BlackLash

BlackLash, Macintosh game, 1998. (© Graham Harwood) Mongrel is a group that celebrates the methods of London street culture by undertaking a variety of projects ranging from art to software to workshops. The core group includes Matsuko Yokokoji, Mervin Jarman, Richard Pierre-Davis and Graham Harwood. The premise of BlackLash is that the filth is still in command of society and the streets, making sure only the selected few can escape the hellhole. The authorities have unleashed their law enforcers to crack down on the undesirables and maintain control of the streets, contaminating all areas with guns and drugs. Players have four characters to choose from as they battle to annihilate the powers that be and win the car of their dreams. Disclaimer: If advocates against reality games take a walk through any ghetto in actual reality, it may better enhance their understanding of what the artists who write these games experience. Upon entering the urban warzone, they would bear witness to the hellish phenomena of crack, soured drug deals, drive-by shootings and empty bottles of booze that litter the streets. Top to bottom: BlackLash in demo mode, and shown paused during an actual game.

Graham Harwood, De Waag, Nieuwmarkt 4, 1012 CR Amsterdam, Netherlands. E-mail: <Harwood@scotoma.org>. Web: <http://www.mongrelx.org>.