okay, i take back the "ESRB required to play the games" comment, as that wasn't really the point but just a grumbling.
article notes that movies of extreme gore are routinely released, etc.
(sidepoint: 15 years ago, violent movies were blamed for violence. now, it's video games.)
as an immersive horror experience, from what i read from ign preview, this sounds like a gem. the gore is an INTEGRAL component; without it, you won't be on your toes. zombies just don't quite have the same effect.
theatrics-wise, the game sounds terrific, truly innovative and immersive. but is the gore over the top? that is the only question. if so, the solution from Rockstar is simple, cut back on the more violent scenes (as article noted, 3 levels of gore, can just move down to the 2 lower levels).
it's funny, getting an AO totally gets the public's attention. my friends now talk about this game, and want to find out just what the commotion is about.
perhaps movie-like gaming is closer to us than we think. if take-two pulls this one off and delivers a good prodct into the consumers hands, this could easily be the most innovative of the wii games since wii sports.
Kill-Bill-esque gore also works, bt probably less well on Manhunt II. it increases the comical factor, which would be a reprieval from the tension, but likely feel out of place. i guess that's the No More Heroes approach (or, rather, Kill-Bill copied the japanese), but from what i've read No More Heroes has more of a traditional video game storyline focus and gameplay as opposed to the Horror focus of Manhunt II.
the Wii is an epidemic.
