The Official Angry Video Game Nerd Discussion Thread

[treismac]

When I said "surprise", I was referring to him being surprised, or shocked. I knew about the twist end the whole way through, I was just anticipating his reaction to having to do the game all over again. lol

I know. ;) I was just having a bit o' fun with the whole thing.

[Greg2600]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_xIc7iGPyc

AVGN Movie Trailer Premiere Event Video. Surprise revealed at about the 8:00 mark.

[AdamAnt316]

I was at the trailer premiere, and it was great. Got to shake James's hand, and he signed my copy of Bible Adventures. All it all, lots of fun. :D

[Flam]

it still blows my mind at how large a following this guy has. I just don't get it.

[IHatedSega]

it still blows my mind at how large a following this guy has. I just don't get it.

The cussing can be a turn off, but to me his videos really show how great online videos can be for expression. With any type of tv channel you have censors and big money involved, whereas James can make a video and do what ever or say whatever he wants in it, and he keeps on doing that. Id say his videos really opened up my eyes to things that totally passed me by when Iwas a kid. I didnt have many friends, and almost none played video games, and I never got to experience the 16 bit era like I would have looking back. His videos are full of great information on systems; I didnt know there was a Sega CD, I was 3 when it came out and none of the 2 friends I had that had Geneseye didnt have those or the 32X. I didnt even know about the Zelda Timeline Debates until I saw his video on the confusion, which was actually my first video of his I saw, when I was looking that up. And damned if I knew what a 3DO or NEO GEO were back then, I totally got into NEO GEO not long after looking it up after him mentioning it.

[Edmond Dantes]

I've said before that AVGN sometimes gets on my nerves, when he says something that's blatantly wrong, acts like a Nintendo fanboy (his Sega CD video is one I rarely re-watch), or just makes nitpicky complaints that I doubt most players had problems with (the map in Friday the 13th).

That being said, he's one of the few Angry Reviewers who I felt has a larger ratio of Hits than Misses. The guy is a good actor and filmmaker and it shows, and most of his complaints are legit (unlike most of the idiots at TGWTG) and he usually sticks to games that actually ARE bad. Most of all, he's actually entertaining. Most reviewers wouldn't have been able to review Ghosts n' Goblins and actually make it entertaining (Irate Gamer tried and failed), but Rolfe did.

Admittedly my favorite videos are the ones that tend more towards informative than "angry reviewing" (Doublevision, Swordquest) which is prolly why I segued into being more of a Happy Nerd fan since his videos are dominated by that style, but Rolfe actually makes me laugh, and that's something I haven't been able to say about Nostalgia Critic for the last year or so.

[Flam]

I guess I tend to over look the informative side of his reviews and only focus on how terribly un-funny the guy is.

[Greg2600]

I guess I tend to over look the informative side of his reviews and only focus on how terribly un-funny the guy is.

He's much funnier than he is good at reviewing, which is the point, he's not trying to accurately review the games. He's lampooning them.

[FieryReign]

I guess I tend to over look the informative side of his reviews and only focus on how terribly un-funny the guy is.

I completely agree. It might be slightly funny if you're an adolescent or just have no taste. I could only stand 2 minutes of one of these garbage videos. If you're getting informed from this guy, then there is something wrong.

[Flam]

I'm just not a "dick and fart" joke kind of guy, although I do think Beavis & Butthead is hilarious. AVGN talking about how he wants "to take a fucking shit on this piece of shit fucking video game that fucking sucks balls" does nothing for me.

[retroguy]

Well, that's kind of the point. James Rolfe isn't really like that, the AVGN is just a parody of those kinds of people. That's why I think he's funny.

[Edmond Dantes]

As another here said, AVGN is basically the spirit of our childhood frustrations at all those games we couldn't beat, being put into video form.

There's a sort of nostalgic quality to it. I remember when TV was plastered with ads for Bart vs the Space Mutants and Bart vs the World, and now here's his review.

Also there's videos like the afformentioned Zelda Timeline and Swordquest, which are different and less of the diarrhea comparisons.

[Final Boss]

it still blows my mind at how large a following this guy has. I just don't get it.

Assumably he did the angry video game review gimmick first (and milked it dry). Fans think he's "one of them". Their ambassador for whatever.

I found him funny years ago. And even then, the reviews were the funny parts. When he started adding stuff in, palm started meeting face (Shitpickle, anyone?).

I applaud the man for achieving what most of us want; not having to do actual work for a living. I bet he could get his fans to pay for his kid to go through college as soon as he/she is born.

The last funny thing I remember from this vampirized fad was IGSRJ.

