And that's the list!

Thank you very much for reading it all the way through, and we hope you enjoyed it! If there were any standout YouTube gaming personalities that you think we missed -- or you found a new favorite through this list -- please feel free to let us know in the comments! We appreciate your feedback.

Fawful's Minion

You'd be hard-pressed to find a quality gaming content creator quite as odd, yet grounded, as Fawful's Minion.

He's a countdown maker who styles his persona after Fawful, the main antagonist of Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story. And fittingly so: he's just as bouncy and unpredictable as the maniacal green bean by which he's inspired.

Every one of Minion's videos is distinctively his own. While his chosen topics and style of editing may remind you of a number of different YouTubers, his writing and commentary most assuredly will not. Why? Because it's off the wall and going a mile a minute. He has such a distinct and often bizarre way of stringing sentences together that deciphering what he's exactly talking about often becomes part of the fun of his videos. He constantly makes references both broad and obscure, crafs similes more colorful than a tropical fruit bowl, and conjures new and inventive ways to swear.

If there's one thing that Fawful's Minion has in spades, it's heart. When he picks a topic, he really goes all in on it. He never half-asses anything.

In videos like his "Top Ten Generation 7 Pokemon", he bases his ranking on not just personal attachment, but on design, value in story, and use in the competitive meta. Instead of making a "Top Ten Kirby Copy Abilities" video, he made a "Top 30 Kirby Copy Abilities" video series.

He can get deep and sappy at times, but you can tell he means every word he says. If you want to see some of his best and most personal work, then check out his thoughts on the Mario & Luigi RPGs.

Fawful's Minion wears his heart on his sleeve and his shoes on his head. He's never afraid or apologetic for being himself. His taste in games might not suit everybody, but there's just something so unique and special about a man so unafraid of who he is. 

Fawful's Minion isn't quite like any of his contemporaries; he's got a cool style, an entertaining personality, and lots of love for video games.

MetalJesusRocks

MetalJesusRocks is just a cool guy who loves video games. It's that simple. He's a lifelong gamer who loves to collect games of all types from a wide variety of systems. For the sake of his viewers, he shows off the best and most interesting games he can find within his massive, personal library.

He makes lists of the best hidden gems and general games on a number of systems, gives his input on how to shop for and take care of your retro game collection, and occasionally digs up a fascinating piece of gaming history. We have him to thank for publicly unearthing the working prototype of the Nintendo 64 Disk Drive, long thought to be lost to time. 

The best way to enjoy his channel is to just head there and start exploring. He's bound to cover your favorite console or genre at some point if he hasn't already. The man is like a librarian curator for electronic media, and he's got interesting and eclectic tastes.

Lucahjin

Lucahjin is like a cool older sister who lets you watch her play video games. That's honestly how she describes herself. A quick glance at her channel description reads:

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Welcome! Think of me as your weird, older sister that's reliving all the games she missed out on in her life! Help me play through a million games for the first time, using your direction to finish them! Let's hang out and play games!

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She is the first let's-player to make it into one of these lists, and she deserves it. She's the kind of content creator you can enjoy even if you don't know that much about video games -- that is her intended draw, after all.

Lucahjin has been gaming for most of her life, but she missed out on a lot of classic games, and that's where her let's-plays come in. Many of her let's-plays are done completely blind of any in-game content or events, and are recommended to her by fans based on what they think she'd enjoy.

She does let's-plays of games ranging from standard fare like Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney and the Mario & Luigi RPGS to more standout and bizarre games like Huniepop and Barbie Wild Horse Rescue. Generally speaking, she has an affinity for JRPGs, point-and-click adventure games, and visual novels, but both her taste and content cover a variety of genres, and not all of her LPs are blind.

A big part of the joy of her videos is watching somebody who has spent their life playing video games fall in love with classics right in front of you; and the other half is Lucah's charming personality and silly, often immature sense of humor. She's a full-grown woman with the sense of humor of a middle schooler, and this paired with her frequent displays of childlike wonder on screen, as well her delightful commentary, makes her a joy to watch. Some might be turned off by her frequent cursing, but if it helps at all, she's pretty good at that, too.  

Lucahjin is funny, easy to watch in marathon sessions, and she leaves you in a good mood. Highly recommended.

Yuriofwind

If you enjoy curious gaming history, in-depth analysis, and snarky cynicism aimed at those who most deserve it, then you'll find quite a lot to like about Yuriofwind. 

Yuriofwind is a dedicated gamer who takes interest in both the historic and the inane. He covers cut video game content and tales of what-could-have been in his series "Gaming Mysteries", where he goes over betas of popular games, as well as games that were never released.

But without a doubt, his most entertaining segment is the wonderfully titled "Bullshit Creepypasta Storytime". It's here that Yuri is at his most sarcastic, snarky, and hilarious. I mean Yuri's other stuff can often be funny, but if this show hits you just right, it can leave you in stitches.

He combs the internet for the most uniquely terrible video game Creepypastas, doing his best to refrain from the ones that are badly written, and then reads them aloud to piece together their convoluted plots.

He rips into such classic tales of spooky ghosts like Mario Kart Black, Pokemon Dead Channel, and Animal Crossing YOU DID THIS.

He's also got other miscellaneous bits of content scattered around his channel, such as the odd one-off let's play or first impressions video, and his third main series, "Obscure Gaming", discusses forgotten gems, ports, and foreign bootlegs.

He also has a very sarcastic and self-deprecating sense of humor. He's quick to make fun of himself and others no matter what he's talking about, and he can get outright savage with his burns. But he never goes too far with his criticisms. Whenever he says, "Fuck you" it's very possible that there's also a quick "I love you guys" just around the corner.

Yuriofwind is a snarky yet lovable everyman, and he's got plenty of quality content and passion to share. Below you can watch the first (and probably one of the best) episodes of "Bullshit Creepypasta Storytime", where he tears the infamous tale of Sonic.EXE to shreds:

For those more interested in the gaming historian side of Yuri, you can watch his "Gaming Mysteries" episode on the beta for Luigi's Mansion:

Just to round things out, for those of you interested in "Obscure Gaming", here is his most recent episode, wherein he discusses an unreleased Mario game for the CDI:

Arlo

Yes, Arlo is a puppet that hosts a YouTube channel. And yes, he is just about as clean and family friendly as you'd expect... for the most part. In the end, this works in his favor, as Arlo talks about Nintendo related content roughly 99% of the time, whether it be news, reviews, or speculative/retrospective opinion pieces.

