Consolevania

Last updated

Consolevania
Consolevania.jpg
Starring Robert Florence
Ryan Macleod
Gerry McLaughlin
Kenny Swanston
Country of originScotland
No. of series9
No. of episodes105 (list of episodes)
Production
Running timeApprox. 30 - 60 minutes
Original release
Release10 March 2004 (2004-03-10) 
16 January 2009 (2009-01-16)
Release18 February 2017 (2017-02-18) 
present
Related
videoGaiden

Consolevania is a video games TV show filmed in and around Glasgow, Scotland. It is notable as one of very few online TV shows to make the leap onto broadcast TV as the show videoGaiden , which has had four series shown on BBC Scotland.

Contents

The name Consolevania is a reference to Konami's long-running horror-adventure game series Castlevania and was chosen by RLLMUK forum members [1] before the first episode was shot. Fittingly, the first game reviewed on the show was Castlevania: Lament of Innocence .

The first episode was filmed in early 2004 and initially distributed on CDs posted out by the team. Eventually all episodes became distributed online via the BitTorrent peer-to-peer network, although an archive of http first and second series downloads now exists [2] and lower quality http downloads are released concurrently with the more recent BitTorrent releases.

On 23 January 2017, it was announced via Patreon that a new series of Consolevania was planned for production. The first episode of the new run was released on 18 February 2017, and the show is following a regular monthly release schedule.

History

Consolevania was first released online in 2004, presented by Robert Florence, former writer for BBC comedy Chewin' the Fat , and Ryan Macleod. Primary coverage was of console games; however, since the donation of a PC by sponsor Alienware at the start of Series Two, PC games have also been reviewed. Much of the audience for the early episodes came from various online discussion forums, in particular RLLMUK (itself seen by many as the spiritual home of Consolevania) and NTSC-UK.

The show gradually gained a substantial internet following, largely by word of mouth, and began to attract the attention of both mainstream and video gaming media. Following the description of the show by Sky News as having "something that almost every other games show ever created has lacked: true passion for the subject matter," [3] the BBC expressed interest in the show, reportedly since it garners "more viewers than some shows they produce already.". [4] The show received widespread underground popularity and is now a global entity.

BBC Scotland commissioned a games review show from First Person Shooters in a similar vein to Consolevania, titled videoGaiden . This was broadcast on BBC Two Scotland from November to December 2005 for six weeks.

In April 2006, it was reported that Consolevania had acquired the movie rights to the Jeff Minter computer game Hover Bovver. [5] Though they had claimed that the adaptation would be released [6] at some point in 2007, there have been no further updates since. With no statements issued by Minter about the status of the arrangement, it is presumed that the movie did not get any further than pre-production, or even enter it.

New episodes of Consolevania were released online on an irregular basis, and, in response to much critical acclaim, a second run of videoGaiden, featuring lengthier episodes, was commissioned by BBC Scotland and aired in late 2006. [7] The third series however, has hugely focused on internet-only episodes of which 18 were made and released over a six-month period. The only material that was made specifically for broadcast were just three "TV Specials". The decision to focus so heavily on internet output seems to be in line with a soapbox piece from the second series. In this segment, Robert Florence stated that television is a dying medium and that the BBC needed to accept this and embrace internet programming, an area they currently do not understand.

On 10 October 2008, Series 4 premiered on Consolevania.com, alongside a newly redesigned website. Series 4 was presented in a new way, with separate segments being uploaded frequently to YouTube. These segments were also used in new "high quality digest" episodes of compiled and exclusive content. [8]

Format and style

The show primarily consists of a mixture of video game-related comedy sketches, reviews of both newly released and older video games, and occasional preview features highlighting forthcoming titles, especially those that appear unusual or eccentric. The lighthearted comedic approach of the show is met with clear passion for video games and knowledge of the medium's history. The program has sometimes experimented with unusual visual effects, such as flash edits and periods of slow-motion. Much of the humour is referential, expressing knowledge of a variety of video games of both mainstream popularity and relative obscurity. This ability to mock the video game industry whilst remaining affectionate toward it is typical of Consolevania's style.

