A lonely boy named Michael Brower (Edward Furlong) lives an isolated existence in his absent father's mansion. Michael's mother was killed in a car accident, which also permanently injured his leg. From his bedroom window he spends his spare time watching his crush, a typical girl-next-door named Kimberly, who, unbeknownst to Michael, also feels the same way on him. A huge fan of horror films and video games, Michael's only friend is a similar-minded misfit named Kyle. Kyle tells Michael about a new, ultra-realistic game called ''Brainscan''. Intrigued, Michael sends away for the first disc.