"We don't differentiate on how harsh we are on DVD or video games". So how can Hostel 2, Wolf Creek etc. all be released as 18 cert and manhunt 2 gets banned???? Both these films are extremely violent and they depict 'actual' human beings being tortured and mutilated, not graphical reprisentations as in video games. Hostel 2 also has a castration scene which is quite lengthy and extremely graphic but yet if you put that in a video game it causes an outcry and gets banned. The BBFC are contradicting themselves and the above statement is a cop-out. Look at your facts first and then give a more factual statement such as 'Yes, we do treat video games harsher than DVD releases'. The only reason we have only banned to games in 23 years is that the majority of video games are not gore or violence filled in comparison to the huge amount of horror, slasher gore films released.

"The last game to be refused classification was Carmageddon in 1997. That decision was overturned on appeal"

So it seems there has only really been 1 game properlly banned. There was a murder in the UK a few years ago and they blamed the origional Manhunt for it. There was never any chance they would let this one out, no matter how many cuts Rockstar made. The public would have gone mad!

I also find it hard to accept that this is a balanced decision, regardless of my opinion of the game, as has been mentioned before, there is a lengthy castration scene in Hostel 2 as well as other extremely detailed and violent images involving real human actors. I cannot help feeling there is more at play here than simply 'bleakness of tone' or whatever.

The question should not be about why this game is banned, but about why more films are not banned. Films like hostel should be banned. I play shooting games regularly and have watched many horrer films etc but I feel I have some relevant points to be considered. I am a foster carer and I see the effects that these violent games and films have on kids regularly. Not only that but through training I have recieved regarding development of the brain I have learned that there are some people even as adults that cannot control impulses there brain has, and these sorts of films/games create impulses they cant control. If anybody wants me to comment further as to why some peoples brains cant control impulse I will explain. I cannot comment totally on manhunt because I have never played it but we all see the terrible things that people do on the news every day then we continue to feed our minds on insane violence for fun, we have to question this mentality.

Hello, nice site :)