allegedly removed by Rockstar from Manhunt 2 so that parents can have a clear understanding of exactly what remains on those games which potentially can be accessed by their children.

Government involvement in this matter is the remedy of absolute last resort. But unless the industry as a whole, including the ESRB, steps up to the plate immediately and decisively, there is little doubt the video game ratings system will face the specter of government oversight. Either the video game industry will step up and do the right thing, or else it will defy the public interest in order to preserve its own economic interest. I urge the ESRB to defend the public interest.

Head over to Parents Tv for the entire press release.

Add Comment

Plenty of people have started commenting on the statement that Take-Two made on the Illegal Modifications being made to Manhunt 2. Leland Yee has released a press statement in which he asks for the the adults only rating to be reinstated and for the Federal Trade Commission to investigate both Rockstar and the ESRB. Here is the statement from Yee taken from the press release posted on govoffice.com:

Rating Board Again Fails Parents on Latest Violent Video Game

Not only should the AO (Adults Only) rating immediately be reinstated on Manhunt 2, the Federal Trade Commission should investigate Rockstar and the ESRB to determine how this was allowed to happen again.

Time and time again, the ESRB rating process fails parents. It is unconscionable that the rating board would downgrade Manhunt 2’s rating from AO to M and therefore make the game available to children. The ESRB and Rockstar continuously put profits before children.

Parents deserve to know what, if any, content was truly removed to receive the downgraded rating. ESRB has refused to publicly disclose whether or not Rockstar divulged that such adult content could still be accessible. As if we needed more evidence, this episode further puts into question the validity of the entire rating system.

The Manhunt 2 scandal further demonstrates the need for [California’s contested video game] law. I am hopeful that the courts will see that severe penalties are necessary for those who sell horrifically violent games to minors.

Head over to Gov Office for the entire press release.

Add Comment

GamePolitics have posted a statement released by Take-Two regarding the illegal modifications being made to Manhunt 2:

Multiple edits were made to revise Manhunt 2 for its M-rated version.

Hackers apparently have altered one of those edits to produce an illegally modified version of the game that can only be played on an unauthorized, modified PlayStation Portable handheld system.

All of the game material, and especially these specific edits, was submitted to and reviewed by the ESRB in accordance with requirements regarding disclosure that were enacted two years ago and any contrary suggestion is inaccurate and irresponsible.

Take-Two Chairman Strauss Zelnick said, “I stand behind the game and the ESRB ratings process. It is unfortunately the case that no one in the entertainment software industry is immune from hacking. We hope that consumers will not engage in hacking or download illegally modified copies of our games. We encourage them to enjoy our games as they are meant to be played. We would also like to emphasize that Manhunt 2 is intended for an audience aged 17 and above.”

Head over to GamePolitics for the entire article. I am sure it will surprise no one to know that Jack Thompson is the first person to have replied to the post by GamePolitics. It is just his usual rambles, how the game is now going to be recalled and how this is ‘MUCH worse’ than the Hot Coffee issue.

Add Comment

Those of you who have been around for long enough will undoubtedly remember when we first broke word of Rockstar Vienna working on Manhunt 2, back when Manhunt 2 was nothing but a wish list on the pages of our forums. When the studio was closed there was a bit of worry, for one the game hadn’t been announced by Rockstar and even to this day it has never been confirmed that Rockstar Vienna were working on the game (although they were). But the question some had after the closing of the studio and official announcement of the game was, were members of the studio still working on the game (at another studio) and would they even be credited with working on the game.

Yesterday Jurie Horneman (a one time Rockstar Vienna developer) shot me an email with a link to a page he has posted on his website that lists some 55 former members of the studio that go without being credited as working on the game. You can view the list of former developers here.

I am not even going to try and guess why they aren’t credited, I am sure there is a reason for it. Thanks goes out to Mr. Horneman for finally confirming that he worked on the game and for sending me this list.

Add Comment

Another day means another load of Manhunt 2 coverage, so let’s get on with it.

Mike Antonucci of the San Jose Mercury-News has posted an article titled: What parents should really do about “Manhunt 2?: Make their own decision. You can probably guess what the article is about by reading the title alone.

Knoxville, Tennessee’s WATE-6 News have an article up by the title of Is new 'Manhunt 2' video game too violent? It is pretty much the same article that you have been reading, watching, hearing and discussing about for several months now. Oh and the answer is no.

