Manhunt 2 is banned in the UK

this sucks for the UK people.

Big, big news.

Sorry UKers

Censor, don’t censor. I really don’t care. I don’t care for overly violent games anyways.

Now I have to chip the Wii so I can import the game from the US. No way am I playing the German version, they usually censor inside of the game, e.g. in GTA:SA you don’t get money for killing civilians.
And it will be in German, and I like my games in English.
Fuck.

I know in Germany there are games that are not allowed to be displayed, but can still be bought? Is this that kind of ban or the not sold at all ban? Is there any way to get an English PAL version? Australia?

I don’t want to start a flame war, but you are glad there is no censorship in the US? Are you sure you live in the US?

Of course I’m glad there is no censorship in the US. Censorship of any kind means the government is making choices for me… choices I should be able to make on my own. I am an adult. If I don’t want to play the game because its too violent, I should be allowed to make that decision for myself, not the government telling me I can’t play it.

Another thing, read what MJ is saying above. He’s already planning on ways of getting the game being censored and hes obviously annoyed that Germany has taken so many measures to implement censorship. Is it right that adults be told what they can and can’t play, watch, listen to or say what ever they wish so long as it doesn’t infringe on another person’s rights?

Doesn’t Europe use a “number” code on their products? For movies and games, they have something like (12) on the box cover indicating it’s rated for a particular audience. When a child purchases Manhunt 2, their parent or guardian should be asked for signature or authorization of some sort. What kind of act is that to ban a violent video game that is virtual, while movies are more real.

// Roth

Sorry MJ but if the UK dont even get it theres no way in hell Australia’s getting it. Our highest rating for games is only MA15+. Don’t know bout New Zealand tho…

Once again, Big Brother goes out of its way to f*** me and everyone i know. I dont even want this game but i do want the freedom to be able to buy it. Why should anyone tell me what i can and cant play or see?

I really hate to chime in and start a huge debate about video games but I feel that these types of games straddle the line of reality. Let me start by saying that I am all about everyone of age being able to have access to this game and that censorship for the most part is wrong. Of course as an American I uphold these ideals as a freedom and am saddened to hear that other countries feel they must police their people in this way. This is not to say that someone should be policed. I strongly stand by the games rating system and shake my head when I read or so parents or vendors ignoring its purpose. I feel that this game should be reserved to adults deserving of an M rating but more certainly an X rating. The problem with this of course is that the makers of Manhunt won’t be able to market this to the masses but of course they know this.

My main gripe is to those who would believe that these games will have zero affect on young, impressionable, or even fragile minds. Have any of you people taken a psychology course? That statement is insane. This is why we rate games so they don’t get in the hands of those that won’t interpret them in the right context. Secondly, I feel that the goal of video games is to create a more and more life like experience. Its pretty much what most hardcore gamers picking these games up are rallying for. So you would believe that because its not cast with real people that its detached from reality. In a movie we watch actors doing things that we would likely never do but in video games we are allowed to simulate these experiences. Why do you think Simulators exist? Pilots use them to train how to fly and the military use them to pass basic rifle training. Why? Because its the closest thing to the real thing. I believe programmers should keep this in mind when making these games, that they’re products have the potential to simulate whatever reality the gamer would like to experience and realize the power in that. As an advocate against censorship I would not necessarily ban what they make or what they deem comfortable in their moral minds but encourage retailers and parents to police their children and uphold the codes that governing have established. If this is done there would be no reason for banning products of this nature. Maybe the UK doesn’t hold as much faith in this system as we do.

The reason people belive that video games are worse than movies is because you controll the chacter in the game. i did a project on it this is what one CraZy lady said ” if they could kill someone in a game they could kill someone in real life. BULLSHIT
oh and MJ i will send you a copy of MAN HUNT 2

The reason people belive that video games are worse than movies is because you controll the chacter in the game. i did a project on it this is what one CraZy lady said ” if they could kill someone in a game they could kill someone in real life. BULLSHIT
oh and MJ i will send you a copy of MAN HUNT 2

So is this banned in Ireland aswell? I guess so…

This is terrible news for UK owners, but great news for the rest. Maybe Wii’ll be recognized as non-kiddy console!