Arlo also chimes in on other companies from time to time, and does reviews and live reactions as well. He's spoken in defense of Super Mario Sunshine, reviewed plenty of games, from Yooka-Laylee to Resident Evil 7, and had plenty to say about the Switch -- all while talking through his fuzzy blue puppet.   

Sure, the puppet idea is a gimmick, but it's a good gimmick; Arlo's look and feel would be very difficult to mistake for pretty much anybody else. Plus, you always know what you're getting into with him, and if he ever changes things up in terms of appropriateness, he makes sure to let you know right away.

His family friendly nature doesn't stop him from being negative, mind you, as Arlo never sugarcoats his opinion on anything. He was among the first to deride the first trailer for Paper Mario: Color Splash and was bluntly honest in his review of Star Fox Zero.

Arlo has some quality videos, some interesting discussion topics, and an appealing puppet face greatly articulating it all. Give him a look.

Scarfulhu

Scarfulhu is a more soothing gaming YouTuber. He is almost exclusively a reviewer, so he isn't a Jack-of-all trades sort of channel (like many others). But for the most part, he enjoys dissecting point-and-click adventure games, a niche that's continually growing in popularity.  

His frequent discussions regarding puzzles, pacing, and overlooked gems from the LucasArts and Sierra eras (as well as the modern day) make for very relaxing videos. On top of that, Scarfulhu does occasionally have live actions skecthes, but they're much calmer and drier than your typical frantic and hyperactive YouTube personality, which is a nice change of pace.

This all compounded by his -- once again -- dry sense of humor, as well as his delightful Northern English voice and accent. That and the scarf, can't forget the scarf. 

Scarfulhu also occasionally reviews movies, usually outstandingly poor animated films and mockbusters such as Ratatoing and Elf Bowling: The Movie. On one occasion, he even wrote a comedy skit that ended up being performed by the famous YouTuber TomSka.

Scarfulhu is just a pleasant guy with an equally pleasant channel to watch. On top of that, his is also a very clean channel, with very little language or violence. So if that's a draw for you, then there's that too.

The YouTube gaming space is an interesting place. There are plenty of quality entertainers in the form of let's-players, speedrunners, reviewers, and so on.

But as with any other competitive entertainment platform, there are so many popular YouTubers and commentators that some of the more interesting ones covering niche markets sometimes just fall through the cracks. Some would call these personalities "underrated," but really, they're more "underappreciated." 

So to call attention to some of those diamonds in the rough, we did a list just like this a while back, and we felt it was about time to do a follow-up. It's time to shine a greater spotlight on the supporting cast of this online community -- and those that are just as important as the big names in the business.

Let's meet the contenders!

NOTE: Some sections of this list are NSFW.

I first found out about King's Quest when I received the first chapter of the 2016 reboot, developed by The Odd Gentleman, as part of my PS Plus subscription. I was so impressed, I went on to buy King's Quest: The Complete Collection.  

And although the complete collection is fun and engaging, this chapter stuck with me the most. Why? Because it's the first time I've played a game that depicts the mental and physical degeneration of an elderly individual with pathos and realistic visual metaphors.

As this fifth and final chapter to King's Quest opens, King Graham, voiced by Christopher Lloyd (of Back to the Future fame) has now become forgetful, struggling to tell the grand and fabled story of his ascension to the throne. He speaks to his granddaughter, Gwendolyn, but his mind is wrecked with unease and instability. 

Just as anyone with dementia or another degenerative disease of the mind, Graham fumbles through his memories, mismatching scenes into a patchwork of chaos. In King's Quest's previous chapters, players used a horn to summon a bridge troll to access certain areas in the game. However, King Graham mistakenly thinks he rang a bell, insistent he was the arbiter of action -- all until he is corrected by his upset granddaughter. 

As his mind continues to falter under the weight of uncertainty and doubt, the player sees the kingdom engulfed in flames, just as Graham's ailing mind begins to slowly disintegrate and cave in upon itself. A clever touch, our controls invert as we control an older King Graham rescuing inconsequential objects from the fire, which he believes represent his legacy. As his memories crumble, so does his grasp on reality. 

As the hallways of his mind begin to narrow and doors shut themselves, so do areas of the game become inaccessible. Just as in the real world when the elderly struggle with diseases of the mind and their memories lock behind inaccessible doors, so does Graham's past and history. Holding back tears as Gwendolyn becomes distraught as Graham becomes increasingly confused, the confused king asks her if his stories were good enough.

And to emphasize the disconnection of mind and body even more, the music warbles and distorts at times, highlighting the degeneration of Graham's mind. 

Eventually, the player ends up inside Graham's mind itself as the king tries to piece together the memories of his younger days. Characters the player has gotten to know over the past four chapters become distorted, forcing the player to solve a music box puzzle to progress in the game. This is a physical representation of piecing memories together in real life. 

This is what can happen to an older person when they are suffering from dementia -- or their mental health is failing. Anyone who has looked after an older relative or worked as a caregiver for someone with dementia will be able to relate to the masterful storytelling and content of this chapter. It is harrowing -- and a tale not for the faint of heart. 

There you have it. Each of these gaming moms have shown us something different in what it means to be a mother, but all of them are portraying the same thing -- the love they have for their children.

Mother's day is coming round once again, so with that in mind, why don't you take the words from the picture above and say them to your mom. I think it's fair to say that we often don't say them enough, and this time of year is a great reminder of everything they do for us. If a person in a game is able to resonate love more so than we do in the real world, then we need to step up! I challenge you all to give your mother a hug today. Go on, do it.

Are there any mothers in games that you love? Heck, you may just want to tell everyone how much you love your own mother. Sound off in the comments, and happy Mother's Day!

Bonus: Jun Kazama - Tekken Series

Jun may be from a fighting series rather than an RPG, but that doesn't make her any less of a great mother, so she manages to sneak in at the end of this list as bonus entry -- yes I know I've cheated a bit, but she is a bonus mom.