Where previous video game TV shows such as Bits and Thumb Bandits claimed irreverence with their use of swear words but still were forced to operate within the established systems of television production, Florence and Macleod are able to dictate the content of their own show without the need for censorship to avoid offence. Examples of content likely to be restricted on United Kingdom television are the inclusion of characters such as Adolf Hitler and John Wayne Gacy, although these characters are for the most part mocked in the show as opposed to praised in any way.

The fact that the show is self-produced by Florence and Macleod's own production company has presented some issues of budget. In the first series, the equipment was mostly rented, and as such the release of the shows were very irregular. An upshoot of this lack of budget was the microphone used by the team, an omnidirectional device attached to a bent wire coathanger covered in red duct tape. It was frequently thrown at whichever character or presenter was on camera at the start of each sketch or review. However, there was no sign of the microphone at the start of the second series and the show's creators claim it was buried after a night of drunken revelry. [9] Eventually, during the show's 'Independents Day' episode, it was unearthed and so may find itself in service once again.

Some of the show's other recurring themes and sketches include:

Perhaps also an issue of budget, there was some inconsistency in the lengths of early episodes, varying runtimes between 45 minutes to an hour. However, the show's creators claim they have now found a format they are happy with and consequently later episodes have been just over 30 minutes in length. At the start of the second series, a basic awards system has been introduced, where the team awarded gold, blue, or brown ribbons to video games that they consider exceptional (gold), very good (blue), or particularly poor (brown). However, as the next episode abandoned this system for one based on Jeff Minter using a torch, it is likely that the new ratings system was never intended to be taken seriously.

Video game industry satire

Consolevania often satirizes major industry figures and companies, both with impersonating caricatures (such as Lionhead Studios developer Peter Molyneux) and the manipulation of press conference videos for humor (Reggie Fils-Aimé of Nintendo of America and Sony's Ken Kutaragi, among many others).

Microsoft's J Allard is also frequently satirized. In a QuizVania segment in Episode 2.3, Allard is listed 2nd in the list of "10 Things that are an Embarrassment to the Games Industry". During this suggestion, the message "Act your fucking age" is flashed on screen.

In Episode 2.1, Consolevania presented a video game proposal to Rockstar Games for a "next-generation" title, Manpuncher vs. Boxhead. This consisted of a video short resembling a '70s police drama starring a gruff anti-authority figure who punches children and fights villains who all conveniently use the same 3D model to cut production costs. Rockstar politely rejected the proposal.

In recent episodes, the Consolevania team have issued taunting challenges for a street fight to Codemasters and Rare.

On 13 September 2007, Consolevania made a major splash with an incisive satirical parody of a Halo 3 promotional advertisement. The parody addressed an under-discussed issue with Xbox Live online gaming—the bad behaviour of a large proportion of the subscribers.

Cast

Many members of the cast work behind the camera as crew, either directing, filming or later editing the show.

Recurring characters

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kenny McCormick</span> Fictional character in South Park

Kenneth "Kenny" McCormick is a fictional character and one of the four main protagonists in the adult animated sitcom South Park, alongside Stan Marsh, Kyle Broflovski, and Eric Cartman. His often muffled and incomprehensible speech—the result of his parka hood covering his mouth—is provided by co-creator Matt Stone. After early appearances in The Spirit of Christmas shorts in 1992 and 1995, Kenny appeared in South Park television episodes beginning August 13, 1997, as well as the 1999 feature film South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut, where his uncovered face and voice were first revealed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kenny Everett</span> British radio DJ and entertainer (1944–1995)

Kenny Everett was an English radio DJ and television entertainer. After spells on pirate radio and Radio Luxembourg in the mid-1960s, he was one of the first DJs to join BBC Radio's newly created BBC Radio 1 in 1967. It was here he developed his trademark voices and comical characters which he later adapted for television.

