ECJ EUROPEAN Cleaning Journal

Gamers can now experience the darker side of crime scene cleaning by playing one of a number of macabre computer games.

Among the latest is Serial Cleaner, a stealth game set in the 1970s. The player is "contracted" to attend crime scenes after the mob has been on a killing spree and clean up the blood and gore. Their tasks also include disposing of the bodies, getting rid of weapons and concealing any evidence. And if they are spotted at the scene by police they must either outwit them or hide since being caught and questioned would put a black mark on their career.

Other crime scene games on the market include Viscera Cleanup Detail which turns players into "space-station janitors". Their job here is to clean up the scenes of bloody battles after an alien invasion with tasks that might include the gathering and disposing of aliens' and humans' dismembered bodies; the repairing bullet-holes in walls; cleaning up of blood splatter and filing disaster reports.

A third game - Do Not Cross - has a brooding atmosphere and allows the player to explore the inner workings of a disturbed crime scene cleaner's mind. In this game the cleaner becomes fascinated with the dark subject matter of their work - leading to grim consequences.

And on a more educational level, Safeguard uses virtual reality to educate users about the risks of crime scene cleaning. This game allows the player to interact with objects and learn about the tools, chemicals and equipment used by crime scene cleaning specialists on a daily basis.

Watch the special feature about crime scene cleaner in the latest episode of ECTV.