The Bizarre World of Fake Video Games

A deep dive into the strange world of fake video games, from demakes to gaming creepy pastas, and much more.
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00:00:00 Intro
00:09:48 What If?
00:17:21 Mechanical Context
00:28:14 Deeper Mechanical Context
00:33:53 Nostalgia
00:40:15 Secondary Media
00:44:02 Model here is @danielledenicola
00:44:35 Secondry Media for Games that Don't Exist
00:56:45 Ghosts in Fake Video Games
01:12:47 Why make a fake video game?
01:19:07 Introduction Over
Voices from:
@hbomberguy
@eurothug4000
@LeonMassey
Silver Swamp Animation- Lines in Motion:
/ linesinmotion
Lady Dimitrescu Model:
@danielledenicola
Trailer Music by:
bluejokelpie.bandcamp.com/alb...
Links:
The Original Persona 5:
• The Original Persona 5
Hoolopee:
/ @hoolopee
“Horror is the Best Genre”:
• Horror is the Best Gen...
Playing PlayStation 2 Games With Friends In 2001 - My Retro Life
• Playing PlayStation 2 ...
Gamesprout Video Game glitches compilation:
• GAME FAILS | 1993-2022
SnakePixel:
/ snakepixel
Pokeyugami:
pokeyugami?lang=en
Curiomatics Mother 3 Trailer:
• MOTHER 3: Tribute
Onriboys Dreambound (Kirby x Earthbound):
/ @oniriboy
Arkahai.pxls:
/ arkhaipxls
Mollymoon2:
www.tiktok.com/@mollymoonn2?l...
Hoshibackyard:
/ hoshibackyard
GHOSTBLEED:
• GHOSTBLEED: The Bio Ho...
Leon Changs Bird World:
leyawn.bandcamp.com/album/bir...
Apple Quest Monsters DX
splendidland.itch.io/apple-qu...
Ghostgods:
www.tumblr.com/ghostgods-archive
Bossrush Album:
• BOSS RUSH (a boss the...
The Lacey Series:
/ @ghosttundra
Treytrimble:
/ treytrimble
Valle Verde:
• Valle Verde (Found Foo...
LumpyTouch:
/ @lumpytouch
Plastiboo:
plastiboo?...
Vermis:
hollow-press.net/collections/...

[@Sammysapphira]

Making "fake videogames" is actually an amazing way as an artist to build a portfolio. If you can show up to a game studio with a fully fleshed out portfolio of a concept game, it's almost always highly impressive. There's also always the chance of them liking the idea so much that they want to make it real.

[@MasT0]

maybe a game designer or artist, but probably not a coder (They said artist my point deosent count )

[@ValorousKid]

Yes!!!! Best thing by far to get into the games industry

[@ValorousKid]

Maybe not so much that a studio would wanna make the game real, but it shows that you have the skills to work as a game artist and making "fake screenshots" is a lot of what a game concept artist does

[@hajarmdn4883]

@@MasT0obviously. They say artist.

[@owenleal]

​​@@MasT0 remember when they said that it would be useful as a coder to make a fake videogame and build a portfolio? Yeah, me neither.

[@celestialwaffle1491]

"If Vermice was real, I don't know how fun it would be" - the guy who loves Fear and Hunger

[@Rissfleisch]

Lmao true. But he is pretty adamant in his Funger video that the game is NOT fun. And he tries to open a debate about whether video games should always be fun or not

[@homecomin]

Honestly, if Vermis were real it would probably be fun in the same way that Fear and Hunger is. It wouldn't be for a long time but once you learn it's ways it would be a very fun and - for a lack of a better word - fullfilling experience to play.

[@Ramsey276one]

Vermis=simreV

[@user-fd3hd3yy3x]

I dont think he ever argued Fear and Hunger was fun. He just said it was compelling.

[@Noonethateverwas_The]

Vermice? Time stamp?

[@ninjadudeX]

"Some of you are too young to understand what I'm talking about. Don't worry... You will." Has got to be one of the most villain ass lines I've heard come out of John's mouth.

[@RoseRelisnot]

That feels like a threat, *because it is*. Gen Alpha one day will feel existential dread, feel sorrow at seeing the games they used to play, laugh at the old jokes that once were so popular and feel the bitter sweetness of a good time no longer liveable. I remember watching the lego movie growing up, I remember playing Lego Star Wars the Clone Wars on the XBOX 360, I remember minecraft before banners were even a thing and you could block with a sword by crouching, I remember Halo ODST- which I bought the disk from one of those CD stores where you can buy really cheap games from using christmas money from Granny. That same disk store no longer exists, now it is a place that sells suits and wedding gowns... The Lego movie has its shitty sequel, Halo as a franchise has fallen into disarray. The world movies on and it tears us apart- so yes, it is a threat. Gen alpha and the generations after to infinity and beyond? They'll feel our pain, a universal aching that transcends generations and lifetimes... They will feel how we feel in due time. Await inevitable suffering as the habds of time crash down on them, mortality sets in, and they finally realize just how fickle everything is... How little time everything has to last and having that knowledge is the worst thing anyone can have. Yet we all must have it some day, we must all carry the burden and learn to cope- to move on somehow, as unbelievable as that sounds, and find hope, love, and happiness. Purpose, meaning. Time eats all of his children in the end. What will you do when you know the feast soon to come? How could anyone possibly learn to cope with grieving for *yourself*? I don't know... But we'll find a way, we've always found a way. We'll happy. Even if only in moments up to that finalbpoint in our life- and perhaps in the end we'll fully understand or perhaps not at all. It doesn't really matter as long as we smile- even if we can't smile at the future sometimes... We should be thankful that our past was happy enough to smile on. Shouldn't that be enough?

[@AdamKyles]

@@RoseRelisnot You have a good point, eloquently made, but I'm still reeling from the idea that someone was under 18 when the Lego Movie came out.

[@KanashiAtisuto]

​@@RoseRelisnot I was born in the year 2000 & even though I understand why this is such a common thing & what is meant, I have to say that I don't feel it. Besides many probably never having had such carefree times as children & injustices facing more resistance nowadays, I personally know that I'm better off now than in my childhood even when back then I'd have probably thought that I'm feeling better. I had plenty of those carefree gaming times but back then I was the most stuck in what I'm still trying to free myself from. I know now that every step forward is one towards improvement & as much independence as possible. With age we get the opportunity to grow, learn & "improve" even when we're hit with shitty things. You can't have that as a child, without passage of time & in the best case might just not be able to tap into your full potential yet or in worse cases stuck in a bad perception of yourself, fear, etc. (without even realising it). I'm guessing all this also connects to how many generally tend to (want to) stick to the familiar (& defend it) despite what the reality of that means, scared of change. As I'm typing this I also feel like Vermis might have that in it too. Sadly, that leads to a glorification of (certain aspects of) the past or at least it lowers the potential of one's now & future- which potentially also lowers empathy, taking responsibility & so much more. Staying in the familiar or only looking back at it might seem comfy, safe & nice but despite the scary aspect of change & hardships it can bring, what comes out of that is so much better & more importantly, it is here & now. Yeah, Vermis definitely fits that train of thought. It's okay to miss things, of course, but why grieve for yourself (which would be okay too, of course, as long as it doesn't take over) when you're still here, have developed, have experienced growth, learned things about yourself & can still do something? Even when one's time is nigh you still have the now.

