Pain is an action video game developed by Idol Minds and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for PlayStation 3. It was released as a downloadable title available from the PlayStation Store and was released in North America on November 29, 2007 and in Europe on March 20, 2008 and became the most popular downloadable game on the PlayStation Store. In June 2009, SCEE announced that the game was to be released on Blu-ray Disc. It was launched in Europe on June 24, 2009, in Australia on June 25, 2009 and in the UK on June 26, 2009. The Blu-ray version includes the original game as well as several other levels and features released as downloadable content for the PSN version. It is available in a collection which is available to download from the PlayStation Store called the 3D Collection. On November 26, 2013, the game's online features were disabled.
Gameplay
In Pain the player attempts to damage the ragdoll character they play and the environment as much as possible by flinging them from a rubber-band slingshot, using the Havok physics engine. The characters have distinctive poses and phrases, can move by "ooching" and can grab things to throw or hang from. Replay videos can be watched, and can be edited and uploaded to YouTube or the PlayStation 3's hard disk drive.
The game download includes only the original environment, Downtown, which is a sandbox level with 3 unlockable environments. Downtown offers the modes Fun With Explosives, Spank The Monkey, Mime Toss, and Bowling. On November 24, 2010, Idol Minds provided long-time fans with a free environment called Hurt Falls, sponsored by AXE deodorant. It includes the mode Fun With Explosives.
Downloadable content
Abusement Park, with one unlockable environment, and modes Fun With Explosives, Clown Toss, Hot N Cold, and Trauma.
Sore Spots, broken down into two environments, Morningwood High School and Area 69, each with one unlockable environment, and modes Fun With Explosives, PAINalympics, and Mad Science!
Touchmounds Movie Studio, with one unlockable environment, and modes Fun With Explosives, Cratetastic, and Bowling.
Stiffstonian Museum, with one unlockable environment, and modes Fun With Explosives, Spank the Monkey, and Bowling.
Alpine Ski Area, with the mode Fun With Explosives.
Two Pain pinball machines are available for download, which have elements of Abusement Park and Area 69.
The game has received mixed to positive reviews and has an aggregate score of 71% on Metacritic. GameSpot gave the game a 7.5/10, praising the game for its "great use of Havok physics engine" and "smartly sophomoric sense of humor," but criticized it for having just one level. IGN gave the game a 6.8/10 commenting that "One level, two characters, no online multiplayer and no way to share crazy clips sucks. However, there are a ton of trophies to unlock."
