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Game Commentary, With Funny Added - Zero Punctuation
Ben "Yahtzee" Croshaw is described as a "British-born, currently Australian-based writer and gamer with a sweet hat and a chip on his shoulder." That melange of Python and Steve Irwin has combined, somehow, to produce some of the most hilariously insightful games commentary I've ever had the pleasure of listening to. Via Gamers With Jobs I came across Croshaw's first video review on The Escapist site, all about the the Heavenly Sword demo and the Resident Evil 5 trailer. He talks a mile-a-minute, does his own wonderfully primitive animation work, and manages to walk that tightrope between jerk and brilliant with seeming effortlessness. He's slated to put one up every week, and since the first post has released a look at the cult classic Psychonauts , and some cutting commentary on the console war. Go watch, please; just make sure you can a.) use NSFW sound and b.) won't get looked at weirdly for laughing aloud.
Everybody raise your hand if you thought "Game Commentary, With Funny Added - Zero Punctuation" was a reference to the usual kind of articles here at slashdot :)
If you didn't listen all the way to the end, it is worth repeating -
PSYCHONAUTS IS AVAILABLE FROM STEAM REALLY CHEAP! If you don't buy it, you have forfeited your right to ever again complain about lack of originality and fun in games.
While you are at it, so is Vampire: Bloodlines, which with the unofficial patches is a really good game these days, the new Sam and Max episodes, and Bioshock, (but if you haven't already heard about the last one and how good it is you are probably dead).
Being bitter is drinking poison and hoping someone else will die
http://www.fullyramblomatic.com/reviews/
Okay, for those that didn't read the end of the summary, I am going to quote it:
"Go watch, please; just make sure you can a.) use NSFW sound and b.) won't get looked at weirdly for laughing aloud."
Seriously. It took all I had not to laugh out loud about the newest rant about consoles... It's amazingly true and with him speaking so fast and the video actually having content at the same time, it's non-stop funny. (Well, okay, the beginning is a bit weak.)
Oh, and he's right about Psychonauts... That was an excellent game.
"If you make people think they're thinking, they'll love you; But if you really make them think, they'll hate you." - DM
Zero Punctuation is the name of the series of videos, dumbass.
WTF is Twing-Twang? And do I really want to see that on my new HD-TV?
Yes.
Hey for 3 reviews, it is amusing. Admittedly, it is only 3 reviews. Let us see if they keep it up.
Do Or Do Not, There Is No Spoon, There Is Only Zuul. Everything in the above post is probably opinion.
It's a standard comedy genre in the UK. Fast delivery, fast edits, initially pioneered by Victor Lewis Smith in the 80's. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9j39oSM9ppo
These days Charlie Brooker carries the torch. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cB70wuweyQI
Ben is brilliantly funny, but owes more to these two men than Monty Python.
It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has exceeded our humanity. --Albert Einstein
There are another two, pre-Escapist reviews on Youtube. Which are great also.
Tedious Bloggy Stuff - hooray?