BLACK (PS2/Xbox): A Car Game About Guns

[@blackopsrocks]

I am the modeler and original rigger for all of the guns in Black. I cannot express enough of my thanks for making the video. It was by far my hardest project simply because Crit made rush decisions to go for the PS2 release even though we had development kits for impending console releases. Crit also mirrored my work, they emphasized animations and yes you are right, if it didnt test well (even though it was realistic) it was scrapped. I did almost 40 revisions of rigging and animators made thousands of changes. It became almost comical. Still, they paid well, I was serving in the US Army at the time and those guns are all based on a different operation flashpoint collection years before (Also made by me). Criterion didnt do anything badly that games arent doing today, and dont take this has a dig on Mike or Richard. We tried to rally the troops for a Black 2 360/ps3 release and the test level and new engine were the best of the entire genre. But I think everyone remembers the franchise domination that came to be. Criterion was purchased simply because they pioneered mocap outside of a dedicated studio environment and it ran on non specialized adobe software. Cheers guys.

[@Tha3rdworldghost]

Thanks for your hard work. Playing Black as a little kid was one of the best fps experiences I ever had.

[@MR.McMahon]

i always wanted black 2

[@Tha3rdworldghost]

@@MR.McMahon We all did. At least we got the first game. I still have it for the ps2.

Thank you for making my childhood happier, you're incredible.

[@lucasLSD]

You were a part of something magical and eternally remembered.

[@absoutezeo2126]

Finally, some Black appreciation.

[@dayytonafox8373]

As a black guy that’s knows this has nothing to do with race just know I approve

[@MortiefiedBear]

@@dayytonafox8373 I was waiting for that pun. You, sir, are a scholar and a gentleman.

[@MortiefiedBear]

As are you.^

[@MrARhodes]

Must be February. 🤔

[@lumerianknight2199]

I feel like there's a whole month for that

[@jebbyy32]

Black is the only video game me and my late step dad played to get. He'd never touched a controller before, didn't understand the other games but Black? He loved it. He would ask me after dinner once or twice a week for months to sit down and play the second level of black. I cherish that moment and likely will forever

[@xdirtyrandyx]

as a man who just lost his pops, this made me smile. thank you

[@psychoaiko666]

That's beautiful

[@jonislow]

Thanks for that memory

[@ian.swift.31614]

yup. another dime a dozen youtuber comment posting his personal life story and NoStAlGiA memory about a deceased parent/family member.

[@jebbyy32]

@@ian.swift.31614 you're a proper weirdo 😂

[@gatsbysgarage8389]

I remember being blown away by how good black looked for a ps2 game

[@Mr9Guns]

Same, it still looks good today but side by side with other games of it's vintage it was absolutely amazing. Younger people might not have the same understanding of it but those of us who remember when this game first came out know how incredible it looked! Things we take for granted on a lot of modern games like those reload animations were something we hadn't seen before to nearly this degree.

[@nisnast]

@@Mr9Guns Sony pushed for Killzone as a sort of response to Halo, but in comparison to Black, it looks like a game that came out at the start of the gen, it looks unimpressive, animations have no weight and it's not nearly as interactable, all that with worse performance.

[@Mr9Guns]

@@nisnast Yeah I'd agree with that. Killzone was a good game but Black was a truly spectacular one.

[@nisnast]

@@Mr9Guns Killzone was fun, I liked the multiplayer, but yeah, Black was better

[@itsmantras]

I feel so privileged to have found your channel so early. Unironically one of the greatest video essay\game reviewer channels on the platform. Wishing success for you brother

[@ChuckyNoz]

same, I was shocked at how high the quality of the content is compared to the subscriber count, 18.1k at the time of writing this, watch this space I reckon.

[@GameBoyyearsago]

Mantras give me that CHAD profile pic 😊😊😊😊

[@R3TR0J4N]

His an amalgamation akin to Ahoy, nakey jakey, etc format, but with his own touches for different set locations which keeps it entertaining. Wild he hasn't been a million sub/view channel

[@Duality333]

I played that last mission about a 100 times to the point where me and my buddy were speed running it and it never got fucking old.