Wait, just realised, maybe that means it’s banned in AUS too

This is terrible news for UK owners, but great news for the rest. Maybe Wii’ll be recognized as non-kiddy console!

Wait, just realised, maybe that means it’s banned in AUS too

I think this is good news and bad news.

It’s bad because many people were going to get a Wii for Manhunt 2 and now they won’t be able to enjoy the Wii because they may not get one.

It’s good because it stops all those idiotic parents from buying this game for the 8-year olds.

I have to agree with Karn. All US citizens, who posted above and think they live in the land of the free and that there is no censorship in the US, think again.

Censorship in the US is absolutely present. The only reason you don’t notice it in this context is, because US censorship targets sexual content rather than violent content.

E.g. in European free TV you see tits and everything else, you can watch the Osbournes without hearing a single *BEEP* and so on.

Sims, you are right about that. In the US the public airwaves are much more censored than in most other parts of the world but, atleast if we want to go out and buy the uncensored dvds we can see that then. In the UK, you guys won’t be able to legally get a hold of Manhunt 2 AT ALL!!!!

the UK give things an ELSPA rating on games and in cases its covered by the full censorship ratings. games like GTA get an 18 rating and ive seen games with a 15 rating also. ELSPA ratings are recommended but anyone can still buy the game. full ratings are enforcable on the other hand.

i agree that we should be allowed to play what we want but the media put it out of proportion all the time and once its in the press the censorship people have to take a stand.

looks like im going to get my Wii chipped after all and get this game imported or atleast hope that Australia get it but i doubt that.

i have to say that censorship in the UK in general is pretty lax, there is full swearing and nudity on the tv after 9pm and all films are given a mandatory rating.

one last thing, i blame parents who buy these games for the underaged kids, games have a rating for a reason.

and anyone who cant distinguish the difference between a game and reality should not be allowed to walk free.

well i think it will get a ban in germany
so i mod my wii – and it works well

my friend buyed a modded wii for 300€ and has nearly all released games

It´s true that games don´t “happen” in the place we usually call “reality”. But it´s still us, real human beings, who are playing these games. And we are part of the thing we call reality, as opposition to the “ficticious world”. So we are the ones who form the link between reality and fiction. Even more: we create that fiction, than we immerse ourselves in it.
That being said, let´s try this from a more self-reflective standpoint:

Why do you like violence?
Why do you like to play violent games?
Why do people jump up joyously everytime a publisher announces “the goriest game ever”?
Why would you rather simulate violence actively yourself than just watching violence in a movie?
Why do you think a violent game is more fun than a non-violent game? (You haven´t even tried Manhunt 2, it might suck, from a pure quality standpoint)

Let’s just say it this way:

banning a game doesn’t make much sense, since many kids can just order what they want online and let it be a dildo!
If a kid orders a game like that then it’s the fault of the parents, because they are not doing a great job of taking care of their young one!
Shanoboy is right, read what he wrote!
Don’t you also think it’s wrong that the government makes a decision for you and doesn’T let you decide on your own? I mean we’re adults and we should be able to make all the decisions for ourselves (not things like murder ofcourse).
If I want a brutal game I buy it, if I want a dildo I buy it, if I want a new hat I buy it, whatever you want you can usually buy, but imagine going into a store wanting to buy a dildo and the government comes up to your face and says, sorry we think these are inapropriate now, so you can have it!
It’s not their decision, it’s our own!
Oh yeah, Will you really aren’t the brightest saying games are for a real life experience, don’t bullshit me buddy. I can tell you one thing, games can make people calm down and relax, seriously!
Also simulators are different to games, they are much much closer to reality and a game like manhunt is not realistic in my eyes! Also games like postal are very far off from reality, do you still think it’s a simulator?
I don’t think most gamers or hardcore gamers, or pros play games to have a real life experience, that’s crap!
And to all americans, censorship is writen fucking huge over there! I don’t see no tits on TV or hear a single fuck! You guysare so used to it, that you don’t even notice it anymore.
Another thing, if parents let their kids play these games, it’s their own decision and if the kid is all fucked up in the head afterwards, than you know why!
But let’s face it, some age restrictions on games are over the top!
I think swearing shouldn’t result in a very high age restriction, kids hear it all over, in school and in the neighbourhood! You can’t get rid of it!