[IHatedSega]

I liked shitpickle. And I dont know why so many people dont like reviewers having a kind of story in their videos. I think it can be a good way to drive their points home.

[Edmond Dantes]

I liked shitpickle. And I dont know why so many people dont like reviewers having a kind of story in their videos. I think it can be a good way to drive their points home.

The problem with reviewers having storylines is that the story is often not really to do with the game/movie/anime/whatever and is just the reviewer... indulging themselves. It's rarely interesting and oftentimes is annoying. Like Nostalgia Chick's Bratz review where she leaves the movie halfway through and it goes into a mini-story about how she's trapped. It wasn't funny, and it broke the flow of the review (TGWTG is really bad about this kind of thing). I'm here to hear them comment on the movie, not tell their own story.

That being said, Nintendo World Championship worked because the story was themed on how rare the cartridge was, which is a part of that game's mystique. As I said, AVGN usually does this stuff well.

[treismac]

That being said, Nintendo World Championship worked because the story was themed on how rare the cartridge was, which is a part of that game's mystique. As I said, AVGN usually does this stuff well.

Speaking of that video, I really dig Pat the NES Punk lately. He's entertaining enough that I actually enjoy it when his videos go off into different wacky story lines apart from the reviews. His hyper Nintendo fanboying is so over the top that its endearing to behold. Also, I love his take on stepping over to the "bad" side when he did a SEGA review.

[FieryReign]

Making fun of terrible games isn't exactly "original", as some of the people here like to think. Seanbaby did it years ago, the difference is, he's actually funny.

[Tupin]

Funny how different people are in this thread now as compared to four or so years ago. People couldn't get enough of him.

[Flam]

Speaking of that video, I really dig Pat the NES Punk lately.

I do like Pat's stuff better than AVGN. Pat's stuff is actually informing, his review of Mr. Gimmick! is what got me into tracking down a reproduction of that game.

[treismac]

Making fun of terrible games isn't exactly "original", as some of the people here like to think. Seanbaby did it years ago, the difference is, he's actually funny.

Seanbaby rocks. I haven't read anything by him in a bit, though. This must be corrected soon.

EDIT: Done.

Seanbaby vs. the Most Efficient NES Intros of All Time (http://www.gamespy.com/articles/101/1017972p1.html)

[Melf]

Ugh, I never found Seanbaby to be entertaining at all. I'd much rather watch AVGN.

[JSoup]

Ugh, I never found Seanbaby to be entertaining at all. I'd much rather watch AVGN.

I'm in this crowed, but that might be due to a lack of exposure. I didn't really enjoy AVGN until I happened to switch on a stream of all the episodes as background noise.

[joshnickerson]

I applaud the man for achieving what most of us want; not having to do actual work for a living.

I'm just going to assume you meant "do what he enjoys for a living", because insinuating that no work goes into making videos and films is just insulting.

[IHatedSega]

Im just curious about the times James has been wrong about things. I watch his videos all the time, so Im wondering what he got wrong in them.

[understatement]

Im just curious about the times James has been wrong about things. I watch his videos all the time, so Im wondering what he got wrong in them.

The thing about the AVGN is the character is bad at playing video games so a lot of the things that he “dislikes” aren’t that bad, they’re just there for comedic value.

A lot of his facts are well researched although he does leave info out sometimes. The one that stands out is the Crazy Castle video where he leaves out one/ some of the variations of the game I think it’s Mickey Mouse and/ or the Real Ghostbusters to be fair neither of those games have Crazy Castle in the title so that might be a reason but they’re the exact same game play.

[retroguy]

Also, the AVGN isn't always reviewing "bad games", necessarily. James just goes with what might be funny. For example, I've had both of the NES Bugs Bunny games since they first came out and still enjoy them a lot (Birthday Blowout especially is a decent alternative to Super Mario Bros if you don't feel like playing that for the hundredth time), but AVGN's reviews of them were great, mostly because of Mike Matei as Bugs. It's always a treat when Mike shows up.

[Final Boss]

I'm just going to assume you meant "do what he enjoys for a living", because insinuating that no work goes into making videos and films is just insulting.
Ok. Assume that.

[JSoup]

I think the Nostalgia Critic stated it best in one of his fuck up videos: "My job is to tell jokes....calm the fuck down."

[Greg2600]

Nice video chat of James, Mike and Kyle Justin reminiscing about old video rental stores. Like them we had Palmer and West Coast video chains around here, prior to Blockbuster. I can remember the mid-80's though when the mom and pop stores had 1 or 2 copies of new movies and it was impossible to find anything.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsKVBZEx3Ck&feature=g-user-u

[dgdgagdae]

It's always a treat when Mike shows up.