[@mikedrop4421]

How did I not know that Criterion was a Cannon subsidiary? I always learn something from your work. Just another bit of proof that you are criminally underexposed. Edit: Also, I've said it before but I've gotta say something again.... Your editing is freaking glorious. The effects, graphics, transitions,😅 composition, color grading and other techniques I don't understand come together with your beautiful filming to make absolutely gorgeous 😂

[@GameBoyyearsago]

Shut up ukraine fanboy

[@R3TR0J4N]

Same I was like !?!?!?? I've only known them as far as being with EA

[@killercrook546]

I remember Black vividly, when I was younger I played it for what had to have been hours just shooting things, seeing what is and isn't destrctible in what to me seemed like a world built for destruction. I also remember me and a pal would make fun of how serious it was at times randomly throughout the day due to how out of character the cutscenes are to the actual game. also we need bloopers complilation after that final clip lol

[@318East]

I remember this being the first FPS that got me into the genre. It was, at the time, visually pretty stunning and easy to just pick up and play.

[@youhan9574]

Sean Murray, lead dev of No Man's Sky, was part of the team making Black, as well as the Burnout games. Just wanted to share that in case some would like to know ~

[@luislongoria6621]

FUN

[@noonyabeezniss4911]

No I'm not happy about that That man is a degenerate scammer regardless of how good NMS is now, that situation was so bad I'll never forgive or forget

[@d1ogo8351]

Isnt that the same guy who made CoD World at War's Soundtrack

[@oramaj8392]

@@noonyabeezniss4911you’re a weirdo loser for this comment lmao

[@rolandcook2556]

Black is the one PS2 title I really miss. It was the first title to allow you to blow up pretty much everything and not just the handful of objects you needed to progress. I loved it.

[@Funkm4ster96]

This game singlehandedly created my insane love for reloading guns as a kid and I still love it to this day. As a kid i played this game over and over again simply because it was just such a satisfying game to play

[@leeharrison5718]

we lived the same childhood

[@thavionhawkmkii4509]

"Story in a game is like a story in a porn movie. It's expected to be there, but it's not that important," John Carmack when speaking of Story's value to Doom. Criterion simply followed in id's footsteps making a game engine and games that relied on technical design and fun game loops to keep players engaged.

[@arkaua]

That's a terribly dismissive and reductive quote. Carmack doesn't even like video-games.

[@stickemup1275]

​@ark1048 The Last of Us would like a word, and after that, You have a meeting with The Walking Dead Lee & Clem Saga, Mass Effect, Bioshock, Disco Elysium, and Red Dead.

[@arkaua]

@@stickemup1275 I KNOW! That's my whole point, the Carmack quote is honestly horrible. It's completely dismissive of the genre and capabilities of video-games, and again, it goes to show how Carmack straight up doesn't even like video-games.

[@themanwithnoname4385]

That's like that stupid miyamoto quote about a rushed game. He's been proven time and time again to be false. The carmack quote is just amusing because of how wrong and badly it aged. Not long after he said that, we started getting games like Metal Gear Solid

[@YamashitaTsubasa]

Everybody replying to this denying its truthfulness should read a book instead

[@Boyo_the_Bear]

Do my eyes deceive me? An ace combat mention slipped in? now this I gotta hear your thoughts on

[@timmm_]

👀

[@thoughtsontape4283]

Black will always be one of my favorite games because it was one of my first. Graphics were absolutely incredible for the time.

[@nick1bravo125]

same for me

[@Ferrub777]

Just found out about your channel and was confused to see the low subscribers count along side this crazy high value production! I’m definitely waiting for the next video essay! PS: I was only able to buy one game per year when I was little, Black was one of my choices, played it till exhaustion, to this day I consider it to be the best FPS to ever exist.

[@TheCrimsonLupus]

I still remember the Asylum level: when you first enter, it is quiet apart from distant echoes and it was one of the best atmospheric game moments I have ever known...

[@Karakuioshi]

You look like Winter Soldier in the thumbnail :D Great video as always! I hope this channel will get to 1mln soon cause it deserves it!