Okay Shitan you really are shit and everyone else is the shit!
Listen up and listen good!
Violence isn’t very joyfull in reality, but in a game it is, simply because it calms people (normal people not mentally sick people) down and makes them feel strong.
I’d rather have a guy kill 200 people in a game then to fucking slay his whole neighbourhood, wouldn’t you?
If you hate your boss and your this —- close to actually smacking him in the face, but you don’t because you calm yourself down while playing, then who gives a shit?
People that kill someone because of a game are mentally sick! through a game that someone plays, you can’t say if he’s a killer, just because he likes cutting the guys head off over and over again, it’s more than a game, it’S his mentality and his environment, his family and friends, his school everything! You can’t define who is going to be a killer just because he loves manhunt or Counterstrike or stuff like that! You have to take so many more things into consideration!

@Yasumy

I´m not sure if your post was meant as a response to mine. I just want to make clear that for now I´m just asking questions which really interest me and for which I don´t have an answer. That´s why I asked them and would love it if someone tried to answer them. It´s not about judging, it´s about understanding these phenomena more profoundly.

While you keep thinking here´s another one:

If there´s no limit censorship is allowed to set: what about a game where you got rewarded for the main goal of raping and eating children? If someone programmed it and was trying to get it released, would that have to be released as well, without any form of censorship? In order to keep your freedom of choice intact? Where´s the limit? Is there any limit?

For Shitan,
ofcourse their are certain things that might go to far, like you said, eating children and raping them, but have you ever seen a game in which this happens? NO!
And I highly doubt that this will happen, since our society, for obvious reasons, doesn’t accept anything like that, since that is going a step to far.
I haven’t heard of a game which involves children anyways, that’s a special case, since children obviously always touch the feelings and for a parent to hear those kind of things… fuck, that musst be pretty bad…
but let’s face it, we don’t have games “that” sich yet.
We have manhunt 2, but you don’t rape children, or anyone else! do you!?
Ofcourse you can’t always say: “hey that’s against my free choice” and shit like that,
but let’S face it, should the law decide what is to be banned? I certainly thing they do a start, which is important, but the citizons should also be involved.
I mean our society isn’t that sick, that most people would say ok, let’s have that “cool” game were we get to eat the damn children. I mean, yeah that goes too far.
Or is their anyone here that would say, hey I’d like to play that?
Ofcourse not and if so, they wouldn’t admit it, because they’re sick and they don’t belong into our society!
So Shitan, there are limits, but not everyone is aware of them. I was just talking about games like this, this is ofcourse nothing compared to your example, which by the way goes a little too far, but you never know, right?
Games do keep getting worse… let’s see what the future carries for us…

I answered all your other questions in my statements (above) exept the last one.
I enjoy both, actually maybe even equally to me, it always depends, I don’t just like pure violence, but that ofcourse can be fun too. But I also played Barbie once…
*embarresed* LOL!
No seriously, I play both types of games and I like both!
Let’s say I play Manhunt, but also Katamari!
Huge difference, but I like both, maybe it also makes us men feel “manly”??? I’m not quite sure, exept that it calms me down and settles my anger! Plus it makes you feel strong and let’s be honest, sometimes we all want to feel strong and you can get that feeling throughout these kind of games, which is ofcourse nice.

I’m annoyed by the German censorship, but I can understand it. Third Reich anyone? The German Government is so careful when it comes to anything that could be remotely related to the right wing Nazis that it goes over the top. That doesn’t hinder it at all, probably wouldn’t support it either. ere’s an example I like to use a lot: Return To Castle Wolfenstein. Not one single swastika is in the game, it’s replaced by I believe the RTCW logo. Why you may ask, well the symbol is illegal in Germany because of its past, except if in context of art, like movies. Now in this game you kill the evil Nazis, can you even be on their side? No, so why would a Nazi want this game at all? Will this encourage people to become one, surely not?