[@quinnhofmann5399]

​@@KanashiAtisuto hahaha wow. You are still barely an adult, still hopeful and sincerely believe what you're saying and feel that way right now. But 24 is still basically the honeymoon era of being a grown up - especially if you went to college. Wait until you blink one day and realize you wrote this 10 years ago, and how that was almost half the number of years old you were since you had an almost naively optimistic attitude, and the actual grind of life takes its toll and numbs your soul. Then you realize you're still pretty young even though you start struggling with the fact that you no longer relate to college aged kids while somehow feeling like a child compared to the adults in your life. Having friends when you start to enter midlife years is basically having a handful of people you occasionally see after telling each other you're going to meet up but either life happens and someone cancels or life happened and you're just too tired for company and cancel but you mean it this time cause it's been months of rescheduling. And then the realization that someday you'll be your grandparent's age. For real, our work culture and the desire to feel like you're doing things that will help you grow as a person end up being the same anxieties you have later on because you're constantly wondering if you've grown enough and acquire more instances to potentially regret. Lol I don't mean to be a downer, but you reminded me of how much drive I had back then. There's a reason they say youth is wasted on the young, and you'll understand why some day. Not understand what it means, but actually feel what it means. I never understood why there was such an emphasis on life being suffering in religion, but now I understand what they mean and what they were trying to find peace with. And it's not like I was a bright and shiny kid, either. I dealt with depression starting in 10th grade pretty bad, cut myself, just emo-ing it up. But that is angst. Adulthood is a much more numb and subtly insecure, but infantely worse you drift through. there's only so many new "firsts" experiences you'll have. Take up a hobby now, cause you will need one just to not feel crushed some days.

[@donutholebandit6212]

If you like that energy then boy should you watch Versus Wolves.

[@duye7635]

"Even gods suffer and die here, and you are no god." is a line that goes so unimaginably hard.

[@J1994M]

“The last hour and twenty minutes have just been one long introduction” also known as the “HBomberguy gambit”

[@Ramsey276one]

LOVE it!

[@torchcato4625]

reminds me of “Mandy” lmfao

[@skjoldrodinson408]

My thoughts as well. 😂😂

[@odolowa1]

Fitting that he turns up right after that

[@surelylune]

hbombergambit, if you will

[@Foervraengd]

just wanted to let you know that Tumblr recently started to sell its data to midjourney and other ai companies, which has lead to a lot of tumblr artists to either private their art blogs or delete them. It might be why the blog appeared to not exist when you looked it up.

[@BelBelle468]

Oh wow. I think that is the most disgusting thing I’ve ever heard Tumblr do. Ppl fled that site cus of the censorship, and now no art is safe. The fact they’re even profiting off of it…they don’t even own it…

[@mobius273]

​@BelBelle468 according to the tos they probably do :(

[@dietgilroy]

yikes

[@kerenaho1031]

fortunately you can opt to opt out of it in the blog settings but unfortunately its on by default so you have to manually turn it off :( opting out of ai without privating seems to only work on desktop which is probably why some artists have privated their entire blogs

[@lycorice2219]

Omg.. and here I was these past few days tempted to create my own tumblr to share my artworks on :(

[@Apostropol]

There was a game released in 1997 called Queen: The Eye - I have never seen or played this game, never met another soul who's even heard of it, but for some reason my dad had a book about it. The book was full of concept art, level designs, commentary, and I used to spend hours reading over it as a child, imagining what the game was like. This video just made all those memories and feelings come rushing back.

[@RaptieFeathers]

I once created a fake visual novel, complete with gameplay mechanics, that I had running on an imageboard, where people could comment to vote on different choices-I would then illustrate the results. What's especially notable is that the game mechanics for this _pretend videogame_ I'm now implementing into an _actual_ visual novel that I'm working on as part of a team. They're mechanics that haven't ever been done in any visual novels before, and it's all thanks to making a totally fake one first. Edit: I didn't create the "quest format", to be perfectly clear. There's a specific quest I made that has a bit that replicates a visual novel.

[@aykarain]

that sounds cool :0 where do i find it?

[@littlered6340]

I feel like there should be a name for this kind of choose your own adventure content.

[@MrA3523]

Nice, were you involved with MS paint adventures back in the day?

[@RaptieFeathers]

@@aykarain Google for "Snoots and Shadows" (including the quotation marks). Once you're on the site, it'll be Thread 1 on the right side of the page And naw, not with MSPA, I was with QuestDen which is similar kinda?

[@RaptieFeathers]

To clarify: I didn't invent the quest format, haha, I created a mechanic that's in a specific quest-the mechanic I named "Social Mode."

[@purplehaze2358]

"I worry that the topic is too niche, and that not many people besides me will care about it." This is coming from a man that made a half-hour video about his technical problems with a dell computer interesting.

[@soulsmith5935]

Fucking love that video xD such a great cautionary tale

[@VladdViever]

Man I just realized I need to go rewatch that

[@TheOldYoungOne]

Yeah that’s getting a rewatch

[@PanAndScanBuddy]

It is *only* half an hour. However, due to the black hole at the center of it, time stretches to two hours for you even though 30 minutes passes for everyone else. Do not panic, this is normal.

[@toysoldier6093]

I watched that video the day before I started my (not particularly successful) career in IT. It was...formative, to say the least.

[@calamityjehn]

In a weird way, this makes me sad. I wish people had more freetime of their own, that they could sustain themselves in our world. How much creativity weve been denied, how much art, experiences, music, technologies, will never be made because we arent given the freedom to.

[@alanguillermo3145]

Thank you for putting into words why I was so bummed out watching this video.

[@deusex9731]

whenever i see really cool stuff i cry like a little bit, because in one way it makes me happy but in another i just feel some weird somberness that this isnt the core of our existence

[@stm7810]

and this is why we need anarchism, removing all exploitation, filler work etc will get us down to a 4 hour work week.

[@toriitoraa]

Exactly, that's how I feel about all these....

[@SquareWaveHeaven]

@@stm7810 Hell, a 4 DAY work week would be a massive improvement. One day to rest, one day to create, then another day to either continue creating, spend with family, do chores etc.

[@alexsnightmare]

I miss manuals so much. I'm playing through Metal Gear Solid 1 for the first time and just had Baker tell me "I can't remember Meryl's Codec frequency... it should be on the back of the CD case!" and I laughed out loud at how cool that was, mixing the physical media with the game itself. You can't get away with that now that most things are going digital.

[@Bush-Warrior]

You can't do the same thing but you can do the sort of quirky shit classic Metal Gear games pulled. OneShot has puzzle game elements and some of the clues were notepad files that the game would generate on your PC to find and read through (rather inoffensively, mind you, it wasn't asking you to dig around in System 32 lol).

[@BaconNuke]

Aren't there digital manuals?

[@alexsnightmare]

@@BaconNuke Genuine question, are you younger? There's a lot of nostalgia behind physical manuals for a lot of people and it's just not the same as holding it in your hands. Plus a lot of poeple might not know there even is a digital manual and will just Google it which is definitely not the same feeling

[@Varyazi]

I've been a long time fan of Plastiboo and very excited to see someone did a video on Vermis, maybe my favorite nontraditional graphic novels ever. There's two points I really want to make about the books that I think change the entire context around them and helps to better understand them. Vermis, as a series, is about identity and imagination. The first book opens with a skeletal husk looking into their reflection at the buttom of a moonlit well and imagining who they could have been. It ends with a cloud blocking the moonlight, ending the illusion as you stop being the character you chose to imaging yourself as and return to being the husk you've always been. During that iconic scene of the knight clutching the skeleton, that's them symbolically comforting themselves as the person they wish they were. I think that heavily, heavily contextualizes the events of Mists and Mirrors. You don't get a choice of character selection at the start, instead you are forced into the role of the Wayfarer who goes through the trial of the Glass Purgatory to find their own identity. Then, at the end of the book, you are finally given a character select screen to chose who you want to be. Obviously this is symbolic, but I also speculate that Mists and Mirrors is designed to be MIRRORED so you can play it front to back as the Wayfarer then back to front as your chosen character. Are you the Wayfarer imaging yourself as the selectable characters? Or are you the selectable characters looking in the mirror to imagine themselves as the Wayfarer? It makes the narrative about a sort of ouroboros of losing your identity and reinventing yourself that pairs well with the themes in the first book. The book even hints at this on the very first page, where it has mirrored text that says "our eyes our backwards" as if telling you from the very start that the beginning of the story is really the end.

