Don't Just Watch ZP, Play it, in Zero Punctuation: Hatfall

Steven Bogos

The Taco Man
Jan 17, 2013
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Don't Just Watch ZP, Play it, in Zero Punctuation: Hatfall



Hatfall pokes fun at a certain war-themed-hat-simulator by having players collect hats in increasingly obscure and confusing ways.

Ben "Yahtzee" Croshaw has been a long-standing staple of The Escapist, and his quick-witted lightning-fast Zero Punctuation reviews [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/zero-punctuation] are how a great number of you started coming here in the first place. But the best kinds of satire mimic the medium they mock, which is why we are proud to announce Zero Punctuation: Hatfall: a Zero Punctuation-themed browser and mobile game designed by Yahtzee himself.

In Hatfall, hats fall from the sky, and you move Yahtzee back and forth to catch them. If you miss, and the hat hits the ground, you lose. However, the game is constantly throwing curve-balls at you to keep you on your toes, such as "fakeout" drops that will kill you, "alter ego" doppelgangers that confuse you by moving around randomly, and even an angry wizard who will curse you if you snag his wizard hat.

But players will quickly discover that a career in hat procurement is more fraught with pitfalls than it seems at first glance. Activating Survival Mode, for example, will add the need to look after Yahtzee's hunger and thirst meters, and could even necessitate a trip to the forest to hunt for food. Can he fill the larder without raising the ire of the local forest animal corporation? Will he hunt down a rare forest buffalo, only to realize that he can carry a meager 100 pounds (45kg) of meat?

Of course, that's just one of the hidden mini-games that may ensnare our hero in his ongoing quest for hats. Can he survive attaching wheels to his trusty desk and riding it down a hill? Or make it all the way through an insurance claim form without first rendering himself entirely insensible on cheap whiskey? We won't even talk about the trials that await in the mini-game known only as 'Dating Sim'.

"I've wondered for a long time if you could make a game based on Zero Punctuation," pondered Yahtzee when asked for comment. "It only recently occurred that the best approach to capture the spirit of the series would be to keep it minimalist and fast-paced, and throw in as much non-sequitur humor as would fit." He concluded with the profound sentiment that "I also realized that I didn't trust anyone else to make it."

When asked for comment, Hatfall Producer Simon Deal said, "I¹m excited to collaborate with Yahtzee to help bring his vision of a Zero Punctuation-inspired game to fans worldwide," continuing, "I¹m sure that fans will delight in the humor that only he can deliver."

Filled to the brim with ZP references, Hatfall really is a game tailor-made for Yahtzee's most die-hard fans. Stay tuned for more info on Hatfall, like the answers to the most frequently asked questions; "What kinds of hats will you be able to collect?" and "If I don't play Hatfall, will I still be worthy enough to watch Zero Punctuation?"



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Just Ebola

Literally Hitler
Jan 7, 2015
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It's been awhile since Yahtzee made a game, it's nice to see him throw his hat into the ring again. (Heh)
 

Aerotrain

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Sep 7, 2014
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Steven Bogos said:
We won't even talk about the trials that await in the mini-game known only as 'Dating Sim'.
Desk driving, insurance claims and alcoholism are par for the course but social interaction? That's the Yahtzee's natural predator! Can't wait to see his take on a dating sim.

Steven Bogos said:
"...keep it minimalist and fast-paced, and throw in as much non-sequitur humor as would fit."
Just like the show. I approve.
 

Redlin5_v1legacy

Better Red than Dead
Aug 5, 2009
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Hmmm, this wasn't the direction I thought Yahtzee would take with a ZP game. I was anticipating the game to involve him fleeing multiplayer 'friends' who want to ruin his singleplaying lifestyle.
 

FC Groningen

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Apr 1, 2009
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Redlin5 said:
Hmmm, this wasn't the direction I thought Yahtzee would take with a ZP game. I was anticipating the game to involve him fleeing multiplayer 'friends' who want to ruin his singleplaying lifestyle.
Yeah let him show us how stealth should be done instead.
 

flying_whimsy

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Dec 2, 2009
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I can't help but wonder if I'll actually have to pony up money for this or if it will be free like yahtzee's other games.

Either way, looking forward to seeing his take on his own series.
 

Neurotic Void Melody

Bound to escape
Legacy
Jul 15, 2013
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So are the references to his show actually satire of references in games of shows, or just referencing references in place of satire of shows?
Did i word that ok?

This article reeks of self satire already...the singularity is starting to give birth to itself! Feel the awe!!
 

Aerotrain

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Sep 7, 2014
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I've already commented that this is a nifty idea but I think the real question here is: "Is Zero Punctuation's colour scheme white/yellow or blue/black?"
 

shteev

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Oct 22, 2007
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I hope I get to.. wear a *hat*!

No, wait, give me a second.

I bet that game has... got *hats* in it!

Damn it. It's on the tip of my tongue...
 

K12

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Dec 28, 2012
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I can't help but think that Yahtzee would be annoyed with the phrase "filled with ZP references" given his distaste for reference humour.

I suppose it doesn't count so much when it's your own stuff you're referencing (and if it means regular in-jokes like metaphors involving a triple-cunted hooker then that isn't really a reference at all, it's a running gag)
 

Mark B

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Nov 5, 2007
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So is this to cover the dwindling content which we aren't supposed to have noticed ?

No Jim Sterling, No Movie Bob.

This site needs some new blood and that new blood needs to make some new content.
 

Just Ebola

Literally Hitler
Jan 7, 2015
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shteev said:
I hope I get to.. wear a *hat*!

No, wait, give me a second.

I bet that game has... got *hats* in it!

Damn it. It's on the tip of my tongue...
Keep trying, I'm sure you're cloche to coming up with something.

But it won't be easy to top hat.
 

WhiteTigerShiro

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Sep 26, 2008
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Steven Bogos said:
"If I don't play Hatfall, will I still be worthy enough to watch Zero Punctuation?"
Clearly not. I think there needs to be a barrier that prevents you from watching new episodes of Zero Punctuation unless you've played enough Hatfall.
 

Archon

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Nov 12, 2002
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About the price point/business model:
- The browser versions will have pre-roll displayed before the game loads. It's free to play.
- The mobile version will be free to download but with ads that will displayed at pre-determined intervals or based on time played. We?ll have a 99c IAP that will disable ads and provide some additional content e.g additional unlock(s) when purchased.
 

The Rogue Wolf

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Nov 25, 2007
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Aerotrain said:
Steven Bogos said:
We won't even talk about the trials that await in the mini-game known only as 'Dating Sim'.
Desk driving, insurance claims and alcoholism are par for the course but social interaction? That's the Yahtzee's natural predator! Can't wait to see his take on a dating sim.
I'm calling it now: Dialogue trees. Enough dialogue trees to form a dialogue national forest.

shteev said:
Damn it. It's on the tip of my tongue...
If your hat is on the tip of your tongue, then you're doing something wrong, and I'm not sure I want to know what.