So where does this leave us? If Manhunt 2 does get passed in the UK, some might think we’ll see the floodgates opened on a whole barrage of gore and entrails once it becomes known that devs can ‘get away with it’. Looking at the tone of of next year’s releases, there are indeed a fair few uncompromisingly bloody games looming on the horizon, though admittedly none which seem too gratuitous in their depictions.

The fact is, Manhunt 2 may well now set an important precedent and represent a turning point in the acceptance of mature gaming content in the eyes of officialdom. Yes, it's come in for some bad reviews, yes you're free to not care about it as a game one way or the other, and yes, its potential sales are likely to make its release little more than a moral victory for Rockstar. But what it represents is much bigger than any of that.

And similarly, if the BBFC gets the game re-banned then there's a potential slippery slope ahead of us. Currently, the BBFC's only justifications for the ban are the game's 'tone' and the fact that even the appropriate 18 rating won't stop kids getting hold of it. That latter point is a fault of ratings enforcement and education, not of the legitimacy of Rockstar's work, and the game should not be mistreated as a result of it. And as for tone, that's subjective and entirely a matter of personal taste. If Manhunt 2 does get passed though, we must be aware that it will be a double-edged blessing to be handled with care.

On the positive side, the passing of Rockstar’s game would rather publically confirm that adult content in gaming has a right to be there. It’d also be a big victory for avid supporters of free speech. On the other hand, the industry would have to be very careful not to take such a ruling as carte blanche to go crazy with the blood and guts just because it can. Such an action might well be permissable, and would probably sell a ton of units to the kids, but it would only stall the development of gaming’s reputation – something just as important as its business growth – in the eyes of the world it wants to naturalise itself with. Aside from that, a reliance on gimmick gore can dangerously stunt the creative process as well, leading to more games that might grab the attention but just aren’t that good to play. And playing them's what it’s all about at the end of the day, right?

If Rockstar wins this one, let's enjoy its victory. But let's enjoy it responsibly shall we?