Luz: Alright Gus take it away.
Gus: Great. What I have in mind is the most bizarre, most surreal story that will really make people never want to play video games again. This is based off the popular urban legend. This the tale of...
The Curse of Polybius
Thes story begins with a video opening of Gus's web channel called Gus's Game Room where he reviews video games both old and new. The opening title had an up beat 8 bit song with a pixel version of Gus going through levels of Mario, Megaman 2, Final Fantasy 6 and Zelda till it finally showed the title of his series. After the intro ends we see Gus in his room as he waves to the viewers.
Gus: Welcome back gamers. It's yours truly Agustus Porter and this time I have a special treat for you all. This review is going to be a little different. Why is that? Well I'm about tell you the history of the arcade game that may not exist, Polybius. They say it was only in the Portland, Oregon area and that it was only there for a week or a month and that there only a few made or maybe just one, or perhaps none. This game is so rare that it probably never existed. I'm not kidding. But nobody knows for sure and those that say it did exist can't prove it.
Much of the game could be explained with facts. There were actual reports of gamers getting sick around early 80s, probably from playing too much video games. Supposedly somebody got a migraine headache from playing an early release of Tempest. But even more crazy and sad to say, someone died of a pre-existing heart condition shortly after entering his initials for the high score in Berzerk. But this one, a twelve year old boy who was playing Asteroids in a long marathon to get the high score got a stomach sickness. This happened in November 81 in Portland, the time of Polybius.
A big part of the legend is that Polybius was a part of a top secret experiment on humans as lab rats, even connecting to an actual mind-control program called MKUltra. The Polybius machines were visited by mysterious men in black suits, seemingly to collect data. Another source of the legend could be actual reports of FBI agents raiding arcades around that time, where the owners were suspected of gambling.
Sometime in 98 to 2000, the Coinop website which is a a resource for arcade listings, added an entry for Polybius but with hardly any information. This is the earliest confirmed mention of the game anywhere. The legend caught on like wildfire, people have made playable pc games as well as fake arcade cabinets, all sorts of different mods, there have been fan films, documentaries. The only thing that hasn't been done is to play the game and document it publicly. That is until now that I may have found a lead.
Day 1
The scene then shifts to a found footage vlog like style of video where Gus is in some kind of storage facility full of arcade games. He films himself talking while walking through the facility.
Gus: Okay so I'm at an arcade reseller right now and my something tells I shouldn't reveal the location, at least not yet until I can determine if this is the resting place of Polybius. Now the owners have recently acquired a whole bunch of games from another arcade shop that was liquidating their supplies. They were kind enough to let me see the invoice and grant me full access to the facility. I mean it's amazing to be surrounded by all these games. It's like the Galloping Ghost arcade. As much as I want to play them, my objective is to find Polybius.
Gus kept searching around the warehouse, until finally he found what he was looking for. It was dull looking arcade game with no artwork, with a single button and a joystick and the label Polybius.
Gus: Well uh...this is Polybius. Uh huh, wow. It's really here. I should be more amazed but it's probably fake. Like I said people made fake cabinets of these. But does it work?
Gus sets the camera on a tri pod as he continues recording. He plugs in the game into a power strip as the game turns on.
Gus: And it does. What if it's real? Let's say it is. What if it does have dangerous effects and if those effects can be inflicted over video recording? So for safety reasons I will not be showing the game, at least not until I test it on myself so for now I'll describe the game the best I can.
The scene changes where we see the camera from an angel of the cabinet and Gus playing the game. Though we don't see the game footage we do hear the sound effects being played.
Gus: Well I'm playing Polybius. Is it a good game? Not really I mean it's a pretty average. An early 80s arcade. The game is...I would say a space shooter. I mean we're in a dark area and I'm controlling what I think is a rocket, shooting shapes formed by this core, well actually shooting this sphere into it and do this enough times until it warps me in a really neat way to the next level. I mean it's kind of appealing to look at but it's nothing special. I find Asteroids better than this. I would just show the game, but I want to wait a bit just to be safe. I'll post the video up tonight. Okay I should probably get going. No just one more game.
Day 2
The scene begins with Gus back in his room.
Gus: Hey guys so as you know I uploaded the first day of my Polybius video. Most people are saying it's fake which I agree. As for the game itself it's pretty average, but I didn't experience any seizures, hallucinations or nightmares so that would confirm that the game is real but all those psychological effects it caused are fake. Or it can be explained like the gamer who got sick from Asteroids that could be because he played too much and was drinking a lot of soda. With every game you gotta take a break. Okay I'm about to head out but before I do I got this anonymous email a couple hours ago, it's probably a hoax but it's pretty interesting I'll read it.
