Documentary veteran Mark Bussler decided to revive his turn of the century video game review series in 2008 on Youtube, no doubt a move influenced by the rise of amateur critics who mixed in humour, like the Angry Video Game Nerd and the Nostalgia Critic, with criticism. However, unlike those shows, 'Classic Game Room' was shorter and more squarely focused on the actual reviews, with the humour coming from Mark himself in the forms of oddball commentary, references and one liners, as opposed to sketches or vulgarity like the former individuals and their many clones.
Mark's almost childlike enthusiasm and larger than life personality are a fundamental part of the show's appeal, finding a balance between a charismatic entertainer yet someone you can relate to as a fellow gamer and pop culture enthusiast. The reviews themselves are no slack, in part due to top notch production quality given Mark's past experience, and give you a good impression of the game reviewed, usually placing a big emphasis on gameplay and control, with sound and graphics being secondary. They aren't exactly highly critical or essay level depth, but for short internet video reviews, they still get the job done and do give a sense of if the game is or isn't in your field of interest.
If you're tired of all the really long, skit laden reviews out there and want something that still has a comic element while being much shorter, CGR is worth a shot. Some may find Mark's wackiness a little much, but for those who can get into the whole 'goofy uncle/friend we all know' quality that Mark conveys, you'll be nicely rewarded.
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