Hot Coffee-hunt 2

by JC Fletcher { Nov 1st 2007 at 4:45PM }

The media nonsense surrounding Manhunt 2 has only begun. Get ready for another year or so of shrill news reports, protests, boycotts, "experts," and, of course, Jack. Time to start defending your medium or ignoring everybody!

What's going to set off this new round of controversy? Just about a day after release, hackers have figured out how to unlock the censored material in the PS2 and PSP versions of Manhunt 2. The original kill sequences, rather than being removed from the game's code, were left on the disc. If the code's on the other versions of the disc, it's on the Wii version as well. That means that a tiny, tiny portion of this game's audience will have access to adults-only content!

Will Rockstar ever learn? Or have they learned? This controversy may get the game re-rated and re-edited, but copies will fly off the shelves in the meantime. Check after the break for a video comparison of Manhunt with both censored and uncensored Manhunt 2 content. Adults Only and all that, of course!

[Via Game|Life; video via Joystiq]

Tags: hacks, hot-coffee, manhunt2, rockstar

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

UndeadPriest @ Nov 1st 2007 5:09PM

The code for the kill sequences are still there because, well, the kills are still there.

The added retail-release code just filters and blurs the Level 3 executions.

comtar @ Nov 1st 2007 5:14PM

1st time: Mistake
2nd time: Publicity Stunt

Period.

Eddie @ Nov 1st 2007 5:50PM

Boring... I just think it's too easy to make a bloody game full of gore scenes, cuz who has seen that in real life anyway?
It's a cheap way of making a game that reaches your "emotions".
As I said... BORING!

DeadPlasmaCell @ Nov 1st 2007 5:58PM

*sigh* I wish Ogrish was still around..

Zack W. @ Nov 1st 2007 6:01PM

Wow. I really don't want to buy this game now. I have played my fair share of Grant Theft Autos, The Suffering, Silent Hill, Half Life, and the Godfather, but this just kind of turns me off. A little too over the top. I just want to shoot bikini chicks on motorized swans instead.

Grey Acumen @ Nov 1st 2007 6:05PM

That is pathetic. Seriously, I'm wondering if Rockstar paid the ESRB and others of the like to give it a rating that high, cause I'll be honest, I was expecting much more realistic graphics.

I was considering getting the game just for the "Wii does have mature games on it" deal but now it just doesn't seem worth it.

On top of that, what the hell is with the bag suffocation? why doesn't he just tear a hole in the bag to breath through or hell, turn around?

Sorry, gore does not a mature game make. Give me some smart victims that actually take some skill and I'll get back to you.

Jeremy @ Nov 1st 2007 6:41PM

I have to agree with everyone here. I thought the death scenes would be better than that. I have seen much better and much bloodier deaths in other games. I just want to know wtf the ESRB was seeing that was worth the AO rating in the first place. This game is far from an AO rating even uncut. Even RE4 has more blood.

racecar @ Nov 1st 2007 6:59PM

Nice pic up there. Subtle. I like it.

-racecar
http://everybodyvotes.blogspot.com

Joe H @ Nov 1st 2007 7:31PM

Good, I'm glad that the uncensored stuff is still included, as an adult I should have the option of buying whatever version of the game I want, just like is possible with movies.

Besides that, for a pure gameplay perspective, filtering out the kills gives you less of an incentive to be more stealthy in order to really get the level 3 executions.

Anyway, unfortunately, any hacks to get the uncensored version probably won't be possible for a long time, unless there's a secret cheat code for them- Wii discs are encrypted, so there's no reading the file structure.

Marrvia @ Nov 1st 2007 7:33PM

Manhunt 2 SHOULD be rated AO, even this so called "edited" version. The reason it should be rated AO is because it is a game that SHOULD NOT BE PLAYED BY KIDS! It should be played by adults, hence "Adults Only". Manhunt 1 should have also be AO since it is just as violent. Resident Evil 4 may have more blood, but it not as violent. There is a HUGE difference between shooting flesh-eating zombies with various guns in a somewhat tame fashion in RE4 and violently decapitating humans with machetes and chainsaws as they scream in agony as the life is snuffed out of them in Manhunt 2.

Please don't get me wrong, people. I enjoy playing Manhunt, I like the violence, it's entertaining to me. But I'm an adult. But AO is the correct rating for this game, this is not a game kids should see. ESRB had it right the first time. It's just too bad stores won't allow AO games, and Nintendo and Sony don't allow AO games on their consoles, otherwise correct ratings could actually be used.

mobilesworking @ Nov 1st 2007 7:39PM

I'm no reactionary, but I liken my pronounced distaste for this sort of material to my deep disgust with torture-porn films like Joffe's "Captivity" and Roth's "Hostel." There's simply no redeeming factor for featuring brutality of this ilk. It's there for one reason and one reason only; to feed the unhealthy jollies of folks who enjoy violence. It is harder to defend, for example, than the violence in the GTA games. It's not good for gamers or the industry, and I'm sick of Rockstar's bad-boy need to perpetuate it.

JC Fletcher @ Nov 1st 2007 7:41PM

M is also for adults.

Marrvia @ Nov 1st 2007 8:05PM

True, but not in the eyes of many people. Like the thousands of parents who buy Halo 3 for their kids for example. Parents are less prone to buying and AO game for there kids even though there is only a 1 year difference(which is stupid).

