Rockstar's making Manhunt 2 for the Wii, PS2 and PSP
 

http://www.joystiq.com/2007/02/06/ro...2-psp-and-wii/

Slide the wiimote horizontally to slit a neck, and pull it and the nunchuck back rapidly to strangle a guy with a wire?

Fuck yeah, I could get behind that.

Now here's a game to carefully tread water on. On one hand, it's pretty much THE game to help eliminate Nintendo's 'kiddy' image ONCE AND FOR ALL. It'll also bring publicity and publicity=sales.

But what should happen if ignorant parents and office wanking politicians completely miss the point, burn the Wii, giving it a bad image resulting in suing and a drop in sales? When this game comes out Jack Thompson will have FIELD day with this game.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but when's the last time whining politicians negatively effected a console's sales? Unless they outright ban the game from stores or something, I'd think it would do quite the opposite. When Mortal Kombat came out for the Genesis, what did every kid on the planet say? I need to get me sum dat! More recently, look at the Hot Coffee fiasco in GTA: San Andreas. Alot of people bought the game just to see the removed scene, making an already successful game sell even more. And Jack Thompson, does anyone even take that jackass seriously anymore?

Yeah, I'm not too interested in the game since the first one was pretty much "Oh, look how violent it is, he certainly shoved a crowbar into that man's rectum now didn't he" for the first 5 minutes and like most Rockstar games, once the novelty wore off it got kind of lame.

Thompson is going to explode when he sees this game, and the flash will be visible from mars.

Rockstar is predicting that the content in Manhunt 2 will get an AO rating, so it should be even more hardcore than Manhunt 1. It's unbelievable that Manhunt 1 even got a M rating considering the ultra violent nature of that game. I can't wait to play this.

You're right, the first one wasn't that great.

However, actually performing the motions with your hands might prove entertaining enough to make playing it worth while. I guess it's all dependant on how they pull off the Wii controls.

Moving this to General and edited the topic title appropriately.

I'm still cautiously expectant of this. On one hand, Manhunt was a unique, brilliantly built game with exceptionally strong setting and audio design, superb structure and genuinely chilling concept, not to mention Brian Cox's voice was such a big part of the whole experience, it simply can't be done again. On the other hand, the first game was far from a large commercial hit, so there's got to be more to this sequel than a committee meeting, and it might just turn out to be something really special.

Either way, I highly suspect Daniel is some kind of mental patient, or at least held at some very corrupt/messed up ward. The story won't necessarily revolve around snuff films this time around, a manhunt can be done in other circumstances as well.

Just as long as they don't try for some bullshit freeroaming crap, I'm sure I'll like it. Probably not as much as the first, but hopefully it'll be able to stand on its own rather than simply look less.



EDIT:
Just realized no one's linking the official teasers or site.

When I spoke of Daniel, I of course mean Daniel Lamb from the teasers, who's apparently the protagonist of the game. Wimpier looking than Cash, Juan hilariously pointed out last night he looks like me.

Official site

Manhunt Uncut - fansite with news and quotes from developers on the game

Teaser 1

Teaser 2

OMFG I AM SO EXCITED!! I loved Manhunt.

UK sez NAAAWWW to Manhunt 2. And I even had a magical plan of importing this from the UK (if the game is actually good) when the upcoming 'banned in Australia for being a video game that isn't based off a Disney movie' announcement hits. I wonder if they'll bother with a PAL version at all? Did the first one get banned over there? They released it here for a few months before deciding to ban it.

"Here you go QUICK QUICK"
"Oooh, OOOH"
"Haha no, so sorry little Timmy, too slow. I'll be taking this"
"But but but, I just paid for it!"
"Hahaha"

If this manages to get an AO rating, I'm definitely picking it up to support Rockstar.

The UK ban goes back to that age old belief that games effect your thinking, that and idiots making everyone else have to suffer because they need protecting from themselves. Come on guys the British Classification Body are the same people who banned Streets of Rage being an easter egg in the Sonic Gems collection, and this sort of imagery doesn't exactly do it any favors even if it is setting the tone of the game

http://www.mcvuk.com/static/images/n...1_Manhunt2.jpg

I'm certain nearly everyone here is smart enough not to be warped by this game, but there are plenty of stupid people who are, and the less we say about the massive amount of dumb kids also playing Rockstar games who shouldn't the better :annoyed:

Didn't they ban 18-rated games entirely now? ;_;

Either way, first game was released here and we've had no issues about selling 18-rated games here, so hopefully anything in the UK or US won't affect the rest of Europe (except Germany lol no Smash Bros or FF7 4 u), but we'll see.