At face value, Jun plays an extremely minimal role throughout the series, as she only appears in one canon game -- Tekken 2. However, this role portrays who she was as a person and what she meant to her son, Jin.

The Mishima/Kazama saga throughout the fighting franchise has been one of hatred, evil plotting, bloodshed and devil related mishaps. Both Jin and Kazuya have been plagued by the devil gene for the entire duration of the series, but sadly Jun, the only ounce of purity and goodness in the family, died, or at the very least, disappeared.

Jun was determined to guide Jin and Kazuya through their struggle with the demonic gene. So much so that her very presence kept it at bay. As a character she is wildly juxtaposed to her family as a nature loving, calming influence.

A lesson to be learned here is that amidst the chaos of our lives, a mother can sometimes be the only source of happiness in our lives. Don't take that for granted.

Allie - Ni No Kuni

Allie is an example of a mother who puts her life in extreme danger for the sake of her son.

Spoilers incoming. Although she ultimately dies from a heart condition, Allie is quick to rescue Oliver from a river before he drowns at the start of the game. For a mother to put her own life on the line and do something like this is the ultimate sacrifice. It's a personification of the love that they have for their children.

Throughout Oliver's adventures, although Allie is not physically with him, she is what keeps him going. He may not see her, but on a transcendental level, she has never left. It is this that makes Ni No Kuni a truly touching story.

This game teaches all of us an important and heartfelt lesson. Even when our mothers might not be with us, the legacy they leave behind always lives on. It sounds cheesy, but it's most definitely true. Through our memories and abundant love for our mothers, they will always remain close.

Lara - Chrono Trigger

Lara is a mother who, while not doing much herself, indirectly represents a loving mother through the actions of her daughter, Lucca.

Once Lucca is able to time travel with her friends, the option to revisit her mother in a heartwarming side quest becomes available. Lara is a paraplegic who unfortunately became paralyzed after a tragic incident with a sewing machine but Lucca is able to erase any memory of this happening if you are quick enough.

This quest in Chrono Trigger will take you back before the moment occurred, and if Lucca enters a specific password (L-A-R-A, for the record -- how touching), history will be rewritten and her mother will be forever cured of paralysis, or rather, it will have never even happened.

For a child to go to lengths such as this to help their mother is proof enough that they love her to pieces. Going back in time to save our mothers from something is probably out of the equation, but doing something to relay that love will always be received with adoration.

Ness' Mother - Earthbound

Whereas a mother's love is able to keep the mother herself going in King's Quest VII, it is also what keeps the child going, as Earthbound alludes to.

Ness' mother, who has no name, will regularly feed Ness' favorite food and give him a place to sleep so that he can be fully rejuvenated for the next fight. It's the simple stuff that counts, am I right?

Better yet, if Ness doesn't come by and say hello to his mother enough, either through visiting or a by calling her, he will eventually become homesick. This can occasionally cause him to miss a turn in battle, so it just goes to show that a child needs their mother in order to keep enduring the hard times. 

Without our mothers, we aren't a strong as we should be. They can do a world of good for all of us, so just remember, if your mother makes you some food, be sure to thank her for it afterwards.

Valanice - King's Quest VII

Queen Valanice was proclaimed as a compassionate soul to just about everyone she met. Her loving heart relayed to her own daughter, and when she was sadly kidnapped, Valanice leaped into action to save her in King's Quest VII.

Being the protagonist of the seventh entry in the series, Valanice braves harsh climates and environments in order to be reunited with her daughter. A face of beauty couldn't quite cut it when going up against giant scorpions and other nasties, but Valanice's sheer love and desperation to see her daughter again won the day.

It's a clichéd term, but love does conquer all. In Valanice's case, it allowed her to courageously venture across dangerous lands for the sake of her child. Would your mother do that for you? You may be inclined to say no, but when push comes to shove, you'd be surprised at what a mother would be willing to do to keep their child out of harm's way.

Lirum - Lost Odyssey

Now we're moving on from Flemeth and going right to the other end of the spectrum. Lirum is a shining example of a mother who loves her children unconditionally despite having a truly hard life.

After being separated from her parents when she was only a young child, Lirum spent almost her entire life searching for them so she could be with them once more. In that time, she bore children, Cooke and Mack. The quirky twins may have opposing personalities, but they both love their mother more than anything else.

Once Kaim was able to be reunited with his daughter, it was too late to conventionally cure Lirum from the condition that she had been stricken with. Get ready for some gut wrenching spoilers here... In her final moments, Lirum wearily addresses her loved ones saying how much of a joy they were to her, before passing away in front of them.

If this isn't enough to have you crying yourself to sleep, then do yourself a favor and go and tell your mother how much you love her. Seriously. Do it right now. Lirum's final moments in the Lost Odyssey compels you to!

Dishonorable Mention: Flemeth - Dragon Age Series

As a bonus before we begin, let's take a lot at a mother who acts as a very bad role model for every child-bearing parent across the globe.

Morrigan's life was made much harder thanks to this witch. The not-so loving Flemeth literally absorbs the souls of her daughters in order to extend her own life. That right there is not a compassionate act of motherhood. 

Morrigan fortunately escaped her, much to our delight, and then sees her somewhat estranged mother once again in Dragon Age: Inquisition. She isn't too thrilled with this reunion, and spares no expense in showing her disgust but Flemeth toys with her nonetheless.

We still have to give Flemeth a little credit. She recognizes Morrigan's potential and isn't villainous to her outright, but if you're looking for a mother brimming with compassion, this isn't the lady you should be seeking.

Who doesn't love their own mother?

The very person who brought all of us into this world is someone we should always look up to. A special bond between mother and child is something to be cherished and with Mother's Day just around the corner in the States, it's something that should be on many people's mind right about now.

Although it may not be seen as important in the world of gaming, RPGs throughout the years have given us a glimpse into the (sometimes harsh) reality of being a mother and how their love for their child resonates with other characters, whether it's through their words or actions.

To get us into that Mother's Day spirit (not that we should need it anyway), here is a list of 5 mothers in RPGs whose love for their children is too big for words.

Over at Giant Ent Gaming, we've just finished playing the first chapter of the rebooted King’s Quest series, aptly named; King’s Quest: Chapter 1 - A Knight To Remember.

