Young boys like violent games. Parents find it terrifying that their sweet little boys could have an attraction to violence. The friction between the two is age old. But video games give new meaning to graphic violence. Not only do you see it on the screen, you interact with it. This hypnotic interaction terrifies parents even more.

The clash is once again in the limelight. I asked a bunch of boys ranging from 18-21 whether they thought Rockstar Games, maker of Grand Theft Auto, had crossed the line with their newest game, Manhunt 2.

“Don’t you think it’s a bit sick to think that killing and maiming things is fun?,” I asked.

“Nah, it’s just a game,” they answered.

They just see it as sophomoric humor–the way you might have thought about monster movies in your youth.

Manhunt 2 is said to be the goriest, most violent online video game yet. A review by IGN recounts some of the most over the top episodes.

The plot begins with a psychotic, amnesiac facing his end on Death Row. A reprieve at the 11th hour finds him fighting his way through a maze-like manhunt to freedom, launching a bloody killing spree everywhere on his journey. People—real and creatures–get massacred, chainsawed, tortured, and beaten. The graphics and sound are incredible. And, because the game is set to launch on the Nintendo Wii and PlayStation 2, much has been made of the fact that the tactile, kinesthetic properties of the Wii make the game more onerous still. In the Wii version, the players actually simulate killing with the various weapons by using the handheld Wii controller.

The game was scheduled for release on July 10th, but with great fanfare and media coverage its release has been suspended. The reason? It’s being banned from being sold in England, Ireland, and now possibly Italy. In the U.S. it got an Adult Only rating from the ESRB. Adult Only means that stores like Wal-Mart and Best Buy would not carry it and that Nintendo and Sony would not allow it on their platforms. Take Two Entertainment has suspended the release of the game while they consider what to do. (They can take some of the most egregious scenes out and ask to be rated again.)

What do we make of all of this? This game should not be in the hands of kids under 17. The ESRB has not been very good about educating consumers about Manhunt 2 or the reason for its intended ratings. There’s nothing on their web site about the controversy.

Based on everything I’ve seen and read, it’s far too disturbing. On the other hand, like I tell my own 21-year-old son, I’d rather he’d kill people virtually than in real life.

My comment to him gave me an idea. Why doesn’t Rockstar Games take Manhunt 2 to Bagdad, Gaza, Sierra Leone, and all of the other most troubled spots in the world. Sit the young fighters down and let them challenge each other to a game of killing and gore, virtual style. Maybe if they get their aggressions out on the screen, they could shake hands, go home, and wait for Manhunt 3 before they fight again. Naïve? No more naïve than some of the other things we’ve been doing in the name of conflict resolution.

What do you think?