Let's Plays: Why do you watch them?

[Steve Dark]

I mean, WHY?!

Ok, a bit of context first; a few weeks ago I mentioned to a friend I about to start playing Antichamber, a rather entertaining mind-bending puzzle game, and he (being someone who runs a youtube channel of let's plays) rather surprisingly asked me to make a let's play of it. I obliged quite happily, being someone who enjoys both playing games and also talking to myself. However, I've never really enjoyed watching them. I don't really get the point, I'd much rather be actually playing a game than spoiling it for myself.

So my question is this, why do you watch them? What do you enjoy about them? And what makes the ones you like best stand out?

Oh, and for bonus points (subtle plug), what do I do wrong in mine [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7Xeg69OSSw]?

 

[doomed89]

I generally only watch them if I missed or accidently skipped a cutscene which i can't re-watch in game or if I'm looking for unbiased video of gameplay. In both cases I don't really watch for them 5 mins.

 

[hermes]

For 2 reasons:
- When I get stuck in a puzzle for long. In that case, the "Let's Play" video works as a video walkthrough.
- When I want to play a game but haven't played/can't play the previous games in the series. If I consider the story to be unimportant, I read it on a wiki. If it is an important component, I watch a "Let's Play". For example, when Mass Effect 2 was announced for the PS3, I was very interested in it, but not having a 360 (or decent PC) I had to catch up with the story by watching a "Let's Play" video of Mass Effect 1.

 

[Roxas1359]

I watch them simply for the commentary mainly. I mean for me the commentary and the commentator are what makes the Let's Play, not the game. I watch walkthroughs though if there is no way I'm getting the game or if I'm stuck on something.
I personally make Let's Play just to share my experiences with others as do my friends when we all record something.

But mainly it's just funny to hear the commentary and see how the Let's Play curse screws some people over. XD

 

[IndomitableSam]

Because I don't have the system or just don't want to play them. I've watched the Uncharted games turned into 2/3-hour-ish movies, and I'm almost halfway through watching a 10ish hour Last of Us let's play. I don't have a PS3, nor can I afford one, but I wanted to experience the game.

I've watched a couple of the Assassin's Creed games, too, because I'm not really a fan of playing that kind of game.

If the story in a game sounds really good, but it's not a genre that I like to play, then I'll watch a Let's Play of it.

There are some out there like the Uncharted ones whittled down to movie-lengths as well, cutting out a lot of the repetitive gameplay, so that's a huge plus for me when I can find versions done like that.

Edit: I'm happiest when an LPer doesn't talk much... and if they talk while the characters are talking or it's a cut-scene, I will simply turn it off and won't go back to that LPer. You're highlighting the game, so don't talk when they're talking.

 

[karma9308]

About 90% of the time it's for the commentary. Sometimes it's for humor, others for informative details. I'd love to do my own, but I'm nowhere near good enough with the technical side for it. Plus I question the sanity of anyone who would want to listen to my voice or commentary for more than 5 seconds.

 

[Corven]

It'as mainly for schadenfreude, I'll generally watch let's plays of games I've already finished to see if the let's player fucks up in the same way I did, or worse.

 

[Snograt]

Funnily enough, that's a question I've been asking myself lately. For whatever reason, I've been scouring the Internet for Fallout 3/NV LPs, swiftly followed by KOTOR. I find a good Let's Play is almost as good as watching a movie.

My son's worse, though. He spends far more time watching LPs on YouTube than he does playing the actual games.

Your Antichamber LP is fine - maybe a touch waffly, but that's ok

 

[Joseph Harrison]

I really only watch Let's Plays if I like the personality of the Let's Player or if I wanted to play the game but I can't afford to buy it.

 

[Miss G.]

My favorite Let's Players are chuggaconroy and videogamesareawesome. Most of the time I watch them if it's a game I've played and finished (or came close) or one I am currently playing and want some funny/great/informative commentary. Makes for a better experience if you're playing side by side with the Let's play if it's a good one. Other times, I watch them play stuff like Hitman Absolution, Bioshock, or The Last of Us when I'd like to experience (in some fashion) a game that I can't handle the gameplay mechanics of, be it shooting in general or being in first person, but otherwise find myself really interested in.

