Virtual Hell

Virtual Hell is an adult animated survival-horror television series created by Kiran Yamamoto.

Setting
In the not too distant future, virtual reality has advanced to become the increasingly dominant entertainment platform with each new generation of headsets outselling consoles and PC's alike. The latest model, which just hit shelves during last year's holiday season, has consumers swarming. Like all VR technology over the past few years, it has undergone years of rigorous testing by a variety of hired gamers to ensure optimal performance with no risk of safety issues to the user.

This was legislated as necessary for all such products to be funded or sold after a string of lawsuits very nearly collapsed the market in earlier generations, following an incident decades ago in which a beta-tester was rendered comatose by an accidental power surge during the neural uplink (The process by which a player "uploads" a digital profile of their consciousness in order to help the headset construct their avatar, much like the Matrix franchise's "residual self-image" mentally projected to represent the cast's digital selves). Today, no media industry is more carefully monitored or controlled.

For all intents and purposes, these avatars are an identical copy of the player's own biological brain (Personality, thoughts, decision making, memories, etc). Everything the avatar experiences in-game is processed and cataloged into the player's mind, just like how any other memory would be. Deleting the character and/or save data doesn't erase the memory. In another publicly documented mishap from early versions of the technology, a case of brief neural overstimulation left an equipment tester with temporary mild brain damage, struggling to distinguish memories in VR from those in reality.

While the avatar's physical abilities can be enhanced to superhuman levels, depending on the game's genre and programming, they can also experience the same emotions as their original. As per the legislation, however, it's illegal to program sensations of pain or other severe discomfort. Though, that concept has been debated for years over potential military applications such as for more realistic + immersive training simulations (One argument in favor of this is the evolutionary link between negative stimulus and instructional memory, which in theory could make trainees more immediately effective before entering combat) and even torture methods for terrorists under interrogation.

Synopsis
A group of friends gather online one night to play an illegally obtained unfinished review copy of the final and most hyped VR horror game from a deceased developer, who was very recently reported to have committed suicide. When they find themselves unable to log out, however, they quickly discover that dying in-game will actually kill them. To escape, they must work together to beat & deactivate the game, surviving the increasingly strange gameplay and solving the puzzles behind its story's deep lore allegedly inspired from a recent string of real life child murders. But someone in the outside world doesn't want them to find the truth and is now looking for their real bodies.

Plot
When a group of six college friends assemble online one night to play an early review copy of a soon to be released VR horror game from the currently most famous developer on Earth, it initially seems like a dream come true. But behind this game lies a dark controversy. Discussion has quickly spread like wildfire throughout the internet regarding the game's once anonymous creator. Known to the public for years under a masked alter ego, his identity was revealed to the world upon him being found dead in his home the prior year. The investigating authorities ruled it an apparent suicide.

The online mob's delving into his previously ambiguous background led to the discovery of another tragedy. His only daughter, whose name and information had also been kept out of the public eye until recently, was murdered, the final known victim in a series of child killings that spanned multiple cities in the region about ten years ago. While the cases have since remained unsolved, this revelation sparked mass speculation while only skyrocketing interest in the creator's last but as yet unfinished game. This came as a relief to the studio, which the creator specified would be granted legal ownership over the IP in the event of his death, as they feared they would have to cancel the project to avoid legal & ethical trouble. As was specified in his will, the creator's wishes were explicitly clear:

The game would finish development and release, with or without him, but the story and true ending (of multiple possible conclusions) were not to be spoiled. The quality VR survival-horror experience he promised his fans was simply too good of a business opportunity to pass up. Moreover, he'd left detailed instructions for the product's final touches, including story details and pre-planned coding sequences. Not a single detail or expense was spared to make sure the hands his baby fell into would have everything they needed to fulfill his vision. Over 90% of the work was already done, the campaign and gameplay virtually complete. All that remained now by and large was technical polish. This event took the gaming community by storm as journalists, social media, online personalities, conspiracy theorists and even multiple news networks stoked the fires of enthusiasm.

As the final months neared, following an understandable delay out of respect in the wake of the creator's funeral, debate raged across the pop-cultural zeitgeist in response to the scarce marketing. What would this game be about? What makes it so scary, and why has not so much as a demo been shared? Tonight, our protagonists find out as they log on together. While they all know each other, each participating for their own reasons and having a relationship to at least one other member of the group, they're not as close as a family. They're simply like-minded individuals of varying backgrounds with different levels of skill + knowledge to contribute (Some will prove to be weaker links than others). By the time their avatars load in and take in the game's world, they immediately see the work put in.

