Ben "Yahtzee" Croshaw, the Escapist's bitter game critic who totally is Jim Sterling's brother / possible doppelgänger, has been known to make videogames from time to time. He's been toiling away in Game Maker for a while and decided to show off the fruits of his labor.
His newest project, Poacher, is about a shotgun-toting Englishman who wanders around a Cave Story-influenced environment while blasting the holy hell out of possessed woodland critters. Yahtzee doesn't know when the game will be released, but so far, it doesn't look half bad.
That being said, this is Yahtzee we're talking about, so it's only fair to subject his work to the same scrutiny he applies in his Escapist videos. I'm talking, of course, about his wonderful choice of trailer music in "Lux Aeterna," a.k.a. that one song from Requiem for a Dream that everyone loves to use because it makes them look all artsy and sh*t. It goes quite well with his choice of Times New Roman font, which he acknowledges up front as a poor choice. Then again, why did he even think that was a good idea in the first place? You hack!
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I took it seriously until the trailer had Requiem for a Tower in it as the "dramatic music", now i'm on the fence as to whether he legitimately put effort into it or not.
He's very good at making fun of stuff. However, I think his talent lies in writing comedy and stops at game making. This looks like everything I hated about old school gaming. He's put himself in that place of "well, why don't you try making a game, smart ass" but I don't think he really cares about criticism when he, unsurprisingly, turns out mediocrity at best.. Whether that is because of douchy post, post irony or good ol' fashioned nihilism, I don't know.
If I want a chuckle, I'll go watch his videos. If I want to play a decent old-school ish game, I'll probably just play cave story again.
Wild. There's shades of Cave Story, IWBTG, Super Meat Boy, Terraria, and Aquaria in there, too. I'll play it. Just tell me when, you cranky, cranky Englishman.
No, he is not Jims brother. He would never love Kirby or COD. Because he is the only Video Game Critic (Not reviewer, critic) in the whole world.
And the bad down talking he makes is not bad, but common for critics. Sadly Game Reviewers don't commit "Opinions" but just "Buy or don't Buy" tests. With a number rating at the end, so everyone knows what they have to think about the game.
You guys maybe should read a book critic from time to time.
@Ninja Cameraman
If you're wondering whether he put effort into it or not, thanks to his choice of music, I can tell you there's a shit ton of effort he put into this game. Imagine, every sprite and animation you see and every level is done by hand. I bet drawing sprites took him at least six months, then he had to programm all of this stuff to make it work. I think it took him about a year to make all of the stuff we see in this trailer.
I don't take Yahtzee, the man, seriously. He's like a living parody.
@Cudgeon
Except Yahtzee isn't serious 90% of the time and uses hyperbole in his act. It would be like if Zach G.'s character from "Between Two Ferns" reviewed movies - he's not a real critic.
Yahtzee is witty and doesn't delibertly say stuff to get website hits.
So, not really like Jim Sterling. Both are low rent Charlie Brooker wanna-be's though, if that counts.
Funny how for such a critical dude his game ends up lookin like ass Maybe he shouldve showed some respec to GOW 3 and MW3 insteade of dissin them so much NUFF SAYD
@MrBo
I'd agree that Yahtzee literally stole Charlie Brooker's nuances to the point where it's almost criminal, but Jim is very different. Most comedians cite other comedic influences (and there's nothing wrong with that), but if you watch most of Jim's stuff it's nothing like Brooker (Jimquisition, VGSWID).
If Yahtzee really hated the games he plays as much as he lets on, I think he would be too jaded to be a part of this industry. Why would you support video games generally if you only REALLY liked 3 games?
I know that he has made some text-based adventure games which I think would be an area he would shine in that it truly is the writing that propels the game.
I know that he's not trying to be like "check this shit out, it's gonna be better than everything, it just seems like this game is putting a big glass house around himself. But like I said, maybe that's the point and he doesn't care.
Haha maybe I'm just still grumpy that he poo poo'ed on CoD and Battlefield needlessly on his end of the year list.
With all due respect to Sterling, Yahtzee has a far better grasp of writing quality, comedic timing, and the English language in general.
I'll stop there given it's someone else making a claim on Sterling's behalf and not Sterling himself. I don't dislike the guy, but I'm not a fan of his style of humor.
THAT SAID, I'm looking forward to this game, as I do to all Yahtzee's projects in the last few years.
I like Yahtzee as an entertainer, not so much as a video game critic. Crowshaw's book, Mogworld, is a very entertaining read, for those who are fans of the writings of Douglas Adams.