[@voltzzswagga5301]

Gotta thank the KZbin algorithm for recommending me this. Loved playing Black on the PS2. Couldn't afford games that often so usually rented games from the local game store. When I saw it on the shelf I was immediately drawn to it. What a great experience it was getting to play that game. It cemented itself in my memory for being quite a spectacle in my young mind. Fast forward to the present , Me now owning an Xbox One and seeing Black got on the backwards compatibility list for Xbox I immediately went to the Microsoft store and I bought it. Even without the Nostalgia goggles, Black is still an incredibly fun game to play. Now seeing this video on it and learning new info about it makes me want to redownload it and try to 100% it

[@mf_therry]

Remember finally deciding to play this game. It’s crazy that I almost missed such a good game.

[@snakeeyes51]

I remember when I got this game on PS2 from like a box of miscellaneous used games, I've never heard of it before and my mind was blown how good the graphics looked, this looks like mid Xbox 360 lifespan game not PS2/og Xbox game. Details on the weapons and lighting were unmatched at the time. Fun game and now its in Game Pass on Xbox Series X so you can replay it in all its glory.

[@CarlosAlejandro.-ke6gr]

It was mindblowing back then when it was released, the ending fight was insane.

[@erickjoestar1561]

Fucking hell i gotta thank the algorithm for putting this in my recommendation tab, black was so underrated man, i remember talking about it to my friends in school back in 2010 and got them hooked on it. Still to this day i find the graphics way better than some triple A games coming out.

[@whiskeycorridor90]

Black shows how far you can go with a simple premise. I think the campaign couldve been at least another 3 hours long. But when every other game is trying to be more and more intricate with detailed envronmental interactions, Black shows us that, when done well, simply shooting and blowing up everything in sight is all you need for a fun game.

[@EmberfireKitsune]

Just look at Battlebit remastered. It's got the most simple graphics and incredibly destructive environments, and is built on the premise of making a fun, large scale, multiplayer battlefield. Supposed 'experts' were saying it'd never sell and it's now topping the steam charts.

[@deadstar2008]

where are these "supposed 'experts' "

[@justanotherface637]

First time watching one of your videos and the production quality it fantastic keep it up man

[@timmm_]

thank you, thank you!

[@Fernando_Ribeiro]

Holy shit man, what a fantastic production. Congrats on everything.

[@evillaughinthebackground5732]

The thing is: in Black, you don't matter, the story is just a formality, and every enemy and mission is just a set piece for the REAL protagonists: *THE GUNS* That's why they're in the title card, in the menu, why you zone out of everything when you reload, why it's such a huge event when you switch to the second one or find a new one: GUNS are frontline and center in this game, and the visual and audio feedback you receive from using them is as addictive as any frug out there I remember playing once, mag dumping the M249 SAW into a room, and my brother walked right pass me while blasting the audio almost to the max and asked me "damn, what the hell is that thing even firing? Hammers?". And yes, it felt like almost no other game has done ever since

[@jeanguylouisbourg]

this video is the only reminder i've ever had in my life that air blade wasn't just a fever dream I had as a 15 year old.

[@WahrerKuroKiba]

Oh great, another semi- "retro" game to add to the list of games I wanna play "some day" Okay I might actually end up playing it

[@DrGooseDuckman]

Some scoundrel has replaced the "M" with a "K" after your 18.8 subscribers lol. The actual definition of criminally undersubbed my brother. The skill and passion is evident in every frame. Well done lad. EDIT: that last bit with the angry tripod 😂😭👌

[@maniacmatt7340]

This was amazingly put together, written, and acted! Amazing work!

[@tvx208]

Cant describe excitement i feel when you post a new video. Your work is incredible man keep being awesome

[@MrInuhanyou123]

Black is certainly one of the best playstation 2 fps next to timesplitters future perfect. Great video

[@notfish]

this was fucking fantastic holy shit

[@RageR203]

Another title worth reloading in 2023. Thanks for the story, like your style - subscribing

[@SheolAbaddonus666]

This game is rigged bro. I've been stuck on Spetriniv Gulag for 20 years.

[@Luckyj714]

Found ‘em. This is the next big channel, guys.

[@scarfez557]

How the fuck does this video have only 1k vues, such amazing work

[@GameBusterInc]

I love finding great Tubers early on! Keep up the quality, and never let the haters or the algorithm determine what you make! Do what you love!

