An Episode Of The Online Games Review Show Consolevania

[87th]

That was really beautiful.  Watching it not only reminded me how much I loved Consolevania, but how much I loved games.  I've said several times that I didn't want TEAM to make Consolevania if TEAM didn't want to make Consolevania, so even though I loved it so much, I'm actually quite at peace with it ending now.

As a fan, I'm sorry if I've encouraged Consolevania to focus on the negatives of gaming.  It's done all too often, simply because cynicism for the sake of laughs works well with us, but Consolevania was refreshing in that it wasn't ashamed to love gaming.  As much as I've laughed at reviews of games like Overblood or Illbleed or whatever, what made CV unique (besides many other factors) was how positive it was.  I really, genuinely, appreciated that.

Consolevania was a real class act.

Robert, Ryan, Kenny, Joanne, Michael, Louise, Richard, Courtney, Debbie, Melissa, Fraser, Cameron, Da, Maddie, Eddie, Limmy, Allan, Graham H, Damien, Liam... Good luck to you all.  Enjoy games.

[Tincture]

Doesn't seem like a wind-up this time, does it?  Weird, because series 4 seemed to come roaring out of the gates with a rocket of enthusiasm and ambition up its arse.

Thanks for all of it, then.

[Sporky]

That was beautiful, guys.

I wanted to write something here about sympathising with how it must have been doing the "slog" and all that, but I can't find the words. Games are meant to be fun but I think it's sad how easily things can drag us away from that.

If "fun" powers the continuation of CV, I'll be watching.

To all of TEAM - thanks for being nothing less than wonderful.
 

[greenwood85]

Man, this is sad, once I realised what was going on I got an awful feeling in my stomach. I think this episode was very enlightening into how you are feeling and I can understand that too.

 I hope that you can come bouncing back soon.

Thanks for all the great moments, and letting us be part of something fantastic.

[chooban]

There was no word from Ryan...spin-off! 

[famicomuser]

Don't start thinking people shouldn't be at all negative towards games, some games deserve to be shot down.  People on forums (not you guys...obviously) act as tho games, no matter how good or shit, are terrible and that's not right.

I always try to be honest with my opinions of games and if someone releases a piece of shit game that's hyped to fuck and all the magazines love it, I feel it's my duty to slag that game off if it deserves it and I don't give a shit if someone worked hard on any part of it, it was released for no other reason than to make money.

I love games but there is way too much shit out there these days that have no artistic integrity.

[87th]

I'm pretty sure one of these is true-

A) Consolevania is finished.  TEAM thought it was hurting their enthusiasm for the subject matter, and decided to give it up before it stopped them from being able to enjoy gaming.

B) CCC is the last episode of Consolevania.  Rab and Ryan might do more commentaries, a new show, more cassette reviews or something else we'll all like in the future.

C) Consolevania might come back.  It won't be for a while, though.



These are listed from most likely (A) to least likely (C).

[kicking crutches]

I'm pretty sure one of these is true-

A) Consolevania is finished.  TEAM thought it was hurting their enthusiasm for the subject matter, and decided to give it up before it stopped them from being able to enjoy gaming.

B) CCC is the last episode of Consolevania.  Rab and Ryan might do more commentaries, a new show, more cassette reviews or something else we'll all like in the future.

C) Consolevania might come back.  It won't be for a while, though.



These are listed from most likely (A) to least likely (C).

i'd love to hear some more of the commentaries

[chuppachup]

Doom and gloom. We always get so caught up in all this. Remember the whole Moonlight Museum fiasco. I, for one, take everything the happens here with a pinch of salt. Remember the episode was called "Consolevania Christmas Carol." That story is all about showing us how things were, are and could be. Nothing is set in stone. We can always change what hasn't happened yet. The Future is in Flux. Just stay below 88mph. Cheer up!!

[Ieu-ee]

Well fair does if that's how you're finishing then you've gone out on a massive high.

I've never though CV was a games review show and it seemed to me you were always lenient in your criticisms. CV is the reason why I have let non-blockbusting games sit proudly on my shelves content in the knowledge that as long as I've found something in them to enjoy it doesn't really matter if they're 'good' or 'bad' or if it's an EDGE 10 etc.

Good night TEAM, where ever you are...

However I think we should complain that the thread topic is not specific enough to fit in with the new forum rules... I request an insta-ban

PS: Commentaries are appreciated here too.