The first few minutes are enough to realize the creator wasn't boasting. This is truly masterfully well made stuff, its craftsmanship so pristine that it's hard to believe it's an early copy. There are no visual or performance hiccups to be found. Marveling at the detail while relishing the fear, it doesn't take long for multiple party members to call it quits, having had more than enough to form an opinion. It's only when they try to log out, however, that the true terror sets in. Naturally, panic ensues as they try everything mechanically possible to no avail before an attack from a low-level enemy spawn leads to another startling revelation: When the players take damage, it not only causes physical pain in addition to losing health. If the players' avatars are killed, the shock will terminate their brain activity.

Meaning, their real bodies will expire with their final moments consisting of experiencing whatever agony the avatars suffer (Similarly to Corpse Party or Dead Space, the myriad possible deaths aren't quick or pretty as the characters quickly learn). Slowly collecting themselves after witnessing the death of one of their party, the group have little choice but to press onward. Unable to reach outside the game in any way or call for help (It's not an online title anyway), as far as they know, they're on their own. Meanwhile, as time passes, their bodies sit idle where they set up their headsets. It's only thanks to one of their neighbors happening by that the real world becomes aware of their predicament. The cops mobilize to their addresses, but know full well how delicate this technology's neural link is.

Like SAO's NerveGear, the headsets can't simply be ripped off without disturbing players' brain chemistry, especially not under these conditions. Granted, it became standard practice long ago to build a failsafe into these devices wherein failure to execute the "Disconnect" command after a preset amount of time would trigger a non-lethal electrical stimulus to sever the link manually. Unfortunately, because the complex coding behind this game still isn't fully understood (This was the other reason for the delay to finish it, the early copy only being the latest version), the exact cause of the bug which disabled or otherwise bypassed this function isn't currently known (Assuming it is a bug).

Bottom line: There's no way to remove the headsets without killing the wearers. So, for the time being, the five survivors are transported one by one to the nearest hospital where they can be kept alive intravenously. Those who have families have had their loved ones contacted, but they can do little for now except wait. Back in-game, the remaining avatars figure out via one group's technological expertise that beating the game should logically fix the problem and restore the logout option. The challenge is clear: To get back home, they must complete the vast non-linear campaign, solve the underlying layers of lore, and get to the truth left by the creator at the endgame. Whatever disagreements and conflicts the characters may come to, regardless, they are all they have.

The deeper they go down the rabbit hole of this mystery, the more the horrors within will test their intelligence, gaming skills/knowledge, friendships and wills to survive, pushing them to the point of risking turning on each other. But the greatest threat to their lives is not digital. It's in the real world, making its way toward them. While news about the group's plight inside the game spreads to make headlines worldwide, the masses glued to their screens as it unfolds (Many trying and failing to hack in and message the players), someone has their own agenda. This individual knows more about the game and its creator than anyone, and he intends to prevent its launch or the endgame's secret from being found by any means necessary. Amidst the intrigue of this breaking story, he moves behind the scenes to reach the players before delivering a permanent "Game over" unto them one by one.

Now, it's a race against time to beat the odds but the more answers the players manage to get, the more questions those clues raise. Does the mythology of this fictional digital world somehow connect to those historical child murders? And if so, what evidence will the characters find? Clearly, whatever the late creator intended here goes far deeper than anyone could have predicted and the experience only gets stranger. Things happen that make no sense. What the hell is going on here? Is it all bugs and glitches, or is there something genuinely supernatural occurring? The line to differentiate the two only gets blurrier, and nobody will be prepared for what lies at the heart of this odyssey. Will these unlucky friends survive long enough to finally reach the truth, or will their anonymous stalker get to them first and silence them? Whatever lies ahead, not everyone will leave this game alive.