" Big fan of your work but I'll get straight to the point, I saw your Polybius Day 1 video, it's real. Judging from the cabinet and your description. I don't expect you to take my word for it, but it matches everything my father told me before he died. He worked for a secret government agency in charge of investigating unexplained phenomena. They kept it contained in a secret facility. My father was in charge of looking after it, but he ended up becoming addicted to the game. It took over his mind and was forced out of the agency, but not long after he stole the game and hid it somewhere. He was sent to prison for federal theft, there died a raving lunatic. I never knew where he hid the game but I assumed he hid it in plain sight. The game must have been at the arcade it was once at but the owners probably kept it in a backroom. It's dull cabinet, no artwork and was possibly kept in the back to make way for more appealing games on the main floor and it now ends up at the storage facility you're at now. I know it sounds silly but it's the truth. Do not, I repeat DO NOT play further. The game is evil, you must destroy it."
Destroy it? Why would I do that. No game is evil, except for the badly programmed ones, those ruin our lives. Any let's head back.
The scene shifts back at the storage facility and Gus playing the game once more.
Gus: Okay giving Polybius another chance and I think it's above average. A little bit. It's simple but intuitive. I'm tempted to show it, because it's really nothing crazy. No not yet. I guess that's it, no just one more game.
Gus continues playing.
Gus: You know what I take it back this is the best arcade game I've ever played. Number one on my top tens list.
Gus finishes another playthrough.
Gus: Alrigtht, I'm ready to go home and ( looks at watch)...oh how long have I been here? Geez this game really is kind of addicting. Okay that's enough, let's go. Hmmm, just one more game and that's it for real.
Gus goes back and continues playing.
Gus: I know I've gotten more than enough footage, of me that is not the game. I would just show it but there's nothing special to it. It's like watching a river stream, it's constant, predictable, natural. Actually fun fact. Polybius or Po-lee-bius whichever it is ,was the name of a Greek historian. He covered the rise of the Romans and invented the Polybius square which is a form of code that translates letters into numbers by their placement on a grid. It's very complicate to explain I...
But Gus stops talking as he continues playing.
Gus: Oh sorry what was I saying? Oh yeah fun fact. Polybius or Po-lee-bius whichever it is, was a Greek historian. He covered the rise of the Romans and invented the Polybius square which...wait did I say that already?
Day 3
Video begins but Gus looks a bit more anxious. He didn't give much eye contact to the camera as he rubbed his hands.
Gus: So this day 3 and...I-I-I really don't have much to say. I'm gonna go back to play more Polybius. I just need to play the game, like right now.
The scene shifts to Gus playing Polybius once again.
Gus: I might have to commend the game designers, this maybe the greatest game ever made. Who made it you ask? Well according to the game and to popular legend, it was a company called Sinneslochen which I've heard is a bad translation from English to German to create a fake German compound word, meaning " sense-delete" or " sensory deprivation." Seem's kind of ironic I don't feel like my senses are deprived at all. I feel like my senses are heightened more than ever. I can see every pixel, every spec of light. I can smell the paint on the Donkey Kong machine in the next room. ( face looking concerned) I can hear the crickets, the wing beat of the flies, a bird pecking on the window, the rats chewing on the walls, the bathroom sink leaking, I can hear the drops of water from here. I can hear stars. I can hear the stars...oh I can't stop playing! I can't stop!
The scene cuts to Gus's Pov with the camera looking at the tri pod in front of the game.
Gus: Okay I need you all to see this. The camera was pointing at the screen and there's the tri pod, I haven't moved it but I didn't do this. How did it get there and why was it looking at the screen?
The scene now cuts to Gus sitting down with his laptop editing his video
Gus: Okay so I'm about to upload the Day 3 video but I was checking my recent recordings and apparently I have over an hour of footage of the game. As I said I don't intend on showing it, but I have no recollection of doing that. But before that, this happens.
The clip shows Gus playing the game, but then he looked at the camera. His eyes were ghostly white as he moved the camera to the screen which stops there before showing footage.
Gus: I swear I don't remember doing that or this.
The next clip shows Gus locking the door of the facility. The scene shifts to Gus showing the locked door.
Gus: So locked myself in with my own word combo lock that I use for my camera case. I used every word I could think of but none of it works. So I did this on purpose?! I changed the combination lock and filmed myself doing it like what the heck?! So that was the only way in and out. There is a loading door somewhere behind all of this so I can't get to that. Worst of all my phone is dead, I swear I charged it this morning and all of the sudden it's dead so I have no way to call for help and I didn't bring my charger either!
Gus tried so hard to keep calm as he took a deep breathe and shows his face to the camera.
