Yahtzee gets in front of the camera on Game Damage

by Justin McElroy { Dec 18th 2008 at 9:45AM }

We love Yahtzee, but our love is constantly being tempered by a severe mistrust of disembodied voices (A Christmas Story? Ho-ho-horrifying.) Thankfully, the fast-talking game critic has put on some pants, gathered a couple of friends (co-hosts Yug and Matt), gotten a camera and created Game Damage, a video game show pilot that they're hoping attracts some network attention.

The crew is still trying to find a balance between being TV hosts and just talking, and some bits fall flat. But Yahtzee (and the offbeat topics) would probably be enough reason for us to tune in. Watch after the break and see if you agree.

Tags: game-damage, yahtzee

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)

-Z- @ Dec 18th 2008 9:58AM

Why does Yahtzee dress like he's in the Australian Mafia?

DLee @ Dec 18th 2008 11:45AM

mayb he's part of it :D

Kevin @ Dec 18th 2008 11:17AM

Because he is

Jim @ Dec 18th 2008 10:08AM

it's like a bad late night talkshow.

yahtzee shoud be heard and not seen

10volt @ Dec 18th 2008 10:53AM

It does sound a little bit awkward, but hell it's a game show. Name me one that doesn't at some point seem like the guys that host it are staring at each other awkwardly about their personal preference.

Bart-o @ Dec 18th 2008 11:36AM

I agree that it's bad but i thought Yahtzee looked alright, the show really falls on it's ass though.

samfish @ Dec 18th 2008 10:08AM

Soo...are we supposed to care about him again?

Dr. @ Dec 18th 2008 10:17AM

My thoughts exactly. Can't comment on the video itself, but I wasn't aware this guy was still relevant...

Azerael @ Dec 18th 2008 11:07AM

Someone's angry Yahtzee pointed out that SSBB sucked.

Daniel @ Dec 18th 2008 11:26AM

I found him funny at first, but I was under the impression that he hit 14:59 a long time ago.

Mr Khan @ Dec 18th 2008 11:47AM

His SSBB review was a farce, but this was because he completely ignored the game's actual flaws, and attacked for bullshit reasons that he made up on the spot, except for his critique of SubSpace Emissary's Great Maze

samfish @ Dec 18th 2008 12:07PM

"because he completely ignored the game's actual flaws, and attacked for bullshit reasons that he made up on the spot"

That's different from his other reviews?

Dr Jeckyl and Mr ESC. @ Dec 18th 2008 12:19PM

Since I'm such a front page whore I just want to point out that Zero Punctuation is still good but this one well the sketches are funny in the scale between Mega64 and Xplay but I'm not sure if that's what they were aiming for.

Anyhow I think most of us watch this because Yahtzee is in it and we are eagerly waiting for him to do or say something funny but every time they talk in the couch everything he says is cheap sarcasm then again if it wasn’t for him this would be exactly like watching Gamespot “On The Spot”.

(Finally I just want to add that yes Sonic Unleash characters are kind of annoying but I didn’t thought the gameplay was as horrible as in the last game, in fact I thought it was sort of good.)

Kassu @ Dec 18th 2008 2:22PM

Wow.

Been a long time since I last saw such such whine and bias in the comments here.

Nice job bros, keep up the good work.

Tossers.

TheBrainninja @ Dec 18th 2008 2:41PM

Much like other reviewers, Yahtzee expresses his opinions of games...while I don't always agree with him, he does make some very good points. Yes, he sometimes (*cough*always*cough) goes overboard on nitpicking details, but that doesn't make the points he does make any less relevant.

Also, I believe he is paid to do this more because he is entertaining, rather than 100% accurate. And entertainment is always a subjective thing. So I would say that Yahtzee is--and will be--relevant for exactly as long as there are people who find him entertaining.

LeadBoxx @ Dec 18th 2008 10:11AM

Yahtzee looks cooler than I thought.

JoeTheBlow @ Dec 18th 2008 10:13AM

I hate it when gaming journos try to be TV stars.
Its the Internet, not NBC, you are not famous.

Edge @ Dec 18th 2008 10:13AM

I kinda like it. But it certainly use the coat of polish. But a pilot it is.

Erluti @ Dec 18th 2008 10:25AM

Meh.

Re-using the same skits with was kind of a waste, since they weren't very good. And the Duke Nukem design team one was a one punch joke, and reusing it ruined it.

Also, people need to quit reviewing previews, I mean honestly. Nobody reviews movie trailers. If you get to see a game early, tell people about what the game is trying to do. They haven't failed at it until it goes gold.

naxe @ Dec 18th 2008 1:27PM

People that say MEH........

should GTFO and STFU. Its not cool or witty anymore. so stop it. It makes it seem like your a little girl MEH MEH MEH. just stop.

Erluti @ Dec 18th 2008 1:34PM

It's not meant to be cool or witty. Trust me, I can resonate with your distaste for internet-isms.

