PAIN STATION..

No - this is not the review of last Friday - when me and Kid Shirt endured an evening of the best death-metal-funk-n-grind - dished out by Mark Stewart and the Mafia - mixed past pain-thresholds by none other than Adrian Sherwood - ears ripped and torn to shreds - - an evening of extreme excellence... tha Kid reviews the events better than I can recall - too much Red Stripe and skunk me thinks (or not) - so go read tha kid

meanwhile - back to the post - from the newly setup Database of Virtual Art

A whole new twist to an old classic game ....

PAIN STATION



PainStation comprises a box structure housing a horizontal screen over which the two players face each other. The software is based on Pong, an early computer game. Players use their right hands to control a bat on screen, and must keep their left hand on the console's "pain execution unit". Removing your hand means breaking the circuit - game over. During play, if your screen bat misses a ball, your left hand suffers the consequences through the application of heat, electric shocks or a quick whipping on the back of your hand. "It's amazing how players get engrossed in the game to avoid being hurt", says Reiff, "and how audiences behave. The combination of the PainStation's sound effects, the behaviour of the players and onlookers makes the game an experience for the audience as much as the players." Many players have ended up with red, bruised hands - although not for long.