the controversy surrounding the game stems from the extremely graphic manner in which the player executes enemies. The game has three 'levels' of executions, and the executions get bloodier as the levels of execution progress. Level 1 executions are quick and the least bloody of the three, while Level 2 executions are considerably more gory, and Level 3 kills are over-the-top fatalities. An example of a Level 1 execution would be suffocating an enemy to death with a plastic bag. A Level 2 execution might feature severing an enemy's testicles by pulling a sickle between his legs. A Level 3 execution can involve stabbing an enemy in the back with a crowbar, following it up by jamming it into the enemy's head, wiggling it in the skull, and finally prying the head off from the spine. The game's graphic presentation of the executions are accentuated in a style reminiscent of a snuff film, and the game encourages players to execute enemies as brutally as possible, awarding players who do so with higher scores.

On February 27, 2004 in Leicester, UK, 17-year-old Warren Leblanc lured 14-year-old Stefan Pakeerah into a park and murdered him by stabbing him repeatedly with a claw hammer and knife. Leblanc was reportedly obsessed with Manhunt, although investigation quickly revealed that the killer did not even own a copy of the game. The victim's mother Giselle Pakeerah has been campaigning against violent video games in the UK ever since.The police investigating the case have dismissed any link, as discussed in the relevant articles.