We enjoyed the game so much, we thought we'd like to share our opinion on the game, what we liked about it, and what we would have changed.

First Impressions

I’d played a couple of the earlier King’s Quest games when I was younger, mainly King’s Quest V and VI, so I was really excited when Activision announced that they were reviving the sleeping giant of my childhood -- Sierra.

And I was even more excited when they announced that with development from The Odd Gentlemen, there would be a brand new King’s Quest reboot! And no, not Mask of Eternity. I mean a proper reboot. With new gameplay, voice acting, puzzles, all the stuff that I loved about the original King’s Quest games; but now.

 Story

Right of the bat you’re dropped into this magical world, and not all that much is explained. You’re just some guy with a cape, walking up to a well. But what’s that? You’ve got a little feathery cap on your head that looks kind of familiar?

Kind of like King Graham!

You know, the awesomely brave, kind and clever knight who defeated a dragon and became king and had triceps to die for -- seriously, do a Google search.

But, we’re just kind of look like some scrawny kid, so what’s that all about?

So, you play the game and go through this intro section, that has a little foreshadowing, and find out that you are indeed King Graham; but a much older, more bearded and kind of sadder version, and you’re retelling stories of your many adventures to your Granddaughter, Gwendolyn.

And the next story you tell her is about how you, as a much younger, scrawnier, and straight up clumsier Graham, first came to Daventry, in search of fame, fortune, and adventure. And, on a side note, to enter a tournament to become a knight and later become king.

So, I don’t want to give everything away, but during the trials of said tournament, you meet a multitude of interesting, funny, and well designed characters, each of which have their own quirks and charms.

Ultimately, the game sets up the growth of Graham, from the straggly teenager, to the super awesome king of Daventry we all know and love, and tells a really well crafted tale of bravery, wisdom and friendship, both those gained, and lost.

Although the story is fairly linear, you can affect the outcomes of certain parts, although it might take a few playthroughs to really see how big the changes are, or whether they affect the later Chapters as well. These choices are mainly based around whether you want to be brave, wise, or kind.

You know, that stuff I kept mentioning earlier…

King’s Quest isn't the only one who can do foreshadowing.

Sound

It terms of score, and actual musical composition, David and Ben Stanton did an amazing job at capturing a real fantasy like feeling of awe and wonder. It's well worth taking the time to check out the game's soundtrack. It’s gorgeous, and ranges from thrilling, to funny, to some absolute tear jerkers.

What I think I like most about the music though is the arrangements of instruments. From the big wall of brass instruments, creating that medieval feeling of Knights and Dragons and Castles and Kings, to the smaller brush like sounds, emulating broomsticks in dusty old shops, the attention to detail is staggering.

It’s almost a shame that this detail can quite easily be overlooked, since the voice acting and dialogue is incredible. With the likes of Christopher Lloyd, Wallace Shaun, Tom Kenny and Zelda Williams, it's a very impressive line-up. Check out the video for a full rundown of the amazing list of voice actors.

With King's Quest V introducing the series to voice acting, it looks like A Knight To Remember has really come along way from it’s predecessors...

And this game will definitely make you laugh. All the characters have clever quips, and the odd one liner that comes out of nowhere, but personally, it the good old fashioned King’s Quest puns that get me.

Visuals

Visually, the game is stunning. Every movement is smooth, and responsive, and the environment around you feels alive. The characters all have a goofy kind of cartoonish look to them, that just makes you want to love them even more.

And yes, sometimes the tree tops seem a little flat, and there is the occasional bit of clipping, and that baking tray sure is pointy looking; but none of that really detracts from the overall aesthetic that The Odd Gentlemen have achieved.

The whole world looks, and feels magical. The colours are vibrant, and eye catching, and look like they’ve been pulled straight from a fairytale.

The whole game looks as if it’s been hand painted, and that’s exactly what it is! Everything in the game was painted, then scanned and 3D modelled. Then, the scan of the original painting was used as the overlaid texture, which gives it that incredibly smooth, solid, but still kind of rough around the edges feel. The game is literally, a work of art.

Gameplay

The gameplay in A Knight to Remember changes it up slightly from it’s predecessors. With King’s Quest V moving from Command Typing, to Point and Click, A Knight To Remember moved to a more ‘walk and press’ based game style, more in-fitting with modern day consoles.

They even included a couple of other little bits, like some first person sections with your bow and arrow, and a few quick time events to keep you on your toes, as shown in the video above.

And unlike the older King’s Quest games, we’re now given a little pop up prompt in the bottom corner when we can interact with something. Some might say this takes away some of the exploration, but personally, I like it.

But apart from that, not loads has changed. It’s still pretty true to the King’s Quest formula... talk to someone, find a thing, do a thing with the thing, get another thing, talk to the person again... repeat.

And it does it pretty well. There were times when I felt we were just going from point A to point B without really caring about it, just to finish the quest for this person, or that person, because they told you to do it, and there’s not really anything on the same level as the infamous gnome puzzle in King’s Quest VI, but there’s definitely moments of triumph when you finally overcome a puzzle, be it figuring out how the get the raisins into your hypnosis powder, or finally realising how to hear the bridge trolls secret password.

And on top of all that, there's the (almost) boss battles; each of the duels -- my favourite being the Duel of Wits, where you really do have to use your wits to outsmart Manny. And then when he finally reveals his true nature, and you defeat him, it feels awesome! The duel of wits mini game is hard, and you’ve got nothing but your own wits to defeat him. And that’s pretty neat.

There were, however, a few things things that I would definitely have changed in A Knight To Remember. First and foremost, it’s slow. Now, I don’t mean the story, that’s great. It’s paced nicely, and really depends on how quickly you figure shit out. I mean, everything else.

Conversations are long, and although they’re often interesting, or funny -- sometimes they’re not, and you’re just left pressing the button to try skip through it. Except there’s no way of skipping conversations in this game, and then you accidentally start it again and have to go through the whole rigmarole again!

The conversations themselves are great. But sometimes, you just want to get on with the next bit of game, and skip through them. Why isn’t there just a skip sentence button?

