CO-OP, episode 0003 - F.E.A.R.2 and Flower
matt chandronaitWatch it here, or head on over to our YouTube Channel and subscribe! We suggest that you play Flower before watching. It'll only take you around two hours and we felt we needed to open the whole game up to discussion!
Valentine's day. With a bunch of nerds trying to produce a weekly video game show on a shoestring budget, t'is a day that must live in infamy.
Anthony Gallegos of RebelFM/Eat. Sleep. Game. fame swings on by to lend his awesome, 'fro-covered brain to our F.E.A.R.2 discussion. JayFresh and Rob aren't intimidated by said 'fro, however, and join in for the sit-down on why the sequel is better than the original.
Unsurprisingly, thatgamecompany delivers on their promise with Flower. This segment brings back former EGM staffer Giancarlo Varanini along with another RebelFM/Eat. Sleep. Game. member in the form of Nick Suttner—who may be showing up on CO-OP for the last time—join Ryan and I to talk about our deeply satisfying experience in a wholly unique experience in the gaming-verse.
Finally, we know we said there was a pretty big announcement coming this week, but unfortunately we're going to have to delay that just a wee bit longer! It'll be worth the wait, I promise! One thing I've figured out by morphing into "the business guy" for this operation is that sometimes how quickly things move is entirely out of your control. The news is burning a hole in my brain in that same way a dollar burns a hole in the pocket of a fifth-grader, but hopefully I--and you--can hang on just a little longer :)
Digg us, subscribe to our YouTube Channel, watch the show and then come back and let us know what you think! We do this for all of you, so your feedback is essential to us going forward! <3
Oh, and, of course, you can download the file on Vimeo.
Reader Comments (61)
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Wonderful show! I already loved the last ones, but you seem to have found your "beat" for Co-Op. I'm really enjoying the shows, worth every cent I donated. If you could keep a consistent storyline or theme going between episodes (e.g. with the whole "too little space for all those people"-thing), that'd be even more awesome.
I really liked the Flower discussion, a bit spoilery video maybe, but I don't care in the least. I don't own a PS3 and if I did, I would have already bought Flower and played through it. On the whole I like discussions with spoilers way better anyway, as they tend to be much more substantial. However, I really want a PS3 now, just because the game is even more interesting than I initially thought. So, Nick already worked his Sony PR magic, it seems.
Thanks for keeping this up! You guys rock!
BTW, this post is uncategorized, I guess it's not supposed to be.
Loved the humor here. The endearing nature sure feels a lot more sincere than the previous "snack." This is a big reason why I have always enjoyed you guy's work.
Great episode guys keep up the good work. As a fellow gamer without a job I know how hard it can be the get things done (and afford games) with no income. Good to see you guys doing well and putting these shows out! :)
I watched the episode last night, a spoiler warning would of been nice at the time.
(Best episode ever btw)
That was THE best episode you have ever done; 1UP show included. I really respect the direction you guys are going in, and the little bits of narrative in between the games is genius. I agree with DerBonk, the next step would be consistent narrative; if you make the show a little bit longer, you could have something like "the day in the life of gamers" which could be something special.
Anyway, great show, keep up the great work.
I really appreciate all the feedback here, everyone. This episode was really fun to make. I was happy to be able to convince Kim to appear in the segments. Thankfully, she did, and her work paid off.
When we put so much emphasis on the narrative, I worry about how everybody will receive it. Obviously, this episode won't be for everyone, but I'm tremendously glad you all enjoyed it.
That said, we were laughing pretty constantly while we were putting it together. So, I guess that should have been a good sign.
Yesterday, while reviewing the narrative, Jason, Rob, and I watched the three narrative segments twice in a row to make sure everything was in good shape. Afterwards, we watched it all in reverse! It's actually pretty hilarious to see backwards. It looks/sounds like an Eastern European short film or something. Anyway, if you want another laugh at our expense, run it backwards.
Thanks for watching!
-r.
Great Show guys
I really like the little "stories" between the game segments, it makes the show a bit more personally, and special.