Why do you like violence?
- I never said I like violence, I just enjoy good games and the first Manhunt was a great game.
Why do you like to play violent games?
- Let’s see, I played Postal because it was hilariously over the top. Manhunt involved so much strategy. Gears of War is a fun shooter. Dead Rising is only Zombies, they’re dead anyways. GRAW violent? Sometimes for the greater ood you need to commit evil acts, just ask Zelda killing all these mystical creatures.
Why do people jump up joyously everytime a publisher announces “the goriest game ever�?
- I think just to see it more than anything, I know I don’t enjoy it as much as I used to. I often find it more funny than scary since it’s usually over the top.
Why would you rather simulate violence actively yourself than just watching violence in a movie?
- When I watch a movie it is far more real to me, these special effects are done on real people and they look amazing. If I get freaked out and “feel the pain” my legs cramp and hurt. I have never gotten this from a game, you can see it isn’t what they want you to think.
Why do you think a violent game is more fun than a non-violent game? (You haven´t even tried Manhunt 2, it might suck, from a pure quality standpoint)
- I don’t, but at the end of the day, most games contain some kind of violence. Mario does, so does Zelda and they are labelled as “kids” games or at least youths. Manhunt 2 might suck, but I’d like to find out myself. The review I saw scored it high as well, so who knows, maybe I’d hate it?
Shitan, at the end of the day censorship is based loosely on morals. I think many would agree that promoting an activity like eating children isn’t right as well as rape. I say looseley, because if it went strictly by morals we’d only be able to play games along the lines of the Sims and honestly that game isn’t great, probably sport simulators, too. I can do that myself. Games are that little escape from reality that I have, I quiet zone that let’s me forget what may be on my mind, relax. It can release frustration, but doesn’t have to. It can be anythign for everyone. I know people who read books, or do sports, or ank or who knows what else, this is what I do and I have fun doing it. Cures headaches too (assuming they ain’t because I’m ill). Why else would Microsoft put consoles in its offices?

No doubt some level of censorship or control in general is required. What else is the law for?

Obviously the uninformed parents are a huge leak, but I know game stores are as well. Some will do anything for an extra 10 pounds pocket change. I’ve seen it happen, but then again I know my brother couldn’t buy a game for me that was 18+ (I think it was F.E.A.R.) and he’s almost there.
It’s easy to blame the parents, but I think it should also be noted that the information about these things isn’t wide spread enough. Every game should be packaged with a leaflet for the parents. Hand them out, send them around, for free obviously. Knowledge reigns supreme.
Parents can buy 18+ games and salesman may just “fail” to mention that it may not be suitable for their child.

I believe 18+ games should just get their own section. Like porn does in those movie rentals you see in films. Never actually seen that in real life.

P.S.: Of course games influence children, that’s what the rating system is for, but does it influence the sane?

God that was a huge post… Sorry about that.

Some years ago no one would have thought that there would be games where you could rip another guy´s testicles out. Killing, not only for the sake of surviving, but in a sadistical way. Where you can actually choose how cruel the victims death will be. And not only with a normal controller in your hands, but somehow simulating the motions. It´s not so much a survival game, it seems more like a celebration of sadism.

If people need to push their boundaries more and more after each gory game I really don´t know where the limit will be. There never might be games where children are treated with violence. But since in the US – as has already been pointed out by some prior postings – it´s all about censoring sex and not so much limiting the depiction of violence (in Europe it´s the other way around) and since most of these games are made in America we might never see rape games. We don´t know, the future will tell. But at least one can stay sceptical about it. In todays pop-culture there doesn´t seem to be any real limit for anything, it´s always about pushing things further and further, so people can get a thrill out of it and buy it.

Thank you for your extensive answer. Anyone else?

Also note that the military uses simulators for shooting the first time around, because of the danger of giving newbies live ammo.
I did a little time in the army, and some people were really bad the first few shots… like, kill another person by accident bad.

Shitan,

ofcourse you’re right if you say that games keep getting more violent, but as MJ said their is not only a restriction by law but always a very big restriction through morals ( That’s what I ment), which is good!
We’ll see what the future brings!

