Manhunt 2 receives AO rating

It is a problem, because children shouldn't be simulating the maiming of a human in the first place.

there is two ways looking at banning manhunt 1=parents should watch what there children are playing! 2=we are adults and its up to us if we want to watch or play graphic material!

well said, Sonovius.

Penile_Finesse "Parents don't want to take responsibility though, so they band together and form these watchdog groups, then point the finger elsewhere. The core of the problem lies with the parents, plain and simple." The ERSB isnt a watchdog group its a rating system. They rated the game AO. You don't want children watching hardcore porn in sticky movie theatres just like you dont want them to simulate the maiming of a human. I don't see how this is a problem.

This game is must-buy,then...

I have MMO ADD. I've played every MMO out there but I never could stay for long. CoH always was by far the best though.

*nods* thanks thicknick. Thats what I was looking for. Granted, the two studies that article points out say that video games MAY TEMPORARILY increases aggressive behaivior in kids, and that it MAY increase violent behaivior in HABITUALLY AGGRESSIVE young males. So basically, those who are already crazy might be made crazier, and there is an adrenaline rush that comes with violent games. I'm not sure that's telling me anything new. Not busting on your choice of article, just pointing out that the headline is misleading. I think the big problem with making the game AO is that it could potentially be watered down in an attempt to sell more copies. I don't care if kids need to get their parents to buy it for them, but if the publisher reworks the game due to the rating, it's gonna have me up in arms. Just like the way Walmart forces artists to release edited versions of their albums. It's creative control, and it bugs me.

who cares? i'm still getting it. i wasn't even really interested in this game until all this new controversy started to surface...perhaps this AO rating will actually push sales. kids shouldn't be playing mature rated or adult rated games anyway...blame the parents for that when they do.

True, raise your kids right, and no matter what they are exposed to, they can handle it without it turning them into a dumbass. The whole, can't distinguish between fantasy and reality arguement is just stupid, its an excuse for your own lameness, same as saying "oh I have post-traumatic stress syndrome", no you don't you can't deal with life so you blame it on a fake disorder. Cough Cough, anyways thats a whole different discussion lol.

I think what you mean Sonovius is that people become horribly addicted and then it consumes their life. They plan around being able to play and that's what they talk about with their friends all the time. It's not that they can't distinguish between the two, on the contrary, they do so very well. They just choose to exist in that world more than this one. And that's not neccisarily true either, I play CoH and I'm far from addicted... i'm on the patch though =P

People who play MMO's religiously are a pox and will not be brought into this discussion. haha just kidding.

yeah it really is too bad that parents don't monitor their children more. that is indeed the core of the real problem.

"banning it from sale in the UK due to its "unremitting bleakness" and "casual sadism." Umm have they watched their own television shows? You Brits got a game show that sends ppl to America to taunt rednecks, fake a woman being paralyzed to put off her prospective date and another idiot who throws hamburgers at passersby. Fix your TV, than talk about the games.

People who play MMOs can't distinguish between reality and make-believe so what is the difference here?

Parents don't want to take responsibility though, so they band together and form these watchdog groups, then point the finger elsewhere. The core of the problem lies with the parents, plain and simple.

I really don't think regular people have a hard time distinguishing between reality and virtual-reality. The young ones, yes I can see them wanting to enact things they see on screen but that's where the parents (should) step in and regulate what their child plays. Anyone who states they have a hard time distinguishing between reality and video games, I think, is just using that as an excuse because they know people in this day in age will eat it up.

<< LINK REMOVED >> Admittedly the source is questionably biased, but a quick google search will find maybe a dozen studies like this. My case is simply that the games should be AO because it is the easiest way to make it unavailable to children. You're making a big deal about how the difference from mature to AO is only 1 year. So what? If Sephiroth is right, those of you under 18 who AREN'T quite 17 yet can't buy it. Are you getting your parents to do it for you? I don't understand what your point is.

At any rate Manhunt 1 sucked so who really cares anyway?