[@marcusblackwell2372]

This channel is like finding water in the desert

[@eee6894]

This is the most accurate description I've ever seen

[@mikewithacat]

True

[@trumpflavourednugget9325]

All great channels are like that these days

[@Eiroth]

A river in a dry land!

[@simonweaver8846]

​@@EirothThe last ace in a lost hand!

[@LafawndaPasta]

Hi, I'm the writer of Playing Along with Evelyn. Thank you for involving my pasta as an example!

[@interiordagoth]

I've never heard of your pasta so I gave it a read. It was really good not relying on the usual tropes of videogame creepypastas.

[@Thefoop]

Currently reading. It's a very good story. It disturbs me yet pulls me in to read more. great work.

[@generososecretoiii7511]

small world we live in

[@Emmariscobar]

God, it has been a while since a creepypasta legitimatedly made me feel so uncomfortable, especially on the part where Evelyn tries to explain away the abuse she recieved as somehow being her fault and tries to salvage the relationship despite how abusive it is. I also like how it avoids the usual generic "oooohhhhh the game misteriously appeared out of thin airrrr" and instead opts for the way creepier idea that some anonimous weirdo thought the game was hot as hell and that some other anonymous asshole thought it would be funny to trick some kids sites into hosting the game in hopes of traumatizing some children. 10/10

[@splattbinat1542]

was expecting spaghetti

[@rustkitty]

I've seen a lot of indie games that emulate the PS1 style in the last few years, especially in the horror genre, but almost all of them are very technically anachronistic with high res textures, dynamic lighting, and similar features that were impossible on the hardware level. So I'm absolutely smitten with the amount of faithful detail in GHOSTBLEED. It's really something else and I'm grateful that you've shown it.

[@watermelynn-witch]

I have no idea if I'm the first person to say this, or if you'll even read this, but: This artform is literally "This is not a pipe" of the modern era. This is quickly becoming one of my favorite video essays on this website, it goes from being about fake video games to about art and mediums as a whole, while still staying on topic the whole time. Art that comments on the concept of art, being applied to a more modern artform/medium and utilizing the aspects of that medium that make it comparatively unique This feels like documentation and recognition of an art movement, of a turning point in art history :) Maybe I am up-playing the societal importance of the art within this video but like. Idk, it's just *really* good.

[@maxzachry9277]

1:11:52 I actually think a big part of the "Video Explaining the ARG has way more views than the actual ARG" is actually a result of the "Kilgore Trout Problem". A little over 50 years ago, Kurt Vonnegut realized that a lot of hard sci fi is more fun to have someone explain to you than to actually read it, so he stopped writing hard sci fi and made up a fake sci fi writer named Kilgore Trout and started summarizing his stories instead.

[@valerielusa8000]

im just a baby that's too scared to watch horror, im more comfortable viewing from a distance

[@pulpodesigner]

Wow, that's a very cool reference, I had no idea! In my case I use to watch the explanations of ARGs not because I think its more fun, but because of I dont have the time I used to

[@jbear3478]

Genius

[@Puerco-Potter]

I personally have come to the same realization, I don't really want to play Warhammer40k or read the novels, play the videogames, but I have watched at least 15 hours of lore videos, because I love the premises and the stories. It makes me think of old times, when people told stories and legends at the fireplace.

[@alkamstardust]

And sometimes the ARG are very hard to understand on their own, so what can they do, except look to the video that tries to make sense of it

[@aseariel]

"The worst game you have played is a miracle" is a heck of a line, sir

[@Kydrou]

The line hits harder when you've seen SEW fight against Omikron: The Nomad Soul

[@Samael1113]

@@Kydrou But still not as hard as if you watched the original Suffer-through, complete with Woolie unintentionally sabotaging the play through and causing the boys to sit there yelling at each other searching for the progress flag.

[@kaygeo]

@@Samael1113 It's Shut.

[@MidoriMushrooms]

I forgot who said this and will butcher this quote but I read a tweet by a gamedev years ago that said something to the effect of "There's a word for a game that's full of bugs, poorly balanced segments, and janky cutscenes: Shipped."

[@tyler-xo3rb]

i'm 14 and this is deep

[@Something_human]

As an artist who frickin loves world building, while having this video in the background, I’ve just been creating a whole new world for myself that is, cool enough, kind of like a “fake game” (even though it’s just little illustrations). Very inspiring and interesting video, thank you for taking the time to make a video like this👌

[@crimsoncaulfield]

36:26 "I wish there was a way to know you're in the good old days before you've actually left them." - Andrew Bernard I feel this so much.

[@PoSer_1]

I was falling asleep to another video and my cat leaned on the volume just as autoplay got this video started. I was promptly screeched at by a man in a wizard costume about video games. What a way to greet the day.

[@angrybrony]

Cat wanted to show you something cool. W cat.

[@frozenstorm158]

😂

[@DILFDylF]

Does the W stand for wang?

[@Denneth_D.]

This is why I love cats.

[@iwannabethekid34xc]

@@DILFDylF Yes, short for Wang Li.

[@slamdangles]

"this topic is too niche" Dude... that's what we like. You are introducing us to things we otherwise would NEVER have discovered. I don't think you as a creator understand that many of us watching, we watch BECAUSE you introduce us to things we otherwise would never knew existed. And this doesn't just go for you, this goes to many, many youtube creators. Thank you for creating what you do.

[@mecoolguy3780]

Don't mind me just like and replying so this gets more attention. let's freaking stand by this!

[@Larryzonar]

100%

[@thistruckingguy5853]

"Too niche" please. Bro needs to know how pumped I get every single time he posts a new vid.

[@slamdangles]

@@thistruckingguy5853 I legit ordered the vermis book today thanks to this video. I can't wait to read a strategy guide about a game that doesn't exist 😂😂😂 I'm hyped!!!

[@thistruckingguy5853]

@@slamdangles I'm definitely ordering it

[@haminatorhamand518]

I still think the fake persona 5 story is really interesting and cool mainly because of how easily we got fooled back then compared to now

[@CronicasDeGisthia]

"You drink too much coffee because you don't sleep right and somehow, that makes sense to you" That hit hard.

[@theshirtlessracer3525]

As an almost completely uncredited artist, I find this video to be brilliant. It is a massive credit to you that you took the time to shine a light on the work of these amazing artists and their little slices of genius. The time you spent on this video is the furthest thing from a waste. Great work, you’ve won a fan here.

[@mcdank3147]

Silence! I concur!

[@SonnyRegal]

My kind of people. Ditto

[@FlameOfUdun96]

A video about John digging his way through another seemingly endless and fascinating media rabbit hole? Sign me tf up

[@enemystand2981]

I’m genuinely over the moon. I was suffering the Sunday blues tbh, but this video has absolutely peaked my mood. None do it like John.

[@gameb9oy]

Haven’t finished it yet, but I will disappointed if there isn’t some existential dread in some part of the video

[@Imperial_Squid]

"it's me, back from my journey down another internet hole... To bring you... One of these fucking videos..." I'm glad he knows us so well 🥰

[@beepbeeplettuce5890]

Another generic like baiting comment that makes no point whatsoever and is just meaningless praise? Fuck off

[@rawanalahmed8086]

Another descent into madness

[@eddie2138]

I am BEGGING, BEGGING you to cover the game „i have no mouth and i must scream“. It fits so well into your channel, and i‘ve been a big fan of the game for a while now and its honestly so captivating and dark. Right now its also blowing up a little on tiktok, (wich is very well deserved), therefore theres also a pretty big interest in it. I just think your style and the way you talk would cover it so well, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE COVER THAT GAME

[@jarh5281]

I absolutely ADORE fake video games. It's such a fun and expressive way to expand on world building and lore as an artist. And it just captures such an exciting itch that honestly, not many other types of media can

[@CodeNameX001]

A couple Updates: 1). Bloodborne Kart received a Cease and Desist from Sony. The images and setting have been slightly altered for Fair Use, and it is now known as "Nightmare Kart". 2). "Catastrophe Crow" is now a real game, set to be release on April 26th 2024.

