Hello and welcome to the latest edition of the Giant Bomb Community Spotlight and I, @zombiepie, am once again honored to be your host this week as we examine the best offerings from the Giant Bomb Community. If last week's theme was all about community-created banners and artwork, then this week is all about quickly edited videos. Whether it be about fun moments from the Bombcast or UPF, there was a smattering of community-created videos worth marveling over this week. It was also a big week for the staff over on the East Coast considering that they have finally finished their long journey into Shenmue. Now I guess it is time for dozens of users to ask for a new Endurance Run all over again. Oh boy.... With that aside, let's review the few bits of site-related housekeeping worth going over:
- Extra-Life 2016 Giant Bomb Team (November 5th)! The community effort to get ready for Extra Life is here! Learn how you can help support the effort to raise money for charity RIGHT NOW!
- Issues regarding the Shenmue Enruance Run not appearing in the RSS Feed should be fixed.
Clip(s) of the Week
Giant Bomb Extra Life 2016 Promo Video! (By: @hamst3r)
From the ashes Hamst3r returns from his long slumber to share an AMAZING promotional video for the Giant Bomb 2016 Extra Life! As always, if you haven't yet learned how you can support the community effort, THEN FIX THAT!
Jason Ayystreicher (By: @ewansuttie)
EwanSuttie created a quick but humorous video featuring Brad and Drew having fun inflecting Jason's surname.
Giant Bomb: Everyone But Brad Hates Books & Giant Bomb: Drew Starts A Dance Party & Giant Bomb: Everyone Wants To Be Jeff (By: Mrlogan1223)
Now over on YouTube, a user with the handle "Mrlogan1223" has been creating wonderfully edited and hilarious videos pulled from recent Giant Bomb streams. The first video plays around with everyone giving Brad guff for enjoying books. The second video embraces Drew’s AC/DC singing and party hosting abilities. Finally, the last video makes fun of Drew after he exclaimed that he “IS JEFF!”
Best of Giant Bomb's Persona 4 Endurance Run--16 (Parts 136 to 144) (By: @clagnaught)
He's finally at the homestretch with his compilation video series for the Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4Endurance Run! This week clagnaught shares the darker side of Adachi, the last of Funky Student, and poor life choices regarding fusing.
Community Activities
Giant Bomb Gears 4 Gamertag Thread (By: @dharmabum)
Gears of War 4 really is the big launch of this week! So learn which users you can play the __game with online over here.
Giant Bomb Galleria of Art
BANNER- Don't Blame Me... (By: belladante)
Over on Tumblr user belladante managed to create this Shenmue Endurance Run inspired faux political poster that is worthy of the record books!
Be The VR Batman (By: @graboids)
graboids felt bad for Jeff getting sick while playing virtual reality Batman, but not bad enough to not make this AWESOME photoshop!
Best of Blogs
Tune Into Extra Life 2016: A Collection Of GB Community Live Streams (By: @riostarwind)
riostarwind has created an AMAZING list of users that are participating in this year's Giant Bomb Extra Life Group! If you are participating, but aren't yet on the list, just drop a comment!
On Grind & Context (By: @darth_navster)
Darth_Navster uses Forza Horizon and Destiny as case studies of good and bad examples of designed grind in games, and what the industry can learn from both games.
New Name, Same Old Blog (By: @danielkempster)
danielkempster provides an update on his recent goings-on, which most notably includes the changing of his username on Giant Bomb! Read all about that as well as the myriad of games that he managed to play since his last blog.
In-Between: An Analysis of Firewatch [SPOILERS!] (By: @gamer_152)
Check out mod Gamer_152's exhaustive dissertation on the hidden power of Firewatch's narrative, and what its cast of characters end up bringing to the table.
Imports Only Vol. 3 - Coming Soon to Pachislots (Konami Games) (By: @chaser324)
Chaser324 continues his spiral into the mad world of import racing games; this time with a batch of Konami racers. Check out his blog if he foresees either of the games he played deserve their own pachislot sequel.
