James Rolfe isn’t the angriest gamer you’ve ever heard. Not when you’re listening to me when I’m playing Angry Video Game Nerd Adventures, the game based off Rolfe’s popular video game web series. True to the hilarious nature of the adult-oriented show, Angry Video Game Nerd Adventures is an engaging throwback to the golden age of gaming, 16-bit graphics and all. It’s every bit as frustrating as the very games James himself plays in each side-splitting episode. But unlike the horrible games the Nerd subjects himself to, AVGN Adventures is actually fun, despite being endlessly aggravating. It’s the good kind of frustrating not the kind that provokes the ire of the Nerd himself.
It’s a brilliant love letter to the ’80s, the games we heap praise on over and over when we look to the past, and youth – for most of us. You play none other than the foul-mouthed Nerd himself, exploring six technicolor worlds filled with baddies that want to kill him, all in a bid to rescue his friends Mike Matei, Kyle Justin, and the Bullsh*t Man, who have been sucked into his TV. Armed with an NES Zapper and the company of Naggi the Patronizing Firefly, the Nerd is on the warpath to take back his friends and save the day. It’s a hilarious side-scroller that finds the Nerd hopping onto smiling pillars that extend spikes when touched, fending off the glitch gremlins, and even facing off against Freddy Krueger and Jason Voorhees.
There’s an interesting mix of inside jokes from the show, classic video game references, and nodes to James’ pastimes and friends, so this is an excellent treat for fans of the Nerd and his assorted projects. It’s much more than just fanservice, though. There’s a great game underneath the shiny veneer, too. Jumping feels tight, and it’s easy to get the Nerd where you want him to go. Everything about the game, in fact, feels just how it should – except for some of the rather strange enemies and level design decisions.
Some blocks you can jump on will instantly impale you and it’s game over. There are enemies with erratic jumping patterns that make it unreasonably difficult to eliminate them. And you can never be too sure how to approach many of these frustrating elements. This is likely a nod to the very same irritations that stem from so many of the horrible games the Nerd reviews, but they mar what is otherwise a hilarious nod to anyone who enjoys James ripping these games to shreds. It will grate on your nerves, as well as the several times it will take to you to complete one level before advancing to the rest. You’ll eventually unlock playable friends like Mike Matei, who I thought was an interesting addition.
Angry Video Game Nerd Adventures is, despite the occasional pitfall, one of the best and most endearing games tied to an entertainment license I’ve seen in quite some time. It’s clear James himself had a hand in nearly every aspect of the game, especially the more difficult segments that prompt you to want to down a few bottles of Rolling Rock yourself while busting up a controller. This is the kind of game you can only hope to produce when you head up your own brand of entertainment. I’m extremely pleased with the outcome, and hope there’s at least some DLC or additional planned content for the future.
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09/20/2013
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Screw Attack Entertainment
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