[@Ramsey276one]

1) the sad peril of that type of stuff 2) WHAT I WISH HAPPENS WITH *ALL.OF THE ONES IN THIS VIDEO!* P5I for Switch!!!

[@rampageidc]

I dont see catastrophe crow on steam and I can't find anything about it but I swear I felt like i saw it on there before

[@shadycatz85]

that doesn't even make sense, it's completely under fair use laws, so as long as the artist is outside of japan (who have like no fair use laws), they're fine. these big companies overreaching like this are insane.

[@sapphirewolf4031]

"Build those worlds so that *I* can walk around in them" is actually legitimately inspiring.

[@Ohokok_channeledition]

Time to make a game I'll send you the link to the image(s) when I'm done

[@whilenya4714]

Yes! I mean, alright then. I'll do it. Why not? (The thing about the career I'm studying is that this might just become the proof of concept for some actual videogames, which I suppose is fine too. I have had this stuff in my brain for way too long. I've told compelling stories to people about it for years. Might as well get started on properly drafting the things.)

[@lisatroiani6119]

@@Ohokok_channeleditionyoutube auto deletes comments with links now, jsyk

[@Captain1nsaneo]

28:57 - Thank you for properly controlling that jumpscare's audio peak. Less experienced creators would make it be too loud making the jump back to the narrator's level a difficult swing.

[@rachellemichelle5489]

I love how your videos leave me with the empty feeling of being lost with a tiny spark of hope. It’s such a unique and fascinating experience that your videos give me. How knowledge and curiosity can leave you feeling hallow, but with room for echos of more.

[@fcklife182]

That’s such a great way to describe the feeling I’m feeling. Thank you!

[@Jandau85]

SEW: "If Vermis were real, it would be too depressing" My brother in Anime, you made a 50 minute video about Fear and Hunger...

[@AleXandrYuZ]

Funger has more dongs to make it less depressing

[@roryschussler]

Interestingly, there's a pretty good fake trailer for F&H 3 that came out not too recently.

[@ChakatStormCloud]

yeah, that struck me aswell, like Vermis could literally have been the secondary media for fear and hunger, as though the soul of the same idea hit them both seperately, I can only imagine what could have been if they'd known each other.

[@Delmworks]

It would be though…not due to content, but because it could never live up to the beauty of the imagined version we each keep within our heads

[@arnavkamble7144]

​@@roryschussler by gulthrax iirc?

[@kitsunemusicisfire]

Fun fact: Molly Moon eventually did actually make a game with a few devs including trevor Henderson who did some of the art. Its in the same gameplay style as the tiktoks try to be, and it was a lot of fun, sort of a humurous take on the "cult horror" tropes and stereotypes.

[@ellamurray4924]

What is it called?

[@basicbean4997]

That’s what I was thinking when he brought it up-I didn’t know about the TikTok account and was surprised to see the same girl from the game lol

[@Vexxa_]

@@ellamurray4924 its a demo (the full project got canned) but its just called 'excuse me sir'

[@SlayrinaF]

​@@Vexxa_ Oh nooo, it got scrapped? That's a shame.

[@FriggyEsq]

@@SlayrinaF One of the devs involved was Airdorf, who made the Faith trilogy and other retro horror hits, and Jesse Cox was on as a producer due to his own love for her videos. Molly was the one who decided not to move forward, but that's all we know!

[@bugstarcake]

for real this video is my favorite thing i've seen in quite a while, it means a LOT to me as someone who's always been intrigued by worldbuilding but never felt like my skillset had a place in the world. i'm dead tired it's almost 6 AM now but just wanna say thank you for making this, introducing so many cool projects to check out, and giving me a lot to think about on my creative journey.

[@ocarinaos222]

Utterly brilliant video as always Eyepatch Wolf! I was surprised from the thumbnail to see you of all people cover Plastiboo who is one of my favorite web artists! There are other artists similar to Plastiboo I would recommend: -Lovesickteeth - Also draws creepy surreal nightmare fuel. -lilcthulu - A lot of colorfully drawn body horror. -Gloomygonza - Does a lot of colorful 3D blender stuff, collabed with Plasti before. -Alex Acedo - Doesn’t draw anything creepy but still very video game-y. Also collabed with Plasti. -stingerowanjiro - Really bizarre cartoons with a lot of creepy styles. Warning advised for gore and violent stuff. -ascendbat - I dont like their art as much but it still scratches a similar itch. Pretty underrated. -codexnoirmatic - Terrifying sci-fi horror concept art. Mwah it’s simply beautiful.

[@kaizarcantu8240]

The best thing about fake media is when people obsess so much over it that they make it real. Like sci-fi authors writing KilgoreTrout novels, or a group of mad men in Germany publishing 50 volumes of the Second Encyclopedia of Tlön.

[@ccm4100]

Ah, a fellow Borges aficionado. May the library of Babel be with you, my brother in anime.

[@Finrirthegray16]

Also re-creating fictional food.

[@kaizarcantu8240]

@@ccm4100 Always pleased to find Borges readers anywhere. Fake authors and novels are quite another rabbit hole, and Borges is a great source for that! I suspect he would rather be remembered as a fictional name than a real one.

[@M.Nihankin]

Wait, I did not know about the Tlön thing! Thanks a lot. I mean, if you are here because you love fake media… you may as well love Borges too, since he wrote so much about fake authors, fake literatures, etc.

[@limitbreak2966]

27:46 yea this guy should just make this lost property control thing a game already lmao

[@nuzzlerat]

"Some of you are too young to understand what I'm talking about. Don't worry. You will." The way he made that sound like horror was so real

[@buisnessmahn6642]

I had to pause because of that one. Like, I'm old enough and STILL feel threatened

[@Ujulahipobaka121]

None of y'all are anglophones

[@wander561444]

“I used to be with it…… but they changed what IT is and IT is strange and weird to me…IT’LL HAPPEN TO YOU!!!!! 👴👉👉👉👉

[@boscorner]

​@@Ujulahipobaka121 what are you talking about

[@Roadent1241]

I'm his age if not maybe older than him and I've never experienced it regardless so... What am I missing, not having a social life at any point? Anyone that knew the deaf girl liked games just mocked, both for being deaf and a girl that liked games. And then wondered why I dug myself into them.

[@dmforeacre]

I think you nailed it there: Making an actual game is VERY hard. Fake games like the ones you discussed allow you to explore the medium without having to commit to the entire process.

[@freddycheng4484]

every video that this man uploads instantly becomes my favorite 😭

[@GameDevYal]

As someone that's been making games solo as a hobby for over a decade, I've noticed that the "code" bit is the hardest by FAR. Graphic assets and music won't randomly stop working after five months because you moved something around in a completely different part of the project. Also, game balance is a whole different can of worms. Just because something works as intended doesn't mean it feels fun, is easy to communicate to a player, etc. Combined, these things make me see the appeal in fake games at least - you get to skip the most tedious parts of dreaming up a game.

[@thegeekclub8810]

I mean, as someone who would like to make a fake video game, a big reason is definitely because I can’t code and have no interest in learning.

[@AmeshaSpentaArmaiti]

Gamefeel and balance are what killed my enthusiasm at the last dev job i had. It took far longer than the actual implementation and was basically just playing over and over to get it just right, only for someone else to come in and screw the balance with a new feature. Also, the artists were the ones suggesting changes, and i was constantly receiving contradictory feedback.

[@Pie_Mastah]

I remember I used to save my game on a usb stick so that i can work on it during my spare time at work. After a while, it got corrupted. And i lost about 4 years of work from that 😅

[@shoobzy3431]

As someone who literally quit doing cs at university because it was so unbelievably difficult I tip my hat to any of you guys who genuinely enjoy it or are competent at programming. It's always confused me when you see game credits and see how little programmers there are compared to all the people in the marketing and design departments like if anything needs the most man power it's coding.

[@sunbleachedangel]

I feel like fake games are closer to movies that games

[@dammieleira2647]

making a fake videogame with design documents and such is actually a pretty common exercice in my university (i study game design) and i can confirm its pretty damn fun, specially when you dont have the budget to make your dreams into reallity

[@Lyrune]

Same. It's super fun to conceptualize the ideas in your head!

