Pain

Also known as:  Mr. Pain (Japan)

Developer: Idol Minds

Pain was one of the first digital-only games that I purchased on the Playstation Network. It looked like stupid, mindless fun…and it was exactly what it looked like. The goal in Pain is to launch your character of choice into an area, trying to create combos and cause as much destruction as you possibly can…which, much like the name of the game, generally involves in the character being put through plenty of pain in the process. If you see something that looks like it would topple over, or explode, or generally cause destruction and mayhem to both the environment and to the character being flung into it. While you can't necessarily explore in a traditional sense, launching yourself in various directions and at various angles can help you access hidden areas and cause even more chaos than you may have initially thought. It’s a fun way to kill 5 minutes here and there, but ultimately, the game lacks enough substance to keep most folks coming back for more. If Pain had more levels, which would mean more variety, I think that it would have gone a long way to keep Pain interesting...but for what it is, Pain is a mildly entertaining game that happens to be just shy or passable.

Review added: 04/19/2020

The Pinball Arcade

Also known as:  N/A

Developer: Farsight Studios

The Pinball Arcade is a dream game for pinball enthusiasts that don't have room in their living space for real pinball tables, but also want to be able to play their favorite pinball machines at home. Why? Because The Pinball Arcade simulates real pinball tables that you may have played at your local pizza parlor, gas station, bowling alley, arcade, etc. Even if you’re not a pinball enthusiast, but just have fond memories of a particular table, this collection may have what you’re looking for. Like, for example, I got to play the Ripley's Believe it or Not pinball machine that I really enjoyed at the local bowling alley that I would frequent with my friends 15 years ago. The downside is that while it may be a pretty accurate simulation, it's still nowhere near as fun as playing the real tables. That said, if you don’t have access to the actual tables, beggars can't be choosers, and this is the next best thing for a traditional pinball experience.

Review added: 04/25/2020

Piyotama

Also known as:  N/A

Developer: SCE Japan Studio

Piyotama is a passable, relaxing puzzle game found on the Playstation Network. At first glance, it looks like a typical matching puzzle game, but the goal is slightly different than your average matching puzzle game. Basically, you're controlling a horizonal line of eggs, with three eggs always sticking outside of the "coop" where the rest of the eggs are. You can push all eggs within the horizonal line left or right. As you do so, if you're able to match four or more eggs of the same color, they'll start to glow. Your goal is to try to then continue matching same-colored eggs and then press the R button to make them all pop (or possibly hatch)…or, you can continue racking up combos until they pop/hatch on their own, but doing so will net you fewer points. Piyotama can become mildly addicting once you get the hang of it…but it's also an extremely slow-paced game and sometimes a single session can sometimes feel like it takes an eternity…you'll likely be tired of playing quite a bit before you're in any position to see a game over screen. That slow pace is the only thing really preventing me from bumping the score up higher…while the gameplay itself is solid, it's hard to justify a higher score when you want to take a nap while playing. Still, Piyotama is a passable puzzle game with a neat concept…I just wish it was a little more exciting to play.

Review added: 10/12/2025