---

(Video is mildly NSFW)

I’m not sure when I first discovered it, but someone introduced me to Zero Punctuation and I’ve been following it ever since. Every Wednesday, Ben “Yahtzee” Croshaw posts up a new animated short reviewing a video game. These fall under the “NSFW” category most of the time, but it’s the way Yahtzee picks apart these games that makes it so enjoyable.

First, there’s the accent and speed of the clips. He’s from Australia, but his accent isn’t very heavy so it’s still pretty understandable all the way through. Then he speeds up his voice when recording – hence the name Zero Punctuation – which gives the video a sense of urgency. Ultimately though, Yahtzee touches on the main problems with games in general, and really gets to the source of the matter. He doesn’t just play these games for 5 minutes and write a review, he plays them for hours – sometimes until he beats them – and then passes judgement.

Take the review above for example, for Batman: Arkham Asylum (mildly NSFW). He says very clearly that he loves the game, but he’s not just going to kiss butt like everyone else. Instead, he takes the things that he takes issues with, and makes fun of them. But it’s all done very constructively in a manner that not only makes you laugh, but also is done to make games better as a whole.

See, Yahtzee is a game developer himself, and he just wants to play good video games. By pointing out the good ones and slamming the bad ones, he’s working towards making a better gaming industry for all of us. Plus he does it with colorful cartoon characters and wit. Fact is, this is one site I visit every Wednesday, and every time I do, I never leave disappointed. Give it a shot.