I disagree completely. I don't think he's funny at all.

[JSoup]

I disagree completely. I don't think he's funny at all.

This. I can't put my finger on why, but this guy just irks the hell out of me.

[IHatedSega]

Hes a chatter box? I mean James is able to talk through his videos better than Mike does. The personality is just better. :/

[c0ldb33r]

I don't mind the Mike videos when he's just talking with the camera.

I guess I don't mind him as an occasional distraction to the nerd. Mike couldn't keep an audience with his own video channel.

[treismac]

I think the deal with Mike is that he attempts to do a character/persona that he isn't able to pull off with his acting ability.

[JSoup]

I think the deal with Mike is that he attempts to do a character/persona that he isn't able to pull off with his acting ability.

I get the exact opposite impression of him, he's doing the same thing the Nostalgia Chick does. Neither are "playing a character". They are just being their normal selves and are trying to present it like it's something special. But it's not special. It just comes off as horrendously annoying.

[Kitsune Sniper]

I stopped watching AVGN because of Mike Matei.

[treismac]

I get the exact opposite impression of him, he's doing the same thing the Nostalgia Chick does. Neither are "playing a character". They are just being their normal selves and are trying to present it like it's something special. But it's not special. It just comes off as horrendously annoying.

I've only watched 2 or 3 videos with him, so I could be miles off with my hunch. Perhaps he is truly being himself. Either way...

[camarotuner]

I've only watched 2 or 3 videos with him, so I could be miles off with my hunch. Perhaps he is truly being himself. Either way...

After being around him for several hours at the last tmg convention I can say that's pretty close to his actual personality. I rather liked the guy he seemed quite pleasant.

[Edmond Dantes]

Im just curious about the times James has been wrong about things. I watch his videos all the time, so Im wondering what he got wrong in them.

To be fair, "wrong" is a point of view.

For example, his Sega CD video is full of inaccurate facts (it was meant to compete with the PC Engine CD, not the SNES, and there are a lot of good reasons it wasn't its own console like he claims it should've been, and he trots out the classic "most of the games are FMV garbage" line), but that can be seen as just him reflecting what a Nintendo Fan growing up in the 1990s thought of it, rather than an attempt to be accurate.

In Bugs Bunny Crazy Castle, he doesn't seem to realize red Sylvesters move when you do, and thinks it just randomly decided to stop. Although this could be meant to showcase a first-time player being confused, rather than him simply not knowing that.

This may be nitpicking, but the map in Friday the 13th isn't near as confusing as he makes out. Again though, could be just an act.

And this isn't technically a mistake on his part, but during an aside in his Street Fighter 2010 video, he plays Fighting Street for TG16 and says "I'm sure the arcade version is better." I've seen people take this at face value and just assume its a terrible port. From what I've seen, its actually true to the arcade (yes, even down to the terrible controls)

I'm sure if I looked around enough, I could find a genuine, no-holds-barred mistake or research failure. But I'm just not inclined to. I'm more interested in telling fans of Angry Nerd to watch the Happy Nerd (http://blip.tv/hvgn) instead.

[treismac]

I'm more interested in telling fans of Angry Nerd to watch the Happy Nerd (http://blip.tv/hvgn) instead.

YES! Derek (HVGN) rocks! His commentary and analysis are worlds apart from most reviewers. On top of that, his music with Starship Amazing (http://starshipamazing.com/) kicks ass too. This album... this album, Scoops the Robot, is transcendent:

http://music.starshipamazing.com/album/scoops-the-robot

[c0ldb33r]

Agreed. HVGN rocks. I've watched his sweet home review a few times and might watch it again tonight :-)

[Melf]

HVGN just seems to be an AVGN ripoff to me. Watching his Metalstorm review was just like AVGN's Karate Kid review, I know he did it intentionally, and that's the problem. If his biggest claim to fame is copying AVGN, then I'll just stick with the original.

[JSoup]

HVGN just seems to be an AVGN ripoff to me.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v250/jelly_soup/Thats_the_joke.jpg

[The Dord]

I stopped watching AVGN because of Mike Matei.
I just stop watching Mike Matei videos. :) Works for me.

[IHatedSega]

About HVGN: I really enjoyed the Earthbound video they made, but maaaaan that Chrono Trigger video after it was unwatchable. Another reviewer I like generally did a good Trigger review though.

When James was asked by a puppet if hed do a video with them at a Q and A everyone in the crowd kinda gave "uhh....we dont need to see that video." reaction.