Remember the old days?
Watchings bugs bunny or the road runner?
All that loony tunes stuff, as the name says
totally loony!
If you think about it, they’re brutal as hell,
but all put into a cute cartoon style and without
the touch of blood for closeness to reality.
It’s still brutal, but why not let your children watch it?
What would you let your children whatch Shitan?

Normally I don’t judge bloggers and in fact I don’t say what they like is right or wrong. If you’re an adult, live the life you like but expect to face the consequences of your action. Yasumy, I’ve never met you or intended to offend you. For future reference don’t attack me like I’m a child, address me as an adult without the name calling. If you can’t use some of your medicine and play some violent games before posting.

As for my statements, like I said they are hardly judgements but rather considerations. Personally I am fully knowledgable of the censorship in this country and for the most part I can say that its America’s cultural choice to regulate the media in this manner. I think there is still far to much violence directed at younger audiences and many parents don’t address this. This of course is sad but I wouldn’t feel confortable with rallying for the types of media found in other coutries whether or not they appear at a later time slot. This is why adults who should have all the right in the world to access these things can. If I want to watch an unedited movie or listen to a explicit cd I can do so, so where is the argument? Most censorship is to protect those I mentioned above (the young, impressionable, ect.)otherwise, I don’t support it. And when I refered to games as simulations of reality I will clarify. Sure games like Mario or Sonic are meant as escapes from reality (relaxation or what have you) but in my humblelest of opinions games such as microsoft flight sim, ect. are often used as training tools because the makers are striving to simulate reality (hence the word simulator). You can’t deny that a fragile mind can mistake games that straddle this line will take the messages seriously. As for Manhunt 2 and the like I believe the makers are providing an outlet for gamers to try things they would suffer major penalty for doing in real life. Why make the gore more and more realistic if this wasn’t the goal. I do believe this medium has the potential at times of being more real than movies particularly to those of young or fragile minds. Now if you fall into one of those category’s I would love to continue this debate with you but otherwise like I also said, do what you like.

As for Shitan’s questions I think they are very valid. If they upset you maybe there is something more going on here. Otherwise just laugh them off. I would like to add that if murder is ok in simulation then why not rape or cannibalism? Where do you draw the line. I believe that it should be a personal decision. Many people wouldn’t agree with you on the whole rape and eating children aren’t exceptable but murder is statement btw. Personally I am not excited about games like Manhunt because I don’t see the point or the artist value of the idea. This is why I own and love Nintendo products because their ideas are in line with my own. Sure some people will want these games on the system and Nintendo deems them appropriate for their consumers. I applaud them for letting the consumer decide what is right for them. I hope to see more variety this console cycle.

Ok Will,

I’m back, sorry, was busy playing manhunt…
Where were we… ahh yes.
Ofcourse these games shouldn’t be played by children or adults with fragile minds. I think most people would agree with Will, just like I do.
I do have a question though would you say, that people which play these games are weak minded? Or crazy etc.?
A few people do think so, but I can’t find any understanding for this opinion.
And yes, there are games which actually are there to simulate certain things, that you might do in real life, but I higly doubt that this would be killing anyone or raping them etc.!
Or do you think otherwise?

Looks like Nintendo and Sony have banned the game from their systems! Wow.

We should probably move this to the forums. I’ll address those questions now though.

No, I don’t think people are sick or mentally ill for wanting to play these games. If anything though, I might wonder why they need games of this fashion and why other games don’t offer this relaxation they speak of (I thought that was the point of most entertainment). I guess I want a meatier answer to that.

I think your second question should be addressed on a person to person basis though. Kids can misconstrude basically the simplest of ideas as reality, we all know it. The same could be said of mentally ill or even addicts. For the average healthy mind (whatever that would be) the line can be drawn between the fantasy of Mario and the Simulation of a flight game. From my personal experience though I think the perfect conditions can cause a perfectly sane man to lose their mind. Its the whole garbage in theory. I can eat 10 Big Mac’s everyday, sleep with prostitutes when I get off from work, or take my anger out on my wife or dog but the point is do I want to and how is it improving my life. Are SOME games with killing used to simulate reality? I would say so, whether intended or not. Take for instance America’s Army released by the US Military. It was your standard CounterStrike game but it was used to recruit people into joining the Military, a real life institution. The game is similar to a lot of games that we’ve all played but the motives were different. Consider the type of people who join the military as well. They are often high school graduates and students. I would consider this exploitation to some extent considering the age target wouldn’t you? Not to say that it is any more evil than its predeccessors but it did introduce the potential recruit to more than killing the enemy but also team based operations and certification to a number of real jobs in the Army. I think you even got points in the game toward actual real life promotion. Of course this is very abstract but the creators intent is sometimes very important to what players experiences.