Cast and Characters

 * Anthony - Despite displaying a brilliant mind since the second grade and a love for video games, this teen failed to become a developer and settled for a decent career in beta-testing. When not streaming with his childhood friend Luke, he's paid a steady income to play/critique the newest upcoming products. Studios, publishers, and other parties in multiples countries value his input as well as his knowledge of game programming and coding. Through these connections and some technically less than legal methods, he was able to obtain an unfinished review copy of what is rumored to be the next big game in VR horror. Still longing for more in a career with the industry, Anthony hopes that analyzing this new game to learn about next-gen systems before other beta-testers will give him an edge. Charming and funny but also arrogant and at times narcissistic, he is quite a character to put it politely.
 * Luke - Anthony's best friend since grade-school and our main protagonist. Your average Joe with no high I.Q. or special skills, he's a nice guy who generally prefers to mediate tension in lieu of drama. He has long admired Anthony, and the two have forged fond memories playing video games together going back to their playground days. Living as roommates since high school graduation, they run a stream together which Luke typically co-hosts with Anthony when the latter isn't working at his job (Their schedules rarely conflict). The one bit of unspoken resentment from Luke over the years has been that Anthony's girlfriend happens to have been the object of his affections since childhood (Something she wasn't aware of, but Anthony knew full well). Because Luke never made a move though, he felt that he'd lost the right to protest. Long established as the Beta to Anthony's Alpha, he's prone to following his friend's lead which will be his first instinct inside the game most of the time. As circumstances repeatedly put them at odds though, Luke may have to step up and start leading.
 * Carmichael - Directly inspired from Youtuber MatPat, Carmichael is a longtime gamer and internet personality known for his web-series where he discusses his in-depth theories about video games. Having built a large fanbase over the years via his theory and streaming channels, he's considered by many on social media to be one of the foremost authorities on gaming news, rumors, and lore. Having met Anthony and Luke via shared streams, they've since become friends and frequently collaborated. When Anthony reveals his acquisition of the newest VR horror game, which Carmichael has done dozens of detailed theory videos on (Including discussions of the controversial history behind it), the enthusiastic theorist can't resist the opportunity. In addition to the fun of playing such a talked about title before anyone else with friends, he's looking forward to a wealth of new content for his channel.
 * June - Anthony's beautiful girlfriend of three years, Luke's childhood friend/crush, and Penny's close friend of two years. Loyal, caring, easy-going and a casual gamer attracted to confident men, she fell for Anthony's charisma (which helped mask his ego) while Luke's quiet love went unnoticed (Lucky for him though, she didn't look at him with the old "I think of him like a brother" dynamic). She initially supports and trusts Anthony in the game, given his knowledge, but his shift in attitude over time as his true self comes to the surface in life-or-death scenarios may cause her allegiances to shift. While not having as much to offer in the gaming department, June is no damsel in distress who needs protecting and fights hard through her fear, saving multiple characters' lives more than once.
 * Penny - June's best friend since they met at college and the "newb" of the group. Not your conventionally attractive woman (She's shorter than June despite being only a year younger, almost child-sized, with glasses, freckles and short hair), her personality sports an above-average mind. Academic, analytical, blunt, honest, and socially reserved, her introverted nature hides a kind heart and desire to belong. Having always been more of a reader than a gamer, one thing she does share in common with Carmichael is a love for complex stories and lore, especially mysteries. Being a fan of his game theories, she also followed the horror game and its creator's alleged suicide on the news, dissecting its potential connections to his daughter's murder with all the precision of a biology student with a scalpel over their frog. Like other conspiracy theorists, she believes there is more to the game than meets the eye and that its fiction is absolutely inspired from the real life murders' events. Her determination to uncover the game's secrets motivates her to join the group in their playthrough in spite of having little gaming experience and none whatsoever in virtual reality. If we compare the characters to Scooby-Doo's Mystery Inc. and consider June a more modern parallel to Daphne Blake, then Penny's dynamic within the group is very akin to Velma Dinkley (minus the "losing glasses" trope). She becomes invaluable as they go deeper into the game's lore thanks to her investigative prowess and puzzle skills which impress even Anthony. This can become a detriment, however, as her compulsion to solve the problem in front of her can occasionally blind her to surrounding threats. This whole ordeal makes her closer to June as they form a sisterly dynamic with Luke later becoming a big brother-figure to Penny. Despite only having met him once or twice before, she figures out his hidden feelings for June pretty quickly but is courteous enough to keep quiet (She doesn't like drama either). Likewise, Luke pieces together that Penny likes Carmichael and encourages her to be more confident, insisting that she's cuter than she gives herself credit for and any guy would be lucky to have her.