Ninja Gaiden is a media franchise based on action video games by Tecmo featuring the ninja Ryu Hayabusa as its protagonist. The series was originally known as Ninja Ryukenden in Japan. The word "gaiden" in the North American Ninja Gaiden title means "side story" in Japanese. The original arcade version, first two Nintendo Entertainment System games and Game Boy game were released as Shadow Warriors in PAL regions. As of 2008, the series has shipped over 7.7 million copies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nathan Fillion</span> Canadian and American actor (born 1971)

Nathan Fillion is a Canadian and American actor. He played the leading roles of Captain Malcolm "Mal" Reynolds on Firefly and its film continuation Serenity, and Richard Castle on Castle. As of 2018, he stars as John Nolan on The Rookie and was an executive producer on the show as well as its spin-off series, The Rookie: Feds.

<i>Red vs. Blue</i> American comic science fiction web series produced by Rooster Teeth

Red vs. Blue, often abbreviated as RvB, is an American web series created by Burnie Burns with his production company Rooster Teeth. The show is based on the setting of the military science fiction first-person shooter series and media franchise Halo. It is distributed through Rooster Teeth's website, as well as on DVD, Blu-ray, and formerly on the El Rey Network and Netflix. The series initially centers on two opposite teams fighting in an ostensible civil war—shown to actually be a live fire exercise for elite soldiers—in the middle of Blood Gulch, a desolate box canyon, in a parody of first-person shooter video games, military life, and science fiction films. Initially intended to be a short series of six to eight episodes, the project quickly and unexpectedly achieved significant popularity following its premiere on April 1, 2003. The series consists of eighteen seasons and five mini-series. Red vs. Blue was the second longest-running animated webseries of all time, behind Homestar Runner, until its conclusion in 2020. The series will conclude with the feature-length movie Red vs. Blue: Restoration, originally intended to be a nineteenth season prior to the shutdown of Rooster Teeth, which is set to be released on May 7, 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charlie Brooker</span> English writer, television presenter, and producer

Charlton Brooker is an English writer, television presenter, producer and satirist. He is the creator and co-showrunner of the sci-fi drama anthology series Black Mirror, and has written for comedy series such as Brass Eye, The 11 O'Clock Show, and Nathan Barley.

Arbiter (<i>Halo</i>) Fictional character in the Halo video game series

In the Halo universe, an Arbiter is a ceremonial, religious, and political rank bestowed upon Covenant Elites. In the 2004 video game Halo 2, the rank is given to a disgraced commander named Thel 'Vadam as a way to atone for his failures. Although the Arbiter is intended to die serving the Covenant leadership, the High Prophets, he survives his missions and the Prophets' subsequent betrayal of his kind. When he learns that the Prophets' plans would doom all sentient life in the galaxy, the Arbiter allies with the Covenant's enemies (humans) and stops the ringworld Halo from being activated. The Arbiter is a playable character in Halo 2 and its 2007 sequel Halo 3. The character also appears in Halo 5: Guardians and additional expanded universe material. A different Arbiter, Ripa 'Moramee appears in the 2009 real-time strategy game Halo Wars, which takes place 20 years before the events of the main trilogy.

<i>The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!</i> 1989 American TV series

The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! is an American live-action/animated television series that aired from September 4 to December 1, 1989, in syndication. The series is based on the video games Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario Bros. 2 by Nintendo, and is the first of three television series to be based upon the Mario video game series. The animation was provided by Sei Young Animation.

<i>VideoGaiden</i> Scottish TV series or programme

VideoGaiden is a Scottish computer games television show that was broadcast by BBC Two Scotland. Its creators and presenters, Robert Florence ("Rab") and Ryan Macleod, were responsible for the internet-distributed videogaming show Consolevania, upon which the show is based.