Too much of anything can be harmful, alcohol to vitamins. This is more about gratuitous violence as opposed to general violence in video games. Also what is being gained or learned by playing them. I don’t care for movies like Saw or Hostel but I love the “Dead” series and many other horror films. Believe it or not there is something to be learned from watching Dawn of the Dead as the original author intended and it wasn’t all about shocking people into and out of the theatres (though there’s nothing wrong with pure entertainment either). This too comes down to intent in my opinion. I personally don’t get anything out of playing or watching this type of gratuitous content. To me it is very superficial but to others its the next best thing. Everyone is free to their opinion. Our choices are sacred to us so of course we should fight for them.

@Yasumy

Nice example.

I would let them watch the Looney Toones

Somehow, violence seems to be a basic part of human nature. Since the thinking man of modern times has tried to overcome this attribute in a cerebral way, through morals, laws etc. he somehow feels detatched from this inner characteristic which still remains inside of him. He can try to sublimate these traits of his personality, but the fascination for the archaicly remains. I love how this is pointed out in the film Apocalypse Now: the heart of darkness, it´s inside of us and somehow we have to manage living with it. I myself have a fascination for violence to some extent. Not so much in videogames anymore, I stopped playing gory games at about 17, it just didn´t give me enough satisfaction anymore. Violence happening in your head instead of just on the screen is way more fascinating. Asian movies, like Oldboy, or french movies, like Irreversible, are perfect examples. The violence here is graphical too, but the worst part happens in your head; they grab you by the balls and won´t allow you to escape their crude fascination.

Videogames should be fun, nothing more, nothing less. For me, fun isn´t equl to gore, but I´ve been following the video game market for years now and I´m sure no one can deny, that especially in the last 5 years there has been an incredible increase in the purely violence oriented games (sure, with elements of strategy and fear etc. added). Most of them are made and sold in the US. The same thing seems to be happening with movies, It´s amazing how many horror movies (like the mentioned Saw or Hostel) have been released these past years.
All this is an interesting phenomenon, some might detest it, but for me it´s primarily fascinating.
As humans we should always try to see things like they are first, take them as an existing part of reality. When we´ve tried to understand them and feel confident about this understanding, then we can judge.

My personal opinion (censorship aside): I don´t need games like Manhunt 2, but if others do, they always should be conscious about their fascination for these kind of games. Because everything we like, everything we do, in some way or another are part of us. I like books, so this book-liking is me; I like my friends, so this liking-my-friends is me; I love my girlfriend, this loving-my-girlfriend is me; I like violence, this liking-violence is me. It´s with us where all of these characteristics find their place in unity.

@Yasumy

Nice example.

I would let them watch the Looney Toones

Somehow, violence seems to be a basic part of human nature. Since the thinking man of modern times has tried to overcome this attribute in a cerebral way, through morals, laws etc. he somehow feels detatched from this inner characteristic which still remains inside of him. He can try to sublimate these traits of his personality, but the fascination for the archaicly remains. I love how this is pointed out in the film Apocalypse Now: the heart of darkness, it´s inside of us and somehow we have to manage living with it. I myself have a fascination for violence to some extent. Not so much in videogames anymore, I stopped playing gory games at about 17, it just didn´t give me enough satisfaction anymore. Violence happening in your head instead of just on the screen is way more fascinating. Asian movies, like Oldboy, or french movies, like Irreversible, are perfect examples. The violence here is graphical too, but the worst part happens in your head; they grab you by the balls and won´t allow you to escape their crude fascination.