[@durtydean8430]

Greatest fps of ps2's time

[@Drew.DrivesYT]

the cemetary level of Black is one of my all-time gaming moments. grabbing cover behind the gravestones with the sun blinding your vision, bullets whizzing past and tearing down your cover.. man, on a PS2 that was something on a whole other level.

[@87GNX]

One of the best fps games, even still to this day.

[@cikame]

Love Black, ironically one of its weaknesses that it's a short simple first person shooter campaign becomes more of one of its strengths over time, in a world where we see one maybe two shooter campaigns each year as publishers focus on multiplayer. The best part? It wasn't alone, in 2006 the also British Rocksteady Studios put out Urban Chaos: Riot Response for the PS2 and Xbox, a different flavour for sure but with hard hitting gunplay and some creative twists on the genre those games are intrinsically linked for me, Urban Chaos delivers a more complete experience, but Black is the naughty brother convincing you to throw bricks through windows.

[@cheeeeezewizzz]

Oh wow, your content is great. Your production quality!

[@802Garage]

What a fantastic video! I learned so much. Black has always stuck in my mind as a uniquely artful shooter. I don't mean it is artistic, though it is, but that it truly captured fun like almost no other shooter can. It was beautiful and it does hold up well. I remember spending so much time shooting each letter off a street sign just because. I forgot it was by Criterion, but it makes so much sense. Burnout: Revenge is one of my favorite car games ever and for the exact same reasons. It was uniquely beautiful and just plain fun. I don't usually like arcade racers or arcade shooters. These two games are total exceptions. It all adds up. If anyone hasn't played through Black on hardest difficulty, they're missing out. Fantastic challenge. Thanks!

[@autumnsolstice1479]

Oh my God. Your production quality is insane. I hope your channel blows up. I'll be proud to have been since your pre-20k days!

[@PriceNotRight]

How dare you have such high quality videos at this size.

[@Gameprojordan]

This is probably the only game where it's considered gun porn despite the guns being extremely innaccurately depicted compared to their real life counterparts

[@ROMSradio]

I remember being hugely impressed by this game. A shooter by an unknown developer that just came out of no where. The visuals and gameplay alone were enough for replay value

[@sickSNIPE316]

Played recently on Xbox Series X, holds up well.

[@opticalsalt2306]

Holy shit your editing is beyond phenomenal. I’m just in awe

[@prettyformality137]

the production of this video definitely gets a sub from me

[@FeelingShred]

(spoilers-free comment...) This game was funny, at first try I could not feel it very much, the 1st level was not a good representation of how good the game could be in my opinion... And then I still remember the feeling when I was at the start of the 2nd level near the (...redacted...) and then it hit me "Holy shit I can do this in this game?? Awesome!!" And then it ended up becoming one of my favorites ever

[@swissflxw2091]

Great game, great editing, great presentation... Im happy

[@ROCKSTAR3291]

Mindlessly fun, that's what Black is. I love how this game still has a cult following. Black and FEAR still have the most satisfying gun play for me.

[@jdpowell6405]

Black is such a great game. I've played it many, many times. So nice to see it being talked about.

[@alexuh55]

Your channel's gonna boom, I'm sure of it

[@catsinbed7634]

Man the effort in this video is honestly impressive and hey, a video about a shooter by my favorite racing game developer? Sounds wonderful! Honestly, there's so much work evidently put into the production of this video, but i personally found it quite cheesy and overdone at times. The constant "the game does x and it knows that but it doesn't let you know that it knows that because it knows that you don't know what it knows...." gets a little comical after a while. Such a sentence has impact once or twice but after that it just becomes less special with each time. Overall i also found this video quite messy. It lacked a clear structure for me (or in the case of such a high effort video, a clear plot thread). It felt a little all over the place for me. I hope you find this critique useful. I'm only so motivated to do it because it's obvious that you really care about your creations and so I felt like such feedback might be appreciated.

