Opinion of Let's Plays

[Absinthe]

I want to know Newgrounds opinion on the entertainment medium known as "Let's Plays." For those who don't know or don't know what google is, a Let's Play is essentially a walk-through of any game with added commentary, usually implemented for comedic or informative purposes. I find the medium to be fairly entertaining for the main purpose of showcasing a game that I haven't played, and revealing it's various positive and negative aspects.

However Let's Plays also have various negative aspects to them as well, mostly in regards to whom is posting the video. There are various examples: the video may lack informative substance, isn't played to completion, or isn't up to video quality snuff. This leads to a lot of junk videos on youtube leading to clutter of overused memes and wasted videos fucking with searches.

So what are your opinions on Let's Plays, do you find them stupid, helpful, or are you completely indifferent?

[Trapex]

I don't always rely on "Let's Plays" due to the fact that they're just spoiler material. I like to figure out how to do certain things in the game myself. If I do watch them, they're purely for comedic value.

[HighWay]

i mean if it's a game that i have a mild interest or have heard of maybe i'll watch it if one of the people i'm subscribed to does it.

i would never watch a lets play of a game i'm playing through or are going to get in the near future.

[CresIsis]

I have enough money to go out and buy video games - No need to watch others play them.

I'm not a very good spectator, so I'm not too fond of Lets Plays, as I'd rather experience the material first hand. Now, if I've played a video game fully and I want to see someones reaction to a certain part, I rely on Lets Plays for laugh material.

[Chemich]

PMRants of YouTube made a rant about that, I pretty much agree with him completely.

Look it up.

[YellowisCOOL]

I think they're fun to watch

[simon]

At 4/1/13 04:28 AM, YellowisCOOL wrote: I think they're fun to watch

Agreed, especially the scary games.

[Migel]

I found out that I watch most lets plays for entertainment purposes because I miss that part of my life where I could visit a friend and drink some beer while he plays the resident evil gamecube remake. I think because of that stuff like game grumps tickles me in the right way. That said if I do have the time I still prefer playing a game myself and use reviews from reviewers who have similar tastes than mine to show me the path ;)

[BANGsquared]

If the player that actually films the Let's Play is good at the game or provides interesting stuff to listen to such as commentary and trivia I think this is a nice medium to enjoy a game you might not be able to enjoy otherwise.

I just hate Pewdiepie's screams.

[Auz]

Frankly, I mostly watch such videos for informative purposes and I'm sometimes curious about how other people passed certain parts of a game. As such, I don't really care much for the hilarity factor in Let's Plays. I'd rather watch someone who gives a lot of helpful information about the game and doesn't try to be a clown all the time.

Also, I rarely watch Let's Plays in full. It's too time consuming.

[LemonCrush]

I'm really into Let's Plays. The only ones i like are ones done by people i was already a fan of. PeanutButterGamer, Game Grumps, Super Beard Bros and Totally Not Gay Gaming. i was fans of these guys before the Let's Plays...the only LP-er i occasionally watch is ChuggaConroy, and that's only in small doses because i really hate his mannerisms and voice.

[scoutthesoldier]

There's too many on Minecraft.

[sweet21]

I like to watch two best friends play and game grumps.

[Sense-Offender]

I watch playthroughs sometimes if I don't want to play the gam but am still interested in what happened. I've been doing that with the Resident Evil games (only one I played was 4). But I don't watch ones with commentary. I'm planning on watching playthroughs of the Clock Tower games as well.

[naronic]

What people need to realize is that there's a difference between a good lets play, and a droning monologue recorded over video footage.

[GACBassPlayer]

I'd rather spend my free time playing a game, myself. Sounds crazy, but it's true.

[Absinthe]

At 4/3/13 10:29 PM, Sense-Offender wrote: (only one I played was 4). But I don't watch ones with commentary. I'm planning on watching playthroughs of the Clock Tower games as well.

Clock Tower is really sick, I really recommend getting the others, the story is awful and the characters are lame. But the anxiety playing it makes up for the minors negatives presented

[Shade]

In my eyes, Let's plays are where comedy, originality and entertainment go to die.

[Sense-Offender]

At 4/4/13 01:11 AM, Absinthe wrote:

At 4/3/13 10:29 PM, Sense-Offender wrote: (only one I played was 4). But I don't watch ones with commentary. I'm planning on watching playthroughs of the Clock Tower games as well.

Clock Tower is really sick, I really recommend getting the others, the story is awful and the characters are lame. But the anxiety playing it makes up for the minors negatives presented

I remember playing the second one when I was like ten and making fun of the voice acting. I din't get far, though, before I returned it to the rental place.

[Kunera]

If I watch one, it's usually a game that I've played before, because I'm having a fit of nostalgia yet I'm too lazy/unable to replay it myself. I've considered doing lets plays myself, but it feels too cliche now. If I upload gameplay, it's usually Rock Band, and if I want to do a playthrough of a game, it would probably be targeted more toward people that just wanted to watch an average playthrough without commentary.

[sweet21]

At 4/4/13 12:12 AM, GACBassPlayer wrote: I'd rather spend my free time playing a game, myself. Sounds crazy, but it's true.

When im not playing a game I watch someone else play a game. Sounds crazy I know, but thats what happens when nothing good comes on T.V.

[Runekn]

Eh, some can be good, maybe one can just watch the first video just to get a idea what the game's like, or perhaps to enjoy a game that they can't play for whatever reason (IE maybe they don't have the console for it, or have the funds to buy it, etc).

I generally prefer the ones that show off obscure games, since gods know there's a billion Amnesia and for whatever reason, Minecraft LPs.

As for commentary, as long as the commentator isn't too obnoxious or uses forced humor, I don't mind. Being informative about the game (if not doing it blind) and not wasting several minutes doing nothing is a plus. Chip Cheezum does a great job with this in my opinion, doing well-informed LPs with some humor in the mix. Heck, he even has a separate (uncut) audio track on his later videoes that doesn't play over cutscenes.

And a sidenote, Retsupurae mostly shows how not to do one, although they do it infrequently what with backlash and fans deciding to insult the LPer on their page.

[KatMaestro]

A lot of Let's Play are full of off topic crap talks and not even funny.