Gamezville is an entertainment video games show that was broadcast on Sky One and ran for two series from 11 August 2003 to 12 September 2004. It was presented by models Jamie Atiko and Darren Malcolm. The non-studio segments of the show were also shown in the United States between 2003 and 2004 on the digital cable channel Nickelodeon GAS as part of a Saturday night gaming block, under the show title Play 2Z. In this version, some segments were redubbed with an American voice.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sanjeev Kohli</span> British actor (born 1971)

Sanjeev Singh Kohli is a Scottish actor, comedian, and writer. He is best known for his role as shopkeeper Navid Harrid in the BBC sitcom Still Game, Ramesh Majhu in the radio sitcom Fags, Mags and Bags (2007–present), and A.J. Jandhu in the BBC Scotland soap opera River City (2015–2022). Since 2019, Kohli has hosted his own television talk show Sanjeev Kohli's Big Talk, on the BBC Scotland channel.

<i>Ninja Gaiden</i> (arcade game) 1988 video game

Ninja Gaiden, released in Japan as Ninja Ryūkenden and in Europe as Shadow Warriors, is a 1988 side-scrolling beat-'em-up game, originally released by Tecmo as a coin-operated arcade video game. It was first released in North America and Europe in late 1988, and then in Japan in February 1989. It was the first game released in the Ninja Gaiden franchise. The arcade game was a major commercial success in North America, becoming the highest-grossing arcade conversion kit of 1989 in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Limmy</span> Scottish comedian

Brian Limond, known as Limmy, is a Scottish comedian, author, and Twitch streamer.

Robert Luke McBrian Florence is a Scottish television presenter, comedian and writer who starred in the BBC comedy sketch show Burnistoun.

<i>Halo 3: ODST</i> 2009 video game

Halo 3: ODST is a 2009 first-person shooter game developed by Bungie and published by Microsoft Game Studios. The fifth installment in the Halo franchise as a side game, it was released on the Xbox 360 in September 2009. Players assume the roles of United Nations Space Command Marines, known as "Orbital Drop Shock Troopers" or ODSTs, during and after the events of Halo 2. In the game's campaign mode, players explore the ruined city of New Mombasa to discover what happened to their missing teammates in the midst of an alien invasion. In the "Firefight" multiplayer option, players battle increasingly difficult waves of enemies to score points and survive as long as possible; Halo 3's multiplayer is contained on a separate disc packaged with ODST.

<i>Charlie Brookers Gameswipe</i> British TV series or programme

Charlie Brooker's Gameswipe is a special one-off British, video game culture show by Charlie Brooker, broadcast in September 2009 during the BBC's Technology season. Following on from Brooker's Screenwipe and Newswipe, Gameswipe featured reviews of video games and consoles as well as an insight into the video game industry.

<i>The Walking Dead</i> (video game) 2012 episodic adventure video game

The Walking Dead is an episodic adventure video game developed and published by Telltale Games. Based on the comic book series of the same name, the game is the first of The Walking Dead video game series published by Telltale and consists of five episodes, released between April and November 2012. It is available for Android, iOS, Kindle Fire HDX, Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, Ouya, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, Xbox 360, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Series S|X and Nintendo Switch.

Halo is an American military science fiction television series developed by Kyle Killen and Steven Kane for the streaming service Paramount+. Based on the video game franchise created by Bungie and developed by 343 Industries, the series follows a 26th-century war between the United Nations Space Command and the Covenant, a theocratic-military alliance of several alien races determined to eradicate humanity. Pablo Schreiber and Jen Taylor star as Master Chief Petty Officer John-117 and Cortana; the latter reprises her voice role from the video game series.

References

  1. Episode 1 Commentary
  2. Index of /consolevania [ permanent dead link ]
  3. GP Forums - Etqw Beta 2!!
  4. Boomtown – PC
  5. Consolevania gets movie rights News - Page 1 // None /// Eurogamer - Games Reviews, News and More
  6. "CvGaiden has moved". Archived from the original on 28 September 2007. Retrieved 14 December 2006.
  7. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 6 May 2006. Retrieved 18 April 2006.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  8. Consolevania Series 4 page
  9. "Consolevania ::". Archived from the original on 26 March 2007. Retrieved 13 March 2006.
  10. Episode 1 Commentary