[@Ramsey276one]

*...YET.*

[@DarthMcDoomington]

I thought it was just me that did that, I'm not even studying to be a game dev, I just do it when I don't feel like watching a movie or playing a game and don't have work to do.

[@grayskyee]

okay i’m gonna try to explain something it’s probably gonna make sense, also eyepatch wolf probably touches on this in the video - in horror, the best thing you can do is not show the monster, just the hallway leading up. not show the jumpscare, just show the aftermath. i think fake video games are the other side of that coin. less is more. what you don’t see, what you can’t see, what you will never see, is always so much better then whatever a piece of media can give to you. the scary monster in your mind is scarier then anything in any movie. the fake video game in your mind is much more fun then any real life game. imagination is our greatest weapon.

[@yalanir]

"Have I wasted a significant portion of my life making this video?" No. That was excellent. I have few further words as I am currently processing the content and coming to the realisation that a whole area of art exists where I had never imagined it.

[@archdiangelo7930]

One example of fake video games that I find both interesting and *infuriating* is those fake ads for a mobile game, the ones that play out like Pokemon horror games, where there are like hundreds of ads for this one game that have different art styles but are all vaguely connected. It looks like such a good game, and it's attached to a completely different, mindblowingly disappointing product, that it just makes one wonder "Why didn't you make THIS game?! Why did you make a bunch of ads for a game that doesn't exist, and attach them to a completely different game that does??" It takes away the motivation of making a fake game being easier than making a real game, *because they made a real game.*

[@flyingsnowycats]

Evertale! Yes, absolutely! That 'game' is such an interesting rabbit hole on it's own. Such a disappointment that it doesn't exist.

[@KnightmareDigitalis]

@@flyingsnowycats Wait, what? I actually played that one, it must've either been taken off the app store... or this is a late April fools.

[@flyingsnowycats]

@@KnightmareDigitalis Wait- hold the fuck on- EverTale existed? Well, besides the clear porn bait whatever the hell that's actually on the app store? Cause I know the game exists, but it's like, a gacha game(?) with big boobed anime girls. Not the pokemon-esc horror game the fake adds advertised.

[@flyingsnowycats]

@@KnightmareDigitalis Evertale exists- but it's a gacha(?) game with big boobied anime girls. Not the Pokemon esq horror game the adds that existed advertised.

[@ACEYGAMES]

I believe the answer is that the person making the adds has gone totally off on their own as they could not make a game they wanted and instead were stuck on a shitty gatcha mobile game.

[@ChaosSono]

This video awakened something in me. I've burnt out of a career in comics, in game dev... My creative pursuits the past few years have felt so fleeting because I'm in so much debt from college that I feel like I can't get anything off the ground. I've made so many bits and pieces of little indie projects that I've never fulfilled. While I've always loved seeing other fake games and fake anime screenshots I don't know why it never occurred to me until now that I have all of the tools I need to make that for myself. You've lit a fire under me, Mr. EyepatchWolf. I have all the bones I need to build the skeleton of something that might leave a mark on someone. You made me want to put them all together. Thank you for that.

[@spooderman6312]

reading this felt so cathartic, best of luck to your creative pursuits in the future!

[@plutothechinchilla4496]

My guy, if you pull it off I hope you'll come back here and link it so we can all enjoy the fruit of your labor. Best of luck to you!

[@seekerstheshy3842]

GO FOR IT GO FOR IT!!!!!

[@hugogieles4816]

Please keep us updated on what you are working on

[@superrupee]

Take the chance and do it, and share it with the world Share your creativity

[@rachelbonomo5027]

I'm always impressed with how you draw me into some topic I knew nothing about. You made me appreciate wrestling promotions as a storytelling medium, and this is coming from someone who hadn't understood the value people place in sports.

[@lonni9897]

Only recently I’ve gotten into your content and MAN. I really love listening to it in the background or on the side while I’m drawing. Especially when touching into more disturbing territory like these games and Fear and Hunger- the way you manage to narrate each piece that gives respect to the creators while still creating a thematic tone that keeps the tension during each segment while still adding your own comedy really creates an atmosphere where I can truly feel the intention of the work you portray (and has gotten me invested in a few of them). That sounds nerdy and pompous but I’m going to throw this in anyway. With full respect for whatever you decide to do in the future, I really love the work your doing:)

[@jamieharth5417]

I love how this guy goes out of his way to find the coolest art from the corners of the internet and gushes about it for hours.

[@TheJadedJames]

The concept of fake video games seems so strange, but makes perfect sense because unlike other forms of media, making a good video game actually requires you to have multiple unrelated skills. If you want to make a book or a song etc, there is only ONE skills you need to make that happen. If you want to make a video game, you need to be good at writing, art, programming, music etc etc etc. There are plenty of people who absolutely have the skill set to be a really good comic book artist or something but their IDEA isn't a comic book or a web toon, it is a video game. So, naturally it becomes a fake video game. It is the only way to get the idea out there

[@Deadrum]

Yeah, well put. This medium is super unique and sometimes more interactive and personal in that way.

[@lvl.2greyrat849]

These fake games are a completely valid way of art expression, but it's such a shame that a lot of excellent videogames never get made because this over-exagerated understanding of videogame development that is repeated constantly across the internet, scaring off aspiring artists. Finishing a videogame is not fast or easy, but is not a life draining endeavor that only a select few can undergo. I understand they say this as a way to pay respect to the work and effort of a field they don't fully understand, but making a game on your free time is not the same as a professional indie/AAA development that takes multiple people. If you love videogames so much that you get a nostalgic feeling with this "fake games", and have a video game idea that you would really like: you can do it, and it's now more accessible than ever before.

[@shady8045]

ngl the explanation as to why this is a thing makes me wonder why it isn't more common, despite the concept seeming so weird and almost malignant in a way (like some people would just call these "hoaxs" or something whether it was meant to fool people or not).

[@TheJadedJames]

@@lvl.2greyrat849 I’m kind of with Eyepatch Wolf here. The worse game you’ve ever played is a miracle and that something like Stardew Valley exists is a mega miracle. One dude had to have - The idea for the game - All the combined talents needed to make the game - The physical resources needed to make the game - The free time to make the game Video games also have the obstacle of needling far more extensive external testing than “Show your comedy to a test audience and if they laugh you know the jokes were funny”

[@manjiy4185]

@@lvl.2greyrat849 Yes I tottaly agree with you that you can make a game in your free time. But it misses the point. Many of the creators want to create games that are way out of the scope of "game you make on the side". At the bare minimum they would be games at the scale of professional indi dev which demands the sacrifice of many years of work and the years of other people on the team. And that is not even talking about the restrictions of the gaming market that you need to take into considerations when making a serious game. Capitalism doesn't offer a way for small creators to acheive their dreams and so they are forced to fake it into existance. I want so many of these fake games to be made into real games but instead we are fed the same crap over and over. Then some morron walts in and tells everyone that video games acheived their final form because technology has reached a point where any upgrade is insignificant. What prevents us from making fresh new games is not the technology but how our society is organised. To achieve the dream of turning those fake games into free games, the workers need to take control of the video game companies and run it themselfs not for the quest of profit but for the quest of new and innovative games. ps : I would be so down to work on one of these games!!

[@logantafoya8348]

Love the use of Collapse by Makeup and Vanity Set used right around 50:00. It's a song that I really liked back in High School and it really helped the point you were driving at this point in the video hit home in a visceral way.

[@opalpersonal]

i think this is my favorite eyepatchwolf to date. i've been an artist for a long time and one of the things i long for most is being able to create a world vast and captivating enough to transport another living being into it, like i can on my own. i've often thought of making my own "fake video games", or fake movies, or fake shows, to capture this feeling, because god knows how much work making any of them for real would take, and in our finite existences full of so much work and toil, who knows if i'd ever have the time. i don't know if i'll ever get there, but i sure have to try.