One little thing I am sure you are aware of now, is that we need some kind of spoiler warning (even though Nick did mention it quick when he started talking about the change in the game) when you do a segment where some of the twist or story twists are revealed, but Im sure you are aware of this next time, luckily I had finished Flower when I saw this episode 8-)
Great work Guys keep up the good work.
The ending was perfect! Great show guys, keep it up!
Great episode guys. The narrative is always funny, but the dinner and ending were pretty hysterical if you ask me. You guys seem to be doing the show pretty well on your own right now. I mean, to be honest the episodes of CO-OP are better than anything any other game site puts out. Yeah, some sites have podcasts but they feel so generic and disconnected to the viewer. I'm really glad you guys have done so well quality wise since you guys started Area 5.
I was wondering if someone can answer a question for me though:
A couple weeks ago I asked this in another comment, but I thought I'd ask again. Obviously, you guys are all still friends with the ex-1UP guys and most of you have your own shows/podcasts going. The two most popular are obviously CO-OP and the Rebel FM podcast. I'm just wondering why not put all of your creative work on one website? For the fans it would basically be 1UP with a new name, and you guys in charge. It would also help with advertising because instead of a bunch of different websites you can have one website with loads of traffic, and a bulk of content.
Just thought I'd ask this....
Well, thanks for the great show guys. Keep up the good work. People appreciate the work you're doing.
That's a totally fair question, Matt, and it did cross our minds! In fact at one point there were some people pitching us on that idea. There's a lot of factors going into why that won't work out that I can't talk about. Sorry, I don't mean to be coy, it's just that a lot of our friends have things in the works and I don't want to inadvertently jeopardize what they're moving toward :)
As to the comments about spoiler warnings...
You're right! We'll do that in the future! Sometimes, particularly with a game like Flower, you just can't talk about it at all without talking about the whole game. Given that it's about a 2-3 hour experience, warning people ahead of time to play the game is something we should've thought of, so sorry for that. In the future we'll have a spoiler logo come up or have someone in the segment say it more clearly (Nick did say it, but that was probably too subtle when you're already invested in watching the show :) ).
That was a great show guys! At first I was a little doubtful about where the dinner scene was going, but as usual you pulled it off. I can't wait for the next episode. You're always a welcome break from my Saturday school reading marathons. Keep it up!
I really enjoyed this episode of CO-OP and I'm digging the direction you're heading toward. The narrative segments are fun because you each have such great personalities, it's the reason why I've watched the 1up Show since the very first episode. I can understand that you'd want to keep the narrative parts brief so they don't interfere with the games coverage sections, but it's refreshing in between.
A question about the Co-OP/Area 5 studio: Will you guys be moving into an office space? If so, I honestly hope it doesn't happen too soon. The apartment setting feels more intimate and personal than four walls and cubicles.
Fantastic job, guys, can't wait to see more.
That was an awesome episode! How any bikes do you need? There's loads of them!
Thanks for answering my question Matt. I understand that you gotta keep some things private, so no worries over being coy. I was just curious to if this ever crossed your mind before.
Anyways, all the content ex-1UPers are putting out is great. Can't wait to see what you and the other guys have in store.
Keep up the good work
In reply to matt
February 21, 2009 at 12:02 pm
I totally agree Matt, and I would also have been disapointed if you did not talk about the whole "game" and I'm glad that you did, because it is such a vital part of the experience that is Flower.
Awesome show, guys. I agree with other folks here - the narrative was really fun to watch. I always enjoyed that element of The 1UP Show, but this episode really brought it to maturity. Keep it up.
Watching your discussion of Flower (Which is an INCREDIBLE game), I was thinking that it would be cool to have a place where fans of the show could discuss your commentary as well as share their own. Have you thought about putting up a forum? The tone you are setting with CO-OP could foster a community of pleasant, thoughtful discussion that doesn't exist elsewhere.
Thanks for doing what you do!
Great show guys! I love it. Would probably pay money for high VIDEO quality episodes. I mean, the actual content is awesome.