[@Caffeinated-DaVinci]

I rented it from gamefly back in the day and I HATED this game. There was so little story so I was confused right off the bat, then the 2 levels I got through before deciding 'enough is enough' and sending it back didn't have ANY of the destruction I see when everybody talks about it with nostalgia. The weapons were wimpy the sound design was tinny and echoy, it just didn't work for me. I don't remember if there were difficulties or not but if so, I played on the easiest and the game was still killing me in a single shot to the point that it was more frustrating than fun. This game doesn't look like the one I played either, the graphics in this video look FAR better than they did when I played it. I've been wanting so badly to pick it back up again and see why everybody gushes over it, to see what exactly I was missing when I tried it. This doesn't look like the game I played in the slightest.

Still wating for the sequel: Back in Black.

[@Phantron]

Black is like the purest of FEARs and Resident Evil 4s gunplay and the latter game's self awareness compressed into a block of ice that maybe melts after a while but winter will be back.

[@LegendaryDJ]

This game was one of my first memories on PS2, absolute classic FPS game that has surprisingly stood the test of time better than pretty much any other FPS game of its generation for the tone and gunplay alone.

[@skyder2398]

This man needs an oscar for his god level editing

[@VisionCityMayor]

dude your editing is CRAZY for how small ur channel is GOD DAMN-

[@sublime90]

this was really well done, amazing work.

[@Ikcatcher]

I'm honestly glad Black was just a single game, I feel like making a sequel would just ruin the appeal of what made Black unique

[@762cat]

Black has been and continues to be the best first person shooter I’ve ever played. It’s time that there’s a remastered version released

[@om3g4z3r0]

I always wondered why they didn't made a Black 2 but now i still do, thanks.

[@TheBlitzgundam]

This video was recommended to me, and while I never played Black in the PS2, it was indeed a better looking game than some FPS shooters at that time.

[@chakirfri]

When I discuss old games with my friends, I always mention "Black" as one of the most advanced and graphically stunning games. I'm glad someone is giving it the appreciation it deserves

[@Sentient6ix]

This is the second of your videos that i've watched. The first was the ace combat video. I loved how you did that one. This one convinced me to subscribe. I used to have Black for PS2. I spent so much time playing that game when it first came out. Had to convince my mother to be present with me when i bought it. I was 15 at the time, flippin burgers for a local Dairy Queen. Grew up on the PS2, and AC5 was my introduction to Ace Combat. The PS2 era of gaming was a special time for me

[@IpoopThere4IAM]

Fun Fact - There is actually one attainable med-kit on Black Ops mode, in the Nazran Town level. It's hidden under rubble inside a demolished building just after you leave the trenches. If you've found it - you've truly played BLACK. If you haven't...keep playing.

[@skyhorseprice6591]

Well. I just watched your Ace Combat video, which was awesome enough to get me to put forth wrath upon the like button, and then subscribe. You see, because Ace Combat is one of the 4 most loved and influential video games that Ive ever played. So ....hell, why not? Why not scroll down and see what else you've got going on here.....aw no. No freaken way. The second video of yours I've ever watched... ...is about the second game in my Top 4 Games Tier. Black. This game is the one. Its the one that turned me from a noob with piss poor skills into a damn good sniper and One-Shot-Head-Shot marksman. It's the game that taught me about using cover and taking down enemies at range with one shot. It also taught me about the dark joy of unloading clip after clip from a rapid fire weapon that should be mounted in the bed of a 2 ton pickup truck, but in Black I can carry it. And the RPG. THIS game ...man, I wound up dying so many times because the _entire environment_ was destroyable! I'd just get all gargle-eyed, blowing up garbage cans and rupturing doors with the SPAS 12....and wind up getting shot by some guy with a pistol who snuck up behind me. But not before he called out for pizza and enjoyed his meal while being entertained by my effort to blow up every car in the city with my SPAS & my RPG. 👁️👀👁️🤣😹😂😅 🤜💥🤛 Dude. Tim. Thats 2 videos in a row about 2 of my most beloved games. 😁💯/💯

[@QIKUGAMES-QIKU]

The old computer game BLACK isn't bad at all. The bridge was the only pain in the butt

[@mab2187]

This is the first time I'm learning that BLACK was a good game, I bought it and played the early levels a few times but I didn't find it fun and just dropped it. Maybe its because I was just a kid and didn't had the ability to contemplate what was going on the screen, I was like "press button, see what happens on screen" mentality. Burnout 3 Takedown was my Jam! really loved it. Now After this I'm gonna play BLACK and Burnout 3 on my PS2 Emu. Experience why BLACK is considered good and what I missed out on and relive Burnout 3's nostalgia.

