Extra Punctuation: Let's Talk About Let's Play

[AWDMANOUT]

I too have recently become quite fond of Let's Play, watching Amnesia: The Dark Descent (not only because I was scared of the game... I mean that was a big factor, but there were others!). In accordance with that, I agree with what Yahtzee says here. In fact, you know what, I've got some time to kill. I'll go watch some Let's Plays right now.

 

[Varya]

You know, it's nice to hear Yahtzee speak about his love for the hobby and ways to expand on it for a change. Don't get me wrong, I love me some angry ranting, but sometimes I get the feeling Yahtzee doesn't even likes games and just keep playing them to sustain his hobby of comparing them with painful things to happen to ones nether regions.

I haven't watched much LP but I know for a fact I can get stuck on things like this for hours. I did watch the entire extended LoTR trilogy with directors commentary in two days once.

 

[Booze Zombie]

Kikoskia is the shining beacon of quality on YouTube, in terms of LP'ers.

 

[therealtj]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned DeceasedCrab [http://www.youtube.com/user/deceasedcrab] yet. He's a fairly well known YouTube LPer, and among his more popular are the Chzo Mythos Let's Plays. Definitely worth checking out.

 

[DarthFennec]

I love Let's Plays, I'm subscribed to three or four different people on Youtube just because they all did really good Silent Hill LPs. I've been doing some myself, Minecraft mostly but recently I started Penumbra as well. I'm planning to get through all of Frictional's stuff, Minecraft, the Zelda series, the Silent Hill series, and maybe some others, and I'll probably add more to the list later. It's just a hobby, I'm not very good at it but I do try my hardest, but right now it's mainly so I can get the social experience, and not as much about fans or subscribers. Still, I'm proud of my 20 subs ^.^

 

[Kurt Horsting]

I wonder if Yahtzee ever considered watching pro-gaming? I know he has mentioned he doesn't like to play competitive games, but he might like it as a spectator instead.

I.e. I know Yahtzee doesn't understand RTS or starcraft at all. But, if he where to watch videos from HuskeyStarcraft or the many other dedicated English commentary pro-Starcraft youtube channels, he might understand what the appeal is.

Not saying he would like it, but this would be a more approachable alternative to demanding that he play through things that he otherwise would despise.

 

[mikespoff]

thanks for the heads-up, Yahtzee - sounds like an excellent way to get a decent peek at a game.

Great essay, very useful.

 

[RottingAwesome]

hmm sounds interesting, I've always been a fan of AVGN's "reviews" of old games but was always much more entertained by his analysis of the game rather than the stream of toilet humor and cursing
SA's LPs sound right up my alley, might check them out

 

[Phlakes]

You know, I actually have an LP of Super Mario World [http://www.gameanyone.com/video/158033] playing right now.

Also, all you fellow addicts, you'll want to check that site out.

 

[Captain Bobbossa]

Although the youtube lets play community is pretty much a swamp you can find some pretty good lets players. My favorite would have to be Jef Major as he has a nice voice and cna be quite funny but still focuses on the game.

He's really nice to listen to and watch wether he's in the background as you work or if you have some free time. Ive used up so many hours watching all his Rome Total War series which is still on going.

[youtube=OsgzQj_qq2Y

 

[Dimbo_Sama]

I'm a huge fan of Let's Plays

I'm actually subscribed to supergreatfriend's YouTube Channel, where he hosts his SA Let's Plays, and as a result am also watching that Let's Play Deadly Premonition, it's really good, really interesting and as is always the case with his videos really funny.

From Earth's Let's Plays of the first Three Silent Hill games were so funny I read them all in a week, and there's a particular LP of Final Fantasy VIII which was started by one guy, dropped after the first post, but then rescued by another, who proceeded to make it one of the funniest things I've ever read.

Also there's a Let's Play of the Chzo Mythos games, which was interesting not only because it brought up some things I hadn't thought of during my first playthrough of them, but also had Yahtzee fielding questions throughout it.

