New Zealand Censor Bans Manhunt Outright

rh2600 writes "The New Zealand censors have banned Rockstar Games' controversial stealth action PlayStation 2 game Manhunt, making it the 'first [ever] video game banned by the Office of Film and Literature Classification.' The New Zealand Herald has a story about it, including some pretty interesting comments from a usually liberal Censor's Office: 'Unlike the Grand Theft Auto series, which... had an element of humor in its depiction of police chases, Manhunt has none of that whatsoever.'" The censor concludes by saying: "You have to at least acquiesce in these [in-game] murders and possibly tolerate, or even move towards enjoying them, which is injurious to the public good."

Comments

Riiight...

[KBV]

And this from the people who gave us Brain Dead. Great.

Re:Riiight...

[SmallFurryCreature]

If you read the article then you can read the quote about Grandtheft Auto having the element of humor. Bad Taste and Braindead had this too. In buckets. It makes the buckets of guts acceptable. It ain't real.

Censorship like this takes great store in the context in wich something happens. Personally I think from the reviews that Manhunter is indeed crossing the line. In most other kill games you kill to achieve a goal, not kill for the killing itself.

Braindead has lots of killing of zombies but for the greater goal of protecting himself and his girlfriend. Manhunter has you killing to make a nice movie. A bit different don't you think?

Australia

[shione]

I wonder how the OLFC in Australia will decide.

They made Rockstar censor GTA3 and VC and both games came out in NZ uncut.

Order it online

[a.koepke]

Yeah they may have banned it for sale there but how is it going to stop people ordering it online?

I used to have a game that was banned over here in Australia, was easy to buy over the internet and have them send it over. Also makes me wonder if it will be banned here in Australia at all?

But on a different note, doesn't sound like the sorta game I would like to play. I play GTA Vice City a bit and thats good fun but this... I think not. Yeah in GTA you kill people (which is still fun) but its not the aim of the game. Also seeing someone fall over and there being a bit of blood is a lot different to seeing the victim's mouth gasping for air inside the bag you suffocate them with. The latter is, IMO, bordering on perverse.

Re:Order it online

[Acidic_Diarrhea]

Given that you haven't even played the game and you've decided that no one should play it - what is your basis? The fact that there is photo-realistic violence? Do you support the idea that no one should see movies like Halloween or the Silence of the Lambs? Both clearly have photo realistic violence and are not intended to be taken in any sort of humorous way. You could argue that in movies, it is a passive medium and in a video game, you have control over what the character does.

But since you haven't played the game, that argument doesn't hold any water. You don't know how one interacts and at what level the interaction is. Before you go deciding that no one should be playing violent games, maybe you should do a little research and find out if there's ever been a link established between violent games and deviant behavior.

Sure, if Manhunt isn't your cup of tea, don't buy it. But rather than trying to judge whether anyone should be playing it or whether it should have been made, why not just let the free market determine the best route? [Since you're not going to prove a link between violent games and violent behavior in people who weren't already prone to such behavior.] If no one buys games that, in your opinion, shouldn't have been made, games like this won't be made.

I live in the United States where freedom of speech is a right - this includes violent video games.

Re:Order it online

[Acidic_Diarrhea]

You say Manhunt shouldn't exist but then ask me whether a 10 year old should be playing Manhunt. There's a big difference between limiting who can buy a game and removing a game completely from store shelves. I think most adults are mature enough people to enjoy a violent video game and not lose their marbles over it. Likewise, I'm not endorsing letting children play these games. I haven't played Manhunt so I don't know if the ESRB should have rated it Adults Only. I'm sure it deserved the Mature label at least, which it got. So which are you supporting? Removing the game from store shelves completely or preventing children from gaining access to it?

And as for your free speech argument - as soon as you start deciding what types of speech can and cannot be free, you're no longer allowing free speech. Let people write all the snuff fantasies they want. Let the Ku Klux Klan organize and gather all they want. Let them all have their voice. As soon as you start saying, you aren't allowed to say such things - people begin getting interested in it. For instance, the Ku Klux Klan is shown on shows like Jerry Springer and is seen as a laughingstock. If the government supressed them then people would wonder about what their message was and an underground movement would begin. I think part of the reason that Germany still has to deal with people spouting Nazi views is that they are trying so hard to prevent anyone from saying anything along those lines. No, US-style free speech is not "a little fucked up", it is the only way free speech is of any value whatsoever. You don't get to pick and choose what people are allowed to say if speech is free.

Re:Order it online

[unclethursday]

I haven't played Manhunt so I don't know if the ESRB should have rated it Adults Only. I'm sure it deserved the Mature label at least, which it got.

I have played it. AO or M is a tough call. The ESRB said M, others say AO should have been given. But due to some of the violence, I say it really is tough to call.

