I hope the Angry Video Game Nerd needs no introduction. He's easily the most popular game reviewer online, and deservedly so for his satirical brilliance. Nor should the Power Glove need any introduction. It's perhaps the most-maligned game accessory in history--also deservedly so. You just know the result is going to be hilarious when AVGN and the eternally crappy Power Glove collide.
AVGN announces that he has "one complaint" about the Power Glove, namely that "it doesn't work." You might guess that this is a slight problem, and that hilarity ensues, and you would be correct on both counts. We are given a few visual examples of this: perpetual jumping in Metroid, defeat at the hands of Glass Joe in Punchout, etc. AVGN also bitches about some of the other deficiencies of the Power Glove, such as having to tape three sensors to your television and type in a specific code for each game.
Not only is the foul-mouthed Nerd character highly entertaining, but his ranting is also informative and intelligent. With something as god-awful as the Power Glove, one doesn't need to stray from the truth in order to be funny. Hence, AVGN gives us an accurate and funny review of one of humankind's most awful inventions.
Rating: 10/10
Friday, June 27, 2008
Happy Video Game Nerd: Metal Storm
The Happy Video Game Nerd is refreshing. His character is a conscious parody of the Angry Video Game Nerd, complete with a parodied version of AVGN's theme song: "Had enough with games that you hate / Let's talk about some games that are great."
HVGN's mission is to review under-rated, high quality games. Whereas the humor factor for most other reviewers consists in ridiculing crappy games, HVGN is nonetheless quite funny. This owes mostly to his character being a well-done parody of AVGN. There's just something thoroughly enjoyable about watching his exaggerated enthusiasm and hearing him shout, "This game kicks ass!" The incongruence between himself and pissed off gamers is surprisingly fun.
In his review of Metal Storm, HVGN makes a strong case that this game deserves to be played. Good graphics, strong gameplay, and innovative mechanisms like walking on the ceiling all make this an enjoyable play. HVGN also offers a plausible explanation of why this game was never very popular, displaying a thorough knowledge of gaming history.
But for my money, the review is great for the mirror-image character of AVGN. As HVGN says, sipping some red wine rather than downing Rolling Rock: "There are way too many great video games out there to be so fucking angry all the time. Cheers."
Rating: 9/10
HVGN's mission is to review under-rated, high quality games. Whereas the humor factor for most other reviewers consists in ridiculing crappy games, HVGN is nonetheless quite funny. This owes mostly to his character being a well-done parody of AVGN. There's just something thoroughly enjoyable about watching his exaggerated enthusiasm and hearing him shout, "This game kicks ass!" The incongruence between himself and pissed off gamers is surprisingly fun.
In his review of Metal Storm, HVGN makes a strong case that this game deserves to be played. Good graphics, strong gameplay, and innovative mechanisms like walking on the ceiling all make this an enjoyable play. HVGN also offers a plausible explanation of why this game was never very popular, displaying a thorough knowledge of gaming history.
But for my money, the review is great for the mirror-image character of AVGN. As HVGN says, sipping some red wine rather than downing Rolling Rock: "There are way too many great video games out there to be so fucking angry all the time. Cheers."
Rating: 9/10
SpoonyOne: Final Fantasy VIII (Part 1)
SpoonyOne is my favorite satirical video game reviewer on YouTube, and his reviews of Final Fantasy VIII are the best of all. Anyone who likes video game rants simply must check this out.
Many of Spoony's reviews are very eloquent--no tripping over his tongue or useless fillers like "um." In part one of the FF VIII review, Spoony begins by ripping apart the opening FMV sequence. He makes some valid points. What's with the random subtitles that appear on the screen? Why is the fight between Seifer and Squall played up as if were anything more than a training exercise? Finally being able to control Squall, Spoony promptly names him "Emo Git," noting the appropriateness thereof.
Although I like FF VIII, SpoonyOne's critical review is thoroughly enjoyable. He disses everything from the magic-drawing system, the endless tutorials, the absurdity of fighting a fire demon as part of one's final exam, and the infinitely stupid Gunblade weapon. Speaking of the Gunblade, Spoony treats us to a short break in the review, during which he provides a hilarious commentary on the "idiots" who actually like the Gunblade. He even gives us a few pictures of FF VIII fans dresses as Squall and toting homemade versions of the weapon. Priceless.
I highly recommend watching SpoonyOne's reviews, especially the FF VIII ones. As my ex-girlfriend once said about Spoony: "He's fun!"
Rating: 10/10
Many of Spoony's reviews are very eloquent--no tripping over his tongue or useless fillers like "um." In part one of the FF VIII review, Spoony begins by ripping apart the opening FMV sequence. He makes some valid points. What's with the random subtitles that appear on the screen? Why is the fight between Seifer and Squall played up as if were anything more than a training exercise? Finally being able to control Squall, Spoony promptly names him "Emo Git," noting the appropriateness thereof.
Although I like FF VIII, SpoonyOne's critical review is thoroughly enjoyable. He disses everything from the magic-drawing system, the endless tutorials, the absurdity of fighting a fire demon as part of one's final exam, and the infinitely stupid Gunblade weapon. Speaking of the Gunblade, Spoony treats us to a short break in the review, during which he provides a hilarious commentary on the "idiots" who actually like the Gunblade. He even gives us a few pictures of FF VIII fans dresses as Squall and toting homemade versions of the weapon. Priceless.
I highly recommend watching SpoonyOne's reviews, especially the FF VIII ones. As my ex-girlfriend once said about Spoony: "He's fun!"
Rating: 10/10
NicotineAlien: Skuljagger
NicotineAlien (formerly Armake21) has just reviewed Skuljagger for the SNES. It's a fun review. He rightly ridicules the over-blown text narrative at the beginning of the game, which informs us that the pirate, Skuljagger, both dislikes foolish cockroaches and would like his sword back. NicotineAlien proceeds to chronicle this annoying platformer, noting the virtual certainty of "falling to your death" an inordinate number of times.
The game also provides a bizarre bubble gum technique that lets you float randomly through the air, lifted by an inflated bubble. Weird. As a matter of course, there are also pirate-ninjas.
NicotineAlien offers some funny commentary throughout the review, but this is not his best work. I recommend you check it out, but it doesn't have much on his Treasure Master and Total Recall reviews.
Rating: 8/10
The game also provides a bizarre bubble gum technique that lets you float randomly through the air, lifted by an inflated bubble. Weird. As a matter of course, there are also pirate-ninjas.
NicotineAlien offers some funny commentary throughout the review, but this is not his best work. I recommend you check it out, but it doesn't have much on his Treasure Master and Total Recall reviews.
Rating: 8/10
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