Keep up the great work!
Really awesome show. One of the best, for sure.I think that bringing the show inside a "home" like this opened up a whole new dynamic to it. It has a "sitcom" flavor that the old 1up show almost had, but now you've successfully nail it. Keep it up!
I'm only 5:00 in, but I had to stop to say that this episode is already brilliant!
the narrative of the show is really, really great. i laughed out loud several times XD
I enjoy the narrative in your episodes (although, don't ever make it the focus!) and not only did this episode feel like the first where you guys are "really back" but this was easily one of the best of all time. Both reveals of the crew were hilarious, you couldn't have pulled it off better!
Probably the best episode yet gentlemen, and lady, well done. The last scene was as memorable as the Kathleen and John scene from a couple years ago. Keep it up, you guys are the best in the biz. Amazing, amazing, amazing. Revision 3 needs to add you to their lineup. Much thanks.
[...] romantic, simple, spinach, Videogames, videogaming So I was watching the latest episode of CO-OP (which if you haven’t watched yet you totally should for the latest and best video game [...]
Great episode as usual! Loved seeing Kim on camera (shes so adorable and funny). BTW I noticed you were eating my leftovers during the dinner scene, although the chicken was not mine...I would NEVER make dry chicken haha.
Anywho, if anyone wants the recipes I figured Id put them up for those of you looking to make a romantic dinner for your partner...or just something delicious to munch on while playing Fear 2 ;)
http://domesticgeek.wordpress.com/2009/02/22/co-op-recipes-part-1-quick-n-easy-spinach-rice/
Yea, Seana! Awesome post! Everybody hit up that link and make yourself some of her delicious spinach rice. I can't wait for the curry noodle recipe. :)
http://domesticgeek.wordpress.com/2009/02/22/co-op-recipes-part-1-quick-n-easy-spinach-rice/
Like everyone else had said, fantastic episode guys. Also big fan of the narrative work. Sad to see Nick gone for good(?) though!
Like someone above mentioned, maybe you can have someone like Revision3 pick you up and handle distribution and possibly ad/money worries for you! CO-OP next to Totally Rad Show would be pretty rad to me!
Beats last week's episode to be the new best show you guys have made (1up show included). Really funny stuff, keep it going!
My friend said this the other day "Ryan is so nice, you just want to hug him" and i agree %100. Ryan is adorable.
Each show, you guys manage to step it up even further. I love all the humorous clips between the segments; I was laughing out loud at all of them. Also, I really like how you put those 24-esque "multi-panels" together, where you show both the gameplay and you guys discussing the game at the same time.
You're really finding your stride, and things are only getting better. I'm eager for what the future has in store for this show.
Keep up this excellent work, and thank you so much for bringing it to us every week!
When the 1up show was lost to the ages, it created a wound in my heart, a wound that I thought could never be filled. Sure, I attempted to fill it with drugs, alcohol, and women, but I never forgot you.
Then, I saw Co-op, and I was amazed, I was intrigued, I was enamored. My heart could not take another wound, it may... it may kill me.
Do you want me to die?
So I guess when I say I'm not too big on the in-betweens and skits I'm in the minority, huh? They certainly turned up now and again on The 1UP Show and I always thought they were kind of hit and miss... the ones in this episode were cute, but I prefer watching you guys act natural than to see the whole joke setup/payoff routine. As I said, I thought they were cute, but it did seem a little forced and weird... I wonder if we're headed for sitcom territory and that worries me a little. To nitpick a little more -- a couple of them also came off as disjointed. There was the bit where Jay had to pee and the one where Matt's quiet time was interrupted by a Street Fighter IV parade... it seemed to me you could have dropped those more than anything else. :\
BUT
Other than that, I thought it was a great episode. I especially enjoyed the Flower discussion. People on message boards have been talking about how amazing the last stage is and all that (stage 6), but I totally agree that stage 5 is the most important to the game. For the first time in the game, the tone drastically changes and takes you to a place you aren't expecting at all, and it forces you to play the game differently and start thinking about it in a different way. I thought it was brilliant and it totally cemented my feelings on the game. The last stage is certainly fun, but I was kind of expecting it, whereas stage 5 totally hit me out of nowhere.