Videogames should be fun, nothing more, nothing less. For me, fun isn´t equl to gore, but I´ve been following the video game market for years now and I´m sure no one can deny, that especially in the last 5 years there has been an incredible increase in the purely violence oriented games (sure, with elements of strategy and fear etc. added). Most of them are made and sold in the US. The same thing seems to be happening with movies, It´s amazing how many horror movies (like the mentioned Saw or Hostel) have been released these past years.
All this is an interesting phenomenon, some might detest it, but for me it´s primarily fascinating.
As humans we should always try to see things like they are first, take them as an existing part of reality. When we´ve tried to understand them and feel confident about this understanding, then we can judge.

My personal opinion (censorship aside): I don´t need games like Manhunt 2, but if others do, they always should be conscious about their fascination for these kind of games. Because everything we like, everything we do, in some way or another are part of us. I like books, so this book-liking is me; I like my friends, so this liking-my-friends is me; I love my girlfriend, this loving-my-girlfriend is me; I like violence, this liking-violence is me. It´s with us where all of these characteristics find their place in unity.

@MJ

That´s easy. How about a story, where a psychopath forced you to rape and eat children, because if you didn´t he´d rape and eat your parents, your grandparents, your children, your pets, your friends, your girlfriend, your wife, your ex-girlfriends and the good members of your favourite Rock-Band.

I don’t think that would be a convincing storyline for a game though. You wouldn’t even work out to be an anti-hero like you are in Manhunt.

Sorry Shitan,

that wasn’t the best example for that kind of a storyline, I higly doubt that anyone would want to play it.
Anyways, in Philosophie there is a discussion about the way humans are from birth, if they are “bad” or “good”.
There was one very good point brought up in this saying that people were always a little bit aggressive, it’S natural, so they had to find a way not to kill all the people surounding them, a way to calm down and relax, to just release all your aggression. For this and other natural things, which we need to satisfy, sports were invented. Sports can calm your aggressions or just relax you, because it’s fun to get a strike and feel a moment of strength and acomplishment.
We can also put gaming in this aspect, to me there is still a difference between gaming and reall life sports ofcourse. Many people see it as a sport and play it for the same reason, because it’s fun since it satisfies our natural needs.

@yasumi

You´re german?

Oh that’s real easy MJ I can come up with two games that will likely be made and later accepted that based on todays standards might even sound tame.

Oregon Trail: Even if it was texted based, because it supposedly happened (Cannibalism of the Donner’s) it might be acceptable to find its way into the game of a creative developer. “Can someone pass the Timmy?”

Oz: The video game version of the popular HBO show. GTA introduced to us the concept of acceptable criminal activity so why not prison rape. You play a young thug trying to make a name for himself (sans Scarface). You have various methods to attain your mantel, from creating partnerships with guards and other inmates. Do what it takes to keep other upstarts in line.

Of course both of these took about 2 minutes to think up but with the right angle you can market anything. Especially if you base it on actual events or existing ideas.

As for Clockwork Orange that is a top notch film with a deep psychological commentary on society. There was relevance to the violence. In addition, it should be noted that Clockwork Orange was released with an X-rating.

Again my concern is over the gratuitousness of the violence and the intent of the developer. If they are setting out to make the “goriest game of all time”, nothing more, I question their point and why I want to buy into it. Like Soldier of Fortune which my buddy time and time again tried to convince me was an awesome game, it all boiled down to the fact that he could dismember and mutilate the already dead bodies. It had next to nothing to do with the fact the game had any substance.

To Shitan,

yes I am. Why do you ask?

I see were you’re coming from Will and I agree, there’s no point to a game if all it’s about is the gore. I played Soldier of Fortune, it’s not that great.
I just don’t think Manhunt 2 is that game which is all about the gore.

I support Will and MJ,
games that are just about gore shouldn’t
be the future. I do play gory games, but they
always have an interessting story line to it
and they don’t mainly focus on the gore.
Playing games just for the gore is just sad.

@Yasumy

So am I

Did you find out through an IP-check? The time I write?
Or through my style of writing?
Nice to see and hear another german!

He shouldn’t be able to see your IP.

So I’m counting three Germans. I’d say something along the lines of German power, but I’d probably be considered a Nazi.

Seems this discussion has come to an end, so I’ll stop checking it.

Same for me.