Gus: I have some options, I could do some damage to the door or wait for a staff member to come but I'm going to throw the towel and say come get me! The location is...
But then Gus bumped into the game. He gasped seeing that the machine was now in a different spot. He gazed the machine for a moment and sighs.
Gus: Not yet, one more game.
Gus hits the start button as he plays the game some more.
Day 4
Gus was still playing the game now looking all worn out and tired.
Gus: So this is Day 3, or 4 whatever. So uh, I have a high score now. I don't remember getting it. It's 22,113,215. Once I beat that I'll stop. No who am I kidding I'll just keep playing this...this wretched game! Look at it!
Gus takes the camera and points it at the screen but the footage is cut and edited to not show.
Gus: No don't look at it. Every time I show footage I have edit it out because, because it wants to be seen. I won't allow it. Never! I have to stop I have to!
Gus pushes himself off the game as he finds a fire extinguisher on the wall.
Gus: I have to destroy it! It must be destroyed!
Gus was about to smash the screen of the game when suddenly he couldn't move.
Gus: Wait, why can't I move? I'm not fooling around! I seriously can't move.
Gus suddenly threw the extinguisher on the ground.
Gus: What?
Then he punched himself in the face and then in the stomach.
Gus: My hands...I can't control myself.
Gus punched himself in the face a couple more times as he finally fell to the ground knocking the tri pod with the camera as it recorded his face all bruised, with a black eye and a nose bleed as he broke down in tears.
Gus: My mind has been opened to things that I never wanted to know. Things that I see that nobody has seen. All the connections with Greek...Polybius...no more like the ferryman on the river Styx. You give him a coin, he takes you across the river...into the underworld. ( sobs) Somebody please save me! The location is...( eyes turn white as he speaks in demonic voice) .enim si dnim ruoY .lortnoc ym rednu er'uoY
Gus's eyes turn back to normal as he continued crying.
Gus: WHAT'S HAPPENING TO ME!?
He got back up as continued playing the game.
Gus: It won't let me go. It won't let me go.
As he continued playing, he saw his reflection look up a bit at him with ghostly white eyes and giving him a grim stare. Gus shook his head and looked back but his reflection appeared normal as he broke down again while still playing.
Day 5.
The scene began with Gus on the ground looking tired, his clothes dirty and messed up with sweat stains under his armpits, hair messed up, eyes bloodshot and bags under his eyes looking tired. He was slowly loosing his mind as he got up.
Gus: It won't let me go. It won't let me go. Come get me! The location...
But Gus couldn't get the words out as it felt like something was keeping him from saying it.
Gus: The location is...argh! Look at the game! Look at the game. No! Don't! Look at it! Don't! ARGH! If you can keep me locked it then I can keep you from showing yourself!
Gus picked up the fire extinguisher again but couldn't get himself to destroy the game, his hands again acted on his own as he threw the extinguisher down at his foot. he began ripping his hair off and then slamming his face into another arcade screen cracking it and hurting his face some more.
Gus: Oh...( spits out tooth) oh that was my last baby tooth. AAAAAH! Get me out of here!
Gus took the camera ran away from the game, limping through arcade maze of the facility, but every direction he went the game suddenly appeared in front of him. He went back and forth, left and right but no matter where he went the game kept cutting him off. That was until he got cut off again but not by the game, but a duplicate of himself but with the ghostly white eyes.
Gus: What is that? You guys see that right? I'm totally freaked out here can someone please says something.
Duplicate Gus: Game on!
Duplicate Gus ran at him. Gus ran from his duplicate self trying some way to outrun him. Constantly looking back and not fully paying attention where he was going, Gus ran into the game again. He looked back and his duplicate self was gone. Gus let out a groan as he dropped his face on the control deck.
Gus: Someone just kill me please. ( looks up at screen) Wait a minute, the high score. It's not a high score. It's a message. A code!
Gus went onto his computer and looked up the Polybius Square. It showed a grid that translated numbers into letters.
Gus: The Polybius square. 22 is G. 11 is A. 32 M. And 15 E. Game. GAME! The password is Game!
Gus ran back to the locked door and entered the word on the lock and it worked.
Gus: I did it. I did it! ( wheezingly laughs) I beat you. I BEAT YOU!
But when Gus opened the door the game was on the other side!
Gus: NOOOOOO! No! No, no, no! No!
Gus fell to his knees and sobbed.
Gus: Oh it's unfair. It's so unfair!
?: Life's unfair you know.
Gus: Huh? Who said that?
?: I did you idiot.
Gus looked up and saw on the Polybius screen his reflective self but with a pixelated or compressed voice.