But I'm neither hot nor cold about the show. It's maybe almost slightly better than anything on G4, and still not a show I would ever watch intentionally.

Also, I hope your use of "GT*O" and "ST*U" was used ironically. (Sorry, I gotta keep it clean for the kids.)

Wiinterfang @ Dec 18th 2008 10:25AM

God the Sonic Unleashed review was very funny but it hit a little too close to home =(.

melloncollie @ Dec 18th 2008 10:25AM

Yeah,
Like you look any better.
Dipshit.

Dr Jeckyl and Mr ESC. @ Dec 18th 2008 12:41PM

Yeah I played the Demo I thought it was Okay. Not great but I found myself playing the demo for a while.

Sonic team almost got it this time around.

About this well to be honest I thought it was boring with the sketches being the only thing why I watched the whole thing although that is a lie since I fast forward the video every time it was getting boring to the part I think I watched 5 full minutes.

Roto13 @ Dec 18th 2008 10:26AM

Seeing him (as opposed to just hearing him) makes me feel weirdly uncomfortable. Like I'm thinking "You shouldn't look like that. You look like a giant spaz. You don't sound like a giant spaz. Don't look like anything."

False @ Dec 18th 2008 10:27AM

Is anyone really gonna fault the guy for trying to do something new or different? If it fails, it fails, but at least he isn't letting himself be a one-hit wonder.

silverwolf761 @ Dec 18th 2008 12:10PM

"but at least he isn't letting himself be a one-hit wonder"

Depends on who you ask

Comet @ Dec 18th 2008 10:30AM

I bet this gets picked up by G4.

Erluti @ Dec 18th 2008 10:43AM

I suppose it would be par for the course.

Comet @ Dec 18th 2008 10:57AM

I could see this, then Xplay, the AotS in a programing slot.

j.howlett @ Dec 18th 2008 11:44AM

i just want g4 to put electric playground back on the air.

Taco_Hell @ Dec 18th 2008 1:34PM

You know what I want? I want a channel where it shows the latest gadgets and games back, not fucking Cops and Cheaters.

ehisforadam @ Dec 18th 2008 3:16PM

I just want G4 to die in a fire and have TechTV rise up from the ashes.

DangerMouse @ Dec 18th 2008 10:35AM

The other 2 giggling in the background looks bad when he's reading the news. Not sure what happens later, since i couldn't get past the two minute mark.

Mighty Healthy @ Dec 18th 2008 10:42AM

Agreed.

They're practically physical representations of his fans...people who blow smoke up his ass, have no substance, and expose his lack thereof.

Dr Jeckyl and Mr ESC. @ Dec 18th 2008 12:34PM

C'mon don't be so hard on Richard Simmons Jr. and Harrypotterfan3445.Kekeke.

kaneda @ Dec 18th 2008 10:35AM

They shouldn't all sit on the same couch if they are gonna be talking to each other. Conversely, if they are gonna be talking to the camera, they shouldn't all be sitting on the same couch.

Duke @ Dec 18th 2008 10:36AM

Agreed. It's awkward!

NoughtSoClever @ Dec 18th 2008 10:37AM

yes

Erluti @ Dec 18th 2008 10:45AM

Well totally awkward, I feel like it's better than X-Play where they stand around and look like they think they are more important then you.

timeformoretime @ Dec 18th 2008 10:36AM

I'm guessing Yahtzee is wearing a Trilby hat as a reference to the Trilby adventure games he made. They're pretty excellent.

MatsJn @ Dec 18th 2008 11:41AM

ACtually he added the trilby in the game because he normally wears one in real life.

Dan D @ Dec 18th 2008 10:38AM

I would probably watch this depending on the co-hosts. If they have good chemistry it could be funny.

Sam406 @ Dec 18th 2008 10:40AM

I don't have a problem with Yahtzee I'm he's fan after all. But I do have a problem with the other two...
..I mean I'm not judging or anything but... is the fat one gay?

And the third one, well, he might as wall call himself "Mcloving"

Sam406 @ Dec 18th 2008 10:42AM

his fan, HIS fan. I should get some sleep...

silverwolf761 @ Dec 18th 2008 12:16PM

"But I do have a problem with the other two...
..I mean I'm not judging or anything but... is the fat one gay"

If you have a problem with him, and you make a point to ask if he is gay as a reason why you have a problem with him, seems to me like you ARE judging

Dr Jeckyl and Mr ESC. @ Dec 18th 2008 12:25PM

The one in the middle reminds me of Richard Simmons.

iofthestorm @ Dec 18th 2008 2:39PM

The one in the middle reminds me of retarded, and the one on the end reminds me of a Harry Potter freak or something.

alyten @ Dec 18th 2008 10:48AM

The *only* problem with this show is the problem that lies in all ideas of making gamer television, we (gamers) dont really watch that much tv anymore. If a network did pick it up, they would be dissapointed by the low viewership thru the actual cable networks because they are too lazy to monetize web video.