I'll probably order the US version from dvdvboxoffice anyway. Unless of course that gets a brunt snip as well.

Already has, confirmed today.

Guess they'll have to tone it down a bit. Nintendo doesn't allow AO rated games on the Wii. :kitsune:

If they release a AO version on the PS2 on their website I would totally buy it.

I doubt even Sony would allow an AO rated game. :( They got Acclaim to censor the ALMIGHTY BLOCKBUSTER BMX XXX while the GC version was left untouched. That's why Acclaim and GameCube were both so popular!

They'll tweak the sections that made the game rating AO before it's released.

Nintendo has no problem releasing AO titles for their system, but publishers don't want their games to carry that rating because lots of major retailers won't carry adult-only titles, including Wal-Mart (the world's largest retailer).

It isn't advantageous to have an AO rating.

Here's a quote:

Wrong.

http://www.nintendo.com/consumer/buyers_guide.jsp

Miles, Reggie personally lobbied for this gam on Wii. They'll change their policy.

But the game should be banned anyway, not on grounds of violence but rather jsut because it's shit

Man, I want this game now. I loved the original, to no end, I just hope the AO rating doesn't mean I'll have to go out of my way to get it. I'm really interested on how it plays on the Wii, perhaps I can talk my friend into getting it as well.

Think again, dude.
Turns out Sony has the same policy...

Ok so now the game is pretty not getting published. Good.

DON'T WORRY GUYS, THE N-GAGE IS STILL AN OPTION

You know what will happen? Rockstar will cut out a whole bunch of stuff from the game, make it into a watered down piece of shit, THEN have it approved by Sony, Microsoft or Nintendo. I'm guessing Nintendo wouldn't bother period, but Sony and Microsoft might look at it if it were more appropriate.

Then, in a few years, they'll edge Manhunt 2: Directors Edition into a console. Smells like delicious profit.

What stops publishers from releasing unlicensed games these days? Is there some sort of proprietary software code that has to be included to make the game work on the console? Or is it because Take Two don't want to hurt future relationships with the company?

There is no way a publisher is going to release a developers game without permission from Nin, Sony or Microsoft. Not only is that breaking a fuckton of laws, they would never be able to publish anything further for that company, which means they'd go out of business.

Or have to retreat to publishing for another company. And who the fuck wants someone publishing games for your console when they've done it without permission on another?

Ok, let me rephrase then. What's to stop someone (with the developer's permission) from releasing the game? There were a ton of unlicensed games back in the NES days; what's happened between then and now?

Stronger encryption on systems, basically. The few unlicensed NES games were made possible by bypassing the TEN-2 or whatever protection was on the systems (some methods legal, others not). On modern consoles, there's basically no way to get a game onto the system without the encryption codes, which I believe is attached to a game during the authentication process by the console manufacturer. Unless I'm mistaken, the game would only run on devboxes and modded consoles unless it goes through that.

Although I thought there were AO/whatever equivalent rating hentai games for the PS2 in Japan...were those games licensed by Sony?

AO games are typically CERO Z (18+) in Japan. All I can think of is a couple of CERO Z games for the Xbox 360, such as Dead Rising, Vampire Rain, Crackdown, Godfather and Gears.

There's no CERO Z PS2 games that I know of, maybe GTA or something I dunno, but there's no "hentai" PS2 games. I mean, they're called visual novels for a reason.

There's PC hentai visual novels but that's a different story.

The legal sledgehammer Nintendo would bring down.

Released as porn DVDs. They merely contained extra content and interactivity when played on PS2, similar to enhanced CDs when played on computers for example.

Such a workaround can pretty much not happen with Manhunt unless they can turn it into a movie. And if they could, it'd probably get banned too for ultimate justice.

Maybe in Europe or Australia, but as far as I know you can't ban a movie in the US. You can make it difficult to buy and thus drop profitability, but banning it outright violates the First Amendment, unless it's deemed obscene, which courts are loathe to do. I can't think of any movie or book that has been banned on a national scale in modern times.

I'd like to know how long before a game is set to be released does it go into mass production. I'm curious as to whether this could hurt Take 2's bottom line as they'd have thousands of coasters.

It's almost no question that they'll edit the game in order to get it released, but I'm also curious as to what they'll be taking out. I wonder just how far over the edge it is.

Other than the Hot Coffee fiasco is there a precedent for this? If so I'm curious as to whether making a "bad" game and slowly tweaking it up to the ESRB's breaking point would allow you to get more in than starting over the line and working your way backwards.