"I would rather have it carry an AO than to have them water the game down. I will be purchasing it, and I don't mind if I have to go to a GameStop to get it. I would rather go a bit out of my way than to have Manhunt become something it shouldn't be." Yeah, I guess you're right. But as a Gamestop employee, I'll be kinda bummed if it doesnt get to be on my store's shelves. I hate when good games don't get the recognition they deserve. Maybe. I guess we don't even really know if the game's any good yet. Oh damn! Also I won't get a discount. *shakes fist* Grrrrr . . . .

I just love media hype over games that have the potential to be really bad in the 1st place..

I don't see the problem. M means you have to be 16 what's AO 18? Who cares they'll still sell it at Gamestop right? I'd have no problem buying an AO game. Hey it could even open up a whole market of game content we couldn't normally see. Like that hot coffee thing in GTA could just be in the game. Do it make it AO!!!

Forgive me Sephiroth, I didn't mean to direct that at you. It was supposed to be a general statement but I forgot the fact that I mentioned you just prior. My point, however, was that it seems like if people really are so interested in sadistic violence, simple psychology would suggest that they are merely either sadistic, or curious about violence, suggesting the emotional maturity required to handle it is not present within such an individual.

Can someone point me to the studies that have proven that violent video games make violent humans? They keep referring to this connection as fact ("we can expect that the effects of this experience will be even greater") but I don't remember it ever being proven anywhere. Anybody fill me in? If I just missed something, I'd be happy to be proven wrong. If not, these people need to seriously do a better job at convincing me that this needs such a harsh rating. Repeatedly telling me that this game will make kids little murder machines won't convince me unless I see some data to back that up.

with all of this hype, i wish i had ps2 or a wii, muhahahahahahahahaha any and every thing that you do effects your mind. so if you have a hidden urge to kill, it will eventually manifest itself in any case. these people hating on video games, and banning them are just too old fashioned, and apparently don't realize that the human is violent in general form human nature. but you can't tell them that, and they will counter with 1000 reasons why that is not true, when they all boil down to the argument: violent games are bad and we have the sayso to yay or nay them.

And what you say aren't facts. They're opinions. That's why they can be argued.

The guy doesn't have a case, hence why he stoops to insulting people.

If that's the case, I'll blow my nose in a stranger's dress.

"You can only argue with stubborn, impudent hopes that you and your prepubescent self might get to play this bloodbath of a game." Okay, see that's where you stop sounding intelligent. Resorting to such petty insults to get your point across is just juvenile.

I would rather have it carry an AO than to have them water the game down. I will be purchasing it, and I don't mind if I have to go to a GameStop to get it. I would rather go a bit out of my way than to have Manhunt become something it shouldn't be.

"Anything up to mature, no problem, any 10 year old can buy it without their parents at your average Wal-Mart or Best Buy. I know because I did that when I was young all the time" I don't know if you've noticed, and I'm not meaning that to sound sacrastic, but things have change A LOT really quickly. It's no longer that easy. Retailers have really stepped up in terms of game ratings. It's not me whose living in a fantasy world, it's you not opening your eyes.

Well, you would hope that anyone that plays the game can discern whether they're swinging an axe around or just a wii-mote.

"i don't buy into the game/movie analogy. Manhunt is a roleplaying game, so you identify with the avatar. In Movies, you watch in the 3rd person and ussually root for the good guys. Big difference" I disagree. It's still the same violence. It's still on a TV screen. Buttons don't change much. Besides, even if you are removed from a movie, what's in movies (again, see Hostel) is often times worse than games, and far more realistic. Also, I'm not totally up on the Manhunt 2 storyline, but im pretty sure your character isn't neccesarily what would be seen as the "bad guy" in the story (maybe). I mean, let's not get this wrong people, it's not called Manhunt because you're hunting innocent people. It's called Manhunt because they're hunting YOU. At least, that was the case in the first one.

