The question is, though, how much is too much? Are games in which mass murder is possible and allowed harmful? By allowing for (and simulating) destructive behaviours in their games, are developers thus endorsing those behaviours? These questions are extremely important when considering something like Running With Scissors' ultra-crass and (let's be honest) ultra-juvenile Postal 2 (2003). In videogames such as the Grand Theft Auto series, players can pretty much do whatever they want - they can play through the game's storyline as ethically as possible, or go on a mass killing spree. This has, however, also attracted most of the criticism and controversy surrounding the games industry in recent years. And videogames just take that further, because you have more participation.' Indeed, one of the videogaming's greatest strengths is its ability to construct 'moral playgrounds' - safe arenas in which people can explore different philosophies, principles and personalities. You watch a romance, and if it works, you feel that kind of giddiness you feel in a real romantic situation. When you see Goodfellas, you sort of walk out feeling like you're in that world. 'I think if you look at even the least participatory art forms there's the notion of vicariousness. He sees emergence as worth the effort, though, because it increases the audience's involvement with his games. Their AI entities are tethered to specific areas and situations in a game like BioShock, AIs will wander around and follow you around.' If you look at a game like Half-Life 2 or Call of Duty, their developers can really custom build scripted areas with no fear that gameplay is going to trickle out of that area.

'The problem when you build emergent spaces,' Levine says, 'is that the amount of testing and rebuilding is much higher, because areas have to be applicable to a lot of different scenarios. Irrational is now hard at work on BioShock, SS2's 'spiritual successor'. It's an immensely satisfying format, because players feels as though their choices matter. This game is the prime example of what Levine calls 'emergent gameplay' - very little is pre-scripted, most parts of the game can play out in any order, and players are free to come up with their own strategies for dealing with enemies and obstacles. Ken Levine, president of Irrational Games, has been working to meet the needs of gamers since 1999, when it released System Shock 2.

Mike jaret free postal 3