'Splosion Man

[Yahtzee Croshaw]

'Splosion Man

This time on Extra Punctuation: 'Splosion Man, Portal, and why referencing 'the cake is a lie' doesn't make you funny.

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[mlkjhgfds]

Were the cake quotes already overdone when the devs decided what they'd put in the game ? Yeah, probably. (can't be sure they were aware of it though)

So what, quoting ("wink, wink, we played the same game") is fine unless everyone does it ?

At which point exactly does the "wink, wink" turn into a "wank, wank" ?

 

[ghalkhsdkssakgh]

I thonk that was one of my favourite Yahtzee rants. I have to wonder what the developers of 'Splosion Man would think if they read it. It must really be painful for them.
Surprised nothing was said about Trine though. Maybe I'm still a bit bitter that it made my laptop overheat.

 

[ace_of_something]

I'm just glad none of the funny bits in Saints Row 2 have become a meme. That would break my blackened heart.

 

[Gunner_Guardian]

I'm surprised he responded to my comment.

I agree with him though, some internet jokes get old very fast.

 

[Katherine Kerensky]

This is the total opposite of what everyone I know (Local) seems to think about it.
but they're mostly idiots, so what does it matter? at least it's to the point and saving my money for something valuable.
and if it incorperates a lot of references, I'm not sure I'd want it anyway

 

[nova18]

Mantis once accused me of being a football fan because my Uncle had saved a Konami football game onto a shared memory card.
I called bullshit and shot him for that.

And I wholeheartedly agree with the Portal fans, because it ruined the game before I played it.
I got to the wall and saw the whole "The cake is a lie" and I would have found it amusing if it hadn't been used a million times on forums. And no, it isnt funny out of context, GLADOS is hilarious, she tries to manipulate you with ridiculous promises and gives the Companion Cube a personality thinking that you will find it hard to incinerate. Its adorable.
But when I hear about how awesome the Companion Cube was or a million references to a cake, its hard not to wonder if the people saying it actually understood why these things are in the game.

Keep up the columns btw, Im loving these slightly more than the videos to be perfectly honest.

 

[The Youth Counselor]

I hope you'll bear with me for a bit while I get something off my chest in a rather angry and irrational way, but if there's one thing I can't stand, it's Portal fans.

Considering Portal is referenced in every three or so installments of Zero Punctuation as the perfect game, this is irrational indeed,

 

[Monshroud]

This is probably the best Extra Punctuation column so far. I agree with Yahtzee about how certain jokes are overdone. A friend of mine is working on a game for XBLA and one of his secrets rooms was going to be a table with a cake on it. I told him to pull it out, it was an overused joke and there was no reason for a cake even be in his game.

Same with Monty Python, when I was younger and someone made a pun from Holy Grail or Life of Brian, it was awesome. As years and years have gone by I swear the next time someone makes a referance to bringing out your dead or something being only a flesh wound I am going to scream. Heck I got ticked off when WoW made that achievement for the Black Knight... Although for some reason the quest 'bring me a shrubbery' was kinda funny. Maybe I hadn't heard that one in a while...

 

[Ralackk]

I honestly think you should try the game co-op with a friend in the same room. It makes it a much better experiance, just ignore all the meme's and poorly done jokes.

 

[ben---neb]

The first written rant I actually found amusing.

Wow, now I sound like a condescending prick.

Awesomest thing ever! I just referenced what he said in is article in my post! I am so cool.

 

[New Troll]

I like the game 'Splosion Man and like the cakes, not for any Portal referencing but for an extra challenge within each level. Plus I find it humorous just how excited he gets when he nabs one.

I honestly think you should try the game co-op with a friend in the same room. It makes it a much better experiance, just ignore all the meme's and poorly done jokes.

Yes, 'Splosion Man is an awesome co-op game. Even better (and more frustrating) than single player in my opinion.

 

[shMerker]

Were the cake quotes already overdone when the devs decided what they'd put in the game ? Yeah, probably. (can't be sure they were aware of it though)

One: That's giving them entirely too much credit, given that even my mom, who has not played a video game in the past twenty years (except maybe some wii sports) and has never visited a video games-related website knows that deserts are not to be trusted.

