The Entertainment Software Rating Board has given a scaled-down rating for Rockstar Games' Manhunt 2 in the United States. On Friday the game was tagged with a "Mature 17+" (M) rating, thus allowing for its sale in the country.
Manhunt 2, which is a sequel to the dark and dreary Manhunt of 2003, was originally scheduled for release on July 10 on Nintendo's Wii as well as on Sony's PlayStation 2. However an "Adults Only 18+" (AO) rating made Rockstar delay its release while it appealed the decision. Both Sony and Nintendo flatly refused to release the game for their consoles.
The game will now be released, but will contain the following description, "Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content and Use of Drugs"
"Manhunt 2 is important to us, and we're glad it can finally be appreciated as a gaming experience," said Sam Houser, the founder of Rockstar Games. "We love the horror genre. Manhunt 2 is a powerful piece of interactive story telling that is a unique video game experience. We think horror fans will love it."
Manhunt 2 will now be released on PlayStation Portable, PlayStation 2, and Wii in North America this coming Halloween on October 31.