Seems that the release of the game is now in hiatus:

http://www.gamespot.com/news/6172931.html

Personally, I'm hoping a disgruntled developer will leak the complete, uncensored version ala Thrill Kill. I'd like to see what the game is like in its original form, although I didn't really play the original game much so it would mostly just be for curiosity's sake.

It would definately be cool to see an advenced leak to see what all the fuss is about.

However it's too bad that a PC release wasn't in developement then an untouched version would be possible. Oh well, guess we're going to have to settle for the bleeding flowers and puking rainbows version.

If this is true then I'm not really surprised. Rockstar sure went out on this one.

Then again I don't know why the market is so against AO-rated games, the age difference between that and an M-rated game is just one year. Sell it as it is, screw censorship and screw parents who are stupid enough to buy it for their 12-year-olds.

I know that AO means 18 in Canada and perhaps in some states. But in others it can be 19 or 20. However I think you're right, after 18 how much does a person really mature between that and even 20?

Maybe they were going under the assumption that it isn't rape if the person is willing...or dead?

I'm wondering how detailed these parts would actually be though. Hot Coffee was pretty UNrevealing (how two clothed people humping eachother constitutes an AO is beyond me), did they actually go full out with this game this time? At least, before the censoring.

I'd like to know more about the rating process. I mean what's to stop the company from not showing off some of the more risque parts? After hearing about the raping of the dead body I can see why that would get an AO. Take 2 HAD to know that that would push it over the edge.

It would actually be adept of a company to put something ridiculously over the edge like this and make other things in the game look tame by comparison. With the release date altered I'm sure that wasn't the goal here, but I'm sure it could work some time down the line.

Oh, and they can take every drop of blood out of the game, but LEAVE THE CAT IN THE MICROWAVE PART IN! That is 3 helpings of awesome. (and a little random 3rd party necrophillia never hurt anyone).

Why is Manhunt 2 evil, but movies like Hostel and Hostel 2 are fine? This world doesn't make any sense.

It's the whole public acceptance thing. The less people know about something the more they fear it. Therefore if only half of society is aware of what games REALLY consists of then it seems that everything is blown 8X out of proportion. However when you have something like movies where almost everyone is aware of and what it consists of you can almost do anything you want.

Hell if this game was a movie it would probably be critically acclaimed for like, "most disturbing but also most adventures movie of the human dark side" or some other positive spin like that.

+1

It's because the video game lobby hasn't got it figured out yet, whereas the film lobby does indeed have it figured out.

Well I think there's also something to be said for controlling the violence and thus to some extent acting it out as opposed to a movie where the viewer is only seeing it happen.

So, in a video game it's 1st or 2nd person violence where in a movie it's 3rd person. Furthermore scary movies are intended to shock and put the audience at unrest thus making it offensive to some extent. In some video games success is determined by the amount of violence commited thus it's more of an endorsement. Lastly your average video game is going to be 5x longer than an average movie which extends the experience. So it's like holding a flame under your hand for 1 second vs. 5. It can be argued that the length of a video game has more of a "burn in" affect.

Hotobu is correct. I study a little bit of film and the media is delivered with the camera being the viewer. The camera is almost always a witness instead of being a character in the story. The thing about videogames is that the player is usually the one acting out the violence. As a gamer myself, I'm not agreeing with this, but merely stating the "anti-gamer" point of view.

You can't just drop a bombshell like that, and not link to where you heard it! I don't see any way this could be true, that's insane. This has got to just be some shit someone made up.

I got that off the GF board and it was just a rumor.

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthre...=164919&page=7


And about the responses to my other post by that logic you guys are giving, Eli Roth, controlled who died. Therefore shouldn't it be illegal to direct a film that is violent?

In the Hostel movies there are REAL people.. in the game there are only polygons. I know some people who can't even bare to watch movies like Hostel or any other over the top gory stuff, it just looks so much more real, video games do not look real in the slightest, there's no way a game could make a person unsensitized to real life violence. Also the participation side of the argument is very poor too, pressing buttons to shoot guns at polygons and whatever is hardly participating in brutal murder. I find it sad when people have to blame other avenues of media for senseless crimes acted out by disturbed individuals.

It's pathetic. Movies are just the same, only this is polygons and I agree with some people, consoles are not just for kids anyway, there have been numerous 18 rates games, even the wrestling series has a 16+ rating in the UK, think the BBFC are just looking for attention, muppets.

Anyone whose seen Hostel 2 will know how much rubbish the BBFC are talking.

There is needless amounts of gore, and to top it all of, right at the end

It's not even a rumor when the guy just makes a sourceless/nameless "quote" and comments "Wow".

