Meanwhile...
"The BBFC believes Manhunt 2 shouldn't be released, even to people aged 18 or more, because of the risk it will fall into the hands of young kids. "
Which is another way of the BBFC saying:
"We are totally impotent and useless because everyone ignores us."
The BBFC is there to make recommendations for the suitability of a game. The law is there to ensure that retailers do not sell games to kids without the consent of the parents. An 18 cert game is not to be sold directly to a kid but a parent can easily purchase it and if they believe the game to be suitable they can take the responsibility of allowing their child to play it. The most the BBFC should be allowed to do is put an 18 certificate on a game or movie and leave it up to adults to determine if they think it is suitable for themselves or the under 18's they have responsibility for,
I am 30 years old and am guardian to a 12 year old child. I take game and movie age advice as exactly that: advice. I do not expect a game or movie retailer to sell him a 15 or 18 certificate title however he is allowed to watch and play selected movies and games of that certificate but only after I have watched or played them myself.
Legally he can watch 12 certificate movies or play 12 certificate games without my consent but he only watches or plays titles of that rating that I have vetted because the BBFC is fundamentally flawed and I do not trust their classification priorities to be the same as mine.
When the state stops trying to be the parents and starts encouraging parents to take responsibility for their charges the incidence of granny muggings and other such unpleasantness caused by poor parenting will disappear pretty quickly.
So the content of Manhunt 2 appears to be rather dark and unpleasant... that means that it is unlikely to be a game I would bother with but that does not mean that the BBFC have any rights to tell me what *I* can and can't play. Who the f*ck to they think they are?