 * Richard - Responsible for editing Carmichael's videos, Rick was excited to experience the most hyped horror game of their generation even if it is a running gag that he's easily scared. Having provided many a laugh for Carmichael's content with surprise on-set pranks and jump-scares (especially around Halloween), the man doesn't always have it easy working for his longtime boss/friend but has always been a good sport.
 * Kalvin Moss (also known as ID) - The game's sole developer, writer and programmer (so far as we know) known until very recently by the public under his masked persona of the costumed character Id (like Nier's Yoko Taro). A socially awkward and very private person even as an only child, the young Moss showed skill in programming from an early age. Building a sizable reputation over years of climbing the gaming industry's ranks through small but excellently constructed Indie titles, he soon moved on to AAA development and was reportedly beloved by all who worked with him. Even after his single mother's passing, he never let personal matters affect his work or attendance. Through this job, he'd meet his future girlfriend (Another programmer and similarly private soul), one of a select few trusted with his true identity outside family (Of which, he had none left by then, no other living relatives). They had one beautiful daughter together, but the baby would never know her mother as she soon died afterward in a car accident. When a series of child murders began plaguing their neighborhood at the time, Kalvin moved himself and his daughter as far as he could afford to another city in the region. Sadly, this wasn't enough to save her from the spree. That child was poor Kalvin's life, and his failure to protect her sent him into a downward spiral as he left the public eye completely and sank into a deep depression. There were rumors claiming he overdosed while at a rehabilitation clinic abroad, while others alleged that the killer was someone he knew in the business. Millions of fans wanted to know where Id had gone. For unknown reasons, Moss donned his character again and announced some years later that he'd been working alone all this time on his magnum opus. Having always been very open about his lifelong love for horror, he promised consumers the scariest experience in VR history to date: A psychological, supernatural survival-horror nightmare running on the most advanced hardware that would encourage global collaboration and be packed to the brim with secrets & clues to a twist he expected nobody would figure out for at least a few months (Cough, Kojima). The biggest twist back then, however, would be when the first reports came in of Moss' demise and subsequent unmasking. Like a creepypasta, the story and surrounding conspiracy of the mysterious Id and his then unfinished game soon transitioned from celebrity to immortalized modern urban legend.
 * Elise - A ghost A.I. modeled off of Kalvin's late daughter Ruth, she's programmed with the ability to manipulate the game's world to her whim (like The Evil Within's Ruvik in STEM), changing everything from levels to sound, enemies, digital barriers, and even the coding itself. Initially feared and avoided by our protagonists, who assume she's hostile due to her scary design, she gradually makes them question whether she's a friend or foe. Her consistently unpredictable behavior and lack of vocal communication outside creepy sounds seem to conflict with her intended programming. Is this a result of an unfinished game's bugs or Ruth's actual spirit trying to aid these survivors from beyond the grave? Following and guiding the characters at points throughout like a haunting guardian angel (Think of P.T.'s Lisa), she clearly wants them to find something at the heart of this game... But what?
 * Ruth Moss - Kalvin's daughter, who disappeared one sunny day while playing one-on-one Soccer outside. The last time her father saw her was when she waved to him after they took a break from playing catch. He left her to continue practicing her footwork with the ball, stepping inside for only a couple minutes to use the bathroom. Tragically, two minutes was all it took and Ruth was gone without a trace or sound by the time he returned. Kalvin immediately called 911, asked every neighbor, searched for miles around in every direction until his car was running on fumes, but no one had seen any sign of Ruth. Almost a year later, her decomposed remains were found a few towns over.
 * The Caller - An unknown, digitally altered male voice (Think of the new Jigsaw's voice in 2021's Spiral) who claims he used to work in the gaming industry and knew Kalvin. Proving a talented hacker, he tries multiple times to hack into the game and kill or otherwise hinder the players as they progress. The characters each receive increasingly unsettling calls from him over their journey via the game world's periodically placed telephones, his messages ranging from cryptic comments to taunts about their situation, threats that he'll find their bodies in the real world and even demonstrations of personal information he has on them. Could this be the culprit behind Ruth and those other children's murders years ago? Is he an accomplice or copycat? What exactly did Kalvin hide in this game's finale that he's willing to kill to keep secret? One thing the group knows for certain is, he's no troll or doxxer. He's dangerous and getting closer to them in real life every minute that they remain trapped in-game.