Pippin Barr is back at it again. The video game researcher and artist has built a series of flash games based on the eternal, ironic punishments meted out in Greek mythology, so you can know the agony of Tantalus, Prometheus and others.
Illustrated in super-retro Atari 2600 style, the games involve rapidly pressing two keys to perform a task that will never succeed. Sisyphus struggles to push a boulder up the hill, and always has it roll back down. Whether Prometheus writhes to shake off the eagle pecking at his liver, or doesn't, the result is the same: He's still bound to the rock, the eagle never leaves, his liver is consumed, and it regenerates the next day. There is no "Game Over," and in fact, the only way to end the game and choose another is to leave the application altogether.
Back in September, Barr conjured something about as absurd and possibly even more torturous—a Flash interpretation of "The Artist Is Present," a performance exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art that produced absolutely ludicrous waiting times in line. Barr's game simulated the wait in real time.
Let's Play Ancient Greek Punishment [Pippin Barr, via Neatorama]