After initially barring the original version of Manhunt 2 from receiving a rating (effectively banning the game in the UK), the BBFC has decided that the revised edition of the game, recently given an M rating by North America’s ESRB and set for release on October 31st, has not undergone sufficient changes to qualify for a rating. BBFC director David Cooke explains:
“We recognise that the distributor has made changes to the game, but we do not consider that these go far enough to address our concerns about the original version. The 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.
“We did make suggestions for further changes to the game, but the distributor has chosen not to make them, and as a result we have rejected the game on both platforms. The decision on whether or not an appeal goes ahead lies with the distributor.”
The initial version of the game was effectively banned from release in the UK in June, and has since gone under revision. With the BBFC commenting that Rockstar did not make the recommended changes, the game will continue to be delayed until it can be adjusted and receive an appropriate rating. The game had not been tentatively scheduled for any specific release date after its June rejection.
