And When I Want to Kill, I Show 'Em da' Booty

“Rome is corrupt! Kill everyone to save Rome!”

That's the basic gist of Adult Swim's new Flash-based Web game Viva Caligula. You personify the mad emperor Caligula as he goes on a neighborhood-to-neighborhood killing spree through Rome, taking down senators, housewives, gladiators, prostitutes and basically everyone else who crosses his path. And you have fun in the process, at least until your conscience catches up and you feel a bit sick about the scenario you've just created. …

As the game progresses, the emperor amasses an arsenal of 26 different weapons (one for each letter of the alphabet) from the good old-fashioned axe to the enemy-charming zambogna. These weapons lend the game the lion's share of its charm. Some are ranged weapons; others, slow heavy hand-to-hand weapons; others are animals; and one of them is opening your toga in order to stun people with your manhood.

It works. It really does.