OK, I'm sorry, calling someone immature over video game tastes was a low-blow. My point was that being lured to excessive violence for the sake of excessive violence seems a juvenile (if not puerile) pursuit. Also, Sephiroth, you sound like you're living in a fantasy world. The ESRB is for the most part a joke. Anything up to mature, no problem, any 10 year old can buy it without their parents at your average Wal-Mart or Best Buy. I know because I did that when I was young all the time, so did my friends, my cousins in other towns, and I know its been a problem the ESRB has had for some time now. The only real way to make sure kids don't get their hands on a game is to make it AO so it never hits the stores. Furthermore, yes, there is a penis eaten on-screen in Hostel. Yes, Hostel is laughably bad film. But the difference is on the Wii, you're doing the violence yourself. It's you. Acting it out to a lesser extent. Even if it were a classic controller, you are still in the shoes of the one committing the violence, and the mentality is self-evident without your acknowledgment of it. I don't understand how you can argue with facts or evidence against this decision. You can only argue with stubborn, impudent hopes that you and your prepubescent self might get to play this bloodbath of a game.

this just makes me more interested in the game

Ulgh, our rights to choose (for us Americans) are going down the pooper. Oh and let's not make mention of how stupid and ignorant parents are because they don't ever sit down with their kids and explain things to them like how violence is wrong. Parents are whats wrong with America because they have become lazy except for the few facist ones who are so crazy as to try and destroy someones right to choose just so they don't "traumatize" their little piece of crap kid, whom they were unwilling to explain things to and just shelter the hell out of their child. So yeah, lets ban everything, lets start with videogames, then once that is done, then television and movies, and then we can start banning books. Yup, a ******* Fahrenheit 451 for us alright!

CallistoNTG "I'm 15 and I'M scared a little by this game! Not enough to warrant an AO (in my opinion you at least need displayed buttsecks for AO), but this is still a pretty graphic game. I thought people were finally paying attention to the content ratings. There's no reason to give this game an AO rating if everyone knows your 9-year-old isn't going to be allowed near it." you know very little about apathetic parents in this country. This game should have it's AO rating. Bye-Bye Take Two nice knowing you.

"**** America. A game is not going to increase violent tendencies in a human being, regardless of how interactive it is. **** America." Thankyou for your well thought out contribution to the discussion.

**** America. A game is not going to increase violent tendencies in a human being, regardless of how interactive it is. **** America.

You identify with garroting people and hacking testicles off? Wow..

i don't buy into the game/movie analogy. Manhunt is a roleplaying game, so you identify with the avatar. In Movies, you watch in the 3rd person and ussually root for the good guys. Big difference

I'm 15 and I'M scared a little by this game! Not enough to warrant an AO (in my opinion you at least need displayed buttsecks for AO), but this is still a pretty graphic game. I thought people were finally paying attention to the content ratings. There's no reason to give this game an AO rating if everyone knows your 9-year-old isn't going to be allowed near it. Admittedly, though, the Wii version seems far worse than the others.

Calling people who want to play this game immature, is pretty immature itself. If I want to play Manhunt 2 at my own discretion, I fail to see how I'm immature just because I want to play a game that interests me. You play what games you want, I'll play what games I want.

A few days ago I saw Hostel 2. There was a part where a girl cut off one dudes penis and fed it to a dog. All that was uncensored, and the movie was rated R (17+). How the hell could Manhunt 2 get an AO? I am 18 and I am still outraged.

I think what it basically comes down to is that this game isn't even as bad as the movie hostel, and they let 17 year olds watch that. In fact, it's been proven by more than one study that rated M games are much harder for kids to get than rated R movies.

lol sephiroth, If any game deserves an AO rating it's Manhunt.

"because lets face it, who checks IDs over video games?" Off the top of my head? People that don't want to get themselves and the manager on duty instantly fired?

"Here's what I don't get: graphic games like Dead Rising and Gears of War are only rated M, so unless Manhunt 2 has some nudity or strong sexual content, I think it should be rated M." You clearly haven't played Manhunt.

OK first of all, No you do not go through some magical transformation from 17 to 18. The point of making the games Adult Only is to get it out of major retailers so kids can't steal it or buy it, because lets face it, who checks IDs over video games? So I don't think this is a rash decision, and I certainly think that it would have negative effects on an impressionable child. Someone said that only games with pornography or extreme nudity should be rated AO. For that I say to you, do you really think that nudity is more psychologically damaging and inappropriate than excessive sadistic violence? You are probably al 14 year old kids wishing you could buy this game, and while none of you will probably shoot up a school because of it, I wouldn't say that ANYONE younger than 18 who wants this game is mature enough to get it. Hell, wanting this game at all makes you pretty damn immature.

I've never even heard of the AO rating until now.