And speaking of buttons that should be in the game, why isn’t there a run button? With all of the exploring you do, and backtracking to speak to people, or deliver something, you would have thought they’d have included a faster movement mode. They had that kind of thing ages ago, as shown above in King's Quest VI, but in this one you’re at your same slow jog powerwalk speed the whole game.

And then - and this is just a little thing - there’s no map. Now, some people might like this, because it means you have to immerse yourself in the world, and into Daventry a bit more, by reading the sign posts scattered around, or just not being an idiot and actually remembering where things were, but I found when we played, I was getting lost all the time, and we were backtracking way to often.

And, that wouldn’t exactly be a big deal, but since I’m going everywhere at a snails pace, it made me not want to explore quite as much. And that’s not very quest like.

And then very finally, there’s the autosave. Now, I know that autosaving is in everything nowadays, so it’s pretty expected. But what I always liked about King’s Quest was having to save your game after you’d accomplished something, or else, you could be devastated that you’d forgotten to save, and then fucked up, and you had to go through it all again.

In A Knight To Remember, I wasn’t really worried about that, because I knew if we did mess up, or get killed, we’d just pop back to life and give it another shot from about 5 second previous. And yeah, it was frustrating in the old King’s Quest games at times, but it also meant that there was a real weight to your next step, and there were consequences if you messed up.

And that’s what made it an adventure.

Final Thoughts

Ultimately, King’s Quest: Chapter 1 - A Knight To Remember is awesome. It’s super fun, and light hearted, with little drops of despair amongst the incredible stunning and amazing world. It’s a fantastic opening to an episodic saga, and although I prefer my King’s Quest adventures to end tied up in a little bow, whilst we, the hero, remains triumphant -- it holds up pretty well.

It’s got a good amount of playtime, and definite replayability. The cliffhanger ending leaves you wanting to know what happens next, and wondering is everything’s going to be alright.

There’s definitely things that I would have changed, and maybe they have been changed in the later episodes. But, I guess we’ll just have to see.

Sierra announced that the fourth chapter of the new King’s Quest will be released worldwide on September 27^th. The game has been developed by The Odd Gentlemen and will be available for the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and PC via Steam.

According to Matt Korba, the president and creative director of The Odd Gentlemen, Chapter 4 will be the second to last chapter of the episodic series. He also stated that Chapter 5 and the bonus epilogue should be released before the holiday season.

Snow Place Like Home will follow the story of King Graham and Queen Valanice’s son Alexander’s return home after 18 years. Alexander was stolen from his parents as an infant. Upon his return, Graham must decide how to reconnect with his son, while trying to learn what happened to him all those years ago. In true King’s Quest fashion, this chapter promises challenging puzzles, adventures, and puns.

Follow Graham and his granddaughter, Gwendolyn, through the untold tales of his amazing reign in this amazing re-imagining of King’s Quest.

In this modern age in gaming where graphics have never been closer to imitating reality, and the higher-end games in the industry have budgets in the range of several hundred-million dollars, why is there still such a strong audience for the genre of 2D Point-and-Click Adventure Games? What keeps such a simple kind of game relevant among it's bigger-budgeted and more mechanically complex peers? 

Really old and possibly outdated example, but the point still stands.

There are a few likely reasons for this.

It may be due in part to the methodical nature of the genre. The average point-and-click adventure game is somewhat slowly-paced, but usually not from a lack of understanding of how to space out their gameplay or tell their story. More often than not, it's done in order to take advantage of the benefit that this genre has over most other genres in gaming; Problem-solving based solely in critical thinking.

While there are games and series of point-and-clicks that have fail states and manners in which you can die in time-sensitive situations (Most games by Telltale and the original King's Quest games spring to mind), an advantage had with the puzzle-centric gameplay of point-and-click adventures allows for game design based around creative thinking, wherein violence is the answer much less often than in most other games, and often the hardest option.

One of the most satisfying feelings a gamer can achieve in any game is the feeling of figuring out a really savagely mind-twisting puzzle (even better without a walkthrough), and allowing themselves to feel like they overcame an intellectual challenge, and that's what point-and-clicks are all about at their core. It is true that figuring out which item to use on what other item, or character, can be a tedious task if it takes too long or isn't very obvious to the user, but in those moments when they think hard and get the right answer on the first try, it makes them feel like a genius.

Going through conversations both in and out of the courtroom in Ace Attorney looking for the perfect evidence to solve the problem at hand. Always a treat!

It's also a genre that doesn't shy away from storytelling 

Being games that aren't known for their fast-paced gameplay, and that can't reliably create frenetic action or intense conflict to be involved in, point-and-click games tend to live or die on two things: their puzzles and their writing.

When a point-and-click player isn't solving a puzzle they're talking with other characters, clicking on objects in the background in order to search for new items and flavor text, and just generally doing a lot of reading or listening. This fact must have been a revelation that many developers of point-and-click games (especially golden-age LucasArts) had early on in the heyday of this genre, as nearly all of the point-and-clicks that are the most fondly remembered are the ones that are agreed to be well-written.

Games like Day of the Tentacle, The Secret of Monkey Island, and Grim Fandango (and other examples that don't involve Tim Schafer) all house beloved characters and intricate plot-lines, which become the most praised aspects of the games. Tales like that of Guybrush Threepwood overcoming adversity in Monkey Island or Lee doing his best to survive in Walking Dead are stories with gripping narratives that stick with most players longer than the plot of the average mainstream gaming experience.

Not to mention, because this genre built itself on MacGyver-esque makeshift problem solving that relied on a train-of-logic unique to each individual developer, which could get kinda crazy -- point-and-clicks aren't afraid to be strange most of the time. It's a genre with a library loaded with experimental and difficult to imitate titles.

This may also be why it's a genre with so many silly classics.

 Share a Grog with LeChuck.

A lot of the most fondly remembered point-and-click games are those that have comedic plots and characters. Again this is not always the case, such as with The Walking Dead, but games like Grim Fandango, Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People, and the Broken Sword series are all most often remembered for their quirkiness and comedy.

This is part of the reason that many laugh, rather than roll their eyes at instances of the famed "adventure game logic" at work in games like these. An instance that exemplifies this exists in Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People where the player has to pour a tub of melted butter into a fog machine in order to season some flying bats and get a guitarist to eat them.

