Once again the weekend is upon us, and you are doubtless thinking about what gaming videos will occupy your time between now and the Super Bowl. Last weekend, your YouTube time was hopefully filled with plenty of StephenPlays. But now that you have certainly watched Stephen’s entire library (because it really is that good), it’s time for something new.
So this weekend, GameWisp is back with another recommendation. This weekend, you should be watching Tales of Lumin. Here are three video reasons why.
1. Lumin is Adventure Worthy
Today’s header video comes from Lumin’s series Adventure Worthy, his own spin on the first impression video. The series is almost as straightforward as it sounds. For the most part, it really is a chance for Lumin to take a game he has not yet played and give his thoughts on whether that game is worthy of a grand adventure. The series does have a twist, however, in that along with first impressions, Lumin also tries to throw in some of his favorite games that he has found adventure worthy in the past.
Each video showcases Lumin’s fun, energetic commentary style alongside some great information about the game. Though the videos are certainly informative, my favorite aspect of the series is just how excited Lumin gets about starting each game and the way that excitement colors his reactions to the various aspects of the game. Previous episodes of the series include Don’t Starve, Assassin’s Creed III, and Far Cry 3.
The video above highlights Lumin’s first impressions of DLC Quest, an indie platformer from Going Loud Studios. It’s a fun game with a quirky, satirical storyline based around the question of what would happen if every game mechanic had to be purchased. I often find that simple games make for great videos, especially if you have a good commentator. Lumin does an excellent job, keeping the focus on the quirks of the game. So if you are looking for a new first impression series, Adventure Worthy is certainly a great choice.
2. When It Comes to Let’s Plays, Diversity is the Way to Go
Most Let’s Play channels feature games their creators want to play, and Lumin seems certainly seems to follow that rule. Often, however, this rule means that channels tend to take on genre preferences and rarely stray outside the selected niche. There is certainly nothing wrong with exclusively playing first person shooters or simulators. The sheer number of channels dedicated specifically to Minecraft, Battlefield 4, and GTA 5 show that niche channels can and do attract huge audiences. But for me, one of the hallmarks of a great Let’s Play channel is the ability to cross genres. Tales of Lumin does just that.
From The Wolf Among Us to Starbound to Hearthstone to his latest Let’s Play, Enslaved, Lumin’s library contains a wide variety of games and genres. This displays not only Lumin’s range as a gamer, but also his ability to continually put together great content as he jumps from genre to genre. Great Let’s Playing often comes down to great commentary, and commentary is an area where Lumin shines. Where most informative Let’s Players tend to focus on background information, Lumin stays in the moment, expressing his thoughts on the game, its art, and its mechanics as the game progresses.
The video above is a great example of Lumin’s style. This is the first episode in his Enslaved LP. In the video, Lumin combines heart felt excitement and curiosity in such a way that he seems to be discovering the game alongside the viewer. Each new mechanic and scenario is a chance to discover something new about the world. This whole experience contains such an apparent love of gaming, that I could not help but be pulled into the world right alongside him. This unique commentary style carries over from video to video, making each one a truly great experience.
3. Gaming News… Lumin Style
In addition to first impression and gameplay videos, Tales of Lumin also contains Lumin’s own brand of gaming news. In the past, Lumin had a series called Newsmin, in which he discussed various gaming-related news topics. From what I could tell from looking through his channel, the latest episode of that series was posted on October 11, 2013. But even if the Newsmin series has been shut down or temporarily postponed, that has not prevented Lumin from informative videos such as the the one above counting down his favorite games of 2013.
One thing I enjoyed about the video is that he goes out of his way in the first minute to make sure the viewer knows that he is not saying that these are the best five games of the year, but rather that they are his favorites. Rather than projecting his opinion as the correct opinion when it comes to the games of 2013, Lumin takes the modest route, standing by his choices but leaving some room for disagreement.
This theme seems to run throughout the channel. Tales of Lumin often feels like a channel created by Lumin for Lumin. His overall love for gaming and excitement to engage with games tends to create an experience of being brought into Lumin’s world rather than having him step into the viewer’s. That viewers get a chance to enjoy the content alongside him is an added bonus. Whatever Lumin’s motivation for creating his channel and continuing to post excellent content, we at GameWisp hope he keeps doing it for years to come.
