Ben "Yahtzee" Croshaw Speaks About His Craft

Ben Croshaw, better known as "Yahtzee" for his humorous and biting videogame reviews posted at The Escapist Magazine, talked to BBG recently about his creative process and favorite moments of delivering his frequently damning pronouncements.

"I usually take a few days to play through the game and I'll usually finish it, or get as far as I can before I feel I can formulate an opinion. After that I'll devote a day to writing the script," he explained in the interview.

Though he doesn't take notes, Croshaw said he sticks to several main points and squeezes a paragraph or two out of each one before working on the corresponding images.

The inspiration behind his animation style, he said, was borne of necessity : "[It] was me not possessing a video camera or any similar means of recording and wondering if I could make a video out of still images and narration."

The novel reviewer said he is pleased with his relationship with The Escapist and the success his venture has enjoyed. "They're good people and I am treated well with a big sack of money at the start of every month," he said with his usual candor.

As for his delivery style, Croshaw offered this pleasantly maniacal picture:

"I have terrible presenting discipline. I never look in the right way while I'm recording, I usually stare at the ceiling and rock back and forth in my chair. If you listen very hard you can sometimes hear my chair squeaking while I talk. It probably needs some screws tightening."

Source: BBG

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good thing he doesnthave a webcam, couse hesomeway created a new style with his animations and that

broadband:
good thing he doesnthave a webcam, couse hesomeway created a new style with his animations and that

I agree, actually. Yahtzee's reviewing, in terms of amusement and writing, is just above the 'above average' level that other (previously small time) journalists (and more importantly vloggers, with the case-in-point) may traditionally have. The case in point is Blunty3000 from YouTube - a part time videogames reporter and YouTube 'partner'. All he does is talk into his webcam.

No, no doubt he is witty, but the replayability of his videos dwindles after the first time. Yahztee, as he admits in this interview, realises that his original animation style is the one thing which sets him miles in front of the pack because people listen as if it was a podcast, but watch and then watch again to find the Easter eggs.

It's really great stuff.

I am now going to watch all his reviews again and listen for squeaking and creaking...

I was going to say that now we're going to have people posting "OMFG, did u here the squeeky chair @ 2:14.5???" and then I read ...

ComradeJim270:
I am now going to watch all his reviews again and listen for squeaking and creaking...

and laughed

Some of the most innovative things are created by complete accident ^^

I think Ben Croshaw, Yahtzee, hit the jackpot, so to speak, he is incredibly witty and the stop frame animations with all the various easter eggs makes his reviews very unique. At least, in my opinion.

And now I must go listen for his squeaky chair!

Dectilon:
Some of the most innovative things are created by complete accident ^^

Don't mean to have a go at you but when you use a qoute that is done by someone you put their name beside the qoute to say your just using and not stealing their qoute unless its not known who said it then it dosnt matter and if it was origanally yours then its a good idea to put your name beside it.

They spelled Yahtzee wrong D:

They did too... T^T

I have heard his chair before during his Super Mario Galaxy review. Nice interview

Fixed 'Yahtzee' misspelling; oops.

I have noticed the squeaky chair sound. I thought it was Yahtzee's roommate(s) roaming around.

No, no, of course not! If Yahtzee had any roommate(s), him (they) would have either been killed by one of his schizophrenic rampages or instead impaled themselves on the spire of Winchester Castle after living a week with him, or some other arbitrarily short amount of time someone can conjure up.

Notice I didn't say he/she?

Perhaps if Yahtzee did have a he/she roommate, the strangeness might balance out his insanity and the world may end/become perfect.

I'm highly amused as to what a big deal the chair squeaking has become. Of course, I shouldn't be. Guys, by all means go back through and listen for it. After all, he measures his worth through hits (lololololol).

Mmm, I actually was really happy to see him on G4, and I did notice a little that he wasn't very "natural" in front of the camera. I did love to see that he sounded the same on camera as he does on his reviews.