 

[spuddyt]

I never touch a single LP that didn't get linked to me by somethingawful. That may make me an elitest, but they are honestly the best, particularly if you cherrypick from even among those.

Reccommendations time:
Some of the best Let's plays that i've seen have come from TheDarkId, who does things in a screenshot-and-text format. He's currently doing Nier [http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3382650], And I have to say, though it is a break from his usual style of doing games that are godawful like Drakengard [http://lparchive.org/Drakengard/] (You should seriously read that one though, that game was fucked up in SO MANY IMPOSSIBLY INCREDIBLE WAYS), he does a really brilliant job of cutting out the nasty parts while making good fun of them (Nier's gameplay was frankly mediocre) and presenting the really really good parts (Characterisation, story and atmopshere) as close as you can get to the real thing.

Indeed, it was his opinion that changed my mind about that game and caused me to buy it so I could experience it myself (I did not regret this - Nier is a very unpolished gem, but a gem nonetheless)

Also, for something a bit different i'm going to reccommend the ongoing adventures in the land of pen-and-paper DnD by Wolfshirt/Syrg Sapphire [http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3273056] (It took a while to get into, but I now avidly follow this as it has truly fantastic moments)

If looking for another laughable romp, and honestly rather short LP, the recently finished Let's "play" of Link's Awakening [http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3387459] (Play in this case meaning "break so far backwards it inverts") was a great thing.

edit: You might want to wait for this to be archived for ease of access, but there is one let's play that holds the crown for the longest running LP to actually get finished. And the fact that it's probably the best damn written game and LP i've ever seen certainly doesn't go amiss for making Planescape: Torment [http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=2206352] one of my favourites

 

[xHipaboo420x]

Thanks for the Something Awful advert, it's like I'm really in 2007 again!

 

[askwho]

yeah, lets plays can be hit or miss, however one or two LP producers really understand what makes a lets play good.
One of the best LP's I have seen is Helloween4545, he specialises in horror games, and really adds to the games he comments on, give his work a try. (http://www.youtube.com/user/Helloween4545)

 

[hem dazon 90]

The yes men thing is prevalent everywhere

EX: TGWTG turned to absolute shit because of the community of yes men who infest the place

 

[Danceofmasks]

I don't do let's plays, because .. well .. frankly .. I don't care about views.
Also, if I were to talk, I'd probably be as much of an asshole as Athene ('cos I have no respect for easy mode).

There are lots of let's plays on youtube, sure ... and a fair few of them are very entertaining.
But .. very few of them are on "insane" modes of play.

Even "I was stuck on this level, thanks" tries my patience. You got stuck? Really? This game wasn't even remotely challenging.
For most games, insane modes aren't insane at all. I mean, people got frustrated with Mass Effect 2! Really?! Is that even possible?

Heck, I've managed 2 zero death runs in Dark Messiah of Might of Magic (hardcore difficulty of course) .. though my videos aren't of one such run (I take fewer risks when attempting zero death).
Now that there is a difficult game. I've never heard of anyone else claiming a zero daeth run, let alone having videos to back them up.

 

[Baby Eater]

Yahtzee, I love your videos and Extra Punctuation, but...*Flameshield* I think you would be a horrible LPer. It's the voice I think. It's good for ZP where you're going off at 90 MPH with nonstop jokes but as your April Fools' joke showed, it is horridly boring when you just drone on about something and a usual Let's Play video is 15 minutes of you talking so it would be like getting ear fucked by a bored cheese grater (No offense)

That being said, I just discovered the Freelance Astronauts LP site and find it hilarious though I think my favourite LPers are still Chuggaaconroy and Griffinlobster on Youtube.

 

[spuddyt]

Check new super mario bros wii, when they were doing world 8. Above all else

 

[ItsAPaul]

Not worth $20 to watch the older LPs that everyone's suggesting in there. I was looking forward to the Nethack one too...

 

[Fuselage]

I don't really watch LP's more htan watching people make fun of them.
RETSUPURAE.