I should also point out that I didn't really like either of Jenova Chen's previous games -- Cloud had an interesting narrative but wonky game mechanics while Flow played well enough but was boring as hell. I feel Flower is the first game of Chen's that's been totally successful in both areas. I'm excited to see what he does next.
Let me tell you why what you do is important. At various times in my life I have not had much money, but I still desired to continue with my videogaming hobby. I still remember one very disheartening experience I had thanks to an inept game reviewer. It was back in the later days of the Commodore Amiga era, and so this was pre-internet, pre-YouTube, and the only way to get information on a new game that came out was through magazine reviews.
I was unemployed at the time, and my parents had just moved down to a small town in the middle of bumfuck nowhere. I had no friends, hardly any money, and videogaming was my one real source of joy at that time. Of course, being unemployed, a full-price videogame was a massive investment of my limited funds that I could not afford to get wrong, so like any intelligent and savvy individual I did my research. I forget the name of the (British) magazine in question, but I'll never forget the review. It was of Heimdall 2, an isometric adventure game for the Amiga. I had never played the original Heimdall, but it had received generally favourable reviews as I recall, and I adored adventure games back then. Usually though, adventure games tended to be fairly short, and lacked replayability. This review however, stated that Heimdall 2 "was a massive game that should provide a player with months of entertainment". I'm paraphrasing, but it was explicit in telling me that it would last months. Months. So I bought it, and I played it, and I kind of enjoyed it. But the important part was that I finished it on the 2nd day. It wasn't even particularly hard, there were no stumbling blocks that might have tripped up a reviewer, and having come on a series of diskettes you had a clue in those days of how far into the game you were. I was livid, because someone being bad at their job had just led me to spend almost all the money that I had on something that was supposedly going to last me a long time. This was before eBay, and even before exchanging a game was easily done, so I just had to sit and look at a worthless game sitting on my shelves that had eaten all my money and provided me with just 2 days of distraction.
This is where you guys come in. It would be easy to say that these days that a bad review is meaningless, because there are so many meta-review sites, alternate viewpoints, and information streams, that gamers no longer need to trust a single reviewer before spending their money. I would say that in many cases the opposite can be true now though, that we have an information overload. It has almost come full circle in that finding reliable information in the noise of the internet becomes difficult. Ultimately gamers (or anyone) need to find a group of people that they can trust, and get to know, and then be able to follow them on a longterm basis. I've gotten to know what you guys like and dislike, so I can judge what you say against what I know about you. You are honest with your opinions, fair with your criticisms, and brave enough to call bullshit when a game requires it. Most importantly, you show gaming footage in context to illustrate your points, good and bad, so those of us who might be planning to spend money on those games can decide for ourselves if your points are valid.
I've been playing videogames ever since my first computer, a Commodore Vic-20. The 1UP Show was the only good gaming TV show that has ever existed. It died, but the people that made the show, you guys, are doing everything you can to keep alive the dream that a quality, independent show about videogames can exist and thrive to the benefit of all gamers. And the boy who once spent every last penny on a game that didn't deserve it thanks you, and wishes you every success.
Well done, you guys are really finding your stride. It's got the trade mark wit and depth you guys were known for.
How can we help? Besides donating, what helps you the most?
Should we subscribe to the youtube channel? Digg it? Click the google-ads?
(I know, all of the above, but perhaps there is one succes metric that is perticular important when negotiating with potential advertisers or partners)
Glad to see you guys stuck together btw. Was gutted when I heard the 1UP show got axed.
Keep up the good work!
And now, to something completely different...
In the 1UP Show, the office was treated as a set. There were extensive decorations (action-figures and rare games) and the whole concept of the super-cool gamer-office where everybody talked and played games all day long was thoroughly used throughout the show.