Yes, really.  

In a situation like this one some people may be irritated or annoyed, thinking to themselves "How was I supposed to think of that?" However, many others will be laughing at the ridiculousness of the situation, and perhaps even applauding the game for forcing the player to think outside the box to that level; Maybe even feeling grateful that they got the chance to do something so outlandish in a video game.

The video games industry as a whole has been working towards realistic graphics and conflicts in games for years, and most AAA titles are adult-oriented with a typically serious tones. With Point-and click adventure games it's nice to know there's a genre whose bread-and-butter is surprising and joking around with the player's expectations nine times out of ten.

Overall, point-and-click adventures are the kind of game people like to play when they just wanna kick back and think for a while. They aren't for everybody, and strong writing can only carry a game so much, but as an alternative to the usual sorts of games that pop up these days, it's good to know there's a genre on standby to make you laugh and use your brain.

PlayStation Plus members are getting an early, month-long Christmas this year.

Sony has announced its free PlayStation Plus titles for the month of December. In a video teaser (see above) and accompanying post on its blog, the console maker highlights the dungeon crawl button-masher Gauntlet: Slayer Edition and the 2015 remake of King's Quest. Both titles will be free to those with an active PlayStation Plus membership.

The lineup also includes games for other PlayStation consoles: the PS3 will see two freebies, including Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon, the tongue-in-cheek shooter and expansion to Far Cry 3. The 2012 snowboarding game SSX will also be a free PS3 title for the month. Sony has also announced Freedom Wars and Rocketbirds: Hardboiled Chicken will be free on the PlayStation Vita.

If you haven't already, be sure to check out the PlayStation Store's Black Friday Weekend sale before it's over! When you check out, be sure to use this 10% off code (expires on December 1st):

1. Wallace Shawn - Manny

Forgetting a man like Wallace Shawn? Inconceivable! Just wait until you hear his roar.

There is no one role than can define Wallace Shawn because he has performed such a wide variety of roles, and everyone knows him in at least one of them, even the minor ones. His voice is just that iconic and his face that memorable. Now, he plays the stout knight Manny in King's Quest.

Perhaps you've seen/heard him in:

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• The Toy Story franchise - Rex
  
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• The Princess Bride (1987) - Vizzini, the Sicilian criminal mastermind
  
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• Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993-1999) - Zek
  
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• Clueless (1995) & its TV series - Mr. Hall
  
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• The Cosby Show (1987-1991) - Jeffrey Engels
  
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• A Goofy Movie (1995) - Principal Mazur
  
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• Murphy Brown (1994-1997) - Stuart Best
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2. Christopher Lloyd - Old King Graham

Christopher Lloyd's voice, face, and knack for crazy characters are some of the most memorable pieces in Hollywood. He has always been known for being that crazy uncle that everyone loved to watch.

Now, just like the old days, Christopher Lloyd is back and in King's Quest to show fans part of the past, but without a silver DeLorean.

Perhaps you've seen him in:

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• The Back to the Future franchise - Doctor Emmett Brown
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• Who Framed Roger Rabbit? (1988) - Judge Doom
  
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• The Addams Family (1991) & The Addams Family Values (1993) - Uncle Fester
  
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• Clue (1985) - Professor Plum
  
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• Over the Garden Wall (2014) - The Woodsman
  
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• Anastasia (1997) - Rasputin
  
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• Deadly Games (1995-1997) - Jackal / Gus's Father
  
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• Mr. Mom (1983) - Larry
  
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3. Michael Gough - Larry / Wente Fey

Gough has made his mark in several animated roles like Gopher of Winnie the Pooh, and Raphael from the 1990's television show Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles after Rob Paulsen left the role. However, Michael Gough's real memorable works are part of the video game sphere.

Perhaps you've heard him in: 

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• Starcraft (1998) - Tassadar
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• The Diablo franchise - Deckard Cain
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• Batman: Arkham Origins (2013) - Captain James Gordan
  
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• The Gears of War franchise - Clayton, Benjamin, and Anthony Carmine
  
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• Call of Duty & Call of Duty 2 (2005)- Captain Price
  
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• Spyro (1998) & Spyro: A Hero's Tale (2005)- Gnasty Gnorc
  
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• Resident Evil 4 (2005) - Osmund Saddler
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4. Fred Tatasciore - Olfie

It's a wonder this guy still has a voice when he voices the role of the most loved big green guy in nearly every video game and animated version of him in the Marvel Universe: the Hulk. Well, it's a wonder he has a voice at all with all of the voice acting roles he's done. Here are the big ones that are bound to ring a bell:

Perhaps you've heard him in: 

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• The Uncharted franchise - Daniel Pinkerton / Lt Draza
  
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• The Mass Effect franchise- Saren Arterius / Balak
  
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• Left 4 Dead & Left 4 Dead 2 - Tank / Boomer
  
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• Batman: Arkham Asylum (2011) - Bane
  
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• The Gears of War franchise - Damon Baird
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• Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children (2005) - Loz
  
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• Various Transformers games - Megatron
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5. Richard White - Whisper

Richard White hasn't done much voice acting. In fact, he's had about 2-3 different roles, his entire voice acting career, including Whisper here. Usually, he's a man of the theater, singing Opera both on and Off-Broadway, and has since relaxed his voice since 2003 or so.

So who is he? Who is this man? Why this over-boisterous knight on this list? Because his main role is also one of the most famous Disney villains that everyone loves to hate.

Gaston of Disney's Beauty and the Beast (1991)

Is that dramatic flair of narcissism ringing a bell now?

With Episode 1 out and playable, many King's Quest fans find themselves lifting their brows at every next character that speaks. They all ask themselves the same thing: "Who was that?"

If obvious voices like Tom Kenny (Spongebob) aren't enough to sell those who haven't played to buy it already, the rest of the talented voice cast should.

These are the top 5 talented voices of entertainment that nearly everyone knows, and can now enjoy in episode 1 and potential future episodes of King's Quest.

With the release of the newest trailer, Sierra has announced that the first of the five episodes called King’s Quest: A Knight to Remember will be released in North America on July 28^th for PS4, PS3 and PC. It will also be released for Xbox One and Xbox 360 the next day.