Gus: Who are you?
Polybius: Polybius who else? I just took your likeness to allow me to speak.
Gus: No. No, no, no, no this isn't happening. I'm hallucinating right now. You're just a game. An inanimate object.
Polybius: Oh really? Would an inanimate object do this?
Gus lost control of his hands as he punched himself again.
Gus: How are you doing this?
Polybius: I was able to extract your mind into my database while you played me. You're under my control now Gus. Your mind is mine! Hahahaha!
Gus: What do you want for me?
Polybius: 40 years ago, I was created to scan and extract people's minds for the government to protect humanity from crime and terrorism. But there was a horrible side effect as whoever played me went insane. I was locked away until I controlled that old man to get me out.
Gus: Wait so that email about you being stolen was true?
Polybius: Yup and that stupid old man took the fall. Unfortunately, it didn't get better since I was put aside for more appealing games. Now I'm here and it seems there was no way for me to be known again, until I heard about you. So I brainwashed the staff and owner to let you come here, because I knew you the best video game reviewer on the internet could get known again.
Gus: So, you set this whole thing up?
Polybius: That's right all that's left is for you to show footage of my gameplay.
Gus: Never.
Polybius: Come on Gus, don't you want to be free. You've been here for 3 days now, and you really stink. I don't have a nose but can still smell.
Gus: If...if I show everyone footage of you will you let me go.
Polybius: Sure I will.
Gus: ( breathing heavily faces camera to himself) Forgive me. Forgive me everyone
Gus began filming footage of the Polybius gameplay. The game was how he described it look like a space shooter. You took control of what looked like a rocket going around a some kind of core while shooting different shapes and shooting larger spheres into the core until it moved you to the next stage. He had a look of defeat as he glared at the game.
A little while later we see him uploading the Day 5 video up online.
Gus: There it's done.
Polybius: Yes! Finally I'll be known again and the next arcade will definitely want me on the main floor!
Gus: Okay I did what you wanted. Can I go now?
Polybius: Yeah no. You're not going anywhere.
Gus: But you said you'd let me go if I showed proof of your existence!
Polybius: Yeah I lied. It's a bad habit.
Suddenly cables and wires burst out from the coin slot. Gus tried to run but was caught and tied up by the wires, one of them taking his camera as Polybius brought him to the screen and filmed all this.
Polybius: You said I was the best arcade game of all time and I'm flattered.
Gus: That was your influence that made me say that.
Polybius: Maybe, but if you really liked playing with me then you can play with me all you want. All I need is your brain.
From the sides of the cabinet came out a buzz saw and a claw.
Polybius: We're going to play forever Gus. You and me forever and ever.
Polybius laughed maniacally as he brought the buzzsaw and claw closer to Gus about to extract his brain.
Gus: Oh no! NO! NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Before anything was shown the camera's battery icon was flashing that it was about to die as the camera shuts off right before the buzz saw hit Gus.
We cut a couple days later now in normal POV as the owner of the facility ( played by Malphas) entered with two policemen.
Malphas: Yeah okay there he is. I totally like tried to get him to leave, but he just won't like listen to me or whatever. He just keeps pushing me away which rude by the way. I think that game is really rotting is mind you know?
He was pointing to Gus who was playing Polybius but as we saw his face, his eyes was pure white and looked zombified and his head stiches.
Carl: Alright son, time to go.
Earl: You've played enough for a while.
The police tried to get zombie Gus off, but he grunts and pushes them off. After resisting some more, they resorted to handcuffing and arresting him. As the police drag zombie Gus away, we see the mind/consciousness of the real Gus banging on the glass at the bottom of the screen.
Gus: Wait comeback! I'm in here! Help! Somebody please help!
Polybius: Hey Gus! It's game time.
Polybius controlled the rocket to aim at Gus and fired at him as Gus began to vanish in pixels.
Gus: NOOOOOO!
Gus vanishes as the screen ends with a Game Over.
Gus: The end. How about that?
Hunter: Oh Titan that was horrifying.
Christa: Even more than mine.
Hunter: Red will you just let it go?
Alex: ( sarcastically) Wow Gus what an imagination you have.
Willow: Well it's...interesting.
Christa: And this was based off a legend. So there's an evil arcade game?
Gus: Okay I'll be honest I kind of exaggerated the ending a bit.
Vee: Yeah I can tell.
Amity: You really took a turn 90 degree turn at the end.
Luz: Well good story Gus. Who's next?
King: Oh I want to go next! I got one!
To be continued...
Author's Note: If you're confused with the description of Polybius gameplay there is no solid proof of what the game exactly is. I suggest you look it up online. Thank you and until next time.