[@AaronArtss]

“The worst game you have played is a miracle” Is such a raw fucking line

[@TheDeadTexan]

Yeah, Rise of Kong is such an inspiring tale of human creativity

[@Kuhnonthecob]

@@TheDeadTexan Yeah but if you sent that game back to when the Odyssey 1 came out in the 70’s it would blow mind chunks all over their oversized collars and bell bottoms

[@boardgamespun]

Especially with Omikron as the background

[@Ramsey276one]

​@@Kuhnonthecob XD

[@miserablepumpkin9453]

As a person with lots of disabilities and other assorted difficulties to exist, this video basically made me cry from relief? The idea that I'm allowed to just...create concept art, cutscenes, game manuals without ever actually having to release the fabled game I'm more or less incapable of creating is incredibly comforting and makes me hate myself a lot less. I never thought that would be "enough", you know? I want to create worlds for people to walk in.

[@Roadent1241]

As a fellow disabled someone who makes games/playable literature nowadays, your way is OK. I'd love to experience your worlds. ^_^

[@QuestionMarks420]

Walk me through it

[@Luedag]

@miserablepumpkin9453 Hey! You’re awesome.

[@roozbeh6999]

Why not just create a fantasy world by writing a book? You don't really need to create a fake game

[@commonviewer2488]

​@@roozbeh6999It's not the same. To write a book is to create some fleshed out story to tell others. To make a game is to build the foundation for someone else to have an experience. No two people will have the exact same experience with a game because it's interactive. Even creating mere hints of a game, should it interest people, will draw them in, compel them to fill in the blanks, and involve them with the experience, much like a game intends to do.

[@Duskstone89]

The Vermis books actually got me to write a report on authenticity and familiarization in art for a university assignment last year. The concept of art that presents itself as non-art or authentic art of a different kind (like found footage movies or, well, Vermis) is super intriguing to me, and I’m beyond excited for this video

[@yashvardhangaur8547]

im SO glad that my mind immediately went "MOLLY MOOOONN" when TikTok was mentioned in the context of fake video games. makes me happy about consuming the right type of content.

[@CasualIvory]

John always being so worried that people aren't gonna care about his content, when literally some of my favorite content is when people just go, "HEY LOOK AT THIS SHIT YOU SHOULD REALLY KNOW ABOUT IT" regardless of what it is, and then he shows me some of the highest quality horror mixed in with some other stuff that I very much already know and adore.

[@beachbones4050]

John's love and dedication to his essays are what makes his videos interesting, what he is talking about is completely secondary

[@8bitbit529]

@@beachbones4050exactly why he is my favourite channel on the whole site. I would literally watch an hour long video of him talking about some tumblr niche that’s obsessed with the history of lasagne and I would love it

[@andrewdilullo3635]

I like this idea of "Fake Video Games" as an intricate side-evolution of fan fiction with a McLuhanist deception. You present a fragmentary film that includes symbols, shapes and pieces that manage to deceives the audience into associating interaction within it, and in the process manages to make it more exciting. That's so fascinating.

[@Gadget-Walkmen]

It doesn't have to AT ALL be "fan fiction" based in the slightest, it can just be a video game concept art for a whole new IP that you have planned and you have it made into conceptual work in ANY form to illustrations, animations, 3D models, sketches that can present literally ANY game that you want to make in the production line-work that you have planned that's never really going to be turned into a full on game. It's just something that people do for fun, and it doesn't have to be for video games either, it can be concept work for comics/manga, movies, animated movies, and so forth. Anything really without having to entirely make a complete final product of it all.

[@BladedEdge]

How's your masters in literature coming along?

[@redwitch95]

It reminds me of the Goncharov meme (in the traditional sense) on Tumblr. They basically collaboratively made up a fake film based on a typo from the label of fake boots. It was utterly fascinating to witness.

[@andyghkfilm2287]

@@BladedEdge more like masters in shiteratute aM I RIGHHHT HAHAHAHAHAHA

[@BladedEdge]

@@andyghkfilm2287 No.

[@PBgreenA]

Honestly one of the most fascinating video essays I have ever watched about a topic that was infinitely more interesting than I expected it to be. Well done. Not wasted time at all.

[@ZombieJeff]

The amount of people I tried to tell about Vermis who’ve come back and mentioned it to me since this video came out is really exciting! Thanks for sharing it with everyone!

[@bornanime3255]

I joked with my friend that there were a lot of retro gimmick accounts that post fake screencaps with fake subs and how eyepatch wolf would probably make a video called "The bizarre world of fake media" or something. This release makes me feel very vindicated. Also glad to see you've come back from your quest to find the Dragon Balls or whatever.

[@DigitalWolverine]

The sad thing is there’s some really talented artists out there who make mock-ups of games just for fun and as a creative exercise but of course we can’t keep things simple now can we? Gotta build LORE around it all.

[@velvetdraws3452]

@@DigitalWolverine ??? whats wrong with that

[@WhitneyDahlin]

​@@DigitalWolverinehumans have been building lore about and around literally everything for all of human history 😂 how do you think so many religions came to be? Lore around storms and forests and rivers and death and child abuse and kidnappings and oceans and weird looking fossils, abandoned houses and caves. Whole fake races were believed to exist. It's part of human nature.

[@restfulori212]

@@velvetdraws3452 There's nothing wrong with it. Its a stupid complaint to have, that there's more to engage with a piece of art if you Choose to do so. If they don't like the LORE, as the put it, they can choose to not engage with it and treat it like it doesn't exist. This call for diminishing works is so bizarre to me.

[@ryanprytherick8468]

​​@@restfulori212 I think the idea is that some people feel like you can't just enjoy anything casually anymore without having to spend hours learning all this "pointless lore" which while some find fun others may see this as more time than they can be bothered to invest in something and would prefer to just experience it how it is. I don't think this but with "lore" becoming more popular I can see why people would see this as a chore that and a turn off from any niche series that to them may have just incorporated this for the sake of it, making it feel unnecessary.

[@imogenmangle]

got to 44:36 and just smashed pause. The project you're talking about at that point was made by my in real life best friend. We met when she sold it to me - I was tabling at a local art fair and she, a visitor, a customer, reached into her backpack and suggested I buy a copy of her book for ten pounds. I did - I was kinda stunned by her audacity but got swept up in the moment. Who knew that it was one of the most darling little books I'd ever own and that its creator would later become one of the most cherished people in my life. I'm so proud to see her getting this shout out - she really deserves it. Sammy is a genius creator and very kind person.

[@aryansinha1001]

Damn...that's a good story

[@ZeallustImmortal]

Its great

[@splendidland]

real

[@SentryWill]

'I know this person that appeared in the video' 'Source trust me bro' Edit: Scroll down before you reply to this comment

[@gipsyg27]

@@SentryWill>people can’t be friends with people who made niche online projects

[@cmarisco2750]

The secondary media portion really nails what ive found is the delta between the worlds i remember vs the worlds that were. Its technique is reminiscent of others that rely on the end user filling in the gaps. Hype is one such technique where we all collectively use our imaginations to envision a multitude of possibilites that enhances our anticipation. Suspense is yet another. But man, i do miss reading the old school players guides that had additional character art and backstories that complemented what i was actually playing

[@Cloudsurfer69]

this was totally incredible, you manage to make these intricate videos every time. thank you for your service! vermis is my fave :)

[@eyeofthebeholder_]

The last 40min of the video being called "introduction over" is such a flex.

[@OwenOrNewo]

Big Nier Automata energy

[@SunroseStudios]

we thought that was an error until we got to that point, then we felt silly for doubting the vision lol

[@aliasmcgames]

Vinland Saga moment.

[@RedVanBuskirk]

"So the question is-" (ad starts) "WHY AREN'T MORE PEOPLE USING MEDICAID AND MEDICARE?" you know, john eyepatch wolf, that's a good question

[@placeholder2937]

:o It Red from the intenet

[@mersenneprime1044]

1:00:02 "The best definition I have ever heard for horror is that horror is the dissolution of our world's boundaries.

