Well now, color us shocked that the recent version of Manhunt 2 that was cleaned up for our friends across the pond turned out to be the same exact game that received a "Mature" rating by the ESRB here in the states. So, what's mature to us is absolutely intolerable to them, apparently.
This might cause one to think that the BBFC is tougher on games than, say, movies, as the country had no problem allowing films such as Hostel and Saw into the country. BBFC spokesperson Sue Clark says otherwise, stating "If we were more tough on games than any other medium, don't you think we'd be banning far more titles? Manhunt 2 is the second game we have rejected in 23 years. I'd hardly call that draconian." She goes on further to add "Manhunt 2 went beyond our guidelines when it came to gross violence and we had a public duty to reject it."
We loving seeing local news stations try to cover gaming news, because their coverage is almost always based on misinformation. Seriously, who does the research for these folk? Certainly not someone capable and unbiased, that's for sure.
And while it's easy to write off this latest piece from New York City-based ABC 7, at least they aren't being particularly negative about the control scheme in the Wii version of Manhunt 2. In fact, based on their on-the-street interviews, it would seem most gamers look at the control scheme as being a positive aspect of the title, allowing the player to become more immersed in the game's world. Considering how easy it would be for ABC 7 to just say this is a murder training simulation, we'll just be thankful that at least some section of the report was devoted to arguing for the game.
Whoever said the cost of living is high never lived within the confines of a video game. Turns out, the price of a life trapped inside of a disc is rather reasonable, as Rockstar's Manhunt 2 will only charge you the small sum of $39.99 to get in on its action.
Since we were interested in the game anyway, this news only causes our anticipation for gesture-based homicide to grow that much more. We do wonder, though, if any of you skeptics out there are brought down from the fence?
Janco Partners analyst Mike Hickey is of the mind that 2K's much-hyped game Bioshock could find itself on the PS3, Wii, PS2 and handhelds sometime in the future. Hickey says this won't happen for quite some time, though, stating that he believes the game could make its way onto these platforms sometime in 2009.
While we've seen Rockstar's own RAGE engine adapted to the Wii in the Nintendo console version of their Table Tennis game, we wonder if the Unreal Engine III that powers Bioshock could even be augmented for use on the Wii. We've heard Epic's Mark Rein state that he doubts the system can handle it on multiple occasions, so we wonder if 2K could even get it to work with the Wii.
If you've been looking forward to the U.S. debut of the Japanese baseball franchise MLB Power Pros, the Japanese site for the game has launched. Within you can find tasty morsels of content in the form of screens and artwork. And, being the baseball enthusiasts that we are, you can bet we're dying to get our hands on the titile.
You can't really expect much from a budget release like Carnival Games, but Go Nintendo has reportedly received a number of complaints regarding the character creation process in the party game collection, specifically on the lack of darker skin tone choices. Judging by the screenshot above, you're limited to playing as the palest of the pale, completely untanned after having developed a vampiric aversion to the sun.
Though we doubt that developer Cat Daddy Games intentionally limited race and color selection, it does seem a bit lazy on their part; diversity is an obvious point for any game with customizable characters. Perhaps the studio just didn't have the time or resources to implement everything they were hoping to?
Following word that Rockstar would be bringing their Table Tennis game to the Wii, Take Two announced that its popular tennis franchise Top Spin Tennis would also be gracing the Wii. After seeingTable Tennis, though, many reported it isn't the fun game on the Wii that it is on the Xbox 360. Now, doubts are surfacing regarding Top Spin Tennis.
Senior producer Jean-Yves Patay wants you to rest assured that Top Spin Tennis will be a full-fledged tennis game and nothing like Wii Sports: Tennis. "Wii Sports Tennis is a wonderful game but in Topspin you will have to move your character and do different swings. You can move normally and that'll be fine - you will just perform regular swings. But if you want to perfect your technique you will need to practise. So I like to say it's a finished game on Wii." Sounds good to us, because we always wanted something like Wii Sports: Tennis, but with more depth.
News comes straight our of the Leipzig oven that Civilization Revolutions, the console port of the immaculate PC franchise, will have some features you might not expect. For one, the gameplay will not be altered for the Wii at all. So, it'll be the same game (just about, we imagine) you know and love. Also, we won't be getting the game until late in 2008.
But, the best bit of news to come out for the game is that it will utilize Nintendo's Wi-Fi Connect service, allowing players to compete online. This .. couldn't make us happier. We had to towel down our keyboard several times contructing this post, as tears of joy erupted from our face over and over again. There's even a possibility for downloadable content!
