The Trial of Randy Balma: Municipal Abortionist

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Disclaimer-

Randy Balma: Municipal Abortionist is not intended for people with photosensitive epilepsy.
This article, however, is intended for everyone.
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“All rise for The Honourable Judge Stuart Matheson. Case 111624: Randy Balma vs. the Municipality.”
“Please be seated. Let’s begin.”
“Mr. Balma, what do you have to say for yourself?”

* * *

Hey, you ever hear of a guy named Randy Balma? He’s sorta famous around these parts—the talk of the town. A trial is taking place right now concerning Mr. Balma. Personally, I’m not interested in what the legal process sees in a man. I’m more curious to know who this guy really is and what I think of him.

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Searching for clues on the internet, I found a videogame developer by the monicker Messhof, real name Mark Essen, creator of such cult hit games as Flywrench, Punishment, and one titled Randy Balma: Municipal Abortionist. I thought that Messhof, at some point in time, had ties to Mr. Balma. At least, he knew the guy well enough to include him in the title of a videogame.

I hoped that Messhof could provide genuine information on the man who has so many eyes turned towards him. I emailed Mr. Essen asking for an interview, but he never replied. I felt as though he purposely withheld information. There was something he didn’t want me knowing.

The failed interview had frustrated me, for questions about Mr. Balma still burned in my head. To learn whatever else I could about Randy, I decided to explore for myself the game Messhof had made.

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Tags: PC, indie, review, Randy Balma: Municipal Abortionist, experimental, abstract, Randy, Balma

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Chris Hoadley

December 07, 2011

This is defintiely the weirdest game I've ever heard of, and I would be part of the second group you mentioned who would be too creeped out to play it. The pictures are freaky by themselves, so I'm not sure if I want to see them in motion.

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Spencer Gregory

December 08, 2011

@Chris: Thank you for the comment! I did not expect to receive one so soon after posting. I appreciate you taking the time to read my work.

I know you read the part leading up to Stage 4 because you mention the two groups I wrote about. I commend your honesty and willingness to keep reading the article.

I felt like I had to announce certain things about the game for the sake of those two groups. First of all, the health precaution is an obvious inclusion. I don't want people getting hurt from playing games.

Randy Balma: Municipal Abortionist is a shocking game, but not in an explicit or mature way. The game has no content or effects that could be deemed blood or gore. It's not really violent, either. Objects bump into each other, at most.

What makes it shocking is how abrasive and foreign the content is provided to the user. Blotchy graphics, offensively bright colours, droning ambient sound. It's a total WTF game, and that's why I love it.

Thanks again for reading.