Rockstar, the developer of Manhunt 2, and ESRB could be in trouble again as four U.S. senators have sent a letter to ESRB requesting “thorough review” of the system in the wake of Manhunt 2 receiving a “Mature” rating, rather than the more restrictive “Adults Only” designation, after the publisher made some minor revisions to the game.

As reported by VideoBusiness.com the letter, which is signed by Sen. Evan Bayh (D-IN), Sen. Joseph Lieberman (I-CT), Sen. Sam Brownback (R-KS), and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY), is quoting BBFC’s (British Board of Film Classification) refusal to rate the game.

As you might remember in June this year Manhunt 2 became famous as the first game to be banned in UK in the last ten years after it was rejected by the BBFC, the British equivalent of ESRB.

BBFC’s decision was followed by an AO rating issued by ESRB and as a consequence Rockstar decided to postpone the launch, to modify the game and to re-submit it for approval. Rockstar was forced to modify its game because Nintendo and Sony had said they won’t support on their gaming platforms an AO rated-title.

In August, Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) has rated the title “M” for Mature for ages 17 and older. Along with the Mature rating, the ESRB also assigned the following content descriptors to Manhunt 2: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content and Use of Drugs. As a result, Manhunt 2 was released for PS2, PSP and Nintendo Wii in October, but BBFC rejected the modified version, saying “the impact of the revisions on the bleakness and callousness of tone … is clearly insufficient.”

Now, based on BBFC’s ruling the four senators, known for their campaigns against violent games, are questioning ESRB’s decision to reverse the game rating.

“[The ESRB, however,] reduced the revised version’s rating to “Mature,” effectively opening the door to its widespread distribution and its licensing approval by game system manufacturers Sony and Nintendo”, they wrote in the letter. 

The senators are also requesting more transparency from the ESRB: "What information is provided back to developers after receiving a rating? Why is information regarding rating changes or reasons for decisions unavailable, except for content descriptors, to the public?" reads the letter.

The senators haven’t forgotten to mention the latest controversy that affected Manhunt 2. Shortly after the official release of the game the hackers found a way to reactivate some adult scenes in the PSP and PS2 versions of the game. They found a way to overcome the special blurring filters activated at ESRB's request.

At the time Rockstar stated that all game material and especially these revised edits were submitted to and reviewed by the ERSB and ESRB defended its rating.

 "Manhunt 2’s rating makes it unmistakable that the game is intended for an older audience. The unauthorized hacking into the code of this game doesn’t change that basic fact," said at the time ESRB president Patricia Vance.

Also the senators have cited the "realistic motions" used to kill characters in the game on the Nintendo Wii, as evidence that the ESRB should reevaluate its ratings process.
 "[W]e ask your consideration of whether it is time to review the robustness, reliability, and repeatability of your ratings process, particularly for this genre of 'ultra-violent' video games and the advances in game controllers," concludes the letter.

ESRB didn’t make any comments about the letter but a spokesperson confirmed for Ars Technica that the group had received the letter and would be responding.

In August after ESRB rated the revised version of the game to M, the media watchdog Campaign For a Commercial-Free Childhood requested a federal government investigation in order to determine for sure what changes were made.

In response ESRB reacted by issuing a statement signed by ESRB President Patricia Vance in which she defended the decision and said that the rating process is confidential.

“Publishers submit game content to the ESRB on a confidential basis. It is simply not our place to reveal specific details about the content we have reviewed, particularly when it involves a product yet to be released. What can be said is that the changes that were made to the game, including the depictions themselves and the context in which those depictions were presented, were sufficient to warrant the assignment of an M (Mature 17+) rating by our raters”, she wrote.