Tomb Raider: Underworld

This week Zero Punctuation gives the old girl another chance and reviews Tomb Raider: Underworld.

Watch Video

Good job. Keep up the good work, Yahtzee!

MY Treasure! *shoots guy*

Pretty good review to be honest but I still don't understand the "Lara == Bong" comparison.

Zero Incentive - A NewClassic Rant on Zero Punctuation.

Foreword and Disclaimer:
I would like to preface this rant to say, "ZP's still good." This rant will go into parts of the video series I do not like. It can, and likely will, sound critical. Though, once again, I do not think Zero Punctuation is outright bad. This is not intended to start a fight, but rather be a stating of opinion, or possibly a discussion.

Like Lara, one thing Yahtzee seems to be showing signs of is simply tiring out. He's becoming old, not particularly interesting, and going towards stale in terms of humor and style. Once upon a time, Zero Punctuation was a series that was more about game reviews with good humor and an active style that encouraged the viewer to be a part of the experience, laugh, and actually learn something about a game.

More lately, not too unlike G4, Yahtzee's been slowing down, and now he's leaning a lot more on humor instead of game-content. Although this doesn't make it bad, it does make something of it that it is not. For the most part, Zero Punctuation is no longer about game reviews, and is now about gaming-related humor.

Simply put, Zero Punctuation
has become something it's not.

Almost like it's a new show disguised in an old shell, I can't help but feel like Zero Punctuation is losing some of what made it better once upon a time. The loss of the clever song-choices at the beginning and end of the videos, the clever intelligent humor woven into the discussion of the games themselves, and actual review segments that really told the player more about the game than simply pointing out a series of flaws and making jokes about them. (Don't get me wrong, this was always present. But it feels stronger now, as if this is the main focus.)

I'd like to point out here that I'm not calling this video series bad. What it is has simply become is something different. As much as I'd like to encourage the video series, I'd rather say take a step back and look into it's roots. Some of the things that made Zero Punctuation so clever is rapidly becoming a thing of the past. Maybe I'm speaking only to myself here, but I'd like to think the series could return to what made it so strong to begin with.

Now, I'd like to take a moment to perhaps stave off some dissent before it gets to a point of argument rather than debate. I'm not here to attack Yahtzee. I feel like he could be doing better with this video series than he currently is, and I see no harm in saying as much.

Though if I were, I hope we would all understand how little it would accomplish. Small time curmudgeons like me won't reduce Yahtzee to tears, considering how little he cares about us. As small-time viewers , we're more here to provide traffic and watch something we enjoy, with the commentary being nothing other than banal time-wasting. Hopefully, we can get some discussion as to the very limited review-content of Yahtzee's latest ZP videos.

Rocky landings ahoy!

To be honest, I'm not entirely sure what I'm accomplishing here. Fans of the series will, especially those currently watching each video with bated breath, are likely going to continue to be fans of the series regardless of what I have to say. Ultimately, though, my opinions are what individualizes me, as well as what is important. Like all comments on these videos, it really shows the power of opinions as a commentative medium. (Admittedly, a lot of these opinions completely mirror Yahtzee's, regardless of game or opinion.)

What would not surprise me is if this comment is received poorly. Maybe it's my cynical side talking, but I'd hardly believe that many people will appreciate this opinion; even only because it disagrees with Yahtzee. I've never really understood the almost crusader-like fervor that fans of the series attracts, and I find that no matter how often I watch the videos, there's always something about Yahtzee's opinion that I disagree with.

Not that small time critics like myself do well making posts like these, as they often wind up dead, or carrying on flame wars. And if you wanted my honest opinion, I'd suggest how little all of it matters because I don't think this series will just turn over and die. A lot of it is because that the series still has merit on its own. "Mankind Has Yet to Recognize My Genius" is and will always be a misnomer, because the term genius has so much of a subjective slant to it.

Admittedly, this video seems to like it's using a lot of "too obvious" jokes, and he manages to completely dodge the game review. Entirely. (Okay, maybe he touches on it a little, but for the length of the video, it's largely sketch comedy.)

Though he seems to hate the series, and yet jumps on this one simply because... I'm rather confused by the entire experience. Why? It doesn't make sense to me.

By and large, I'm not particularly pleased. I feel like this series could really return to how clever it once was, and recover that balance of subtlety and blatant humor that it once had. As time progresses, though, I feel like I'm only fooling myself into thinking that it could ever be that way ever again.

Maybe I'm just some cranky old gamer looking at something, and wishing it were more like something he enjoyed some time ago, instead of just occasionally alluding to it like it is now.

(Although, bonus points for the Unskippable ad at the end of the video. Good series, although it already has plenty of viewers.)

quick bannage up ther

gigastrike:
MY Treasure! *shoots guy*

damn took it

Fewer bans so far this week! Good job as usual.

ZP is fairly entertaining, but I don't understand why everything else on the escapist seems so unbearably unfunny.