[@tacticalspecimen4252]

I swear when I first played black back in the day I thought this game was best looking game ever!!

[@PossumMedic]

Burnout 3 was amazing! One of the few Xbox games I never resold! and back then I had to sell my old game to get a new one 😅 Edit: 11:10 - The 'Network Adaptor' was the add-on you needed for online play. The Multitap was to add 4x more controllers and memory card slots. Very well made vid! Thanks! :D

[@darthkupi]

Your take is absolutely spot on. Just compare this to the other so-called "halo killer" Killzone on ps2, that also has great graphics, an actual story (poorly told), multiplayer with bots (which I greatly appreciated) and meaty gunplay. But its bogged down with all the above. Black just makes shooting fun and leaves you to it, making me replay it on ps2 from time to time but I'll never replay Killzone probably.

[@randomuser3555]

When this became backwards compatible on X-Box One X with enhancements I damn near shit myself! I STILL play it to this day on my Series X. Oh if only I could play on PC...

[@Astoratatouille]

WTF IS THIS CHANNEL WHY IS IT SO GOOD ?????? you're a movie student ????

[@NightRogue77]

Yoooooo YAHTZEE lol - I hit the algo jackpot baby! Bro no doubt - you are goin up, up, up, up my friend. LOVE ur stuff so far! Lolol the ending outtake 🤌🏻

[@StriderStryker]

Finally! An underrated shooter game that isn’t Call of Duty or Battlefield! What a time to be alive.

[@lilium_lili]

the way you present the game is unmatched, insta sub and liked

[@dragonfly2936]

Timm is just someone who fucking *gets* it. Nails on heads for literal days man. I love your analysis and your enthusiasm is infectious! 100/10 out-fucking-standing.

[@TheFly212]

It's 4k/60 fps on Series X and Xbox One X. So there's actually a remastered version. It's just only on the Xbox high end consoles lol.

[@VonSlakken]

Subscribed in the first couple minutes. I can tell this will be quality content. BLACK was such a cool game. Burnout 3 + Revenge were awesome as well.

[@kindbud]

ive never played black, I own it on xbox from free games that they give out, guess I have to try it now

[@Shamutus92]

The production value is amazing for a channel this small! How does this guy not have 2 million subs allready?

[@antwanharris8902]

Finally a video about black made by EA u legendary bro. Aye who remember the dudes with the fucking shotgun. On expert he will one shot u. 😂😂

[@johndoe7270]

I wish they would remaster/remake/re-release Black. I had it on the OG xbox and it was a damn good time back then. I played this game when I was stationed in South Korea. It was a blast to play when I was off duty. Not too complicated or tedious either. One of those games you could pick up and just play without too much trouble.

[@lurtiskoe]

i remember my friends brother playing this back in the mid 2000's and me being a pc only guy hooked on Unreal Tournament 2k4 and Quake still i was impressed. good write up on this. still never got to play it

[@OCTO358]

"The Greatest First Person Shooter Of All Time", lol. Not even close. It looks great for a PS2 game, but that's the only thing it has going for it.

[@K3NnY_G]

7:55 - Haven't played this sense I rented it some age ago from blockbuster. Remembered this bit like I played it yesterday...

[@brairag5744]

My main dream is that they release BLACK on PC. So I don't have to dig up my old console from wherever its buried. A great game.

[@zombiemachinery4868]

This game screams for a remake or a sequel.

[@isaacestes1606]

Dude! Love the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. patch on your shoulder in the beginning!

[@RSNTM3NT]

Bring me back to the early 2000s. Man, those were a good times back then.

[@FeelingShred]

one of my favorite games ever is related with Canon cameras???? awesome awesome 🤘🤘👍

[@FisherTPS]

I never really got into this game, i always just thought it was stupid. still dont get it. awesome videos!

[@MrSeatbelt]

HUH? 2 months ago and only 11k views? the quality is of a channel 10-20x its size, insane.