I think I'm officially sick of Yahtzee

[Gentleman_Reptile]

This is going to take some clarification....

First of all, I dont DISLIKE Croshaw or Zero Punctuation, I'm just sick of it. There is alot of hypocrisy in the show that has been annoying me over time, and the L.A Noir review is kind of like the straw that broke the camels back.

Specifically, the crack at how long the game is. Well yeah it's long, but hasn't that been a main focal point of his (and many others) bitching for years? I just find it odd that one person would have such strong opinions on extended game length and then have the nerve to actually complain or gloss over when he finally gets a good long length on an above average game.

Thats just one example.

Mainly, I find myself no longer laughing at how he rags on every release, and am instead finding it rather tedious. As funny as his euphemisms are, and as sharp as his wit is, the show is really just ten straight minutes of complaining and I'm sick of it. He's sucked the fun out of a couple of games for me by exaggerating their flaws for the sake of strained comedic effort. Ragging on really obviously terrible titles is always enjoyable but his style of "complain no matter what the games quality" has finally lost it's appeal for me.

Now, I have heard the argument "Oh you arent SUPPOSED to take him seriously" made time and time again but that argument carries absolutely no fucking weight whatsoever. If we arent supposed to take anything he says seriously then he wouldn't bother making so many intelligent points about game design in his reviews would he? Nor would people who frequent this site be quoting his observations in other forum topics to help prove a point. Nor would it have stayed at the top of the video list for all this time. Nor would he be engaging in conversations about the medium with other contributors to the site. Nor would he have been picked up by the site in the first place. If we arent supposed to take at least SOME of what he says seriously, then we would not have been watching for this long. We watch because we like to laugh while we learn stuff dont we? I take his opinions seriously because I usually agree with them and they help me make informed choices on my game purchases.

I'm not going to STOP watching by any means. The show makes me laugh and Croshaw is obviously a smart guy, it's just that the nature of the show (endless complaining) has finally gotten to me. No matter how funny it is, I think I'm just over listening to someone ***** and moan about a slightly flawed control system or the odd bad design choice that I would not have noticed anyway because it doesn't appeal to his personally refined (and frankly, a bit jaded) tastes.

Yes he has a very good idea about what makes a great game, but I'm over listening to someone complain for ten minutes straight when I could be learning about....well....ANYTHING they talk about on Extra Credits.

Does anyone else feel this way? Or at least understand where I'm coming from?

 

[Marter]

I understand, and am a little bit tired of it myself. It's still funny, but after a few years, it does tend to get slightly tiring.

But where do you find the ten minute episodes? Those must be interesting! =p

 

[Zac Smith]

I suppose everything wears out its welcome eventually, personally, I still enjoy watching, and it isn't tedious for me at all.

 

[g_hughes]

He's a critic, so the complaining is to be expected. But it should also follow that he points out the good bits of the game. Consistently.
I wouldn't say that his reviews have made me not want to play a game or have my experience thereof lessened. Although that probably says more about the lack of time I have for gaming since I got a job...

 

[Trogdor1138]

It's true though, you are taking it too seriously, he does point out good flaws in design etc. but it's still first and foremost comedy. Just relax about it and take it with a big bag of salt. I do understand what you're saying though, don't get me wrong.

Also, I think the crack about LA Noire's length wasn't really a complaint, he just pointed out the fact it's a long game.

 

[rockyoumonkeys]

Length isn't an absolute. Some relatively short games are still "too long" and certainly some very long games can still feel "too short".

A complaint that a game is "too long" doesn't mean it "takes too many hours", it just means "it drags on for longer than it should".

Some games just work better when they're shorter. But of course then you'll be hearing from the whining kids with no jobs and no responsibilities who need games to be as long as humanly possible to fill their empty lives.

 

[Harkonn3n]

I suppose everything wears out its welcome eventually, personally, I still enjoy watching, and it isn't tedious for me at all.

Been following Yahtzee since he started out on Youtube and watched every single review he's done.
While he has ripped a few of my favourite games to shreds, alot of the times I can't help but agree with him on the points that he makes.

His reviews never make or break a game for me, but it's quite a quirky and humorous departure from cold professionalism that I appreciate. His verbal assassinations make me look at my existing games with a new sense of humour, which I appreciate.

All in all, I still very much enjoy Zero Punctuation.

 

[bombadilillo]

He is a self afirmed hyper-critic. Like if he gives a game 4 out of then thats probably a sweet game.

I mean the length thing you get with every critic. I personally love longer movies, like 2 hour+ should be the lenght of every movie. A lot of critics whine that a movie is "wearing out its welcome" or "too long" if it approaches 2 hours, 90 minutes being the standard. Thats a to be continued episode of TNG not a fucking movie. GRRRRRR

Anyway I put that up to critics watching too many movies and playing too many games. Hell he loved Portal 1 for its length and the fact that it left you satisfied and wanting more. So you got a point there and I agree.

Anyway in the escapist podcast 1, he talkes about his reviews and how they should be ideally viewed after someone has played the game already, hense they invariably come out much after launch.

I love movie bob not because I agree with his movie tastes, but because he generally explaines why he dislikes a movie. Yahtzee is the same way. Oh well, if you want a review with exactly your tastes, good luck in finding one.

 

[bombadilillo]

I suppose everything wears out its welcome eventually, personally, I still enjoy watching, and it isn't tedious for me at all.