[@Krein42]

>Beginning with the fake Persona 5 thing For reminding me of that piece of awesome, you have my ATTENTION

[@YourWaywardDestiny]

Fake videogames are in the same realm of play as fanfiction. We WANT to collaborate in make-believe, we WANT to go deeper, so we do. We know it's not officially sanctioned lore or sounds or characterization-- but humans want to play, and play with one another. So we do.

[@Ikcatcher]

If fanfics are what-ifs for the mind, fake video games are what-ifs for the eyes

[@kylec8015]

​@@IkcatcherWhat-ifs for the soul!

[@Saefisays]

Honestly, from the minute he brought up the 5 questions he'd answer, I immediately thought of fanfiction and how it's the same idea, just a different format.

[@Colddirector]

Something I really wish there was more focus on are fake let's plays. I know there's Petscop and stuff like it, but those tend to use the game as a lens to examine the "player" and his surroundings. What I really wish existed was a fake let's play where the focus is mostly on how _wrong_ the game is, with a player that's either entirely oblivious, sticking with it for money or just plain curiosity. I remember someone did something like this as a video supplement to a Contra 3 creepypasta, where the game was actively fucking with him. While it was amateurish I *loved* it because it scratched that itch.

[@H45556]

I came across Vermis at a local comic shop, they had only imported 5 copies of volume 1 and 2. I asked the guy at the front about it and he said “oh yeah people have been liking that one, you’re either all in or all out,” but I only bought volume one and left, read it cover to cover at a coffee shop, and turned right around and went to buy volume two. He just laughed and said “I told ya.” So glad I came across it it’s such a special work of art

[@crystalcain5974]

I'm so happy you made this video! I've been dabbling with this subject within my artwork and now I feel like I'm able to finally have a vocabulary for it. Thank you for working super hard on it!

[@quackquackx]

This channel is such a great find , not only does it have the super long kind of videos im looking for but i also immediately recognised that you are from my country too! 🇮🇪

[@pierrelecomte9859]

"Man, I'm on a tight budget this month... I really wish I wouldn't accidentally run into some piece of media I never heard about that would somehow combine dark fantasy and cosmic horror with stellar artwork and intriguing world-building !" * Section about Vermis starts * "... My will is so weak."

[@Zombiezay]

I just ordered both copies too *crying*

[@confused_reader]

I don't want you to go broke, but you should buy Vermis

[@ailiishot]

@@ZombiezayBruh I just copped Vermis and the apple quest monsters...

[@organMike]

Creating art about art and encouraging other people to engage with the art you thought it was worth creating art about is a worthwhile use of your time. At least, I think it is.

[@cahillcomics918]

Watching the ending over and over, I hope EyepatchWolf knows this is one of my fav bids ever, and is a real inspiration

[@angelgomes3825]

Your videos are always something I enjoy watching/listening to. You hit these certain itches my brain craves every single time, and also infor me of various little things I can look for myself (such as the many fake games mentioned in this video that I never heard about) which all manage to keep me entertained until your next video comes out. Keep making these videos, even if the topic is very niche as you stated towards the end, I like to believe that's a lot better than to make videos that fall under a trend that others just wanna leech off of for views. Do what makes you happy, the same way you encourage new content creators at the end. You are amazing, I hope to see more of you in the future.

[@JonoSSD]

Imo is goes beyond nostalgia, a lot of fake videogame art are the games we WANT to play made by people who love games, rather than the corporatized, overly-monetized, sometimes unfinished stuff created by mandate of some wall street group of execs solely to make as much money as possible for them. To push a brand. To renew a copyright. Sega could make a dark souls-like Demon Slayer game. But that would be a niche within a niche. It's far easier and more profitable to make the same arena fighter that has been done to death in the last 15 years with a Demon Slayer coat of paint over it and lots of DLC.

[@donovanfaust3227]

Anybody else kind of tired of the same talking points being repeated over and over again whenever you go to the comment section of anything discussing video games? If I had a penny for every complaint against corporations ruining games I would have enough to become a AAA game studio that ruins video games. Like yeah fuck corporations, I think we all agreed on this point awhile ago. I think what's even funnier about this comment though is that you're just swapping one over used money grab technique for one you prefer, which is still just another money grab technique, making a souls like to appeal to a large audience. Like wtf am I missing here?

[@Vee_Sheep]

Sega only published Hinokami Chronicles, it was developed by CyberConnect2 who also made Naruto Ninja Storm, JJBA All-Star Battle and Eyes of Heaven, .hack and Asura's Wrath also, what donovanfaust said, just replacing one cash grabby genre for an anime tie-in game with another that you prefer doesn't really solve the issues. what's to say a Demon Slayer souls-like wouldn't also be cheaply made just to push the brand? corpos have never owed people a good product regardless of format or genre also bold of you to call souls-likes "niche", 2013 just called lmfao

[@bloodeleine]

getting real sick of capitalism

[@TheFernandinho]

​@@donovanfaust3227 could end all the comment section at this point, you said it all

[@ebasongaming]

I believe the reason horror lends so well with fake video games, is that you can truly feel alone. You're experiencing a game that nobody has heard of, nor can anybody play. You're only getting glimpses of it, and most of it has to live in your own imagination. Nobody gets to, or is able to, step in to hold your hand. No publisher is there to regulate what can happen, and no budget can dictate the scope of what is possible. I believe that, especially in the case of the guide books, it is the best medium to utilize the capabilities of the mind's imagination. I love this stuff.

[@ctrl-alt-smile]

this video is what made me go for my own fake video game ive been wanting to make for 3 years now, the story itself ive been building for almost 10 years. its about someone who lives in a world of anthropomorphic characters but is human. I got the inspiration from animal crossing, i played it on my ds as a kid and always wondered why i was the only human and from there i built a world of my own. the player wears a fake animal mask, having told to wear it since they were a child as their parents werent sure what to do about their childs unusual appearance. it starts realistic, but as they get older they chose to go more and more simple with the mask until it resembles a caricature of an animal, completely defeating the purpose of said mask in the first place. id love to hear what yall think just from this brief description.. and i hope I can release some videos soon! :)

[@MineSlimeTV]

Greetings I suddenly took a peep at the newest comment and I'm so glad to see this! Personally it's sweet! Wherever media you can share it, do so! Working and writing in particular is also a media of instant gratification for putting something in paper. I admire it and even despite the worringsome idea, it had an almost sweet and gentle concept of truly, and simply - just like their design, of acceptance, where they all discover that even as 'animals' these feelings are what each to be considered 'human' or closest to it. It feels.. Honestly quite sweet. Such style feels like the most gratifying visual of story, something unusual yet seen normally, but also acceptingly understandable. It looks bizarre, a bit creppy and definetly scary but it's all an aspect of life, a different perspective and regard. In any case I adore it. If possible let, me know or tell where I can find it or even know more of it! Kudos and good luck!

[@baladar8436]

The bit about how older games have aesthetics from the limitations of the technology reminded me of horror movies. A lot of classic horror movies, like nightmare on elm street and Friday the 13th, have substantial budget limits for their special effects. Despite that, they made some of the best special effects for horror movies that hold up today.

[@silverriku12]

I love how you talked about game manuals. I remember getting FFVII in high school and seeing in the manual that Cloud was 5'7" and basically going "He's just like me for real" and now whenever i have to state my height that funfact pops into my head

[@jeyfromnowhere]

Love that. I always felt a direct connection to Link simply because he was left-handed, too.

[@juannaym8488]

I had the same feeling when they stated Jonathan Joestar's height in the anime

[@45Thawk]

Fun Fact, Hoolopee the artist who made the Elden Ring demake video is also the artist behind "Gwimbly" the in universe video game character who recently appeared in season 2 episode 1 of Smiling Friends, which i guess would also be an example of a fake video game lol

[@goese868]

Who the hell is Hoolopee

[@45Thawk]

@@goese868 The artist who made the Elden Ring demake video featured in the video

[@NEORandomMan]

Ooo ooo ooo!

