The BBFC have rejected the edited version of Manhunt 2...

Recently, Rockstar toned down Manhunt 2 to get an M rating in the US (as opposed to an AO rating). The BBFC, however, have rejected this version of the game.

The edited version had removes some of the executions in the game - such as the one involving removing someone's testicles with pliers - and blurred out the executions to make it hard to see what is going on. The BBFC state that the graphics weren't the main problem with the rejection of the game - the gameplay itself is the main factor in the game's rejection. David Cooke, Director of the BBFC said:

"We recognise that the distributor has made changes to the game, but we do not consider that these go far enough to address our concerns about the original version. The impact of the revisions on the bleakness and callousness of tone, or the essential nature of the gameplay, is clearly insufficient. There has been a reduction in the visual detail in some of the 'execution kills', but in others they retain their original visceral and casually sadistic nature.

"We did make suggestions for further changes to the game, but the distributor has chosen not to make them, and as a result we have rejected the game on both platforms. The decision on whether or not an appeal goes ahead lies with the distributor."

Rockstar have yet to say if they still plan to release the game elsewhere in Europe, so stay with us for any updates on the situation.

Update:
We've just received word from the Irish Film Censors Office (IFCO) who also banned the original version of Manhunt 2. They have informed us that as yet they have not been supplied with the new edit of the game to review for classification.

Stay tuned to N-Europe for any further updates on the situation.