Two: If you are going to make pop-culture jokes and expect people to pay for them then it's not unreasonable to ask that you take some effort to know what's actually going on in the pop-culture you are referencing.

Three: They wouldn't have called the achievement "Not a Portal reference" if they didn't know the reputation of that line would they?

 

[TheGreenManalishi]

All the best games have their imitators, 'Splosion Man is just very in-your-face with it, which is somewhat admirable, considering all the rip-offs that claim to be the 'next best thing' throughout gaming's history.

 

[McMarbles]

The game's superb, but it's like what happened to Monty Python and the Holy Grail - quoted and referenced until only bones remain, and you can't even enjoy the original without thinking of desperate misfits endlessly referring to the false promise of cake through eager, crisp-spattered grins. Emptily quoting other people's jokes in the hope that doing so will somehow make them grow a personality of their own, mindlessly co-opting humor and pop culture in a pathetic quest for acceptance.

Well, it's about time SOMEBODY said it.

Maybe now we can work on people overusing TF2 memes.

Yes, the Heavy is a doofus. Yes, the Spy is a dick. We GET it.

 

[Captain Bobbossa]

This post is kind of Hypocritical due to this....

http://www.splitreason.com/productdetail.php?id=683#
http://www.splitreason.com/productdetail.php?id=582
http://www.splitreason.com/productdetail.php?id=680
http://www.splitreason.com/productdetail.php?id=685 - this one comes in three differant colours
http://www.splitreason.com/productdetail.php?id=579
http://www.splitreason.com/productdetail.php?id=581
http://www.splitreason.com/productdetail.php?id=580

Infact I think you have the most T-shirts etc. on there Ben.

 

[Wandrecanada]

I can agree that internet wank is ofttimes annoying but the developers were very open about a few points that seem to obfuscate the reason behind some of the things in the game.

1. Yes they referenced Portal a lot. It's a lab(yrenth) and the game has a story that can't reconcile itself with a reason for existing. Why is your character there at all and what caused the 'accident'. Portal was not the first nor will it be the last game with a stupid stuck in a lab storyline. I didn't see you knocking Portal for ripping off Impossible Mission. This is not wank. It's a Trope!

2. Why the oft repeated catch phrases? Well he was in fact born the day you come into the game. That is to say he was created at the point you see in the opening. He's just doing what all children do. Mimicking things around him. Chances are he's somehow overheard some nerdy science types saying this stuff.

3. The cakes. The devs have actually come out and said it on video on the intertubes before the game's release. The cakes are his birthday cakes seeing as it's his birthday (see above). The achievement is perhaps itself a Portal reference but the cakes are not.

I think the worst aspect of this whole argument is that you would think that a game's few meme references (old or not) would impact the game much at all. I mean really... if there are cakes in any future game does that mean they'll be a Portal ripoff and terrible because of it?

How come I feel like Yahtzee is trolling in his videos when he starts whining about niggling non gameplay elements... Does that mean he liked it?

 

[Captain Bobbossa]

Mantis once accused me of being a football fan because my Uncle had saved a Konami football game onto a shared memory card.
I called bullshit and shot him for that.

And I wholeheartedly agree with the Portal fans, because it ruined the game before I played it.
I got to the wall and saw the whole "The cake is a lie" and I would have found it amusing if it hadn't been used a million times on forums. And no, it isnt funny out of context, GLADOS is hilarious, she tries to manipulate you with ridiculous promises and gives the Companion Cube a personality thinking that you will find it hard to incinerate. Its adorable.
But when I hear about how awesome the Companion Cube was or a million references to a cake, its hard not to wonder if the people saying it actually understood why these things are in the game.

Keep up the columns btw, Im loving these slightly more than the videos to be perfectly honest.

Strangely enough the companion cube thing worked on me as I did find it quite hard to incinerate it and tried for about halve an hour to some how prevent the inevatability.

 

[justadude]

did the thought that splosion man as a character is actually a comment on all the stupidity of internet meme-ry and randomness ever cross your mind? that's what i got out of it.

 

[wydren]

Empty, meaningless pop culture jokes are why I now hate Family Guy. Yahtzee nails it in one.