PSYCHO GORILLA GAMES

 

SPECIAL TRIBUTE:

DAVE AND STEVE'S VIDEO GAME EXPLOSION

2001-2002

 

Fuck what you know, or what you think you know, about the world of videogames.  In an age when gaming is big business and advertising revenue runs just about every gaming-related publication in existence, you're bound to get the same hack bullshit reviews:

"The Nintendo 64 version of The Legend of Zelda is the BEST GAME EVER!"

"Halo 2 is the BEST GAME EVER!"

"Final Fantasy X could be, without a doubt, the BEST GAME EVER!"

 

I don't care which publication or website you decide to check out.  Whether it's IGN, EGM, Gamepro, or any other mainstream review organization, chances are, you're not going to hear any one of them say or write anything less than flattering about the more heavily-hyped games.  The advertisers, more or less, run the show in terms of reviews.  If you're a reviewer being paid from advertising revenue BROUGHT TO YOU BY NINTENDO'S NEWEST ZELDA GAME, it's not in your best interest to say anything negative about Nintendo's newest Zelda game, even though it's gay, boring and uninteresting in reality.  After about oh, say, two decades of living through this pattern, you might start to become a cynical, bitter being who refuses to believe Earth is round if a game reviewer states this to be the case, which is obviously bullshit anyway, since up is up and down is down and if Earth were round, the Koreans would fall up into space instead of being planted firmly on the ground, wishing all Americans die of AIDS in the name of Fearless Leader Kim-Jong il.  If you're like me, the very thought of this will make you highly disturbed and lacking the ability to sleep for days on end.  Ironically enough, that's how I discovered Dave and Steve's Video Game Explosion in 2001.  Airing at an ungodly hour seems to be the norm for video game review shows, but Dave and Steve's Video Game Explosion was definitely the champion of "must find" late-night television, running at around 2 AM on TBS, as well as a limited-access college television network called Burly Bear.  The only way you could possibly find this show was if you were suffering from serious insomnia or if you were in college and came home from a party without realizing you never turned off the TV after watching a Braves game.

From 2001 to 2002, Dave and Steve's Video Game Explosion did nearly everything different from standard review shows or publications.  They started by immediately exposing their sponsor, SoBe, as horse semen, which anyone who ever tasted it knew already.  They mentioned swastikas, the nature of TBS corporate types, and even sex with Japanese girls in their reviews.  But most importantly, they weren't afraid to call certain games out on their shit.  The boldest hard line?  "If you like Final Fantasy X, YOU'RE STUPID."  I was blown away when I heard that.  Then they reiterated this in the two next episodes in several ways.  They came out and said the Atari's games were way better than those on the XBox.  They gave away 50 stupid controller/glove gimmick toys to one person as junk.  The only similarity the show had to any mainstream reviewer was that they sometimes went the duration of an entire episode without a single review.

The show itself starred David Mandel and Steve Lookner, writers for such shows as Saturday Night Live in the mid-'90s, the Clerks animated series, and Seinfeld.  Their writing talent is apparent, as Dave and Steve's Video Game Explosion is essentially a series of gay jokes disguised as a video game review show.  Strangely enough, game reviews have never seemed more relevant than when put in the context of two men wanting to have gay sex with each other.

In our own feature review event, Psycho Gorilla Games proudly presents every episode of Dave and Steve's Video Game Explosion here.  Enjoy.

 

EPISODE 1: Reviewing Games in a Post-9/11 World

 

Dave and Steve contemplate whether it's appropriate to play or even talk about videogames after 9/11, even though it's their first show.

 

 

EPISODE 2: The SoBe Ad Campaign

 

Dave and Steve reveal SoBe's new mascot: Senor SoBe!

 

 

EPISODE 3: GAMECUBE!

 

A special GameCube extravaganza.

 

 

EPISODE 4: Does Tony Hawk Exist?

 

Think about it.  Have you ever seen Tony Hawk in person?  Also, a Grand Theft Auto III review!

 

 

EPISODE 5: The Origin Story

 

How the F-word did these guys get on TV?  Dave and Steve can answer that.

 

 

EPISODE 6: The '80s Episode

 

A special tribute to the day Ronald Reagan got shot.  Also, TIME TRAVEL!!!

 

 

EPISODE 7: One Hour!

 

Dave and Steve prove they've finally made it in the world.

 

 

EPISODE 8: Interview with Ken Griffey, Jr.

 

A monster interview with a baseball sensation, and a personal inter-review show rivalry.  Also, if you like Final Fantasy X, you're stupid.

 

 

EPISODE 9: Anfernee and DeShawon's Video Game X to the Plosion

 

Anfernee and DeShawon take the reins from Dave and Steve, courtesy of Ted Turner.

 

 

EPISODE 10: Van Wilder!

 

Dave and Steve hype Van Wilder and get a new sponsor: Jim Carter Insurance!

 

 

EPISODE 11: At the Star Wars Convention!

 

The first of 2 never-before released episodes featuring Dave and Steve at a Star Wars Convention in Indianapolis.

 

 

EPISODE 12: Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Nerds

 

Dave and Steve feel the wrath of angry Star Wars nerds.

 

 

BACK TO GAMES