How Mahunt 2 Got The 'Adults Only' Rating

Manhunt 2 has been slapped with an Adults Only rating by the ESRB, effectively keeping the game from being sold until it has been reworked as a tamer, Wal-Mart-friendly Mature rating. What gives? The first Manhunt was notoriously brutal but it got by the ESRB just fine. What was different this time around?

According to Rockstar Games, the single point of contention is an unassuming household item that's probably within your arm's reach right now.

"There's this ballpoint pen that the player wields at one point in the game during the Amputee Open Wound Bukkake level," said Anonymous Source, one of the game's artists who was more than happy to speak openly and let us print his name.

"We didn't think about the pen too much since it has a very limited role. After sneaking up on a one-eyed rapist who walks around picking dinner plate-sized scabs off his groin, you jam the pen into his good eye and pop it out, then present it like an olive on a toothpick to Satanfartshit. This grants you access to the Vomitorium Bath House."

Anonymous explains that the ESRB found the pen objectionable due to one small detail.

"On the shaft of this pen there is a small drawing of a woman in a bikini. When you click the pen to release its tip (which doubles as a method of cleaning the pen by ejecting blood and brain matter), her bikini disappears."

"It's really not a big deal at all. You can hardly see the girl if you tap the action button enough times to completely bury the pen in the pirate's eye socket."

For now, the fight over Manhunt 2's future appears to be at an impasse. Rockstar feels that removing the offensive artwork will sacrifice their creative vision, even if it is a minor detail. The ESRB refuses to back down and lose even more face following last month's slip up when they mistakenly gave an E for Everyone rating to Cunt Spelunkers 3: Quest For Daylight. We'll keep you updated on the situation.

Firaxis' Guide To Condescending Marketing

2005 - Civilization IV (PC) 'Hatshepsut' Promotional Teaser Art

2007 - Civilization Revolution (Xbox 360, PS3) 'Cleopatra' Promotional Teaser Art

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– Dennis "Corin Tucker's Stalker" Farrell (@DennisFarrell)