Rockstar has confirmed to SPOnG that the controversial Manhunt 2, which was originally banned from release in the UK, will hit shops on October 31st - Halloween. That's almost a full year after the US release.

The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) initially refused to grant Manhunt 2 even an 18 rating, citing its "...unremitting bleakness and callousness of tone" and effectively banning it in the UK. After much to-ing and fro-ing involving the Video Appeals Committee (VAC) and revisions of the game by Rockstar, the BBFC was finally forced to grant it an 18 classification in March.

There's no word from Rockstar on why it will have taken seven and a half months from that decision for the game to see release over here. Presumably it reckons that by waiting until October it ups the chance of the game making a nice little present for under your Christmas tree...

If time has withered your memory of what Manhunt 2's all about, you can get a refresher with SPOnG's preview.