It's possible (and I won't lie, this is certainly a miracle of introspection coming from someone like me,) that in matters of the torture-porn genre (by this I mean Saw and Co. not something... considerably more disturbing) I am unable to take the moral high ground.
The thing is, though lovers of physical violence in its purest forms are considered baser, as if removed of their higher mental faculties, it is not unusual for an individual (myself included) to be captivated the idea of emotional torture. Do not confuse what I am saying; I'm not some psychopath (well... anyway, that's another discussion.) I'm simply referring to the nature of drama, the way in which we find ourselves intrigued by the ruthless and systemic deconstruction of the human psyche, creating a series of fictional scenarios in which we strip away what we concieve as the 'illusion' of modern life, and reveal the void; an endless abyss in which nothing can ever be truly safe, nor entirely free.
This happens more than you would think, though perhaps in a more diluted form than the stark vision I presented above. In any case, every facet of drama (at least when it is done well) must show some aspect of this, and it is usually hugely popular. And rightly so. I, for one, am a huge fan of this, and it is never more prevelant then in anime. Some of my favourite anime (and everyones, as I understand it,) contain similar themes, though perhaps Neon Genesis Evangelion is the most notable. I even recently watched a series called Puella Magi Madoka Magica which, presented in the style of a Puella Magi show aimed at young girls (Sailor Moon, Cardcaptors, etc,) quickly reveals itself to be far darker than anyone could expect; a tale of incredible pain, stupendous loss and truly soul-crushing depression and lonliness. I loved every second of it. This is not to say, however, that there is no limit to what an audience can be subjected to (though of course this limit remains entirely subjective.)
The reason I am writing all this, is because tonight I discovered my limit. I was playing something I found reccomended online; a game called 'One Chance'. I presume it's still there.
In this game, over the course of six days, all life on Earth is exterminated by a virus. I won't spoil it for any of you, but I will say that you can only play this game once (you literally only have 'one chance') unless you retool your Flash settings. Anyway, I found the game utterly depressing; so bleak I sometimes wondered why I continued when everything I experienced seemed to make me feel worse. But I struggled through... and was left with a terrible ending, before cheating to go back and one that has a remotely happy ending.
But the thing is... even though I found the experience awful, I certainly learned something about my connection to videogames, and I sort of feel I've benefitted from it as a developer. Nah, as an artist and a writer. (You have to read this, I only hope you agree.)
I guess that's pretty much it.
Stay frosty.