I think it's a load of bull, but people not familiar with either game are already taking it as if it was official.

I know Rockstar doesn't shy away from pushing the limits, but it's not stupid, and rape/necrophilia is something even they wouldn't do.

Hollywood has more money that they can slide under the table than the video game industry, simple as that. A lot of the time, politicians aren't really as dumb as they look, they're just also not as honest as they look.

Plus, video games are society's current whipping boy, just as heavy metal, Dungeons and Dragons, and minorities were in past decades. 100% of society's ills are clearly caused by bad video games, so as long as you're combatting those nasty corrupting elements, you're helping to keep America safe.

Outside of the US, it's a violence thing in general. Violence is to Europe what nudity is to the United States. Kind of a funny juxtaposition when you think about it.

Because in Manhunt, the perpetrator of the violence is the fucking hero of the story, in Saw, Jigsaw is the villain. I havent seen Hostel but I can't imagine they make the owners of said Hsotel out to be saints in it.

Fact is movies are less violent than games these days.
I saw Wolf Creek a year or so ago. It got rated R here on it's violence alone. As a comparison Hostel was rated MA and Saw M. Reviewers said the violence was almsot unbearable. I found Resident Evil 4 more violent than it. (rated MA here because there is no R rating for video games)

Comparing movies to games is dumb.

In games, you have control over killing people and what to kill them with. In movies, you just sit there and watch it happen.

But the interactivity of killing in games is apparently relevant only when the graphic content is extreme.

Observe EA's Medal of Honor games and Black, with their lack of blood (granted, Black is M, while something like Frontline is T). The act of shooting someone in the head it precisely the same, but the result is less realistic and could be considered more damaging on the frail mind.

It wouldn't surprise me at all if this was all a big marheting ploy by Rockstar and they've already produced another, rating friendly version to be released shortly. They deliberately tried to get GTA Vice City banned by releasing details to some gullible politicians here who raised it during a parliamentary session and the resultant publicity did wonders for their pre-order figures at the time. Right now, half of Britain wants to get their hands on Manhunt 2 so if they released a slightly cut back but still 18 rated version next week it'd sell like hot cakes on a cold day.

Finding out about the game being delayed really sucked. I had gotten it in my head that I'd get this shit on release day, and yet the ESRB has to come around and fuck my plans up.

Fucking cunts.

Agreed, I was waiting for what I would imagine to be lots more information right before release, I even began to replay Manhunt 1 to get ready.

What sucks even more is the fact that a few reviews have been published in magazines, and it got really good scores, then ban. :gonk:

No Wii loving for abit longer.

I was actually thinking the same thing when this all went down. If the AO rating is a result of, from what I've read, just the one stage where you can rape beheaded hookers, then it shouldn't take much for them to remove that section from the game.

I'm curious about the whole ESRB thing. Movies are often released on DVD as an "unrated" version after the initial run being rated R, typically. But the unrated version often includes the scenes not suitable for theaters. Unrated Manhunt 2 Director's Cut? Would be cool but doesn't seem likely considering how stingy the whole gaming industry is. Damn...I really want to rape some headless bitches.

Oh, and to update on something someone said earlier:

Looks like Mr. Fils-Aime has no interest in doing that: http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=26181

So, what's the problem? If Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft are too uptight to release it, Rockstar can just release it on the PC, giving the finger to the ESRB and the others creaming their pants over the rating and be done with it. Hell, I'd assume it would sell just as well seeing there's not too much demand for such a game by those I have talked with, so having it on one platform won't make much difference from the looks of it...

That, and most likely those that would want it wouldn't be legally able to buy the game even if it was rated M anyway. Seems like a non-issue in my view, though everyone likes to make a big deal over such games regardless. Sheesh, Jack Thompson must be jerking off right about now! :rolleyes:

They've probably spent too much money on the development of the Wii and PS2 titles to scrap them at this point. Maybe they'll release "censored" versions for the consoles, and release the full-out version for the PC. That seems the most likely, as that way they'll potentially get people to buy multiple copies of the game in order to play it on their consoles and see the full version on their PCs.

That could work and hope for those that want to play the game it happens. That said, I have never played the original and don't see me caring if I ever do. Overall, it's just a pain to see games like these get censored because of there being way too many uptight pricks outs there...

If there is demand for the game as a AO title, it should be released as such!

Do we even know exactly what content it was that got the game an AO rating instead of a M rating (I don't remember an article saying and I'm too lazy to search the thread)?

