Pain Scale

"The life cycle, as we know it, isn't."
"It's not starting over, but starting fresh."

About

In this game of medical give and take, the player will steer lead researcher Dr. Nico Morphis through a series of tests in which he must inflict a specified degree of pain onto his test subject and colleague, Dr. Theo Penton. Whether the player meets this pain threshold will determine the course of the story, unlocking more information about the two characters participating in this trial.

Meet Your Lab Colleagues

Dr. Nico Morphis is the lead researcher at Pentaclear, Inc. and, as such has elected to run the first clinical trial for the company's premier analgesic. Slightly run-down and overworked, Nico finds it difficult to express himself. In spite of this, he seems determined to finish this trial, no matter the obstacles it presents. Nico enjoys drinking tea and practicing amateur horticulture from his balcony.

Dr. Theo Penton is the founder and acting director of Pentaclear, Inc. In spite of this, he's volunteered to be the first test subject for the analgesic's trial run. A man with a flair for the dramatic, it's possible he's undergoing this as an elaborate stunt either for publicity or personal indulgence. But perhaps another reason for this arrangement is percolating beneath the surface. Penton takes delight in creature comforts, and will never say no to a nip of red wine after work.

Content

Made for YaoiGameJam2026 and Queer Wrongs Jam 2026. Pain Scale is a visual novel that contains 15k words of story, 7 different endings, and one CG easter egg. This is a queer work featuring depictions of both gay and transgender characters.

While there is no explicit sexual content, this work contains depictions of violence, suicidal ideation, dubious consent, transphobia, homophobia, and manipulation. Please tread cautiously.