Travel Log: 21 Hours with The Crew (By: @lcom)
LCom went ahead and sunk into over twenty hours in The Crew, and it wasn't an entirely positive experience for him. Read why he doesn't plan on returning to the __game anytime soon.
Forza Horizon 3's Best Aspect Is Its Sense Of Pure Fun, Like A Kid's game Made For Adults (By: @bigsocrates)
BigSocrates discusses why Forza Horizon 3's stress free open world is one of its best attributes, and why he is able to stomach through much of its "grind."
Flexing the Musou: Dragon Quest Heroes and the Malleability of Omega Force's Format & Sunday Summaries 02/10/2016: Dragon Quest Heroes & Batman Arkham Knight (By: @mento)
Firstly, Mento extrapolates why he found Dragon Quest Heroes to be a successful rendition of a Musou-style game. On top of that, everyone's TurboGrafx-16 obsessed moderator also provides a snapshot into his insanity, oh wait I mean his recent adventures with Dragon Quest Heroes, Batman: Arkham Knight, and the GB Wiki.
October Vita Lineup And Upcoming Titles (By: @blacklagoon)
A new month means that BlackLagoon is back with a convenient list annotating every game coming out for the PlayStation Vita in October!
Join the Discussion
What's Your Favorite Jefference? (By: @broddity)
What is your favorite life-story that Jeff has told over his many years in the video game press? Whether it be about pennies, Uno, or Chris with the white car, reminisce with the community over here.
hackmud Discussion Thread (By: @chrisjames)
Have any of you tinkered around with hackmud recently? Share your experiences with the highly technical adventure game.
What Insane Races Have You Made in Forza Horizon 3? (By: @sgtsphynx)
What are some of the more insane races you have created in Forza Horizon 3? Reveal the nightmares have you released upon the Forza community!
Mafia III Impressions (By: @the_tribunal)
What are your formative and early impressions of this year's historically drenched open-world crime drama,Mafia III? Feel free to share them over here with other users that have tinkered around with it.
Why Do People Love Beyond Good & Evil? (By: @buckinghamaj)
What's the "secret sauce" that makes Beyond Good & Evil a great and memorable game? Join our discussion, and share why you think the game is more than the sum of its parts.
Thoughts On 21:9 Ultra-Wide Monitors? (By: @humanity)
Have you seen or purchased a 21:9 ultra-wide monitors? Do you think they are the best of the best, or a gigantic waste of money? Share your two cents on if anyone should ever purchase these monitors.
Lovable Lists
The Ranking of Starters - A First Evolution Pokémon Starter Tier List (By: @danielkempster)
DevourerOfTime has created a comprehensive tier list ranking the first evolution of every starter Pokemon. See if there are any battle-lines that have been drawn regarding this issue.
Retrofuturism & Wireframes & Polygons (By: @kablammo)
kablammo is working on a list of games set in the future that have a decidedly retro sci-fi setting, as well as games that feature polygon wireframe graphics! Help him in creating comprehensive lists for both criteria by dropping a comment on either list.
My Favorite Video Game Soundtracks (By: @majormitch)
MajorMitch took the time to comprehensively list every video game soundtrack that he honestly enjoys, and strongly recommends you give a listen to if you have the time.
Useful User Reviews
- @dharmabum's review for Forza Horizon 3 assesses why he found it to be the best expression of car fantasy culture in a video game yet.
- @sam_lfcfan had a rip roaring time with the visceral action game Severed and you can read all about it on his review.
- @extintor explains why he believes the story featured in The Bunker would have been better served as a short film, rather than a live-action adventure game.
- Filed under:
- PlayStation VR
- Batman: Arkham VR
- Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4
- Gears of War 4
- Shenmue
- Forza Horizon 3
- Firewatch
- The Crew
- Dragon Quest Heroes: The World Tree’s Woe and the Blight Below
- TurboGrafx-16
- hackmud
- Mafia III
- Beyond Good & Evil
- Pokémon
- Severed
- The Bunker