Haha oh I'm well aware of his philosophy of interacting with others. I guess I'm a self loathing misanthrope in that I play both of those games online (I just have auto mute set). While Battlefield's SP was genuinely terrible, I felt that MW3's SP was quite entertaining despite the whole "hurry the fuck up to the next explosions, marine" pacing mechanic.
However, both of them deliver a very fun "paintball where you stay out of the sun and you don't get welts" experience online. I don't think it's fair to pick and choose what part of a game represents a game. I realize he is an entertainer and not a proper critic, it just seems he was baiting/trolling with those two games as there are much, much worse games that got realeased this year (with shitty SP AND MP) and going after these two just kinda seemed like low-hanging fruit.
I mean, at the end of the day, I watch Sir Ben to laugh at what kind of vulgar metaphors he can come up with and not where my $60 will be best spent. So this may be getting off on the ol' tangent.
My observation is just that the man has gained attention by pooping all over everyone else's games and that has put a huge powder keg of schadenfreude under his games.
Again, he probably doesn't care and neither do the people who play his games. It is just interesting to me to see someone so aggressively negative be so willing to put out media that could fall into the realm of his own criticism.
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Contest:
11:30 PM on 01.12.2012 | 
If I want a chuckle, I'll go watch his videos. If I want to play a decent old-school ish game, I'll probably just play cave story again.
Have you tried his other games? This one is a big departure for him.
And the bad down talking he makes is not bad, but common for critics. Sadly Game Reviewers don't commit "Opinions" but just "Buy or don't Buy" tests. With a number rating at the end, so everyone knows what they have to think about the game.
You guys maybe should read a book critic from time to time.
@Ninja Cameraman
If you're wondering whether he put effort into it or not, thanks to his choice of music, I can tell you there's a shit ton of effort he put into this game. Imagine, every sprite and animation you see and every level is done by hand. I bet drawing sprites took him at least six months, then he had to programm all of this stuff to make it work. I think it took him about a year to make all of the stuff we see in this trailer.
@Cudgeon
Except Yahtzee isn't serious 90% of the time and uses hyperbole in his act. It would be like if Zach G.'s character from "Between Two Ferns" reviewed movies - he's not a real critic.
So, not really like Jim Sterling. Both are low rent Charlie Brooker wanna-be's though, if that counts.
I'd agree that Yahtzee literally stole Charlie Brooker's nuances to the point where it's almost criminal, but Jim is very different. Most comedians cite other comedic influences (and there's nothing wrong with that), but if you watch most of Jim's stuff it's nothing like Brooker (Jimquisition, VGSWID).
If you are wondering who Jim rips off, look no further than Stewart Lee. He has at least admitted as much though.
I know that he has made some text-based adventure games which I think would be an area he would shine in that it truly is the writing that propels the game.
I know that he's not trying to be like "check this shit out, it's gonna be better than everything, it just seems like this game is putting a big glass house around himself. But like I said, maybe that's the point and he doesn't care.
Haha maybe I'm just still grumpy that he poo poo'ed on CoD and Battlefield needlessly on his end of the year list.
He doesn't care for multiplayer, so a game that relies heavily on multiplayer will be judged solely on the single-player content. That's how he rolls.
I'll stop there given it's someone else making a claim on Sterling's behalf and not Sterling himself. I don't dislike the guy, but I'm not a fan of his style of humor.
THAT SAID, I'm looking forward to this game, as I do to all Yahtzee's projects in the last few years.
Haha oh I'm well aware of his philosophy of interacting with others. I guess I'm a self loathing misanthrope in that I play both of those games online (I just have auto mute set). While Battlefield's SP was genuinely terrible, I felt that MW3's SP was quite entertaining despite the whole "hurry the fuck up to the next explosions, marine" pacing mechanic.
However, both of them deliver a very fun "paintball where you stay out of the sun and you don't get welts" experience online. I don't think it's fair to pick and choose what part of a game represents a game. I realize he is an entertainer and not a proper critic, it just seems he was baiting/trolling with those two games as there are much, much worse games that got realeased this year (with shitty SP AND MP) and going after these two just kinda seemed like low-hanging fruit.
I mean, at the end of the day, I watch Sir Ben to laugh at what kind of vulgar metaphors he can come up with and not where my $60 will be best spent. So this may be getting off on the ol' tangent.
My observation is just that the man has gained attention by pooping all over everyone else's games and that has put a huge powder keg of schadenfreude under his games.
Again, he probably doesn't care and neither do the people who play his games. It is just interesting to me to see someone so aggressively negative be so willing to put out media that could fall into the realm of his own criticism.
Anything that even makes me briefly remember Cave Story is worth a look though. Will definately keep my eye on it.