Even if that last point seems like a loss of potential game sales at first, showcasing a game to a bunch of your followers can also be free advertising for a game or series that you love and care about, so it all works out for the better.

Also schadenfreude is fun.

 

[Steve Dark]

About 90% of the time it's for the commentary. Sometimes it's for humor, others for informative details. I'd love to do my own, but I'm nowhere near good enough with the technical side for it. Plus I question the sanity of anyone who would want to listen to my voice or commentary for more than 5 seconds.

Ok, humour I can understand, I've yet to see any let's plays where the commentator was genuinely funny. When you say the technical side, what do you mean? What kind of informative details?

 

[ChupathingyX]

The LPs that I've watched/read and enjoyed were all for a specific reason.

The most recent one was an LP for Drakengard, a game that is infamous for having terrible gameplay and a wacked out story. Because I didn't want to actually play the game, I read an LP instead and this particular LPer was both informative and entertaining.

Another great LP was for Dangan Ronpa, a Japanese game which at that time hadn't been translated and never will be officially. The LPer showed all of the game content and translated everything, therefore giving me the opportunity to experience a game I otherwise wouldn't be able to play.

 

[King of Asgaard]

Usually, it's because there's something big about the game that's off-putting.
Maybe it's the gameplay, or the fact that there's bad blood coming from previous instalments that were crap.
The thing is, I'll still want to know what happens in the story, both for knowledge's sake and so that I can discuss it in respectable forums such as this one.
Case in point, I didn't much care for L.A Noire in terms of gameplay, but I was curious as to how a new IP's story fared, so I looked it up. I wound up disliking the story enough so much that it justified me not buying it.

 

[MetalDooley]

Several reasons

- They're fun to watch.The likes of TheRunawayGuys and RoosterTeeth/Achievement Hunter are genuinely funny
- They're informative.SpoilerWarning for example go pretty in depth into games stories,mechanics etc as well as being quite funny at times
- I can't play the game.If it's a PS3 exclusive or a PC game that won't run on my computer(which is a lot of them)then Let's Plays are a great way for me to experience the game without having to fork out for a new console/PC

 

[BurningWyvern90]

Generally I watch for commentary. I also like watching horror game LPs where whoever is playing them gets legitimately scared, and isn't just screaming like a ***** because MOAR VEIWS!!!

Sometimes, for games I really like myself, I'll watch other playthroughs of to see if I missed something or to see how well/badly I do compared to other people. And then a lot of the time I'll watch the first few videos for a game I'm on the fence about to see whether I actually want it or not.

 

[Mister K]

Because listening to talk between Matt, Pat, Woolie and Liam or Max, Jessica and Mat is quite an enjoyable expirience.

Plus, sometimes I can't find this particular box/switch and I need help.

 

[Hero of Lime]

Any let's plays I watch will only be for a game like Walking Dead, where I just wanted to experience the story, or because I like the commentator if there is one. I don't know if PeanutButterGamer's gameplay channel counts as let's plays, but I like listening to him talk while playing games.

Even if Game Grumps isn't technically a let's play,(although I consider it one) it's nice to hear people have fun while playing games that I like, or would like to learn more about.

 

[Anthony Corrigan]

I LOVE the SWAT 4 lets play by spoony, I have watched them about 10 times now

http://spoonyexperiment.com/category/lets-play/swat-4/

"Your standing in my way Sir"

 

[scorptatious]

For me, I like to watch let's plays to listen to other people's thoughts on a game I've already played. Also, with the case of RPG's like Final Fantasy or Disgaea, I get to discover other strategies and techniques that I didn't discover on my own.

 

[Aeshi]

Most of the Let's Plays I watch are for games whose Story interests me, but their Gameplay doesn't (or for Games that are on platforms I don't have)