[Melf]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v250/jelly_soup/Thats_the_joke.jpg


The problem is that it isn't a funny one. He should drop the schtick and concentrate on just reviewing the games. His reviews are much better when he stops pretending to be Rolfe.

[treismac]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v250/jelly_soup/Thats_the_joke.jpg

What a wonderfully apropos Simpsons' reference. Thank you. I needed that.

[Edmond Dantes]

The problem is that it isn't a funny one. He should drop the schtick and concentrate on just reviewing the games. His reviews are much better when he stops pretending to be Rolfe.

Ummm... Derek dropped the AVGN imitation shtick YEARS ago. Seriously, he only used it in like his first six or so videos, and then its only readily apparent in Metal Storm, Star Tropics and Nightshade.

[Melf]

Ah, well, then that would make me actually watch more of his stuff. Ironically, Metalstorm and Star Tropics were the two videos I saw, and I wasn't eager to go back. If he did indeed drop the copy act, then I'll check out his other videos.

[Edmond Dantes]

His videos nowadays tend to focus more on just talking about the game and being informative. I think "Nightshade" was the last really skit-centered episode, although Neckbone makes a brief appearance in his Rescue Rangers overview.

[Flam]

I will say that I watched AVGN's review of Ghosts n' Goblins last week and it really wasn't that bad. It was pretty informative and he didn't overplay the "angery nerd" part, he was calm for most of it. His jokes are still not that funny though.

[c0ldb33r]

I really liked the ghosts and goblins review. I like the AVGN reviews when he's more calm.

[Urzu402]

The AVGN doesn't review games for accuracy, he reviews them for comedy. He even stated that some of the games are good that he reviews and he just makes them out to be bad. Like the two Bugs Bunny games they're actually good, but the way he reviewed them makes them seem like absolute garbage. His reviews aren't meant to be taken factually serious.

[Greg2600]

The AVGN doesn't review games for accuracy, he reviews them for comedy. He even stated that some of the games are good that he reviews and he just makes them out to be bad. Like the two Bugs Bunny games they're actually good, but the way he reviewed them makes them seem like absolute garbage. His reviews aren't meant to be taken factually serious.

Exactly. What I have always enjoyed about him is that he's basically putting production into video game folklore/urban legend. He's just a gamer. His recent video of James, Mike, and Kyle Justin talking about old video rental stores was very good, because these are the things my friends and I talk/joke about all the time. Now some folks like Flam don't find him funny, but perhaps he just doesn't get all the in-jokes. AVGN is built on gaming in-jokes, particularly from the 80's and early 90's. If you didn't live it, I guess I can see how you may not get his humor. I don't care for the shit jokes, like the little kids do, I prefer when he does stuff like show how useless and bad the Power Glove was. Or the non-stop chatting required in Simon's Quest.

[Flam]

Now some folks like Flam don't find him funny, but perhaps he just doesn't get all the in-jokes. AVGN is built on gaming in-jokes, particularly from the 80's and early 90's. If you didn't live it, I guess I can see how you may not get his humor. I don't care for the shit jokes, like the little kids do, I prefer when he does stuff like show how useless and bad the Power Glove was. Or the non-stop chatting required in Simon's Quest.

I was born in 1978 so I get the gaming "in-jokes". And as far as the shit jokes, those are what I'm refering to as that is 80% of his humor

[Greg2600]

I was born in 1978 so I get the gaming "in-jokes". And as far as the shit jokes, those are what I'm referring to as that is 80% of his humor

Ironically so was I. However, I've watched every AVGN video and that's not 80% of his humor. Not for several years now.

[Flam]

Ironically so was I. However, I've watched every AVGN video and that's not 80% of his humor. Not for several years now.


I'll admit that I've only watched about a total of 8-10 videos, and I can attest to the fact that of the ones I watched the vast majority of the humor were "dick and fart jokes" which is why I've never bothered to watch anymore. So if you've watched them all I can't argue against that, just from the sampling I've watched the humor is terrible.

[rkotm]

..well with that out of the way here's a new one:http://cinemassacre.com/2012/12/17/avgn-atari-sports/

A good one, my favorite since episode 100, and it was put together well. That camera he has is awesome! No christmas theme, though

[Flam]

I don't care for the shit jokes, like the little kids do, I prefer when he does stuff like show how useless and bad the Power Glove was.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYDuy7wM8Gk

Ok greg, I was ready to give you the benefit of the doubt untill I watched the power glove episode you said that you prefer since you don't care for the shit jokes. During this video he said fuck 60 times, shit 17 times, and GD 4 times. Now unless you are the Cohen Bro's (and Big Lebowski this clip is not) this is not humor. How someone can find a 12:30 minute video of someone cussing while trying to get the power glove to work is beyond me, I don't buy the "some just got get the inside humor" argument. In a nutshell the tirade at the 12:00 point in this video of why the AVGN sucks. I can picture all the 13-15 year olds pissing theirselves from this tirade. I don't care if that's "his character" or what. It's just simply not funny.