Jason Z. @ Nov 1st 2007 10:00PM

Is ALL of the content really there for certain? All they did to those specific kills was filter them. But the MAIN thing that was removed were some of the more brutal kills, something about taking a hacksaw to the other person's testicles, or something like that. I get the feeling that Rockstar REMOVED these parts and I've yet to see confirmation that they're actually in the game.

BebopFox @ Nov 2nd 2007 3:19AM

The way I see it, yes: kids should be filtered in terms of what content they see. Yet at later ages (17,18, etc...) I think it is almost necessary that they are introduced (slowly if needed) to more mature depictions (drugs, violence, sex, war, etc...) because honestly, those things aren't lies, they are real and are in the world around us. Now I understand that ya, this game HAS the player killing others brutally, but I feel it is better for the young-adult/adult to be able to realize themselves that there is a distinct difference between real-life and video-games. If the kid can't differentiate between the 2, then there is something wrong with the kid, how he was raised, or something. Ya, there are lots of movies/games/songs that get censored, but a majority of those are still attainable (just not through your local Wal-Mart or what have you) through specialty stores that sell large/rare selections of medias. Sorry if it seems like I'm straying from the point, but in short: Games should not be censored or "banned" with unequal privileges to that of other medias. If you really want to ban something that is actually intentionally used sway one's mind to do something, check out those ARMY "training" games. You know which ones I'm talking about too: America's Army: Special Forces. Not only does it give you the "experience of soldier" (along with tests), I remember still when I was younger that the Army recruits would come into our city's high schools and hand out the games to all of the junior/senior males (some females, but they didn't seem to be targeted as much).

Lastly, I read in Marrvia's post that RE4 was not as violent, but honestly, I found RE4 to be just as violent if not more. You had multiple options of decapitating the zombies (suplex, headshot, kick, etc...), their heads exploded into chunks revealing creatures inside them sometimes, multiple instances of people getting mutilated through the chest or other body part, and especially Leon's (main character) death scenes: Head getting chainsawed off, spikes through the body, or his face's skin being eaten off by acid (just to name a few...).

Jeremy @ Nov 2nd 2007 10:44AM

I am sorry but at the age of seventeen you are an adult. If you are at the legal age to consent to sex which in most states is now 16 or 17 then you are an adult. A certain lawyer, a senator, and poor parents need to get off the back of the gaming industry. I don't know about the rest of you but I did pick up Manhunt 2 and you are not going around killing random people like a serial killer but you are going after people that has done the main char. wrong. Also the game doesn't have as much violence as it is made out to be. I have seen just as much if not more in other games. Yes given that the game is a bit twisted but it is nothing more than a game. Also I would like to add that the game does suck in many ways. Rock Star Games has been the center of attention for many years in just about any game they produce. This industry is no different than the film industry but they are not under the gun every year like gaming. Don't get me wrong their are some sick and twisted crap in this world that I think all this energy towards gaming needs to be focused on. We all know that these people will get their way and soon enough Manhunt 2 will be pulled just like a certain GTA game, which I also didn't have a problem with. Why not just pass a law stating that all games with the M sold must have a picture ID to prove age and treat it just like tobacco and alcohol were if the store doesn't follow they get fined.

Brian @ Nov 2nd 2007 11:41AM

The choice of calling the comparison shots 'original' vs, 'uncut' was poor. What the hell is the difference? I mean I see which is supposed to mean what, but wouldnt original footage be the uncut footage?

JC Fletcher @ Nov 2nd 2007 11:44AM

"Original" footage is from Manhunt 1.

Leif Richardson @ Nov 2nd 2007 1:55PM

You guys should check your facts. Hackers didn't uncensor the PS2 version, only the PSP version. The uncensored PS2 version was leaked by an employee of the ESRB about 3-4 months ago and has been online ever since.

JC Fletcher @ Nov 2nd 2007 2:01PM

I'm looking at Action Replay codes to unlock the material in the PS2 retail game right now.

Marrvia @ Nov 2nd 2007 6:05PM

@Bebopfox

Ok, yes, RE4 may have as equal level of violent content, but there is huge difference in the way the violence is carried out. Manhunt is far more graphic. There may be more gore and blood in RE4, but like i said executing people in tons of different ways as the people scream in agony is far more sickening to me than shotting a mindless zombie's head off with a shotgun. If I were to compare the level of violence to real life, to me, executions in Manhunt are like Al-Qaeda terrorist videos where they take a knife and cut a hostage's head off as they scream in pain and eventually just die, whereas RE4 is more like an Al-Qaeda terrorist just shotting a hostage in the head with 1 bullet to kill them. Yes, the result is the same, the person dies, but there is a big difference there. I shouldn't have to explain the difference, if you can't see the difference in that, you are crazy.

The only reason I feel Manhunt 2 should be AO, is because the M rating seems to mean nothing to people. It means less than a R rating in movies, it's like the PG-13 of games. AO rating is like the rated X of games. Even though M is for 17+ and AO is for 18+, a lot of parents simply will buy M rated games for small children without thought, but if game says "Adults only" they likely aren't going to buy the game for the kid. You can see how many ignorant parents buy "M" rated Halo 3 for their 10 year olds. Rated "M" is completely ignored. If Halo 3 was "AO", those parent wouldn't be buying it.(and no, I'm not saying Halo 3 should "AO", it should be "T", frankly).

My point is, the "M" rating a joke, but the "AO" rating is taken seriously even though the difference is merely 1 year. I'm sorry, I don't care what anyone says, I don't feel "M" rated Manhunt 2, is equally as violent as "M" rated Halo 3. The ESRB feels they are equal, that's dumb.