Manhunt 2 to get UK release

After a protracted period that saw virtually nobody query the fact that the first Manhunt game was hardly a classic anyway, Rockstar has finally got its way, and Manhunt 2 has been granted a certificate by the BBFC. Unsurprisingly, it's an 18.

The decision has taken the best part of a year, after originally the BBFC refused to give the game a certificate, which meant that it could not be legally released in the UK. The game has hit similar problems elsewhere on the planet, and many of its fights are still ongoing.

The truth is, of course, that the publicity surrounding the game’s controversial nature is giving it a prominence that, in all likelihood, it probably doesn’t deserve (unless Rockstar has pulled out a major improvement over Manhunt 1).

The game had been rejected twice by the BBFC, but as David Coooke, director of the organisation commented: “As I have said previously, we never take rejection decisions lightly, and they always involve a complex balance of considerations. We twice rejected Manhunt 2, and then pursued a judicial review challenge, because we considered, after exceptionally thorough examination, that it posed a real potential harm risk. However, the Video Appeals Committee has again exercised its independent scrutiny. It is now clear, in the light of this decision, and our legal advice, that we have no alternative but to issue an ‘18’ certificate to the game.”

The game is likely to be released on PSP, Playstation 2 and Nintendo Wii in the next month or two.