Been following Yahtzee since he started out on Youtube and watched every single review he's done.
While he has ripped a few of my favourite games to shreds, alot of the times I can't help but agree with him on the points that he makes.

His reviews never make or break a game for me, but it's quite a quirky and humorous departure from cold professionalism that I appreciate. His verbal assassinations make me look at my existing games with a new sense of humour, which I appreciate.

All in all, I still very much enjoy Zero Punctuation.

Lol, its all fun and games until they come after something you care about. Ask Issac Hayes. I think this is OPs problem.

 

[Dizeazedkiller]

I don't know if i'm getting sick of it but Zero Punctuation doesn't seem to be as funny anymore. I still laugh at the more outrageous jokes but the small, witty metaphors and such don't seem to make me giggle anymore. Its still very informative. Even though Yahtzee does blow things out of proportion the points he makes are valid.
Now that i think about it i don't think Zero Punctuation has lost its charm for me... What i think it is is that i was disillusioned after the Portal 2 video. After all i really wanted him to say it was a good game, and he did... but I would have enjoyed it more if he HAD found a flaw in the game. I suppose that it'll get just as funny for me as it was before once he reviews a game i have the chance to play first.

 

[Harkonn3n]

It's true though, you are taking it too seriously, he does point out good flaws in design etc. but it's still first and foremost comedy. Just relax about it and take it with a big bag of salt. I do understand what you're saying though, don't get me wrong.

Also, I think the crack about LA Noire's length wasn't really a complaint, he just pointed out the fact it's a long game.

This.
He also said the same thing about Castlevania Lords of Shadow game length and how it came on 2 DVD's. It's nothing more than a statement, not a complaint. (The complaint came afterwards when disc swapping was involved if you want to revisit previous levels, which can get irritating I suppose)

 

[mahtar]

Specifically, the crack at how long the game is. Well yeah it's long, but hasn't that been a main focal point of his (and many others) bitching for years? I just find it odd that one person would have such strong opinions on extended game length and then have the nerve to actually complain or gloss over when he finally gets a good long length on an above average game.

Thats just one example.

First off the length of the game is dependant on the game its self, basicly a game can be long with nothing happening or just pointless and repetative events or short and well made. So i'd say it depends on how well the game uses the length rather than the length its self.

But id say the facts on ZP reviews are that:
1. he's built up a reputation for hating most of the games people play and pointing out the flaws.
2. (Well this is mostly a personal feeling but...) I find hundreds of reviews that love the game they're reviewing and frankly i'm bored of them and have begun to wonder if some just get paid by the game companies or just want to get their reviews held up by the company or players.
3. He does like some games mostly inventive games that break the mould and do something new like portal 1.
Finaly 4. Some games need a good kicking espcially the FPS market that seems to focus its stories on only 2 or 3 subjects latly.

 

[Gentleman_Reptile]

Lol, its all fun and games until they come after something you care about. Ask Issac Hayes. I think this is OPs problem.

I see how you might think that but no thats not the case. I'm not so in love with L.A Noir or any other game that I cant handle when it's flaws are (deservedly) pulled into the spotlight, it's more that I'm just kind of sick of his style.

 

[Gentleman_Reptile]

I understand, and am a little bit tired of it myself. It's still funny, but after a few years, it does tend to get slightly tiring.

But where do you find the ten minute episodes? Those must be interesting! =p

Thanks. And I know I said ten minutes but I was just generalizing the run time based on how long most escapist shows go for.

"Between five and ten minutes usually? Meh whatever I'll say ten minutes that'll do."

 

[omega 616]

He is paid to rag on games, I think even he said it. People aren't as fond of his vids when he praises a game, so he has to rip every one of them to shreds.

Of course he throws in good points but he has to mock the game with them in order to remain so well viewed.

 

[bombadilillo]

Lol, its all fun and games until they come after something you care about. Ask Issac Hayes. I think this is OPs problem.

I see how you might think that but no thats not the case. I'm not so in love with L.A Noir or any other game that I cant handle when it's flaws are (deservedly) pulled into the spotlight, it's more that I'm just kind of sick of his style.

I was think more Jaded over time. But I agree, game "too long" is a wierd complaint.

I thought he made some great point drawing parralells to adventure games and the modernization of that style. Collect items/clues to use them to solve puzzles/catch people in lies. It was interesting how he identified the hint system as being the guide to know whats an interactable object in a realistic (read object filled) enviroment. How this was nessessary to advance gameplay but also immersion breaking.

I thought that was all genuinely interseting and valid points. Admittedly intertwined with his other over-the-top complaints and flair.

If its not your style then more power to you, but there is good stuff in there, its just covered in shit (to use one of yahtzees favorite analogies)

 

[Evil Top Hat]

You made a lot of exaggerations, but yes it does get a bit old after a while. I've seen pretty much everyone ( back before I had an account, you sneaky badge inspecting ninjas) and I've noticed that he does contradict himself quite a bit.

 

[domble]

I still love Yahtzee, and find it as funny as I ever did, but I don't think of him as a reviewer.

He's very good (probably the best) at what he does, but if after 120 reviews (or however many) your average response is "don't buy it" then you really can't be viewed as someone with a balanced opinion.

Again, great show, love the guy, extremely funny, just not a reviewer - and I don't think he intends to be.