EDIT: Are you kidding me up there with that copy-pasted text wall?

You have something you desperately want people to read, and yet you say nothing. You perched like a sniper waiting for the video to be released so you could soapbox in the first few posts on a site that is full of peple who enjoy the videos. The worst part is, you think it's worth reading, and that you're brillant! Thanks for your comments, but next time I want that kind of counter-opinion in my house I'll just invite a Jehova's witness in for coffee.

edit: Since apparently this needs some clarification, I shall attempt to make it clear:
THIS POST REFERS TO THE FIRST REPLY FOR WHICH SOMEONE WAS BANNED. YOU WILL BE ABLE TO SEE THIS POST BY CLICKING THE 'VIEW POST' BUTTON UNDER THE FIRST REPLY.
Thank you for your time.

Ahh at last, a truly moronic post deserving of a ban; something we can be truly and unamobiuosly satisfied with and not bod down the thread with discussions of why he was banned.

Anyway, excellent video Yahtzee; sounded like you were enjoying yourself almost as much as in the sonic review ;)

It also contained possibly the best analogy I've ever heard:
"Innovation is to this series what cheeseburgers are to a lactose intolerant Hindu"

NewClassic:
Snip

That's a nice (and for the most part true) rant but why do you post this in a ZP thread? Why don't you make your own thread?

yahtzee is coming back from a low!

Huh, I was just going to put in my 2 cents and laugh at the slough of "firsties" being banned, and I get a New Classic rant...

Evidently I need to check the ZP comment threads more often.

Eh, not as funny as some of his other ones, but they can't all be winners.

Lol, what do we think - did NewClassic really write that in six minutes, or did he prepare it in advance, deciding he was going to dislike the video review before he saw it anyway?

EDIT - Eh, his point is articulately enough presented though.

Wonderful work, simply wonderful, I never really thought that lara is well... evil, but now you make a good point.

probably the funniest review you've done in a while Yahtzee, nice work.
when are you going to take rip into GOW2 then? i'd like to hear your unique point of view on that game?

good work by yahtzee again..it wasn't too funny but still good.

I am proud to say I have never played any of the Tomb Raiders. I have much better games available to abuse me.

I liked this review, although I do think Yahtzee should've poked more fun at the gameplay, not the story. Everyone already knows that the stories in Tomb Raider games are all shit; it's just common sense. No need to point that out when you could be making fun of the GOD AWFUL repetitive environments and retarded enemy AI.

Also, I don't see why he keeps going on about Lara's rack; I thought they looked considerably smaller in this game (mind you, I had to stare at the box art for HOURS to figure that out.)

ffxfriek:
good work by yahtzee again..it wasn't too funny but still good.

yep i think the same... we need more U.R.

They still have a crappy camera, after 9 games where everyone complained about it in every single game. Sigh, I have no hope for those bastards.

*sigh* I wish some people would stop complaining about if his reviews are in depth or not, and just love them for what they are - a bit of fun ^^

Is that unfunny guy gonna be on the end of EVERY video now? He reminds me of my little brother.

Excellent episode!
I'm still wiping my tears from:
"Innovation to this series, is what cheeseburgers are to a lactose intolerant Hindu" xD
"...because the camera is being opperated by a eight year old autistic child, hooked up to an I.V. filled with sherbet..."

classic!

Sabbad:
Lol, what do we think - did NewClassic really write that in six minutes, or did he prepare it in advance, deciding he was going to dislike the video review before he saw it anyway?

He's probably had an "Anti ZP" writeup in the works for awhile and decided to edit, then spring it upon the unsuspecting public when he felt it was most appropriate.

Oh NewClassic...I hope you don't get banned.

On topic: I was wondered, about half-way through, when he was going to talk about the actualy gameplay...but then Yahtzee made the very good point: It's a Tombraider game. They are all the same with minor upgrades. At that point, I could chuckle and enjoy the rest.
Well done.

Excellent review

lol at the kraken and the tourist spider parts

Nice one Yahtsee! I like how you think that a game should have more value to it than just a game character's breasts! ...game devs obviously think that people are morons if a woman with big boobs who gets wet and dirty would make people buy a game!

Yahtzee is the Jezza of Video Games.

NewClassic:

"Simply put, Zero Punctuation
has become something it's not."

Hurrr what does that even mean?

Good review, even though everyone probably could have guessed it would just be a badly disguised clone of the previous titles.
TITles.
Heh heh.

Nice video Yahtzee. Some game series need to be dropped eventually, Sonic comes to mind and this may be another candidate.

*adds NewCastle to my friends list*

Been a long time viewer of Zero Punctuation and have never signed up to the Escapist until he mentioned Bristols!

I am from Bristol (UK) and most women born here have big breasts so I couldn't stop laughing when he referred to Lara's breasts as Bristols.

Good work as always Yahtzee!