Michael, a lonely teenager fascinated by horror films and video games, stumbles upon an advertisement for an interactive game that promises the ultimate experience in terror. Intrigued, he orders it and soon receives a CD-ROM from a company called Brainscan. As he plays, Michael finds himself immersed in a vivid virtual world where he commits gruesome murders. The game is controlled by a sinister and charismatic figure called The Trickster. Although frightened by the realism, Michael becomes addicted to the thrill of the game.

Michael's life takes a dark turn as he begins to notice eerie similarities between the game's murders and real-life crimes occurring in his neighborhood. Realizing that the game's events are happening for real, he is trapped in a horrifying dilemma, especially with Detective Hayden hot on his trail. Michael's sense of reality blurs as he struggles to distinguish between the game and the real-world atrocities, discovering the terrifying consequences of his actions and grappling with how to put an end to the nightmare he's unleashed.