The thing is, it all depends on how you kill the people that determines how graphic the scene is. The longer you hold the button, the more graphic the scene (a target indicator goes from gray, to green, to yellow, to red; with each successive color more violent and graphic than the last). Using a glass shard, for example, and going all the way to red has you stab the guy in the throat, then gauge out his eyes with the piece of glass, which is pretty violent and graphic in my book.

All in all, though, Manhunt just isn't a fun game. The game gets repetetive early on (and stays that way), has in incredibly boring pace, and has some major issues when it comes to collision detection, the use of sound as something that gives you away (press the attack button before your stance changes, and your fist(?!?)/weapon makes a really loud whoosh which alerts enemies to your presence), and AI intelligence. Honestly, the only two reasons it will sell are because Rockstar made it, and it is incredibly violent. Although I hear it does some neat things with the USB headsets, such as allowing you to scream into it and scare the 'hunters' if they're near you.

Re:Order it online

[dev0n]

Agreed. It's a disgrace that this game is being censored, but I also believe that it's a disgrace that it was even created in the first place.

I realize that violence sells, but you'd think that the folks making these games would try to direct the powers of their talents in a much less horrific direction. I'm not saying that there shouldn't be violence in games, but to make it the focus, the goal, the reason that the game exists? It just seems wrong and sad to me.

I wonder if these will be collectors items..

[LordJezo]

With all the censoring going on I wonder if I should go out and buy this game and Vice City now while I still can and then sell them on eBay in a few years for a few $100 dollars each..

..it better not be at Hatians...

[RobK]

We're going to end up convincing all publishers to create yet more versions of of safe boring titles.

No matter what the liberals think - trying to control people's minds doesn't work. In fact, it may even be more dangerous as those who rebel have no healthy outlet.

(OK, the game may be sick, but it might be satisfying too.)

I can't wait for the day when we have to sign a liability waiver to play a game....

Re:..it better not be at Hatians...

[Kirby]

>Funny, I thought that there were just as many on the right (especially the religious right) who are interested in censoring things.

This is clearly true - extremists on both sides are censors, for different reasons but to the same ends.

Not convinced that it's not the other side of the spectrum from you? I present data:

In a list produced to mark the American Library Association's annual Banned Books week, 2002's most frequently challenged books were, with their alleged 'offence:
The Harry Potter series, by JK Rowling - glorifying magic and wizardry.
The Alice series by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, - sexual content and unsuitability to its targeted age group.
The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier - offensive language and unsuitability to age group.
I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou, - sexual content, racism, violence and unsuitability to age group.
Taming the Star Runner by S.E Hinton, - offensive language.
Captain Underpants, by Dav Pilkey, - encouraging children to disobey authority.
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain - racism, insensitivity and offensive language.
Bridge to Terabithia, by Katherine Paterson - offensive language.
Roll of Thunder, Hear my Cry, by Mildred D Taylor - insensitivity, racism and offensive language.
Julie of Wolves, by Jean Craighead George - sexual content, offensive language and violence.

Harry Potter is clearly a right-wing protest, as well as most of the sex and bad word complaints. Huck Finn is clearly a left-wing protest, as well as most of the insensitivity and racism complaints.

This problem doesn't come from the classic American political spectrum. It's more on an individual rights vs. community standards axis. The techie crowd skews strongly towards individual rights, but it seems like the general popluation in most countries is more towards community standards.

(Personally, I'm not a big fan of censorship, either for these games or these books, but anyone blaming the Left or the Right is just not paying any attention.)

Great

[Blublu]

The game will now be infinitely more interesting to teenagers.

Re:Amen!

[Acidic_Diarrhea]

If you're so sure that there is no link between violence in video games and violent behavior in real life, why should the game be banned?

That doesn't logically follow from the rest of what you've written. You say that the parents are ignorant and that kids should not play Manhunt. I agree, parents are not doing their job. So what you propose is for the government to step in and do the jobs of parents but also prevent anyone who long ago moved out of their parents' house from getting the game as well? Pardon me but if some parents are doing a poor job, you don't allow the government to become the parent of everyone. That doesn't make any sense at all.

Yes, there are differences between the driving gameplay of GTA and Manhunt. There's a saying that the road to hell is paved with good intentions. You might think government censorship is a good way to protect everyone but that's just a way for the government to ensure that it is the only voice - Nazi Germany and Soviet Russia spring to mind as two countries which used government intervention to ensure that only the voice of the government could be heard by the people. [Yes, it is a video game. Yes, it is not really a political message. Yes, it is a first step towards further censorship. You give an inch, the government takes it today. They'll be back tomorrow for another inch. At what point will you stand up?]

You seem a little young so if any of this went over your head, just reply with what confused you and I'll try to clear it up.

Excuse me?

[floydigus]

"a usually liberal Censor's Office"

They ban one game and their not liberal any more?

Sure this is Rockstar?

[Guppy06]

I would have thought adding a "Banned in New Zealand!" sticker to a game's case is a marketing tactic more up Acclaim's alley.