If you head over to CBS News Video you can watch a clip of Dr. Phil discussing Manhunt 2 on The Early Show.

And finally Game Informer is reporting that mental illness group ‘The National Alliance on Mental Illness’ is up in arms about Manhunt 2 and asking that the game be further modified and that no one purchase the game.

Add Comment

USA Today have reviewed Manhunt 2 and given it 6 out of 10. It is a fairly negative review as a whole and you need not look further than the opening paragraph to get the gist of it all:

If the talented developers who created Manhunt 2 put half as much effort into making the game fun as they did shocking, it might be worth picking up. But this is not the case as this disturbing violent game is simply an average adventure that delivers more kills than thrills — not to mention some annoying technical glitches that can also mar the experience.

You can read the review it its entirety over at USA Today.

Add Comment

I am just posting to acknowledge that we are aware of the modifications that people have been making to the retail version of Manhunt 2 and that Rockstar has already been informed of it happening.

Please don’t encourage it, I am sure a repeat of the Hot Coffee issue is the last thing Rockstar needs thrown their way at this moment in time.

Add Comment

Albuquerque Tribune and GamePro have posted reviews for Manhunt 2 on Nintendo Wii both are largely positive overall but GamePro do seem to have issues with the controls on the Wii probably something you will need to get used too because they found it to be confusing at first. They say that the executions are actually what saved the game, surprising with all of the negative talk about the filters by everyone else, they had this to say about the controls and the executions:

The controls are passable but ultimately, they feel clunky and stiff, and that's just for mundane tasks like walking down hallways. When I finally got to the much-discussed killing sequences, I often found myself confused by the motion sensing controls and unable to pull off the necessary moves.

Ironically, the one thing that saves the game are the many different executions. Creep up close enough to an enemy and you can activate a gruesome mutilation that requires you to swing the Wii Remote and Nunchuks around. As I mentioned above, the controls do get a little confusing but it does provide a nice visceral edge that most games can't even begin to touch.

GamePro's review broke down like this:

PROS: Motion-sensing assassinations are interesting. Game's atmosphere is good.
CONS: Clunky controls, mediocre graphics, and repetitive gameplay.

GRAPHICS: 3.50
SOUND: 4.00
CONTROL: 3.50
OVERALL: 3.25

Albuquerque Tribune had this to say on the game:

The fights are soooo funny - and using the remote and nunchuk in brawls rocks. For tougher enemies, you can get a miniworkout whipping the devil out of them. You can use your fists, knives, gas, plastic bags (a cool carryover) and crowbars early - and progress to pistols, guns and sniper rifles. As far as the hand weapons, you swing the remote, if it's in your right hand, and rock your enemies world. You will let out a devil giggle watching a crowbar splatter your enemy's blood all over the place. And amazingly, some of these guys can take a beating! After you finish and they're on the ground, you can move the remote down quickly and whip them while they are on the floor.

You can also use the remote and nunchuk to thrust your knife/blade/sharp edged object forward and even use the controllers to *shake* a person. The control scheme is one of the coolest uses of the Wii remote since Wii Sports.

Included in the breakdown of the review are reasons to care about the game and what they thought were the good, the bad and the ugly points. They gave the game an 8 out of 10 overall which is in line with what we were seeing back when the game was first reviewed without the filters, surprising when it isn't factored into the score how it can change. Here is what they said:

Why should I care: The sequel to Rockstar's "Manhunt" offers somewhat toned down killing, but still enough action and twists to keep gamers satisfied.

The good: It's a R* game ... excellent use of the Wii remote and nunchuk, fresh plot but still have some pretty good features from the original, stealth kills and several weapons to make killing a work of art.

The bad: Hiding bodies - hiding in the shadows - hiding - Sam Fisher meets "Grand Theft Auto" - oh, how I love to shoot out lights - sometimes, it's so watered down it could be rated T - just kidding.

The ugly: The first 5 minutes of the game. Trust me - you'll see some interesting characters as you search for a way out of the hospital.

Overall: 8 (out of 10): R*'s newest offering isn't perfect, and doing the Sam Fisher, shooting lights, loving the shadows and hiding bodies is about as enjoyable as a video game character eating food or working out ... opps! But it's still a blast, toned down and all.

You can read the full reviews over at GamePro and Albuquerque Tribune.

Add Comment