I mean, I could make a game where you brutally rape and murder a five year old, and it'll surely get an AO rating, but that doesn't mean there's demand for the game (well, I suppose if I put in a storyline and give the five year old a heart of gold and say she's 18 then I could make fistfulls of cash in Japan).

Good news: Manhunt 2 has been re-certified and given an M rating and slated for release on October 31st.

The bad news: Rockstar had to make cuts to get it.
http://www.rockstargames.com/manhunt2

Well I'm glad it's getting released and it'll be the perfect time to pick it up given the holiday but I wonder what Rockstar had to cut given BBFC, the British ratings board, outright banned it mainly due to the tone and concept as well as the content and 3 months seems awfully fast to correct that.

Thoughts?

Well, it was either edit it or not release it at all. I'm glad that we at least get to experience the game. I was eagerly anticipating its release before it was put on hold, even though I've never played the first game (I'm just sick like that).

I am also glad that this whole controversy also got some people questioning the ESRB reliability. I read some developers complained that the ESRB is out of touch with the times, and it's still rating games with a games are like toys mentality, not suited for today's industry.

Manhunt 2 (AO rating) has been leaked on the internets! Look for it at your favorite tracker!

I might be downloading it now ;)

Whoever get this first, let me know what could make this game banned, sex or violence=how much?

That's awesome. Why even bother playing the game if they had to take out one of the best aspects of it?

I'm getting mixed info on the leaked Manhunt 2, though. Uploader will write hyperbole about uncut dutch (because lol not banned in NL, as if that matters when the rest of europe didn't get it either) version, while another talks about leaked beta. And I dunno about you, but leaked beta aren't that finished most of the time.

Granted, I still intend to download it, just in case eventual the European release will be touched up as well.

Slayer:I am stuck at sexual deviants, the first torture chamber, danny says its locked from inside. How to open this door.
I have rest 2 doors along with it in the same corridor.

Help plz really stuck.

Update:Got it , nevermind.

My sincerist apologies man but I am afraid that I never got the game. All of my torrents got stuck around 97, 91 or 78%. If I come accross anything I will let you know however.

P.S.
If you have a link to a working torrent with seeders it would be much appreciated. Thanks.

I'd like a link too since I dont want to kill my ratio at one of the private trackers I go to.

I got the game on day 1 from mininova.
It worked for me, speed was crawling tough.

Game is really really good, i am thankful to whoever released this, blurring and filters will ruin the stuff beleive me. Once you will see the real stuff you will know

Pros
- Kills with weapons + environments kills are nice addition
-variety of weapons for kills
-animations and camerawork
-story is average
-setting,atmosphere and sounds make it all impactful and great.

cons
-no right analog use, no camera control+tank controls.
-i havent found major glitches yet so no other problems.

AO stuff
The kills surely are brutal, very sick at times specially in torture dungeons, along with that shovel , barbed wire and pliers kills.

Sex= moaning , porn stuff with no serios nude images , BDSM clothings of men and women, theater playing a sex scene with waist up. and another sex scene in room which serves as mission strategy , which i found really cool, but the sex itself was funny.

I loved the game so far and rate it 8.5/10 by now,however i never finished manhunt 1(i wasnt that impressed with character models and animation).


Taste of environmental kills, uploaded by someone
RapidShare: 1-Click Webhosting

^^This^^ made the game censored.

Hahaha, those kills were fucking awesome. It's unfortunate that they did seem to go a little overboard with them this time, otherwise this censorship of EVERYTHING might not have been necessary.

Judging from those though, Cash doesn't have shit on Danny.

Just got it and I'll play once my family gets out of the living room. I can't let them watch, so I'll play tonight and give my impressions.

And yeah, I got the Wii version. ;)

Additional Spam:
"Holy fuck, this isn't supposed to happen!" is how the game starts. The tutorial is creepy.

Its just an explanation on how to do executions, nothing more, nothing less. I played for about an hour and it's been pretty gruesome.

Those of us with a custom firmware PSP can now play Manhunt 2 with uncensored kill scenes.

LINK

Except they removed some kill scenes entirely.

People should stop saying that this fix unlocks the "uncensored" version. No it does fucking not. It removes a blur filter so you can actually see shit and what's going on. This is Rockstar, they're going to end up releasing an uncut version for even more profit in the future.

I picked this up a few days ago. I personally didn't feel as hooked as I did with the first game. That could just be the lack of Brian Cox or something else, I don't know. It's still a pretty solid game though, and I enjoy the variety.

But what the fuck is up with getting guns so early? I am tired of the fact that I started having to do shoot-outs instead of stalking mother fuckers only like 4 levels in.