If there's one thing the Wii needs, it's more tennis. And that's just what Take Two and 2K Sports think, as they get set to bring their top tennis franchise Top Spin to the console sometime this spring. The game will be developed by 2K's Paris studio PAM Development in conjunction with 2K Shanghai and, if press releases are to be believed, will feature "fun, flawless tennis action and the most real life tennis experience to date for the Wii."
Players will use the nunchuk for controlling their player and their aim, while, as one would assume, the Wiimote will be the player's tennis racket, allowing them to take use of the motion-sensitive controls. This will allow players to control what kind of shot they make, as well as the power and intensity of that shot. Oh, and there will be party games. We all know a Wii game is incomplete without them!
Some of us here at Wii Fanboy are fans of America's oldest institution: Baseball. As such, we're incredibly excited that Konami and 2K Games are teaming up to bring the Japanese baseball franchise Power Pro Baseball to the Wii and PS2 here in the states. Dubbed MLB Power Pros for us English-speaking folk, the game sports a very deformed chibi style of presentation, along with a mode that mixes in RPG elements into the equation.
Take Two's Strauss Zelnick sat down with Dean Takahashi recently, where his new role as company CEO was discussed. Of course, Dean also finds time to grill him on hot topic Manhunt 2. Then the discussion moves along to companies he admires, as well as the Wii and E3. As far as interviews go, it tackles a lot of ground.
Zelnick has some interesting things to say based on the ESRB ratings, though, especially when it comes to the subject of self-censorship. Zelnick thinks that, in regards to the AO rating, "I'm not sure it is good for consumers either. The AO rating was not intended when it was developed to mean a non-rating. That wasn't the point. If you can't market it because you aren't allowed by the licensors or the retailers won't carry it, then the rating doesn't have any meaning."
Turns out that the Wii wasn't forgotten when Firaxis decided to roll out Civilization Revolution -- we're just getting the game a few months later than the other guys. Is it too much to hope that the delay means we're getting online multiplayer, and it takes a little more time to work out the kinks with Nintendo's new system? Maybe we'll find out at E3, but we wouldn't bet on an answer coming that quickly. However, since 2K Games will be discussing the game with (and demonstrating for?) lucky attendees, at least a few juicy details are likely.
The NY Times got to get their hands on Manhunt 2 recently and they walked away wondering what the whole AO fuss was all about, as they say most R-rated flicks have got way more gore. Writer Seth Schiesel says that "banning the original version of Manhunt 2 may be a good way to demonstrate that the industry can police itself. Side by side, though, movies seem to be way ahead of games in delivering top-notch gore." How does Schiesel come to this conclusion?
He rents a copy of Saw II for comparison's sake. He says the first scene (we never watched it) has "a young man in a bleak cell being taunted to find a key by digging into his own oozing eye socket. If he does not yank out the key in 60 seconds, his head will be crushed in a spiked metal 'death mask' around his neck." Schiesel says the game probably got the rating because the ESRB only saw footage from the game and didn't actually play it (GASP!), and believes that it won't be hard for Rockstar to edit the game down to a Mature rating in time for the holiday season.
Even though the certain execs find the upcoming game to be a piece of fine art, Take Two is apparently shelving the game for the moment. And for those who haven't been following the story (everyone is practically ramming it down your throat, so you should know), the title received an Adults Only rating, subsequently banning it from certain game sites and the UK, plus Ireland. Some are even saying this whole debacle is going to cost the company millions of dollars in revenue.
Well, Take Two took the only way out they could think of and have shelved the game for the time being. A Take Two rep stated the company "has temporarily suspended plans to distribute Manhunt 2 for the Wii or PlayStation platforms while it reviews its options with regard to the recent decisions made by the British Board of Film Classification and Entertainment Software Rating Board."
We bet you a few folk in Florida are happy about all of this ...
No matter where you go, you cannot escape all of the Manhunt 2 news lately. Now, Take Two's chairman Strauss Zelnick is speaking out on the latest news involving the game and the UK and Ireland, commenting that "It brings a unique, formerly unheard of cinematic quality to interactive entertainment, and is also a fine piece of art." He also says that the company understands the BBFC's decision, but doesn't agree with it, stating "While we respect the authority of the classification board and will abide by the rules, we emphatically disagree with this particular decision."
While we'd like to comment on whether or not the game is actually "fine art," speculation at this point would just be silly. But we are of the opinion that games are art in general, so take from that what you will.
Well now, color us shocked that the recent version of Manhunt 2 that was cleaned up for our friends across the pond turned out to be the same exact game that received a "Mature" rating by the ESRB here in the states. So, what's mature to us is absolutely intolerable to them, apparently.