[@goese868]

@@45Thawk I heard that he also made gwimbly in smiling friends

[@PanAndScanBuddy]

The Elder Ning demake is the creator of Gwimbly?! Oh damn I love Gwimbly.

[@McScruffie]

You kick ass at storytelling; great work! I’m still impressed by how much of an impression your deep dive into Garfield left with me. This video on fake video games with real stories was fantastic!

[@krebkrebkreb]

Vermis is one of my favorite things in the world. Vermis 2 might actually be my very favorite book. Thank you for this video; I’ve watched the last section several times now. What a beautiful celebration of this thing that is so wonderful.

[@OniriBoy]

Thank you for putting DreamBound as an example for your documentary! I feel honored that it was featured in this amazing video :D I've never come across anyone explaining and analyzing this trend of doing fake video games, and I'm glad you did it that well! This was so interesting and informative, and I'm so happy to discover all of these projects I would have never known without you, they are all very inspiring!

[@thisisaduckindisguise6206]

i’m super glad you got a spotlight in this video, your take on the world of kirby is ridiculously inspiring and charming!!

[@GrayderFox]

I saw a few pictures of DreamBound and thought, "man, that's really cool". Realizing there is more? And it's ANIMATED? I'm gonna hafta check this out. I did not know! :D

[@TemporalCollage]

when I heard you say "Valle Verde", I genuinely screamed. that series is EXTREMELY underrated and I'm so glad it's being recognized here

[@GmodPlusWoW]

Nick Nocturne clued me in on that series. And also Welcome Home, which is a pretty gorgeous unfiction project that echoes Sesame Street.

[@avereynakama9854]

Wow. This was really eye opening. I didn't know how much I needed to watch a video on this, but wow. Even though I've sat in the comments of fake anime trailers (freakin love ProZD), fake video game playthroughs, etc. somehow it never clicked that this was a genre. I mean, the ideas that were conveyed felt so real I never even questioned it. That's powerful. There is a ton to think about, but I for one am glad you posted this, man.

[@RadioPlastic]

This is the first time I've paid for a KZbin video. You basically made a 2 hr documentary. You deserve some compensation. Also, I'd like KZbin to reward long high quality videos like this. It used to be more like that many year ago. Thanks for keeping this genre of video alive. Its a lot of work.

[@grimle]

good man/whatever you identifi as

[@dotrichmusic]

All of his stuff is this good. Incredible artist here.

[@devinphillips9704]

There's a Japanese phrase, "mono no aware," the basic idea being an awareness of impermanence, and the gentle sadness of the passing of the things that once brought you a familiar comfort, if not outright joy. And a lot of these, especially the ones that tug at the strings of nostalgia and childhood, seem to be (to me, at least) different expressions of this concept. This was a joy to watch. Thank you.

[@AmazingOwnage]

What a fantastic video. Great music selection and even better “fake” video game media. Vermis sounds awesome! I appreciated how you set the ending to Max Cooper’s Repetition. Very fitting 👍

[@karentong8425]

You make everything interesting. This guy can make a video about any subject, be it golf, the royal family, people taking food pics, etc.... and I would still watch the video over and over and over.

[@Dantalliumsolarium]

“The emotion you feel while experiencing art Is The Art” I love this so so much

[@boobah5643]

Of course, by that metric the audience is at least as much the artist as the author.

[@Dantalliumsolarium]

@@boobah5643 in a way yah! The experience of art required someone willing to feel it! It’s not the same as creating, but it is it’s own unique wonder and art form! Letting yourself be open to the story and feeling of media is beautiful!

[@boobah5643]

@Dantalliumsolarium Dammit. Here I am trying to be cynical and you're all chipper and optimistic. Thanks. Seriously. Made my day.

[@maplebard1684]

Two things that I thought of while I was watching this video: 1. I think Vermis's world would be very fun to adapt into a tabletop RPG, hitting a lot of the same stylistic notes as Arc: A Doom RPG. Despair and hope. Loneliness and togetherness. Viscera and love. I think that a bunch of playbooks from that world working together to stop an apocalypse of a world that's already so broken despite not knowing what they are would be affecting, and I think I might do this at some point. 2. Something I think is a lot like "fake" video games is the concept of the short story. Some short stories in literature are meant to convey a complete story, but some provide more an encapsulation of a time period, the mood of a scene, or tell more through implication than through actual text. Having something similar for video games that don't require the same time commitment as a full game is really compelling. Solid video, and please don't worry about your topics being too niche or obscure. I became a casual wrestling fan through your videos, and now, I might become a fake video game fan through this one.

[@Bumbumcrit]

In the OSR scene Vermis has its own little community/subculture. It can be easily be adapted as a setting for any OSR System as they usually are pretty deadly

[@renharris6504]

You heard of the tabletop RPG Mörk Borg? It’s not 1:1, but it’s got a similar feeling. People just trying to make their way in an awful world on the brink of apocalypse. …You can try and be good people, but it’s also good if you just want to play a murder hobo game without feeling bad about it, lol. It’s not rules-heavy and I think the full base book PDF is available for free on the official website.

[@pablozambrano16]

The description you make of reading about vermis and not understanding what kind of game it is or how does it play, reminds me of when I was a child and read a guide about phantasy star that had just a few screenshots. The only games I played at that age were arcade games: beat em ups, shooters, run and guns, that sort of thing. I couldn't grasp this game in wich you talked to people, buy and sell objects and traveled a whole world, and apparently took days to beat. It was a complete mistery to me and I was quite obsessed with imagining how that was supposed to play. I didn't play an RPG until several years later with final fantasy 7.

[@scissors0009]

John, don't you dare think that any topic is too niche. This format is something that I would never for myself be able to explore with the passion that you do. And honestly, all of your videos are the same for me. You enable me to enjoy things vicariously which I would never explore for myself, and that is about as high of a compliment as I could pay anyone on this platform. So thank you!

[@CanterlotCrusader]

Exactly, it's only niche because most haven't taken the time to consider it, not because they wouldn't be interested in it. I feel like I've been introduced to a subgenre of a medium I thought I already knew all about, but it's so cool John is able to show off these cool things that just expand our horizons and appreciation for creative endeavors.

[@ChakatStormCloud]

this, 100 times this,

[@randompromises1038]

As someone with ADHD I just like when someone is either passionate about a topic or just really invested in it because I think that's just special. I research random things regularly and for some reason have a lot of information about Vocaloid. It's neat. I think it's very neat.

[@Yozora_Jan]

funny how smiling friends started its second season with a fake 90s mascot that now has box art covers, magazine pages and multiple videos of different types of games including a DS remake title screen. All off of one comedic episode.

[@surprisedlobsta8543]

Ooo ooo ooo!

[@mrtuber8207]

true, its kind of fitting this video is coming out the same time as the gwimbly meme

[@PanAndScanBuddy]

Gwimbly is so nostalgic in such a weird way.

[@Lechgang]

Every single long-form video on this channel is like a journey. I am terminally online and I have seen easily tens of thousands of videos on this platform. Your content is the only one to make me feel that way. You can make the simplest and most niche of concepts seem utterly enthralling and profound just by talking about it. That's a skill that I wish I had, and one that you should be proud of.

[@IndigoOmega]

Thank you for the new creators to follow!!! Your first gen crow shirt is one of my favorites and I can't wait to get more when I can 💙 I hope you keep it up!

[@NighstarLayla]

"Build those words so i can walk around them" That shouldn't hit that hard, but it did, it genuinely reinvigorated something in me, i been wanting to create a cutesy anime style beat em up fake game for a while, but im not that good of an artist, at least not yet, but after watching this i wanna try it out... I want to show it off and share my ideas and the world full of magic and wonder that i had always envisioned

[@VerboseVindication]

"I feel like this topic is too niche." *glances over at both Vermis books sitting next to my pc*

[@confused_reader]

me who just bought the new hard cover editions even though I already own both volumes