You'll probably be hearing about Manhunt 2 a lot this week, as the controversial game finally hits retail on Halloween. I never played the original, but something about this one seems cool and I can't wait to get my hands on it...and experience the story. You see, not everyone comes for the violence. Will Manhunt 2 be as bad as people think, or will its gore and situations really be no worse than what you can find in movies?

From the article:

Good point. Schiesel spent time at Rockstar’s New York offices on Friday and was given a preview look at Manhunt 2, which will hit stores on Wednesday - Halloween, not coincidentally.

The redacted version coming to market this week with a rating of M for Mature (meant for ages 17 and older) seems to retain at least 99 percent of the original content. One scene that depicted a pair of pliers being applied to male genitalia has been cut…

Manhunt 2… is no more violent than so-called torture porn films like the “Hostel” and “Saw” film series… in the United States the Manhunt contretemps has probably been good for the industry, as it has allowed the [ESRB] …to demonstrate they can stand up to major publishers.

Certainly the controversy has been good for Rockstar… Manhunt 2 has received free publicity and media attention it would have never enjoyed were it not for the presumably unwitting complicity of the ratings boards and self-appointed media watchdogs.

Read the full article over at gamepolitics.com