[deadmenspointyboots]

Christmas has come early this year.

It is upsetting to hear about the burnout - yet entirely understandable.

[87th]

Don't start thinking people shouldn't be at all negative towards games, some games deserve to be shot down.

I think you might have missed the point a little.  Consolevania was great for praising games.  Rab said he wasn't proud of CV's reviews (though he was happy with the recommendations), and I think that's because it distracted from the concept of celebrating gaming in a show.  The only reason they reviewed games they didn't like was for cheap laughs, and though it worked very well, I can see why Rab regrets it, since he didn't want to come across as anything less than someone who really loved videogames.

Doom and gloom. We always get so caught up in all this. Remember the whole Moonlight Museum fiasco. I, for one, take everything the happens here with a pinch of salt. Remember the episode was called "Consolevania Christmas Carol." That story is all about showing us how things were, are and could be. Nothing is set in stone. We can always change what hasn't happened yet. The Future is in Flux. Just stay below 88mph. Cheer up!!

I, for one, am not doomy, nor gloomy.  I'm just happy for CV to end here, if need be.

I'm pretty sure TEAM decided to make CCC's origins ambiguous so they could undermine its place in Consolevania if they wanted to go back to making the show like regular, later on.  I don't see them doing that for a while though, and I'm okay with that, as long as TEAM are, too.

[rookoo]

It's good that you guys are stopping doing this if it's affecting your enjoyment of games, but will you guys still be doing the commentaries? I find them quite entertaining, and they shouldn't be as much bother to create as new footage etc right?

[Sporky]

Don't start thinking people shouldn't be at all negative towards games, some games deserve to be shot down.  People on forums (not you guys...obviously) act as tho games, no matter how good or shit, are terrible and that's not right.

I always try to be honest with my opinions of games and if someone releases a piece of shit game that's hyped to fuck and all the magazines love it, I feel it's my duty to slag that game off if it deserves it and I don't give a shit if someone worked hard on any part of it, it was released for no other reason than to make money.

I love games but there is way too much shit out there these days that have no artistic integrity.

See now I've been thinking this too, but on reflection I'm not so sure. I don't think games need to be "shot down" - or at least I don't think it's everyones job to do that. I remember back in the day, when I was but a wee man I'd get huge levels of enjoyment out of playing any old shite - good, bad, in between it didn't affect things as much as it seems to these days. That someone was out to make money wasn't a concern of mine, looking for or making note of things that made something bad wasn't my concern, having fun WAS my concern.

I kind of feel that might be a bit of what Rab's getting at here - that the boys aren't the people to critique everything, they aren't the ones to give in depth analysis of all the ins and outs of a game - that they aren't games journalists, they're just guys who want to share with us that games are fun - enjoy them! I think the problem is that these days with all the forums we have for expressing opinion, everyone seems to think that should be their job and so we're all playing these games with different motivations than we may have had before. Desire got replaced with necessity, enjoyment with effort. Maybe it's not all as bleak as that, but I think there's something there.

More than anything I remember back in the day me and my pals could have fun with any old game, the "quality" of the game itself wasn't the point - we loved games. It's like having a kick about with some guys down the park, it's fun cause it's your friends and it's football - so what if the balls half flat and the pitch is churned to shite, and there's no goal posts - it's fun because it's a hobby you enjoy. You're not all sitting around moaning that you aren't playing in the San Siro, and that your mate Ian can't shoot for shit (sorry Ian if you read this!) - your just having fun!

I dunno - I just think it's easy to see how the fun can be taken out of gaming needlessly - sure shite should be called up for being so, within reason - but the process of getting to that point shouldn't be soul destroying, we should be able to enjoy poking the shite as much as praising the gold.

[Evil Ninja Phil]

And anyways, if it is done the answer is simple:

Do it ourselves.

(wank hat on at a rakish angle)

I always felt the site was a call to arms, bringing a bit of the DIY-punk aesthetic to the Internet so if it's dead then we will mourn it and wait for the baton to be picked up. The Sonicsring boys are already doing it, the passion has always been here on the boards.

So it's a goodbye but it's also (or should be): that was the bar. Let's raise it.

And I still haven't watched it yet because the Good Lady Wife is watching Celebrity Big Brother (Coolio for the win!) and the file is downloading on my PS3 and the router keeps breaking.

Sigh.