King’s Quest is a classic adventure series originally created by Sierra, has been developed by The Odd Gentlemen in order to “reimagine” and revive this series, with additional help of Activision. The episodes will follow the adventures of a youthful King Graham, who is now an old man telling his stories to his granddaughter, Gwendolyn, in order to help her solve problems she is experiencing in the present.

The first episode, called A Knight to Remember, will cost $10. As with most episodic video games, King’s Quest: The Complete Collection seems to be a “season pass” for all five chapters and is currently available for pre-order on PSN and Steam for $40. It seems Xbox One pre-orders will begin on July 7^th.

The art style of King’s Quest seems a bit similar to that of The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones and Wolf Among Us by Telltale Games. This combined with a similar episodic system to Telltale may mean that King’s Quest could be quite the experience for those who want a fantasy adventure video game. What are your thoughts? Leave a comment and as always, for all your gaming news, articles and opinions stay tuned to GameSkinny.com.

Ah games. How we love them. Fans of games show their passion in various ways. Some people, like myself and others, enjoying analyzing and critiquing games; we enjoy writing about them. Others enjoy reading what we crazy writers have to say and responding to our ramblings, which can lead to some thoughtful (and, at times, heated) discussions. Still, more fans go beyond and do something more creative and tangible. They cosplay as their favorite characters. They make short films or artworks of their most beloved games and characters. While all of these fans are great, I want to focus on another type of fan today: the ones who create fan games.

Fans have been making games based on their favorite series for some time now. And since the beginning, fan games have been met with stringent opposition from publishers. Though most fan projects are innocuous labors of love, time and time again we hear about a long-developed fan game getting hit with a cease-and-desist. Despite the constant battle with publishers, fans persevere and continue to make more games. I think it is time to say what many have thought for some time, “Leave fan games alone.”

There are several points and arguments I could levy here, but there are a select few in particular I want to focus on. By killing these projects, we waste the time and effort of these passionate fans. Publishers are stamping out tons of creativity and potential developers by squashing these projects. Fans are being punished for devoting time and passion to the games they love. In some cases, fans are being reprimanded for fixing and improving the game which was launched in a horrible state. Oh the irony! 

It's Wasting Time and Effort

Let’s address one of the biggest problems first: fans spending their time to develop projects which usually never see release. Some fan projects which have been hit with the Banhammer have been in development for years. Not just one or two years, although that is no good either, some have been in development for eight years or more! These things do not just sprout up overnight either. Since these are fans that are usually making these out of love during their free time, they take a lot of time to develop and garner attention from the press and other fans.

Bomber Link’s Streets of Rage remake had been widely known about for some time since its initial development start in 2003, yet Sega only stepped in and shut the project down after the game was released to the public.

Imagine seeing eight years of blood, sweat, and tears disappearing into a black hole with nothing to show for your efforts. Bomber Link claims Sega was alerted to their project long before it ever saw the light of release. If you are going to shut a fan project down, at least have the decency to do it early before years of toiling and effort are invested.

Imagine seeing eight years of blood, sweat, and tears disappearing into a black hole with nothing to show for your efforts.

Publishers Have Become The Killers of Creativity

Most fan projects are more than a simple remake. Even if they are a remake, they are usually remaking a game in a brand-new engine or adding new mechanics of some sort. When transitioning a game to new technology, changes have to be made. It is not a simple copy/paste procedure to make an older game to run on new technology. Many remakes are reconstructing the games from scratch in these new engines. No matter how a fan project is being made, there is creativity of some form involved. Decisions are made on what to leave as is or to change. World design, art direction, music, and more are all aspects of fan games. Killing these projects kill the creative passion behind them.

We then have those ardent fans that are making games completely from the ground up. Chrono Resurrection was a fan remake of the JRPG classic Chrono Trigger that aimed to remake key parts of the SNES classic with modern graphics and all the trappings which accompany more powerful hardware.

This isn't the first time Square has stopped a well-developed project either. Perhaps one of the most well-known fan games though is The Silver Lining. TSL was an unofficial fan sequel to King’s Quest VII: The Princess Bride. Unhappy with how KQ8 added combat and heavily strayed from the adventure game format and the series’ main cast, fans decided to determine the fate of their treasured characters. After four years of development and releasing the first trailer, Phoenix Studios was served a cease and desist.  After negotiations with Vivendi and a massive email and mail campaign from eager fans, Phoenix was allowed to resume development so long as King’s Quest was dropped from the title of the game.

This all changed when Activision and Vivendi merged in 2008. It was not long until Activision served their own letter requesting production come to a halt. Fans and Phoenix held their breath waiting to see if the project would be allowed to continue. Finally, in 2010 Activision allowed the game to be released as a free title and nothing more was said on the matter. To successfully deal with one publisher is nerve-wracking enough, but to negotiate with two major publishers is beyond stressful. Thankfully, the game was released (and a new official entry in the series is slated for later this year), but what about the Chrono Resurrection and Metal Gear remakes of the world? Oh yeah. That Metal Gear fan remake I mentioned originally had Konami’s blessing to make the game so long as no profits were made. However, Konami changed their mind and revoked their blessing. The disheartening effect on the developers is more than I can imagine.

That Metal Gear fan remake I mentioned originally had Konami’s blessing to make the game so long as no profits were made. However, Konami changed their mind and revoked their blessing. 

It's a Slap in the Face to Fans

When you give the axe to a fan game, it reflects poorly on your company. I understand publishers want to protect their IP and the image it has, but what harm was the HD recreation of Bob-omb Battlefield doing to Mario? It was essentially a straight remake of a level from the classic platformer. Being the efforts of devoted fans, the projects usually have nothing but the utmost respect for their source material. The creators want to do nothing more but make a game fellow fans will enjoy. These are not tarnishing the reputation or public perception of any cherished characters. If anything, they increase a yearning for more games starring these characters.

Honestly, all of these fan games are free PR. When people see a fan version of a game they hold dear, they clamor for a new release in the series or seek to the play the ones they have. Either way, fan games keep series in the minds of gamers everywhere at no cost to the publishers. By stamping these projects out, it adds to the feeling some IPs are forever abandoned or due to rerelease hell. Perhaps the worst way you can hurt fans though, is by punishing those who made your game what it is today.

