Italy bans 'Manhunt 2' computer game

ROME: Italian Communications Minister Paolo Gentiloni banned on Thursday 'Manhunt 2', describing the blood-and-guts computer game as "cruel and sadistic".   

The game, made by US firm Rockstar Games for Sony's PlayStation 2 and Nintendo's Wii games consoles, contains "encouragement of violence and murder," Gentiloni said.   

He also filed a complaint with the Interactive Software Federation of Europe (ISFE), the European association of publishers of video and computer games.   

The game, which is due for release in North America on July 10 and in Europe on July 13, was banned this week in Britain and in Ireland.   

The first edition of the game, released in 2003, was banned for under-18s in Italy.