10 Controversial Video Games Your Parents Never Wanted You To Play
3. Manhunt
With the release of Manhunt in 2003, Rockstar yet again declared war against the purity of children everywhere, at least in the eyes of many parents. This third-person stealth game has you play as a death row inmate forced to participate in an increasingly complex snuff film.
Manhunt is meant to be an ugly, morally repugnant, and unpleasant experience. It has you face off against the worst of humanity, including Neo-Nazis, pedophiles, and psychopaths, among many others. You are coerced into murdering these people in horrific and brutal ways, and the game doesnt shy away from violence and gore. Its subject matter truly is the stuff of nightmares, and parents can be forgiven for wanting to keep it away from their kids.
Unsurprisingly, Manhunt was met with intense controversy upon its release. Parents and politicians were appalled, leading to calls for the game to be banned and retails stores fined for selling it to minors. The turmoil blew over of course, and Manhunt has since become somewhat admired for its nihilistic tone and uncompromisingly violent vision.
However, you wont find many parents admitting this same sentiment, instead wishing it never existed.