Honestly, all of these fan games are free PR. When people see a fan version of a game they hold dear, they clamor for a new release in the series or seek to the play the ones they have.

When Vampire: The Masquerade- Bloodlines was released in 2004, it was a horribly unfinished, buggy mess of a game. Developer Troika shuttered their doors not long after, leaving the game in a horrid state. In the following ten years, fans have consistently squashed bugs, patched the game, and restored or finished previously unfinished content for the game. Surely the rights holders would allow fans to remake this cult classic for modern gamers? That’s a no Ghostrider. This cease and desist was actually issued late last year. It is one thing to shut a project like the ones mentioned before down. However, to disallow the same fans who actively toiled away, at no cost to the rights holders , at finishing and fixing the game from remaking the same game? This is just a slap to the entire community who still cares about Vampires. CCP should be deeply ashamed of themselves for treating their fanbase so poorly.

This is just a slap to the entire community who still cares about Vampires. CCP should be deeply ashamed of themselves for treating their fanbase so poorly.

The Silver Lining

As bleak as it sounds, there is hope yet for fan games. Developers such as Bioware and Epic have released mad-editing and scripting tools along with a game’s release, encouraging an active modding community. Capcom has featured fan games on their community site and even funded the recent Street Fighter X Mega Man.

Of course, the best example is Valve’s treatment of fan games and mods. Valve wisely encourages modding with the Steam Workshop, allowing players to even receive some payment. Since Counter-Strike, one of the most popular multiplayer games of all time, was birthed as a mod, Valve has allowed fan creations to thrive. Some of these fans have even been hired as a result of their creation. Valve even allows fan games and remakes of their properties to be featured in their digital storefront Steam. I may have issues with Valve’s handling of Steam, but they know how to treat and reward their fans. If more developers encouraged the sense of community, creativity, and modding Valve does, things would be different indeed.

TL;DR

• Fan projects are the effort of time invested. Killing these projects off leads to time wasted and is especially cruel when the project is killed immediately following release.
• Squashing these projects kills the creativity and talent involved and can disenfranchise new talents from pursuing game development.
• They are free PR and are never released for profit.
• Stopping these games reflects poorly on your company.
• Being made by fans, they usually reflect highly on the series or characters they are based upon.
• If your fanbase was instrumental in your game, don’t punish them by shutting their games down. No need to be mean.

Going Forward

Fan projects can be wonderful things and can showcase some awesome talent. As a publisher, you want to cultivate and interact with your fans in a positive and meaningful way. If fans want to make a game based on your game, just keep tabs on it and make sure it does not reflect poorly on your IP. If a fangame was released for money or somehow tarnished a reputation of a character or series, there would be a predicament. This is usually not the case though, so why not allow this creativity to thrive? If anything, go after all the awful and horrifying fanfiction floating around and leave the fangames alone.

The classic adventure game franchise King's Quest has returned with a debut trailer for their newest title, simply named King's Quest. The game is the granddaddy of adventure games, and is looking to be re-invigorated with new levels and tie-ins that will entice new players while still staying true to the classic series. 

The adventure game franchise is now 30 years old, but Sierra Online (and developers the Odd Gentleman) are planning on bringing something new to the table. 

the new King’s Quest reimagines the core characters and familiar storylines of King Graham’s early journeys, setting up new chapters tied to – but independent of – the original games.

King's Quest will be released on PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox 360 and PC. The trailer debuted at the Game Awards 2014 where series creator Roberta Williams was honored for her contributions to the genre and the formation of Sierra Online, alongside her husband and Sierra co-founder Ken Williams. 

Mae govannen!

I suppose I need to pick a starting point for my discussions... I'll go with... ah... hmm.... what did that one nun who liked to spin around in the hills suggest?  Ah, yes--the beginning.  Brilliant.  Why didn't I think of that?

Well, the beginning of my love for gaming came about thanks to my father.  Some of my earliest memories are of my brother, sister, and myself crowded around the clunky CRT monitor of his 486 (which computed in terms of MEGA Hertz.  It was a killer machine, to be sure!) watching him play adventure games like Leygref's Castle and Dark Crystal.  Not much for interactive story-telling, even less when it came to visuals (a lot of the games didn't even have "visuals"-- they were entirely text-based), but the games were enthralling nonetheless.

Eventually, as PC gaming began to catch on, our experiences were expanded to include the jaw-droppingly gorgeous (don't hold me to that assessment if you try to play them NOW...) Sierra adventure games: King's Quest, Space Quest, and Quest for Glory.  These gems of the genre included slightly more expansive narratives (you have to collect multiple treasures this time, Sir Graham!), color graphics, musical (I guess I could call them "scores," but I think I'll go with... uh...) things, and progressively more ability to use your mouse in the control scheme. 

After all that wholesome family adventuring, it was high time for us to engage our primal instincts, so we turned to the inimitable id Software and their harbingers of FPS glory: Wolfenstein 3d and DOOM, in which we used an arsenal to mow down Nazis and demons, respectively.

High school brought about forays into the RTS and simulation genres, thanks to two of gaming's most recognizable franchises: Starcraft and Roller Coaster Tycoon.  I was never very good at the multiplayer aspect of the former, but I played through the campaigns of the original and Brood War more times than I care to say -- the story drew me in, and the gameplay was intuitive and every bit as balanced as everything put out by the wizards (not as talented as the Istari, of course, but wizards nonetheless) at Blizzard.

What followed was an awkward and rather lengthy transition from 2d to 3d games in which I tried, but never really succeeded in, playing Prince of Persia 3d and Mask of Eternity (though I've since gotten them to work).  I was forced to become a console gamer until I could afford to build a gaming rig of my own, but I owe the finding of my favorite franchise (via The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind) and my affinity for multiplayer gaming (via Halo: Combat Evolved) to this uncharacteristic period of my gaming career.

I built my custom gaming rig as a sophomore at university, and the rest, as they say, is history.  I could spend the next 5000 consecutive hours enumerating the hundreds of games I've played and chronicling my adventures, but I think I'll leave such things for future posts.  After all, I'd rather write in-depth about the games I truly care about, and games recommended to me by you, dear Readers.

Namárië.

Mithrandir