Now, the show has moved, and I think you should consider just how you would like the new setting to come across. The story of this episode, with everybody cramped in, was very good and sweet, but for me, I could use a little more 'romance'.
This first show conveyed that sense where the living room was filled with great people who just happened to pop over to talk about games. Make me believe it is that type of place, instead of watching messy shelves of bottles and upside-down bikes.
Basically, clean up the place (sorry), don't use a cluster of bikes as backgrounds in shots; make me believe in the idea that Ryan's house is an attractive, amazing place, just like you made me believe in the wonders of the Ziff offices.
Best episode to date. I subscribe to your podcast because I care about what you have to say about games, but it's the little "funnies" between the segments that really make me come back. In this episode, they were the best. I agree with previous comments that they should be consistent within a single episode, but an overarching story would be too much for a videogame podcast. I want to be able to pick an episode where you discuss a game I want and understand the "funnies", not have to follow them in a specific order like a sitcom or be left in the dark.
I disagree with MrCase. I like the bikes where they are, makes the place feel just as natural as the office felt. Honestly, I think what made the locations for the 1Up Show great was the personal touch and what is more personal than you own frakkin home?!? My favorite location was the ice cream place though, I really liked the "vibe" there. Maybe it's because I'm from Europe and it's different over there, but I actually find your place just different, yet familiar enough to be a really interesting location.
About the "story arch" I suggested:
I don't think this should be something too elaborate, but I'd really like to find out why Matt was trying to read that particular book and so on. Just little things. On the whole I really don't want a daily soap or something. I mean, at the moment, you already have some sort of over-arching narrative going with the whole "how are we gonna pull this off?!?"-arch and I really, really enjoy it.
Hey guys,
Great show! It was entertaining as always. Here is what I personally want to see. Three games per show and more random skits in the future. I liked the narrative in this show. It worked and was funny however I would not want to see a consistent narrative because I think it would limit creativity. I enjoy the crazy, out there skits you have done in the past like the one with Rob being attacked by the fallout dude. Keep it up!
Eric
It never fails. Invite people into your home, and someone criticizes how it looks.
Don't let anyone pressure you into cleaning up your place. I think the way it looks now really adds to the intimacy, and gives the show a more authentic feel in my opinion. Who hasn't kept bikes in their living room, dining room, or hallway before? Besides, a place that's slightly messy is what you'd expect when a bunch of gamers share a space with each other, who are also all working very hard to create a weekly show, Snacks, and dealing with whatever else may be going on at the time.
Eric - We're always trying to think of new ideas for skits/narratives that will catch the viewers attention in a unique and humorous way. If we did not have some type of consistent story line or setting at least, those "Rob being attacked by the Fallout dude" episodes would not pack the punch that they have in the past.
Basically if we go to an unorthodox style constantly then that becomes the new style, if that makes any sense. But don't worry, there is more funny random and crazy stuff coming down the line soon.
-Rob
Ryan's g/f is hot. That is all.
Oh that was just totally great! Way to go guys for your best episode yet!
The dinner and the ending were absolutely incredible. Totally laugh out loud funny. You conveyed that very well.
Thanks for producing such great content!
Congratulations on another great episode.
Funny, informative, and so well done. You guys are brilliant!
Wow, this was excellent guys, the effort you're putting in really shows - it keeps getting better.
Without a doubt, the best show you guys have every put out. I loved it! The story narrative was funny, the review segments were insightful, etc. I did beat Flower first (thankfully), and you guys were able to put into words some feelings I had while playing it that hadn't actually formed actual cohesive thoughts. Now I don't have to do it, 'cause you did it for me. Keep up the good work! I don't see how losing your job makes you better at it, but congratulations, you've done it!
Really loved the show guys, well done.
I would like to know If you guys are looking for other jobs or are
you really trying to get this going as a business?. Also where
would you like to see yourselves in a years time?, a new office,
in the same location. Are you going to have a site where you
review new games as you all have great writing skills or will
you farm out the reviews to other sites?.
Great work and keep it up :D