[IHatedSega]

The cursing isnt whats funny, the situations are. I can see if people are very sensitive to cursing they wont enjoy him, so yeah if you cant get past it, then you wont enjoy him. "It so fuckin suck it fucks." Is an awesome line though.


I love his videos though, and I do love how he can do and say whatever he wants on youtube, unlike on tv.

[Flam]

[QUOTE=IHatedSega;1942960] I can see if people are very sensitive to cursing they wont enjoy him[QUOTE]

I see where you are coming from, but it's not that I'm sensitive to cursing, it's just that it's not funny (to me at least). To each his own.

[joshnickerson]

..well with that out of the way here's a new one:http://cinemassacre.com/2012/12/17/avgn-atari-sports/

I really, REALLY enjoyed that football rant of his. If a new football game came out that was actually titled that, I would so buy it.

[Greg2600]

He had a few good one liners in this new one. Grand Prix: "looks like a bunch of kazoo's racing down a cabbage patch."

[treismac]

He had a few good one liners in this new one. Grand Prix: "looks like a bunch of kazoo's racing down a cabbage patch."

Agreed.

Some 2600 sports games are so atrocious that the AVGN's usual hyperbole/over reaction comes off as understatement. Apart from some Activision offerings (Ice Hockey and Tennis), I can't recall really enjoying any sports games for the system.

[Urzu402]

I'm fond of the line "which one is Pele?, I bet he's the round one!"

[starchildskiss78]

I have been enjoying the videos where he and Mike (and sometimes Justin) have just been reminiscing about video stores because I remember that being a big part of my childhood/teen years. The Atari Sports one was funny in its own way, and I think it proves he didn't have to go all out with the production and situations to make an enjoyable video.

[IHatedSega]

I cant believe Jorg Buttgereit's work was referenced in one of hi videos. Schramm, Der Todesking and Nekromantik 2 are some of my favorite horror films.

[Rob2600]

James and Mike joke about Golf (NES) for 13 minutes:

http://cinemassacre.com/2012/12/30/nes-golf/

I admit, this is James's first video that bored me to death. Nothing was funny or clever. I don't know why it was even posted.

[c0ldb33r]

Agreed - I saw most of this the other day then shut it off :\

[IHatedSega]

Yeah the Golf video was just two guys having some fun and didnt make for a really good video.

Did you guys see the Atari Sports episode? That was the first Nerd video I dont need to watch over again, mainly just because I dont like sports. Does anyone know what his next video will be?

[BricatSegaFan]

Yeah the Golf video was just two guys having some fun and didnt make for a really good video.

Did you guys see the Atari Sports episode? That was the first Nerd video I dont need to watch over again, mainly just because I dont like sports. Does anyone know what his next video will be?

His jokes really weren't all there in that episode.

Lately I've been watching Gamesack and loving each episode.

[Collector_Gaming]

Yeah the Golf video was just two guys having some fun and didnt make for a really good video.

Did you guys see the Atari Sports episode? That was the first Nerd video I dont need to watch over again, mainly just because I dont like sports. Does anyone know what his next video will be?

actually i hated the atari sports video because he felt like he was pushed to say bad things that were already obvious... "graphics are bad" well yeah.... Its the atari 2600.... "theres very lil controls" well yeah its a stick and one button... "what these look like stick figures"... as a matter of fact yes they do because once again its the 2600.

Its kinda like saying bad things that are obvious about handicapped people. "Wow he's so blind he can't even see where he's going" .... Well no shit you can't tell by the cane hes swinging back and forth clanking on the ground to help him walk around? or "CAN YOU HEAR ME ARE YOU DEAF"... what the hearing aids aren't a dead give away?


Come on man. Get back on the program and find real turds.. not try to make them up.

[eastbayarb]

I know this is a bit off topic, but does anyone know why AVGN has not done a Neo Geo game/system review yet? He's done just about every other system other than that...

[Kiddo]

I know this is a bit off topic, but does anyone know why AVGN has not done a Neo Geo game/system review yet? He's done just about every other system other than that...

Probably because it'd spike the production costs a good 3 grand just to get the system and some of the more demanded games.

[InsaneDavid]

Agreed - I saw most of this the other day then shut it off :\

Yeah, it was kinda lame. About half way through I left and went to dump my ass, in honor of James, of course. Got back, and they were still talking about the game.